goosebumps

Did you ever have one of those days, that starts while you're still sleeping, with weird creepy dreams, complete with a really loud thunderstorm, and one of your kids waking you up at 3 am?  As if the storm wasn't keeping you up already.  Then when you finally roll out of bed at 6:45, it's to a scary low blood sugar.  But more on that another time.  Then you don't have time to make coffee.  Then the treat that you're treating yourself to really isn't that good or what you thought it would be, and so you only take that first bite?  Then it keeps raining all day.  Then you think you hear the recycling truck, and that it's been picked up, bring in the bin, then go to put something in it later and realize that you brought it in too soon?

And then.  I finished the book I was reading when I had 15 minutes to myself.   The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo. A wonderful book about love and loss and children and toys and the passing of time and enjoying each moment and really, truly, learning how to love. Absolutely left me with goosebumps on the last few pages.  Definitely worth getting it from the library and reading.  It will take you just over an hour, tops.  Yes, it's a kid's book, but yes, it's wonderful.  She also wrote Because of Winn-Dixie.  Both excellent. Can't wait to go investigate her other titles.

So then, when you need to wake yourself up, liven things up a little, and bring a little spice into the picture.  You make and eat this sauce.  On whatever.  And you realize that the day really turned out okay after all.

Adapted, barely, from Heidi Swanson
Spicy Lemon Coconut Sauce
into a food processor...1 clove of garlic, 1 jalapeno, pinch of salt, 1 T canola oil, 1 small bunch of scallions, 1/2 bunch cilantro, juice of 1/2 a lemon, and almost a full can of coconut milk.  Blitz.