Miss Kat's birthday dinner

My night with a book plans were put off when Russ called this afternoon to tell me it was Miss Kat's birthday. After work, I ran by to get a gift. I was going to go ahead and get my Christmas gift idea, but I couldn't find one in town, so I had to improvise. I got her a couple of books I think she'll like, and wrapped them up very pretty - unusual for me, because I hate to wrap presents. Then when I got to Russ and Billy's, I found out it was Lori's birthday too, so then I felt bad because I had one very nice present and nothing for Lori. Lori was, of course, very nice about it.

We all went out to Texas Roadhouse to eat dinner. Miss Kat loves that place because they make a portobello mushroom gravy she likes with potatoes. It was that love of mushrooms that inspired me to make my first true pate`. A mushroom pate` I made for her birthday another year that very few people ate. Mushroom pate` is gray. And no matter how good it tastes, it kinda looks like kaka-doodie. Anyway.

The restaurant was PACKED, as it always is on the weekends, and it was brutally hot outside. We finally made it to a table, and ate until we hurt.

Then we went back to Russ and Billy's to open the gifts and hang out for a bit. We ended up smoking and talking on the porch until late. It was a really nice evening, enjoyed all the more for being unexpected.