Scotch Eggs and such...

Everyone knows it and makes fun of us for it: Amanda and I just love British crap. Television. Radio. Cooking. Clothing. Healthcare. Each day at lunch, in an effort to sequester myself from the rest of the school and have 10 minutes of peace (I am SOOOO popular) I sit, in the dark, in my room, eat my lunch, and watch youtube videos of (mostly British) cooking videos. Like many folks, during Christmas and the holidays, I enjoy cooking festive stuff--I just roasted a turkey the other day, and this Saturday, for Maira's first birthday party, I am smoking a ham on the Weber. One recipe I found was a Christmas tradition in England and Scotland:Scotch eggs. Here is a picture of how they turned out:
I did mine a bit on the unconventional side, meaning I baked them instead of frying them--but other than that, I followed a traditional recipe. I boiled and then peeled eggs. Then I took some natural casing sausage, and slit the casings down the length of the sausage, removing the casing, and rolling out the sausage into a little patty, for which I used some special and secretly seasoned flour. Then I covered the whole egg with the sausage, dunked the whole kabang in an egg wash, coated them with some homemade breadcrumbs, and bada-bing! I byaked they for a bit, just until the crisped up. They DEFINITELY would taste better fried, but I didnt feel like cleaning up a big mess. These MAY return for the holidays! As might a special chowder AND a fish pie. We'll see.....

Lynne and George watched the kids for Sally and I the other night so we could a. go to Toys R Us and spend hundreds of dollars on Chinese plastic crap and b. go to DYSARTS!!!!!! When we got home, this is what we saw:
Exhausted from a long night of playing trains, no doubt!
Before falling asleep, George was probably thinking about how tragic Herman Cain's campaign ended up being....hence the dubiously thoughtful posture....

This kid dont go anywhere without Mister Puppy....

Meanderings 67-Some random observations about gender and manners

1. I am thinking of a new blog or web site I could launch and really make some money..."Things a man should never say.com" It would work. Here are some real observations I have made lately, teaching at a public high school:

-my cat did the cutest thing yesterday

-I think Josh Groban did a cover of this song

-I am so pissed I can't stream JERSEY SHORE on Hulu yet

-do you have any lotion?

-I love my bedroom because my dust ruffle matches my comforter

-I want John Mayer to hold me ever so gently (that one is from me)

I really do keep a small notebook of these. My class finds them hilarious. Do you? More to come....

2. On the same sort of vein, a random observation I have made about Callum is that the kid loves theater: Dance, ballet, drama, and FIGURE SKATING. Last Sunday, he preferred watching Brian Boitano's holiday skate show on NBC instead of the Patriots make the Eagles their beee-ot-chizzes.....I am totally okay with this (as I mentioned on FB). I now show CS some youtube videos of figure skating each night. Kid is transfixed. Love it!

3. For years and years, the benchmark of proper etiquette was putting the toilet seat down in the bathroom when you are finished. The 2011 version of this is (or soon will be) taking your K-Cup out of the "brewer capsule" when finished. Most people know I dislike K-cups intensely, for I believe they truly epitomize what is inherently AMERICAN--fast, convenient, pollutive (sp?), and completely devoid of aesthetics (sound, smell, etc). However, is it impolite to 'leave' your k-cup in there when you are done? I find that when I DO use a Keurig, I always find someone else's K Cup in there. It doesnt bother me at all to throw them away....but I can see some dumb liberal suddenly making a big fuss about how they have to throw someone else's cup away. Pay attention....this will become a bigger deal

4. I really hate when people chastise me for not getting the flu shot. It is ironic that the same dumb liberals who make such a big deal about "keep your laws off my body" with the whole abortion thing are the same ones who usually want to get all over my body about peeing their pants about me not getting a flu shot. At least three people this year have been genuinely offended that I havent gotten the shot and participated in what I call "a government conspiracy." This usually pisses them off, even though I say it jokingly. But when we really do get into the heart of the discussion, I ask them quite plainly: "Do you exercise five days per week at least?" Obviously they say no cuz they are too lazy to go outside. "What does that have to do with anything?" they ask me. Well, as I tell them, they are offended that I dont get the shot, and I put them at a greater risk for getting sick. THey never understand the connection I am trying to make about exercise and staying healthy, but that is just because they are too obtusely liberal....

The flu is a fad. Like Amish house stars, P90X, and Eskimos....

Thanksgiving weekend

I absolutely love this picture....Callum and Maira in Maira's crib. I love the expressions. I love Callum's usual hammy self, and I love Maira's deadpan personality. She reminds me a lot of the Amanda's grandmother with her personality (with the exception that Maira likes me). As far as looks, however, I think Maira is starting to look more like her two grandfathers. What do you think? It is awesome to see Callum and Maira starting to 'play' together. Speaking of playing....

look at these two goons--Callum and Jackson--playing on Thanksgiving morning.....we are looking forward to seeing the Favrys and Nannie and Upbob again in a couple of weeks for Maira's first birthday (CAN YOU BELIEVE IT...ALREADY???). Callum is looking forward to seeing everyone. But he asked if upbob could leave Nannie at home because, and I quote, "I dont like how she follows me to wipe my nose...." But he loves his Nannie. He tells me so.
And POOF!....Maira has already done more cooking than Amanda has in the past year......

Both kids really love playing with "kitchen" sets---at Jackson's house, at the church nursery, etc--and we will probably get them one for Christmas....
Playing store......
At Thanksgiving was my cousin Kelly.....I remember when she was born....I used to hold her....and now she has her own little girl (Amanda is holding Adriella, and Kelly is holding Maira). I am getting OLD.

Thanksgiving 2011

The first turkey!
Turkey Head....

transfixed by Bob the Builder...


Since I am tired and sick--and Amanda is sick. And Callum is sick. And Maira is sick. I have decided to do a Thanksgiving blog post in a "lecture notes" sort of fashion...much like I would do at school when pressed for time....

THANKSGIVING: It was awesome.....a solid, complete trip....plans changed due to storm, etc....

TUESDAY: Come home from school....pack....leave at 615 to put kids to bed in car and drive down to Ct...do this to 'miss' snowstorm in Fairfield that would inevitably dump almost a foot of snow....hit MAJOR rain on way down....get to CT safely....go to bed

WEDNESDAY: Cold morning....go on errands with Anthony to dump, Home Depot, etc....go pick up stuffing and potatoes at Mystic Market....return home in time to see girls and kids off to get pictures done....Anthony and I keep the tradition alive by going to sit at a pub and consume a couple of ice beers whilst watching ESPN....this time we went to Shipyard Pub in Mystic....go home, order Valentino's pizza...put kids to bed....view 'Modern Family' and 'Happy Endings'....later that night Callum would throw up 4.5 times in bed with us...

THURSDAY: Happy Thanksgiving! Beautiful day....play football outside....fry two 21 pound turkeys...make my creamed onions....Amanda makes delicious pumpkin pie...visit with family dont often get to see....Callum and Jackson proceed to watch Bob The Builder Christmas for 26th time in row....boys continue to play trains....boys and 'Ukka Ja-ed' walk down to visit the three horses...horses are subsequently named Thomas, Percy, and James by the two boys....leave at around 7 to drive home through the night again, returning at 1130 or so to a foot of snow...have to shovel doorway to get into house....fun!

Maira being Maira.....

So many changes JUST in the past week or so....

First of all, last night, she slept through the WHOLE night without getting up once!!

Her favorite word to say is "ditty!!" which she says when she calls for "daddy" or when she sees Lupine and says "kitty." She loves to wave and say DIE! to people (she is saying BYE)....

She is suddenly WICKED fast as a crawler....way faster than her brother ever was...she loves to be chased

She HATES being thrown up in the air and caught like Callum used to....

Favorite food? Goldfish and apples. She says "fish" a lot when she wants them....

She said her own name today. She says "birthdays which is hilarious. I dont think I could phonetically spell it out. Sorry.

A true joy

A Fantastic Season!

It ended a couple of weeks ago, but I really haven't gotten around to writing about it. Winslow Cross Country is amazing. What a fantastic experience. My own coaching, personal training, and running education improved dynamically. As I wrote before, our boys team made it to the State Championship, and we had two girls qualify as individuals. The race, on Oct 29, took place at Twin Brook Recreational Center, which is down in Cumberland. World famous XC Ski trails. Just as good for running. Our boosters were awesome, and always had all our WHS XC "bling" fully ready for us! Here is one of our tents at the state meet. Notice the propane tank heating the hot water for coffee, cocoa, and every team member's staple: Cup O Noodles.....

Milling around before the start of the Class B race. There were LOTS of people at this. The energy was just amazing.....
The week after the season ended, we had our banquet at the high school. Amanda and the kids came for some of it--the banquet didnt start until 630, and they kids had to leave to go to bed! An excellent night with some fantastic food. I think I mentioned before about the sweatshirt and water bottle I got. Below is an interesting photo: I SERIOUSLY think this might be one of only two (the other one is from Santa's Village) pictures of the whole Goldsmith family....in existence!! One of only two that "I" have ever seen, anyway....
Fellow coach Chris and I gave out the awards to the kids--a lighthearted and sentimental affair...
And now I have a little more time for the truly important things in life......

Another day at the office....

I miss being on summer vacation with my kids--I cannot believe we are just about three months into the school year already. First Quarter ended just last Friday. Amanda, who is home on Mondays and Wednesdays, gets to capture a lot of great moments during the day...like when these two goons play with each other. Funny: The HAVE a playroom...but they bring all their stuff into the living room...because that is where all the action is, right? Me? I'll take the downstairs den (which, in the past few months, has become a total mess...NOT the 'piltdogs' I wrote about a few years ago--only TRUE goldsmith5 blog purists will get that reference...)
Look at Maira's little curls in the back! I think she is going to have hair just like her mommy....
I realize I haven't blogged much about Cross Country. I should do a whole post about this. This season was amazing, to say the LEAST. Now, it is over. And, although I value having some time back in my life, I miss it terribly. The kids are just so amazing and I really hate going on runs alone. Co-coach Chris and I are doing some marathon training in hopes of preparing for the Sugarloaf marathon, which is in May. We'll see how crazy the training is--and we'll see if I have the time for it! But we had a great XC banquet last week, and it was lovely; Chris and I gave out awards to all the kids with superlatives like "rookie of the year" and "never complain award" and stuff like that. The captains gave out "gag" awards like "most likley to always wear spandex" and "laziest" and "most likely to win the warmup" and stuff. All good natured. We watched a half hour slideshow (set to music) and I was given a copy of the DVD. And the kids wrote some fantastic stuff on some posters and cards for me...AND they pitched in to custom make me a Winslow XC hooded sweatshirt as well as a 'clean canteen' water bottle with the team's photo on it! I was very touched. I absolutely love this coaching gig. Okay. Back to the kids playing....
My beautiful little girl. She says hi and bye and waves. Her latest trick--as of today--is she shakes her head NO to me (get used to it daddy...). Also, she now takes things, shows them to me, and says "this??" with a sort of lisp. I tell her what "This" is, and she then tries to say the word. Usually it sounds nothing like it is supposed to. She has really taken a liking to this "car slide" thingy that I will have to show a picture of. Also, she loves trains--particularly the Thomas the Train "Sir Topham Hatt" car. I think she just wants to be like her brother.....
An afternoon serenade....