Not the Meatloaf

I pulled into the driveway late afternoon, after a grueling day of re-certification testing at work. Mentally exhausted and stressed from fighting through horrendous traffic and road construction, all I wanted was a bowl of ice cream and a few minutes on the couch before I thought about cooking dinner. My two daughters greeted me on the sidewalk, an unexpected but pleasant surprise. (I didn't realize how much they missed me!)

"Mom, we have two things to tell you..."  Trust me when I say this is never good to hear from a teenager.

Apparently Emerson had somehow gotten into the house earlier, squeezing himself through the back door left open "just a crack." The girls quickly reassured me that they were cleaning up the damage, and hadn't I always said I didn't like that blue armchair anyway? It's almost like the goat did us a favor, shredding up those cushions...

At my icy stare, they retreated, still blocking my way to the front door as I asked, "And the second thing you have to tell me?"

"We made supper! It's almost ready."

It was like heaven's angels erupted in song around me - my wonderful children, all is forgiven! For a night off from the detested chore of cooking, I'd let Emerson eat an entire couch. I hugged the girls and opened the front door to a savory aroma which effectively covered any lingering goat scent...mmmmm! Peeking in the oven I spied sizzling potatoes and a lovely meatloaf. Even my husband (who moans that I cook too much chicken and fish and not enough red meat) would be happy tonight. Maybe the girls would let me take the credit...

Emily served everyone a plate and Mike eagerly took his first bite, just as Megan asked, "So, Dad, how do you like the lentil loaf?"

I think the events which followed are best summed up like this - while the healthful "lentil loaf" (a close cousin to tofu, in my mind) may look and smell like meatloaf, it has a taste all of its own. Or, as Mike growled while he scraped it into the sink, "You know what you should add to make this edible? How about meat?"

Actually, I was thinking bacon...

I wonder if goats like lentils?