chicken anyone?

do you recall the "sound of silence" post? well, last week, i was making dinner for a different friend that just had a baby. this story has a very different ending.

d and e were playing (ok, so they were watching tv) in the family room and a very behind schedule momma was in and out the back doors to the grill. for some reason, being behind schedule was not really concerning me too much. my friend lives close and the delivery time of the meal was loose and early enough that i knew i had some wiggle room. i loaded up the grill with the fixings for rosemary grilled potatoes and bbq chicken. things were going along swimmingly and i felt certain that i would pull it off without a hitch.

and then there was a hitch.

d spotted a squirrel on the back porch at the same time that the squirrel spotted d. she was fascinated. as d squatted down to peer out the window at the squirrel the squirrel became brave and curious. he kept inching closer and closer to the window until he was literally at the glass. i had a few minutes left before the chicken needed to be flipped (based on the timer) so i grabbed my camera (which as you can imagine is never too far away). i snapped a little pic of miss d and the squirrel. a few more minutes passed, pictures were happily captured and i was ready to go back to the making of the dinner.

the squirrel had other plans. he would not leave. and the longer he stayed the more d screeched with delight. it would be appropriate for me to insert that i am deathly afraid of squirrels so what took place is entirely my own fault. anyways, i had to get out there and turn the chicken. so i tried to open the door a wee bit and then slam it shut, hoping that the slam would scare my little critter friend off and on his merry way. mission unsuccessful! ellie saw my panic and tried to encourage her terrified momma to just go out there, but fear took over and i froze. she had her hand on the door handle and was about to open it! d was howling "hoof, hoof" and momma went running for a broom.

momma returned moments later with a broom to ellie saying, "uh mom, i think we have a problem." (smoke was literally billowing out of the grill and the stench of burned chicken was beginning to fill the entire neighborhood... ok, maybe i don't really know that, but i'm assuming).

the squirrel, nowhere to be found.

and so with great shame, i showed up at my sweet friends house with a rotisserie chicken and some of my favorite sides, courtesy of whole foods. she was gracious and we laughed, but i would be lying if i didn't say my pride was a wee bit bruised. and i swear, when i returned home to clean off the blackened mess from my grill, that same squirrel sat up in the tree making little squirrel squeaks at me the entire time.