Sorry.

For some reason, since the last entry, I've become afraid of writing here. I'm forcing myself to write now, but finding that I don't have much to say.

Every week or so I'm told a new reason to expect that Dad may be dying soon. Then, a few days later, I'm told a reason to expect that he'll be fine for a while. I honestly don't know how much longer I'll be here.

The other day, a homeless-seeming man named Joe, who was wearing a baseball cap that said "Joemerica," wandered up to me and a friend downtown. We were ordering chili dogs from a sidewalk window as he started a conversation with my friend. I'd said nothing to him when he told my friend, as I stood right there beside them, that he pitied me. "This guy, this guy here, I feel sorry for him, because he'll never know what it's like to be in love. He's gonna live his whole life and he's never gonna know!" This was several days ago, and still I have no idea what he meant by that. Maybe that polite smile I'd given was especially unattractive to him.

So here's a recipe I sorta made up for coconut curry sauce. It's good, but I've made it twice now and both times it has ended up a bit too spicy for my taste. I've only recently started to appreciate hot foods, but I still don't like peppers. Anyway:

Barry's Yellow Curry Coconut Slop Plus Some Vegetables

1 can (13 oz. I think?) coconut milk
2 cups chicken broth
1-3 teaspoons cayenne pepper (depending on how hot you like your food; I used 2 the first time, then 1.5, and it was still uncomfortable for me)
2-3 tablespoons yellow curry powder (again, depending on how much you like curry)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 clove garlic (I guess you could also use a tablespoon of garlic powder)
2 large carrots
3 red potatoes
1 cup frozen green peas
salt & pepper to taste

Combine all of the ingredients except the vegetables and bring them to a light boil, then reduce heat to medium. While that's boiling, mince the garlic, then chop up the carrots and potatoes to about 1/2" thick. I always skin the carrots, but not the potatoes. Take your time with this - the gravy needs to reduce for a while, about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the carrots and boil those alone for about five minutes. Then add the potatoes and boil for ten or so more minutes (still stirring occasionally). Finally, add the peas and boil for five more minutes, or until it's as thick as you like. It will thicken more as it cools into something like a stew.

It would be pretty good as a stew, I guess, but I served it over rice to weaken the cayenne. Pineapple or regular apple would probably be pretty good in it, but I keep forgetting to buy them. The first time I made it a little differently, baking it in a 13x9" dish with a whole, quartered, bone-in chicken (375 degrees, covered, for 30 minutes, then remove cover, flip chicken pieces, stir sauce, drown vegetables, and bake another 20-30 minutes without cover). Like most curry I've had, it's a lot better after it has sat in the fridge overnight.

It's pretty good!