A post in which I finally talk about something besides glass, Robert

The rest of the drive to Lee and Clayton's was relaxing and shorter, since I had detoured through Duncan. I had a great book on CD to listen to, and that always helps. It's called Empress Orchid, and it tells the story of the rise to power of the last Empress of China, told against the backdrop of the Imperial Chinese system that crumbled beneath her during her rein. Stories of Imperial China are fascinating to me, much as are tales of pre-revolutionary France. I love reading about the ridiculous excesses of the privileged classes, even though I know hundreds of thousands lived in grinding poverty to provide them.

When I got to the house, I went through my booty from today, as is tradition for me after a glass run. Lee and Clayton were politely and casually interested.

They then told me they had made no plans for the evening. Usually when I come up they have people in for dinner, but not tonight. Although I enjoy seeing the Charlotte folks (and had packed a party frock just in case), I was just as happy to have a relaxing evening.

Lee and I went shopping, which is what we do. We went to Southpark and walked around, basically just talking and enjoying each other's company. Lee didn't buy anything. I hadn't intended to, but I found the perfect Valentine card for my mother. She'll be here on VD, so I picked it up for her. It'll probably make her cry. It nearly made me cry in the store. But then I'm such a softy.

We ran by the grocery store on the way home to pick up a few things. Lee got a box of doughnuts for dessert tonight and breakfast in the morning. He usually eats next to nothing (that boy has diapers that he still can wear - he never gains an ounce), but he loves sweets. I think my coming is a good excuse for him to indulge a bit.

Lee made a lovely salad while Clayton finished up dinner, which was shrimp and grits. Lee is a very picky eater, and doesn't eat shrimp, so he made himself a grinder. Lee always makes wonderful salads. He's very meticulous, and takes a lot more trouble with them than I do. You can really see and taste the difference. The one he made tonight was baby spring greens and spinach with sprouts and big, decadent, out-of-season blackberries. Yummy. Made me feel a tiny bit like an empress myself ;)

After dinner, we retired to the living room for television, conversation, and doughnuts with ice cream for dessert. We watched some show on hulu that was entertaining, although I had never watched it before. And of course when it came on, we flipped over to watch Graham Norton. That is a Thing with them. They watch every Saturday.

All in all, it was a lovey, relaxing evening, and it was nice to spend some time with them.