The NOquester cake

People, today was the most overrated, underwhelming "storm" of which I've ever been part. Even the kids were totally baffled, and Jack was extremely disappointed that he had to miss chess class because of a wildly nicknamed and anticipated weather event that, for us, just did not come to pass. I said it before, and I'll say it again, ye weatherpeople out there, reeaally...download Angry Birds or something. Here is the extent of our hit.

We decided to make a cake, and naturally, the boys wanted vanilla and chocolate. So, I suggested a "marble cake in a castle pan" which sounded extremely fancy and appealing to them but which involved nothing more than making vanilla cake, pouring half into a nice bundt pan, mixing cocoa into the remaining batter and then spreading that on top. They went nuts. While it cooled, we decided to walk to Crate and Barrel for an item I needed and then to a little spot they like to get some take-out dinner. Crate and Barrel was closed, for pete's sakes. I do believe my friend, NLF posted it best: "In DC, we stock up on 3 weeks of groceries, secure an alternative heat source (as we are likely to lose basic utilities), count on extended office closures, and generally prepare for armageddon. This is where the seat of our government is. I will never get it."

Precisely.

Anyway, the cake turned out well and afterwards the boys chased each other for a full 30 minutes. Finally, cheeks blazing red, they attempted to out-dive-into-bed each other before I basically just shut them in their respective rooms.

Aah. Wine for me, and I'm definitely going to make the pecorino fried bread recipe with which Melissa Clark graced us today.

"Snow day", cooking

Yet again, I find myself wondering if weatherpeople nationwide needed a boost, a hint of excitement that just cannot be derived from doppler radar. The storm that slapped the Midwest yesterday (interestingly, none of my friends there reported school-closings) has arrived on the East Coast. I think. I can't speak for the suburbs, but all we've accumulated is a vague muddy slush in our yard and snow-plows idling with ennui on the streets. In the five minutes of earnest come-down we did receive, I went outside and stood my wiper blades up like sentinels, just in case; presently, they look a bit silly.

The boys and I have played Twister, Sleeping Queens and Spanish Bingo, have watched an entire season of Super Friends, they're pretending to be devoured by the quicksand of death right now, and I just finished up a slow-roasted cauliflower, leek and prune dish scented with cinnamon, cardamom, garlic and pimentón because all that just sounded good and comforting. I roasted some almonds, chopped and tossed them in for a bit of crunch. I might eat this warm but I might let it come to room temperature and eat it alongside some ricotta.

Do you know what I MUST make and eat soon? Melissa Clark's recipe in today's NY Times Dining: Pecorino Fried Bread with Broccoli. What? That sounds off the hook ridiculous.

Peevishness settles in

Today started at 5 am. I can't remember why, nor does it really matter. The morning was a smooth one, generally speaking, and the kids and I even fit in a game of Sleeping Queens before carpool came to fetch Jack. I brought Ol to school and then met a good friend for a long walk on the Capital Crescent Trail. She grew up in MA so was not ridiculously over-dressed for the mid-30s weather as was I with my long-underwear layer, wool socks, boots and Louisiana constitution. Hey, it felt a lot colder than it turned out to be and the sun actually transmitted warmth rather than just light. We kept up a good pace too and by the time we returned to our cars, I'd stripped off my jacket and sweater. Another reason to make sure the long underwear you purchase is cute! Then, despite the increasingly warm temps on this lovely day, I started hearing more about duh...duh... the approaching winter storm that's supposed to throw us DC-area folks into a major snowquester. This is, in my opinion, extremely unwelcome. Also, I find it weird, an eerie calm before the storm, to have such a pretty day washed dramatically away by thunder-snow (apparently we might get such a confluence of intense weather) just hours later.

Today around noon (two hours before T was to depart), all flights from CA to DC were cancelled through tomorrow night or Thursday, so Tom is now staying put in SF rather than heading home. This is also a real bust. The boys' hijinks this afternoon were funny until they weren't, turning towards the dark side just as we welcomed into our home a potential babysitter we were meeting for the first time. Mortifying. Since this kindly young gal left (she probably started running as soon as she reached the corner, poor lass), I have chosen to wear the hat of Disengaged Mommy because I was so mad at the kids that keeping some distance seemed wise. I need to keep the old reserves up as I'm quite certain school will be cancelled tomorrow. Terrif!

Nutmeg is a dream, I tell you, a glass of wine in cat-form. He just kills me. Every time I so much as step foot in my bathroom, into the sink he flies, nestling in like it's the snuggest, poshest bed ever. It just can't be thus but he's convincing. Observe.