A post in which I have a date*

I woke up feeling conspicuously lazy today.  I chatted and played around on the computer and my phone, but eventually there was nothing for it - I had to get up.

I made some tater tots for breakfast, since they were in the freezer and a delicious, and contemplated all that needed to be done today. 

I stripped the bed and started washing everything, and then confronted the bottles of wine RBL had given me a week or so ago.  Guests had left five bottles of red wine open at their place, and since Billy doesn't cook with it, they sent it home with me.  Three of them we full, just inexplicably open.  One was half full, and I dumped it in a pot with another butt-end of red cooking wine I already had to reduce down by about half.  Then I had to figure out what to do with it.

Although I was afraid that the reduced wine would be too strong, I decided to go with a mushroom bourguignon.  I ran to the store for mushrooms and the rest of the stuff I needed to make it, and set to work.  I had found the recipe online, and it hadn't had many reviews.  Although that is not unusual with vegetarian dishes, it turned out distinctly bland.  Despite my worries about the reduced wine being too strong, you could barely taste it, so I basically ended up with something that was like watered-down hamburger helper.  Very disappointing, especially since my sauce was lovely and brown, and the perfect consistency - just not a lot of flavor.

Resignedly, I packed it up for lunches, and vowed to try again.  I have plenty of wine, after all. 

While I was waiting for laundry to cycle through, I decided to get out my new water pitcher and do some water checks.  I had purchased a Pur water pitcher after Christmas,and then bought a Zero Water pitcher a month or so ago.  These were to replace my old Brita pitchers I've had for years.  I was quite impressed with the Pur commercial where they take the red wine out of water while the Brita pitcher fails.  The Zero water came with a water tester though, and I really like the idea of being able to tell exactly how well the filter is working, rather than just buying one every three months because it is 'time'. 

Both the Pur and the Brita were due to be changed, and I thought I would see how well my filters were working.  Testing the Pur pitcher showed there were 22ppm of debris in the water.  The Brita results were 18ppm (this was on filters that had been in use for three months).  The Zero Water test was 000ppm.  Just for fun, I tested plain tap water, and it was 21ppm - LESS than the Pur water, so apparently the Pur filter wsa dumping accumulated stuff back in my water.  So if the tester is reliable (it came with the Pur filter, so who knows what chicanery they might be employing), the Pur filter is clearly superior.  Interesting.

I put the bed back together, cleaned up the kitchen, and got in touch with Larry, who had been waiting on me all day.  He told me last week he wanted to get together, but I have been really busy, was out of town yesterday, and then had chores to do today. 

So he came by and we went to Corona's for an early dinner (by that time I was starving).  Of course, as he was en route, RBL had invited me to dinner.  I love 'em to pieces, but this 10-minute notice thing is nuts.  I don't mind doing stuff spontaneously sometimes, so I haven't said anything, but them expecting everyone to just drop everything when they put out the critter call (especially when you have to book weeks in advance to see them) smacks just a bit of hubris. 

It was good to see Larry, and we caught up over dinner.  He ordered fresh guacamole to be made for us(which I would never have the chutzpah to do, frankly) which was absolutely delicious, and clearly better than just letting them scoop it out of a tub.  We had a nice dinner and then went back to my place for the evening. 

It was good to see him, and I enjoy his company.  It's nice to have an actual date.  With someone who is actually available.  And self-supporting.   And has a car. 

But he went on home after a while, and I had to turn in.  I have that %$$#@!! 8:15am doctor's appointment in the morning; and work of course.