WARNING: Small Group at the Scheis.

This evening I began to prepare what I thought would be a rather timely meal for our Small Group from church. I began at roughly 5:00pm or so and leisurely measured all my ingredients in 1/3 and 2/3 portions since I had a large sauce pan and a small sauce pan -- no EXTRA LARGE saucepan. I should really grow up. One of these days BOTH families are going to come here for Thanksgiving and I'm going to spend $1000 just preparing my home for the invasion. Tonight I was serving Chicken Curry with Sweet Potatoes from my favorite food site, Epicurious.com.

I began to 'sweat it' a little when the timeliness was seeming a little less than timely as everyone arrived and I was yet to throw ingredients in that I knew would take quite awhile to cook. Sweet Potatoes. Chicken Thighs. I harrumphed and settled into a steady rhythm of not talking to anyone and rapidly preparing the ingredients and setting in the sink all the used dishes. I imagine I looked not unlike the hunch-back of Notre Dame moving around my kitchen, carrying bowls of ingredients and talking to myself without a moment's notice of who was in the room. What is usually a 6:00pm meal (sometimes 6:15) turned out to be a 6:45pm meal... the kids were running around as though they had a shot of insulin mixed with impatience. They seemed ok but to a parent who knows what the regular bad behavior is you KNOW that diving bombing small babies from the arms of the couch is not just child's play - they were starving, slowly rotting perhaps. And it manifested itself in stupidity. Yes... even for an 18 month old. He couldn't help but run full bore into the back couch cushion at which point he would be paralyzed in the air for a moment, his head would hit and his body would continue to bend up and over itself in what looked to be a sure cause for paralysis. He would have surely broken his back had his diaper not been packed full of pee (upwards of 6 hours), it weighed him down as though he had a brick hanging around his waist.

Praise goes to the Mom whose thinking ahead.

Back to the meal... it was the best yellow curry I have ever had. Second only to a Thai restaurant whose chefs are... well, Thai perhaps. No joke. See the link above for the recipe... I did 'half' the chili flakes and it packed some heat. Enough heat for the pregnant lady at the table and possibly too much for the kids had I not given them last night's leftovers. Hee-hee.

Our Wednesday nights are usually an evening of relaxation and harmony at the Kalous home with Rachel skating from one corner of the kitchen to the next, a smile on her face, glass of wine in hand and tongs in the other; children frolicking in the playroom and/or downstairs in the expansive living room (complete with space) while the adults sip libations and chuckle to themselves about the latest football game and/or our pregnant small group member's most recent 'discomforts'. Tonight was filled with everyone meandering around the kitchen island looking at me as they might a handicapped individual. She's managing. Do I ask if I can help? I'll just eat the appetizers until she asks. Ok, I'll ask. 'Krista, can I help you?' She's not responding but instead seems to be increasingly irritated with each word I speak to her. Maybe she has it under control. I'll just go manage the children and speak hope into their evening that dinner is coming soon.

We sat at the table sometime after 6:45 this evening and began what was a rather hurried pleasant meal. The curry was worth waiting for although the seating was a combination of broken Ikea seats that have been thrice times painted, garage sale seats that have been painted to match, an ottoman from the living room which sat Kyle about one and half heads below anyone else and an office chair.

I smiled throughout the meal and wiped my sweaty brow. I made only two trips to 'Dad's office' to discipline my children ('spank' for those who haven't read the Right books on parenting.) I seemed to pull it off and even offered to host again next Wednesday... although it seems only five will be able to make it.

At least we'll have enough chairs.