The Fire

One of the things I have enjoyed the most during this summer is cooking. Most of the time I've only managed to cook some rice to act as a side of whatever leftover protein I had in my fridge. But every once in a while Matias will give me the chance to get creative. I've made some short ribs with a rub I invented (mostly paprika). I also made some chicken with a cashew butter based sauce. Yesterday, I made a delicious couscous with orange juice, cranberries and walnuts. Last time I went to the supermarket I bought a couple of filet-mignons and I decided that today I was going to make them.

I had just finished feeding Matias, so I set him up on his pack and play and started seasoning my filets with just some salt, pepper and olive oil. While I was doing this I turned the oven on at 400 degrees and put a cooking pan set on high on the stove. I placed the meat to sear it on the pan and the temperature was very high so suddenly there was a lot of smoke. I quickly turned the kitchen fan on and opened a couple of windows but it was too late, the smoke detectors started ringing. It got really loud with more trhan one activated by the smoke so I go check on Matias. His eyes are wide open but he sees me and smiles, he's ok. I finish searing the meat so it won't burn and place the filets in the oven so they will cook evenly. The alarms are still on so I'm waving some papers under the smoke detectors until finally they go quiet. I go back to Matias and he is relaxed, luckily he never freaked out with the noise.

After 10 minutes I take my steaks out of the oven and check them. A perfect medium rare. I serve it with some of yesterday's couscous and I have a delicious lunch. Those two minutes of loud stress were definitively worth it.

What did I watch?
The Country Girl: Nice little movie about an actor struggling with alcoholism. Interesting to see Bing Crosby on a serious role and Grace Kelly was really beautiful, even when she tried not to be.

F For Fake: Orson Welles's last movie is some sort of documentary about the life of two fakers, as he calls them, Elmyr de Hory and Clifford Irving. There is a nice twist in the end of the movie that plays a little with your mind and makes you question if any of the "facts" that were presented to you during the whole film where actually real or  conveniently fabricated by Welles to fit his story.

The Good Samaritan

What a day! If every day is like today this is going to be a breeze. I got ambitious today, yesterday I trod cautiously into the unknown but today I went all in. The day started with a 3 AM feeding, these seem to be quick and easy, Matias is half asleep but he drinks his bottle pretty quickly. Then I'm able to get some sleep until 7:30 when both Matias and Lucas get up. Lucas's request for breakfast is more traditional today: toast with butter and jam, some cereal to snack on and a superman yogurt. I open the fridge and realize we are running out of groceries so I decide I'm going to risk it and go to the supermarket after dropping Lucas at daycare. I feed Matias while Lucas finishes his breakfast, we all get dressed and leave.

After dropping Lucas off I get to the Stop and Shop that is nearby. Here I run into my first challenge, where do I set Matias? He is too small for the shopping cart seat and there is no way I can push the cart and a stroller at the same time. I decide to set him in his car seat inside the shopping cart, there is not a lot of space for groceries now but I can work around it. I glance at the shopping list I requested from Alegna on my phone, memorize it and get to work. I get everything I need, pay up and go back to my parked car. I put all the groceries on the trunk and set Matias's car seat in the back. One of my biggest pet peeves in a supermarket parking lot is people not returning their carts on the designated areas. So I run to the area with my cart while Matias is locked in the car for about 30 seconds, but when I get back I see this woman walking by my car looking at the inside of it with a judgmental look. I get all paranoid thinking she's going to go full "Good Samaritan" on me and call the cops accusing me of locking my child in the heat while I was shopping. I quickly realize that I have a good alibi, the cashier saw me with Matias at the store and she commented on how cute he was, she surely must remember him and clarify I did nothing wrong. Luckily the woman keeps walking and gets on her car to leave. I leave too with some relief.

But now I'm brave. I successfully managed a trip to the supermarket! So what else do I do? After I feed Matias again I decide to be efficient with my time, so I cook some rice while I fill out the dishwasher. Another two chores done! I go eat while watching a movie for my deserved break. Finally, I get greedy and do some laundry. I go through two loads of washer and dryer. I'm so proud that I still have some time left with Matias for his daily exercises and tummy time.

Alegna and Lucas get here and now I can show off. My wife says "Big Deal!" you are just doing what you are supposed to be doing. Still I think this was a good day. I even had time to post twice for the first time!

What did I watch?
Il Sorpasso: Great movie! Vittorio Gassman plays one of the best comedy characters I have seen in my life, everything that came out of his mouth made me laugh out loud. This is one of the biggest representatives of a film movement in the 60s and 70s in Italy called commedia all'italiana. The ending is pretty tragic though.

Make sure you vote on the poll located to the right (Below Jerry Seinfeld's head) before tomorrow at noon. With this new feature you get to decide what movie I'm going to watch tomorrow afternoon.