Someone asked me how I was going to prepare Charlie for the eating.. I declared he would be... "Unrecognizable!" We had a joke around the house about making Charlie Pot Pie.. But I didn't know how to make that. So I sliced him up.. Dismantling a chicken is not a fun process. It's a little nauseating actually... And Connor, sensitive as he is, had a very hard time with what little he perceived when he stumbled around the corner while I was in the midst of it... Anyway I tossed the slices in ranch and breaded in crushed up potato chips. It was truly scrumptious! Oh boy .. I honestly can not tell you how juicy and flavorful he was. But despite that the meal was eaten with more solimnity than most. A quiet mindful reverence hung over our plates. There was gratitude but not in the way of great joyful jubilation. It was thanks embedded in a feeling of loss. Every bite sort of hard to swallow.
In retrospect, this whole event has served to remind me how amazingly far away we industrialized nations are from our food. How removed our "typical" food is and how it origins lie beyond a sea of factories... surgical, sterile, chemical.. detaching us from the life we consume. Because whether plant animal or fish.. We eat life. But this simple truth is disguised and lost behind media, marketing and madness. Where is the Reverence? ... For that is what we felt for Charlie... It's almost non-existent. It needs to be reclaimed.
As a result of this, I am feeling a need to heftily scale back on my meat consumption and eventually limiting it to what we raise and cull ourselves. It doesn't seem right otherwise.
Another unexpected result of Charlie's death has been a shift in fowl formation... The pecking order. Charlie.. Even though he was a bit brutish, kept the young roosters ( of which there are three in check.
As it is now .. if they aren't trying to dominate each other.. they are banding together to gang rape the hens. It's pure mayhem out there . Lord Stanley has been laying down the law when it becomes to much but he is tired of the petty adolescent behavior. It may be just about time to hone my butchering skills soon once again. .. does the fact that they look delicious make me a meat monger?
In other news.. Greg was home for a quick and short weekend visit before jetting off to Woodstock. Vegas to Woodstock.. Very different worlds. Anyway, here is the view from his hotel. Proof it is winter... somewhere!
I had Greg watch some v-sauce and he seriously had a panic attack. It overloaded his curcuits a bit. He's better now. Love the v sauce!
Anyway here is a really interesting little bit .. During one of Greg's conferences some time ago he had the chance to meet an incredible mind and someone in whose presence he felt entirely humbled. The woman, her name eludes me, is a physicist who has determined a way to .. It's hard to put into words.. Her work is the application of physics to psychology and she does so for the biggest of the big. Essentially she can plot the perfect social structure for an organization.. She can find the people who are hubs and she can tell you where to put them to maximize thier potential or can let you know who to pull to make the ship sink. It sounds to me like she has found a mathematical key for plotting sacred geometry. Think about the power in that. Greg's company is going to be utilizing her services to propel them towards being a mega c o r p .. The sooner we get off that crazy train the better. We are working on an exit strategy, however, In the meantime, it will be fascinating to learn more as that implementation eventually gets started.
I died my hair.. I tried to catch some of the color...
Earlier this week I chaperoned a field trip of Connors to the tech museum in San Jose. Good times and headaches. The experience began with a lab experience. We did a few experiments. Connor is fascinated by chemistry. I was talking to some of the other moms.. They were about 10 years my senior and they said that they never even learned about the periodic table in high school. I started in jr high and here these 5th graders were being introduced to endo and exothermic reactions. Wow has time altered education. Good? Bad? Debatable.. but not now... After that we got to play in the museum. 5th grade boys are a hormonal lot and the three I had were not great pals and each wanted to go in different directions the entire time. It was a bit trying at times and I had to get a little fierce once or twice. I was glad when it was over. So was Connor.
School choices.. There is another option on the table for jr high and hs that is more reasonable/affordable. With a bus!! At a cost, for both kids to attend the private Christian school (yes you heard that right), which is less than the prestigious Monterey all girls school for willow alone. I've started the applications. Both Willow and Connor are excited at the prospect. So am I as it is the most balanced prospect and will free me up to better pursue employment as I wont be having to do the commuting thing.
Willows birthday is around the corner. 13 almost already! Thanksgiving.. then Chicago. Joyous times ahead to be recanted later. Time now for me to turn in so I can get a run on it all in the am.
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