Teenage Crisis

Black Rice Seafood (clams, prawns, mussles, squids, octopus...) Risotto

Hub and the Babies have gone off to Castelnovo di Sotto to catch the Carnevale while I stay home to keep an eye on the Teenager who has lots of homework to do. This period is difficult as those who have sons this age will understand. Lately, I have been receiving notes from his various teachers complaining that he had not been handing in his work, that he lied about having done them (when he hadn't), that he's often on another planet.

I want him to work now when there is still natural light. I'm sure it'll help to motivate him. Sometimes it's a question of getting started and it's true that coming home from school during winter and having the sky turn dark an hour later doesn't help. Also, most of his work is done on the computer, and how often have I myself been distracted with other things when I actually went in search of something specific on the Net?

Finally, not everyone is academically-inclined. I have come to accept that, though in our friend's case, I am worried as he doesn't seem to have other talents either. Unless you consider doing an acceptable moonwalk as one. I am often told that he's good-looking. So I am thinking, quite seriously thinking, that maybe I should send him to a modelling agency (but he's short for his age) and see whether he couldn't do a few shoots for supermarket publicity or something. Just to earn enough so that later on we could send him to some University where he could buy his degree. Just not to end up sweeping the roads. That's me, 2-time Scholar speaking. I've sat for an IQ test for the first scholarship and they must have liked my practical nature.

Sweet and Sour Tempura Chicken

For lunch today I have made Sweet and Sour Tempura Chicken for the children and a Black Rice Seafood Risotto for Hub and myself. I think Hub has reached saturation point for black rice. It's too healthy for him. It's after all wholegrain and nutty and takes getting used to. Since I'm Asian, I've grown up on it and I just love it. In fact, I suspect that it will probably do to make Pulut Hitam with this black rice. I will try this out this week.

The coming week will be another busy one. Playdates, lunches and one very early morning. The Teenager will be going to Venice for the day on Thursday. And then it'll be the Chinese New Year!