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Max and Colton made dinner tonight. I stayed in the kitchen with them, but strictly in a supervisory role. It was ham, asparagus, and corn pudding. For dessert, we had strawberry shortcake. 😋

Clever, Tink.

Happy Father's Day, Dugh. @Headstall And Happy Father's Day to you, as well.

Hey, Gary. How's Cookie?

Drew's idea of "prison" for Spike is a St. Andrew's Cross.

Congratulations, B!

Good morning, Chris.

I used some of the lemon thyme in my garden to make lemonade. 😋

Morgan cooked dinner tonight. It was peanut butter-stuffed French toast, with a crunchy coating of cinnamon toast cereal.

Cumin Lamb Chow Mein (Serves 3–4) Ingredients For the lamb 1 lb ground lamb 2 Tbsp whole cumin seeds 1 tsp whole fennel seeds ¼ tsp ground cinnamon 3 cloves garlic, finely minced 1–1½ inches ginger, finely minced Vegetables 1 red bell pepper, julienned. 3–5 baby bok choy, stems and leaves separated, stems sliced and leaves roughly chopped. 3 scallions, thinly sliced, whites and greens separated. Optional: 1 small onion, thinly sliced. Sauce 3 Tbsp soy sauce 1½ Tbsp Chinkiang vinegar 1–2 Tbsp chili oil or chili crisp oil 1 tsp sugar or honey 3–4 Tbsp reserved noodle cooking water Noodles 12–16 oz fresh chow mein noodles, fresh wheat noodles, or knife-cut noodles. To finish 1–2 Tbsp chili crisp Extra scallion greens Method 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles until just tender but still slightly firm. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water, then drain. Toss the noodles with a teaspoon of oil if they'll be sitting for more than a few minutes. 2. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar, chili oil, sugar, and 3 tablespoons of the noodle water. Stir until the sugar dissolves. 3. Heat a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 1 tablespoon oil. Add the cumin and fennel seeds and stir-fry for 15–20 seconds, just until fragrant. 4. Add the ground lamb. Break it up and cook until deeply browned and slightly crisp in places, about 6–8 minutes. Let some of the moisture cook off so the lamb develops good color. 5. Add the cinnamon, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. 6. Add the onion (if using), bell pepper, bok choy stems, and the white parts of the scallions. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften but still retain some crunch. 7. Add the drained noodles. Toss well to distribute the lamb and vegetables. Let the noodles sit against the hot pan for 30–60 seconds at a time between tosses so they pick up a little browning. 8. Pour in the sauce and toss continuously until everything is evenly coated. If the noodles seem dry, add another tablespoon or two of noodle water. 9. Add the bok choy leaves and most of the scallion greens. Toss for 30–60 seconds, just until the leaves wilt. 10. Taste and adjust: More soy sauce for saltiness More vinegar for brightness More chili oil for heat A splash of noodle water if it needs loosening 11. Transfer to a serving platter. Top with the remaining scallion greens and a spoonful of chili crisp. Notes * Fresh noodles are ideal, but dried chow mein, lo mein, ramen, or even thick spaghetti will work. * If you enjoy the distinctive cumin-lamb flavors common in northwestern Chinese cooking, add ½ teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns along with the cinnamon. * The dish should be fairly dry and glossy rather than swimming in sauce—the noodles should absorb most of it.

You don't think you're included in the greeting? 👀

Likewise.

I've been in touch with Terry. He says hello and wishes everyone well. He and Aod are heading to Pattaya for a holiday with some friends.

Hey, Dugh and Mum. I hope things are well with you.

Hey, Chris. Hope you are well.

Breakfast was surprisingly good today, for how simple it was. A biscuit brushed with butter, crisped and split open. Two eggs, whisked with heavy cream and gently folded a lá crépe, with finely chopped chives and lemon thyme. A slice of medium-aged Cheddar cheese was placed on top of the eggs and melted under the broiler. To finish, a modest spoon of guajillo pepper sauce was spread over the bottom half of the biscuit. Altogether, it was a very tasty sandwich. No meat was necessary. (Sorry, Clo.)

Hey, Chris.

Fortunately, I never had a reading list assigned from school. They only get kids interested in reading long enough to pull a bait-and-switch and suck all of the joy out of it. Instead, I spent my time reading independently. Alex Sanchez and Brent Hartinger were big on my list. I also enjoyed reading Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. A book that I wish had been published earlier, though, is The Island of Beyond, by Elizabeth Atkinson, which I think I've mentioned before. I always make a point to read it at least once during the summer.

I had nothing to do with it.

Hey, Bumble B. Today was surprisingly chilly for June, so I'm having a Hojicha hot chocolate.

I'm already looking for Book 2. Aww. Thanks!

So, BL stories made you even more crazy, then? 👀

What else could it be called, when you and Drew bicker at least once a week about which BL actors are in your respective herds? Not to mention, you guys know all of the nicknames. And Drew uses certain ill-contrived plot points just to troll you.

So, you admit you're obsessed with BL.

I only mention BL stories, like, once a year. Far less often than you and Spike discuss your Thai beefcake.