The chicken talk

OK all the omnivores who think I am a nut job can skip this post! Kirsty and I finally had The Chicken Talk. It has been driving me round the bend waiting to talk. I know that is from my past. When I was growing up my mom would just not talk to us when she was angry with us. She would say polite things like "please pass the butter." But not dialogue with us. And sometimes I genuinely didn't know why she was angry. I suspect that there may have been times that I assumed she was angry at me when in all reality it was someone else, but I digress. The point is, if I am upset or someone is upset with me, I want to get it out in the open, and get it resolved. I am totally cool with waiting a couple hours to cool down. Kirsty is normally the same way--in her house arguments were loud, vocal, immediate and quickly resolved. But in this case, I had to wait a number of days because K was genuinely too ill to speak.

Today was the first day she had any voice at all and I could not wait any longer. So we talked. I know she didn't get why her decision felt like a violation to me, but she got that it did make me feel that way. It hadn't occured to her that because we eat "analog" meat here at home (which means non meat based products that pretty much look like meat) that KC would think the chicken at the restaurant was like chicken we have at home. She noted that he didn't eat a lot of it and wasn't thrilled with it. I said the thing that bothered me most was being told to "shake it off." She explained what she meant and I respect the place she was coming from. And i know she was probably trying at that moment to use the fewest possible words due to how crappy she felt.

I think she is very clear that the kids will remain meat free until they are old enough to make an informed choice and if we are back on that page, I am good with that. I have a lot of faith in my kids abilities to reason out things healthfully and ethically. Robbie saw the movie Supersize Me and gave up McDonalds (even for non meat things!) voluntarily a couple years ago.

So it was in many ways a really yucky week, but it ended well. We have a diagnosis for Lissa which feels so much better than operating in the dark.

We have had a chance to talk and resolve one of the few significant differences that my wife and i have had in our 30 yrs together. Yup, 30 yrs. . . we are oooooooold! LOL Actually, we have been together since high school!

And in a totally unrelated note, I got new hair doo dads for Lissa. Gorgeous multicolored square beads that are translucent. And a set of beads in different shapes in various shades of pink--one of her favorite colors. However her hair stuff has been taking over the bathroom and finding a way to keep it together has been a challenge. K finally solved that today by finding a clearance priced ($4.00!!!!) fishing tackle box. It is perfect! We got all the things in it and they are all compartmentalized so neatly that it will be way quicker when I do her hair. No more rummaging for the rat tail comb or that one particular color of snappies. With her beads I also got these nifty gizmos that make getting the beads onto her braids so fast. I tried out a braid of beads when I was getting her ready for her tub and they went on in a flash! I had found them on line--our beauty supply place didn't have them, and until they came in I threaded them on manually. I suppose that was great for my dexterity but it was tedious!

Tomorrow Lissa wants heart shaped pink beads in her hair after breakfast so that is the plan before we sally forth to do our shopping and library run. It will be a much easier morning than usual as I did a few of the errands after work. I thought it would minimize the number of times I schlepped her in and out of her car seat and into a buggy or stroller. Too much of that might be uncomfortable right now.

Also Kirsty has the day off from work--Saturdays are usually just me and the kids--so it will be fun to have her here when we come home.