Donnie had called me late last night to ask for some help with a problem Kimblee and Laura are having, and ended up inviting me to brunch today at 11. I really wanted to go, but knew that would cut the heart out of my cooking time today.
Jason and I woke up and greeted the day in approved newlywed fashion, but eventually I just had to get out of bed and get something DONE in there. We had gone through the store last night, and I had laid the stuff out for another pound cake, which I threw together in short order and got in the oven. I fed Jason a piece of the fallen one, which did taste good, it just looked like kaka-doodie. I cleaned up the kitchen while he showered and checked stuff on the Internet, and then I got cleaned up while he watched a movie. My cake (thank the Blessed Virgin) stayed up, and I turned it out to cool while we headed for Greer.
We were supposed to meet everyone at Richard's, which is does brunch, and has apparently just been written up in the paper. Inexplicably they were closed today, which left us at sixes and sevens. Eventually, we decided to go all the way back downtown to eat at the Liberty Tap Room. They were all enthusiastic about the food. I was the only one who hadn't eaten there. It was a nice place, although with the now-fashionable carpet-less echoing noise chamber of a dining room. The dining room was all black as well, which I guess is supposed to either feel chic or impart a pub atmosphere, but it just made it look like a hole to me. It was a beautiful day, though, so we elected to eat outside. They have a beautiful al fresco dining area adjacent to the ball park, but in the sun it was actually too hot today, believe it or not. Donnie and Mark sat in the seats that were in the sun, but Jason ended up saying he would trade with Donnie. Which meant he ended up sitting in the hot sun, and directly across from Mark. Poor baby.
Mark was in an unusually loquacious mood today. I asked Kimblee and Laura to tell me about their problem they've been having, and Mark chimed in and expounded at length on the legalities involved and exactly how they should handle everything.
Meanwhile, we were waiting for our food, which came out. I have to say mine was excellent. My poached eggs were a bit under-done, but other than that everything was notably delicious. Our service, however, was awful. We had a straight guy waiting on us who was nice enough, but disappeared as soon as our order was taken. We had to flag him down for everything. Eventually, we were just flagging down any of the other waitstaff we could detain, and we did get what we needed. Eventually. Jason was really put out. He felt like the guy didn't want to wait on us because we were all gay. I didn't get that vibe from him, but he was notably absent. The food was good enough that I would consider going again. If I could take a canteen.
After brunch I invited everyone back to my place for coffee and pie. I hadn't seen any of them since Donnie's mother died, and I just never see enough of Kimblee and Laura. I cut the pie and made coffee, and Donnie and Mark showed up. Mark was still feeling his oats though, and unfortunately he started pontificating. The subject came around to the European school system, which Jason knows about first-hand, having worked within it. As usual Mark knew just enough to be dangerous, and the debate was on. They debated through most of the rest of the visit. I had tried to prep Jason beforehand on Mark protocol, but it apparently hadn't taken. Eventually, the rest of us just started our own conversation. When we began to be drowned out by the continuing Jason/Mark fracas, the visit just broke up.
On top of it all, although everyone was nice about it, my pie crust sucked. The pie was OK, but because I used white sweet potatoes I had cut back on the sugar. I was trying to not cover up the flavor of the white sweet potato, but I just ended up making a lackluster pie. At least my coffee was good.
Jason was embarrassed after everyone left, but nonetheless defiant. The rest of us are used to letting Mark's bullshit roll over us like white noise, but when you're not used to it things can get to you. Jason apologized, I reassured him, and he left to go do all his stuff this afternoon.
Meanwhile, yours truly needed to get in that kitchen and rattle them pots and pans. I had nothing to show for yesterday; not one dessert was in the can. I mixed up the Chocolate Chess pie just to get it on in the oven while I worked on the carrot cake. I had been dreading getting into the carrot cake; apparently with good reason. I bought a handy-dandy little hand-held grater not long ago, thinking it would be perfect for grating carrots onto salad. Oh how wrong I was. After 20 minutes of effort, I had 1/3 of a carrot grated, hand cramps, and bruised knuckles. Since I had to have two cups of shredded carrots I just got the food processor out. When I got done, I had carrots everywhere. Half the kitchen was stained orange. I just cleaned it all up and tried to finish the batter. But I hadn't gotten enough walnuts, so I had to run to the store. Eventually though, I got the batter finished and in the oven. I had the kitchen mostly clean by the time my carrot cake layers came out. They looked pretty good, if darker than I would have liked. I then noted that my chocolate pie hadn't set. I threw it back in the oven to see if I could get it to firm up.
I was really tired, and wanted to sit down, but I decided to go ahead and glaze the pound cake so I would have at least one dessert finished. Bad idea. My chocolate seized up, and I had dump butter in it to make it let loose. I finished the glaze, got down the pound cake, and noticed it was lop-sided. But I wasn't making another one. So I poured the glaze over it, which promptly went globby and granular-looking. I also poured it on unevenly. It tastes OK, but the butter was separating out because there was too much in it, and it doesn't look smooth and pretty like it's supposed to.
My pie came out, but with a cracked top, too done on top, and the crust too brown. I tried to split the layers on my carrot cake (I decided to do 4). Also a bad idea. Because of the walnuts, I couldn't split them with dental floss as I usually do. I had to use a knife. They were fairly cool, but started coming apart when I tried to split them. I got it done though, and stacked the layers up with wax paper to freeze. They'll be easier to frost when they're frozen, I think. On the plus side, I did taste a bit that came off and the cake is delicious.
I was exhausted, and sat down to survey my accomplishments: a burnt-top pie, a lopsided pound cake with globby-looking glaze, and some crumbly cake layers. I finished up cleaning the kitchen and thawed something for supper, after which I just plopped down in front of the tube. I watched telly and did a couple of loads of laundry until it was time for bed. No way was I putting my blighted baker's thumb back in the kitchen tonight. Sigh. I went to bed very discouraged.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Saturday, November 7, 2009
A post in which I have dinner out
Well for being so organized yesterday, I did a good job of pissing half the day away today.
I got up and knew I needed to get in the kitchen, but I really wanted to go to the flea market. I rationalized that I needed fruit for my lunch next week, plus apples for the apple cobbler I'm doing for the camp out. If I could luck out and find some locally grown apples, they would not only be better than the ones from the grocery store, they'd be cheaper. It was a great flea market day. I didn't find any glass, but I did find a new glasses case for my prescription glasses (the old one was coming apart and looked awful). I also found a beautiful peacock-fan style brass fireplace screen for $5!! I had only asked how much it was casually, expecting it to at least be $46-$60. Even though it is a reproduction, that is a steal. Needless to say I snatched it up. I went to see the gourmet food lady. I was hoping she would have some sea salt, but not today. I did get some veggie bullion cubes for cheap though. I figured with Thanksgiving coming up I always need them, and they don't carry them at the store near my house. I bought a bag of Indian River oranges for fruit for next week, and found some lovely locally grown Golden Delicious apples that just smell like heaven to use for my cobbler for the camp out. On the way home, I stopped at a couple of yard sales, just for the heck of it, but there wasn't anything but junk.
Eventually, I headed back to the house and wrestled all the stuff in. Jason called and invited me out to dinner tonight; he's going out with a bunch of friends. Of course I said yes. I was thinking I have plenty of time and can bake tomorrow. I then got into the kitchen (finally) and started working on my pound cake, the first thing I was making. The batter turned out gorgeous, but then I screwed up the cooking time and messed it up. I was pretty pissed about that. It would have been perfect if I hadn't done that. I'll have to bake another one tomorrow. I wanted to vet a new pie crust recipe I found online because I want to do a bottom crust for my cobbler, plus I needed to use up the last of the white sweet potatoes, plus since I was doing all this baking that Jason couldn't eat, I threw a sweet potato pie together. It turned out pretty, but we'll see how it tastes.
After that I got cleaned up, took to the sofa, and waited for Jason to come for dinner. He was running late, and tired after his match this morning. He lost, unfortunately, but it was a four hour match (!!) so I think he was probably at least a little glad to be out of it. It was OK, we had plenty of time. He was going to be here at 5pm, and we weren't due at the restaurant until 7:30. I laid up, and did a bit of elfing for Dad while I waited.
When Jason showed up, I found out that he wasn't just having dinner with friends. This was a reunion dinner with a bunch of people he went to high school with! Ugh. I was also going to be the only date anyone was bringing, I found out later. So I felt rather trepidatious about going, but he assured me it would be OK.
When we got there, he and the girls immediately launched into reminiscences in which of course I could take no part. But they were very nice, and the did include me in the conversation as much as they could. I found out more about what Jason had been like when he was younger - apparently he was quite the prankster, and frequently got the others in trouble. I really liked Tracey, who sat across from me. She enjoys cooking too, and I really enjoyed talking to her about recipes and stuff. We were at Sassafras downtown, and just like the time I took Mom there for her birthday, the wait was interminable. I think they have chronic kitchen problems there. We were sitting near the kitchen tonight, and it looked as if it might be too small for the restaurant. It was over an hour before we were finally served. The food was good, but it's a very noisy place too, and to me it just isn't worth sitting in that cacophonous dining room for so long waiting. I tried to interest the group in coming back to my place for coffee and pie, since we were so close, but there were no takers.
After dinner everyone split up. One of the girls had a date join her later in the meal and she went off with him. Rodney, who was there, was trying to interest the others in a pub crawl, but at that I drew the line. I wouldn't have minded Jason going with them, but they would have had to drop me at the house first. It ended up only Tracey was going with Rodney. There had been some drama because he had invited a guy to come to dinner tonight and they guy stood him up. We wished them well and headed home. Jason told me he didn't mind not going, and I took him at his word.
By the time we got home, we were full, tired, and ready for bed. Jason collapsed on the bed, worn out from tennis and all today. I popped Sunset Boulevard in the DVD player and joined him, but we were both so sleepy we were asleep before much of it had played.
I got up and knew I needed to get in the kitchen, but I really wanted to go to the flea market. I rationalized that I needed fruit for my lunch next week, plus apples for the apple cobbler I'm doing for the camp out. If I could luck out and find some locally grown apples, they would not only be better than the ones from the grocery store, they'd be cheaper. It was a great flea market day. I didn't find any glass, but I did find a new glasses case for my prescription glasses (the old one was coming apart and looked awful). I also found a beautiful peacock-fan style brass fireplace screen for $5!! I had only asked how much it was casually, expecting it to at least be $46-$60. Even though it is a reproduction, that is a steal. Needless to say I snatched it up. I went to see the gourmet food lady. I was hoping she would have some sea salt, but not today. I did get some veggie bullion cubes for cheap though. I figured with Thanksgiving coming up I always need them, and they don't carry them at the store near my house. I bought a bag of Indian River oranges for fruit for next week, and found some lovely locally grown Golden Delicious apples that just smell like heaven to use for my cobbler for the camp out. On the way home, I stopped at a couple of yard sales, just for the heck of it, but there wasn't anything but junk.
Eventually, I headed back to the house and wrestled all the stuff in. Jason called and invited me out to dinner tonight; he's going out with a bunch of friends. Of course I said yes. I was thinking I have plenty of time and can bake tomorrow. I then got into the kitchen (finally) and started working on my pound cake, the first thing I was making. The batter turned out gorgeous, but then I screwed up the cooking time and messed it up. I was pretty pissed about that. It would have been perfect if I hadn't done that. I'll have to bake another one tomorrow. I wanted to vet a new pie crust recipe I found online because I want to do a bottom crust for my cobbler, plus I needed to use up the last of the white sweet potatoes, plus since I was doing all this baking that Jason couldn't eat, I threw a sweet potato pie together. It turned out pretty, but we'll see how it tastes.
After that I got cleaned up, took to the sofa, and waited for Jason to come for dinner. He was running late, and tired after his match this morning. He lost, unfortunately, but it was a four hour match (!!) so I think he was probably at least a little glad to be out of it. It was OK, we had plenty of time. He was going to be here at 5pm, and we weren't due at the restaurant until 7:30. I laid up, and did a bit of elfing for Dad while I waited.
When Jason showed up, I found out that he wasn't just having dinner with friends. This was a reunion dinner with a bunch of people he went to high school with! Ugh. I was also going to be the only date anyone was bringing, I found out later. So I felt rather trepidatious about going, but he assured me it would be OK.
When we got there, he and the girls immediately launched into reminiscences in which of course I could take no part. But they were very nice, and the did include me in the conversation as much as they could. I found out more about what Jason had been like when he was younger - apparently he was quite the prankster, and frequently got the others in trouble. I really liked Tracey, who sat across from me. She enjoys cooking too, and I really enjoyed talking to her about recipes and stuff. We were at Sassafras downtown, and just like the time I took Mom there for her birthday, the wait was interminable. I think they have chronic kitchen problems there. We were sitting near the kitchen tonight, and it looked as if it might be too small for the restaurant. It was over an hour before we were finally served. The food was good, but it's a very noisy place too, and to me it just isn't worth sitting in that cacophonous dining room for so long waiting. I tried to interest the group in coming back to my place for coffee and pie, since we were so close, but there were no takers.
After dinner everyone split up. One of the girls had a date join her later in the meal and she went off with him. Rodney, who was there, was trying to interest the others in a pub crawl, but at that I drew the line. I wouldn't have minded Jason going with them, but they would have had to drop me at the house first. It ended up only Tracey was going with Rodney. There had been some drama because he had invited a guy to come to dinner tonight and they guy stood him up. We wished them well and headed home. Jason told me he didn't mind not going, and I took him at his word.
By the time we got home, we were full, tired, and ready for bed. Jason collapsed on the bed, worn out from tennis and all today. I popped Sunset Boulevard in the DVD player and joined him, but we were both so sleepy we were asleep before much of it had played.
Friday, November 6, 2009
A post in which I have dinner with Dick and Eve
Well Pam didn't come in to work today. I hope it was because of how she felt rather than what I said, but I'm sure she felt bad enough she should have been home yesterday anyway.
My lunch hour was taken up again today. I met the man that Terry recommended at the house for a quote. I had already figured I could do replacements with my handyman guy doing the work for about $3,000.00, but I wanted to see what a first class job would cost. The guy from Window World was very nice (although he ran over my lantana, but it seems everyone does - I'm getting tire spikes or something to put around it), and brought in the briefcase and did the whole presentation for me. It turns out that to get the best made foam core insulated argon-gas-between-the-panes windows, plus the fancy greenhouse window I wanted for the kitchen, it would cost $5,100.00. But these windows qualify for the energy tax credit, and the other ones I looked at did not. So because they qualified, I'll get $1,500.00 back on my taxes for getting them. So it turns out the best windows (including the fancy kitchen window I want) will end up costing me about $500 more than the cheapest plain windows. Needless to say I signed on the dotted.
The only downside is that they don't have any stock windows - they're all made to order. So it will be about 8 weeks before they come in, which means they'll be installing right at Christmas. Ugh. It's not that as much as the wait that's killing me. But I've waited this long. I guess I can wait another two months. It'll be a good excuse not to put up the tree this year anyway.
Eve and I are now buds, apparently. It would be OK, but she has really bad timing for calls. She called me at work today to tell me about cups she wants for Ava for Christmas, to go with the kitchen/dish set they got her. She ended up inviting me to dinner with her and Dad tonight. Ordinarily my Friday nights are prime time, and sacred, but I decided to go anyway.
I had time on the way to stop in the Goodwill for an unproductive rummage, and then at the Dollar Store for a set of glasses for Jason. He had admired mine and said he wanted some like them, so I picked up a set for him. I love getting people little surprises.
Dad and Eve showed up at dinner with some guy that Dad knew, and that I was supposed to know also apparently. Of course I wouldn't have recognized him with a shotgun to my head, but he was nice and I really liked his wife. They were fun. Dick and Eve have apparently been eating at the dreaded Hibachi Grill Buffet (full body shudder), but I talked them into going to Ni Hao instead. Eve was unhappy because it took so long to get her Mongolian Barbecue to her. They ate though. They didn't say anything about it being better, but come on. Dad put so much soy sauce on his food I can't see how he could taste it anyway; and I'm sure he didn't need all that extra sodium, but I don't see the point of fussing at him about his diet any more. I think he's just given up. I thought about it as well when he brought back a bowl of cocktail sauce that he had added so much extra wasabi to that it was green. Of course wasabi is just a kind of horseradish, and in the US it actually is horseradish, just dyed green (the price of actual wasabi being quite prohibitive, especially for an all-you-can-eat buffet). But of course horseradish is bad bad for people with heart problems. Conversation was a little stilted at first, but it was OK. They were nice people. I did snatch a moment to tell Eve about Jason when everyone was at the bar.
We were supposed to see each other tonight after his match (he has a tournament this weekend). He won his game tonight though (against a homophobic straight guy who was apparently MOST unhappy to lose to a homosexual in front of his friends, and exercised markedly poor sportsmanship about it), and his match time for tomorrow is at 8am, so he stayed at home. I couldn't blame him, and wasn't upset, although he was obsequiously apologetic. Lord knows he's going to have to put up with me cooking all week this coming week.
I had been through all my recipes at work and made up a grocery list, so I went ahead and did all the shopping on the way home. I didn't really feel like it, but I knew if I did it tomorrow I would wait until I was up and showered and all and that would eat up half the day. Half the work of the cooking is usually running back and forth to the store for things I forget or run out of, but I'm pretty well organized this time. I'm the most together at this point than I have been for any camp out. I got in, unloaded my groceries, and went on to bed. I have a weekend in the kitchen planned, and still feeling sporadically squiffy. I'm going to need my rest.
My lunch hour was taken up again today. I met the man that Terry recommended at the house for a quote. I had already figured I could do replacements with my handyman guy doing the work for about $3,000.00, but I wanted to see what a first class job would cost. The guy from Window World was very nice (although he ran over my lantana, but it seems everyone does - I'm getting tire spikes or something to put around it), and brought in the briefcase and did the whole presentation for me. It turns out that to get the best made foam core insulated argon-gas-between-the-panes windows, plus the fancy greenhouse window I wanted for the kitchen, it would cost $5,100.00. But these windows qualify for the energy tax credit, and the other ones I looked at did not. So because they qualified, I'll get $1,500.00 back on my taxes for getting them. So it turns out the best windows (including the fancy kitchen window I want) will end up costing me about $500 more than the cheapest plain windows. Needless to say I signed on the dotted.
The only downside is that they don't have any stock windows - they're all made to order. So it will be about 8 weeks before they come in, which means they'll be installing right at Christmas. Ugh. It's not that as much as the wait that's killing me. But I've waited this long. I guess I can wait another two months. It'll be a good excuse not to put up the tree this year anyway.
Eve and I are now buds, apparently. It would be OK, but she has really bad timing for calls. She called me at work today to tell me about cups she wants for Ava for Christmas, to go with the kitchen/dish set they got her. She ended up inviting me to dinner with her and Dad tonight. Ordinarily my Friday nights are prime time, and sacred, but I decided to go anyway.
I had time on the way to stop in the Goodwill for an unproductive rummage, and then at the Dollar Store for a set of glasses for Jason. He had admired mine and said he wanted some like them, so I picked up a set for him. I love getting people little surprises.
Dad and Eve showed up at dinner with some guy that Dad knew, and that I was supposed to know also apparently. Of course I wouldn't have recognized him with a shotgun to my head, but he was nice and I really liked his wife. They were fun. Dick and Eve have apparently been eating at the dreaded Hibachi Grill Buffet (full body shudder), but I talked them into going to Ni Hao instead. Eve was unhappy because it took so long to get her Mongolian Barbecue to her. They ate though. They didn't say anything about it being better, but come on. Dad put so much soy sauce on his food I can't see how he could taste it anyway; and I'm sure he didn't need all that extra sodium, but I don't see the point of fussing at him about his diet any more. I think he's just given up. I thought about it as well when he brought back a bowl of cocktail sauce that he had added so much extra wasabi to that it was green. Of course wasabi is just a kind of horseradish, and in the US it actually is horseradish, just dyed green (the price of actual wasabi being quite prohibitive, especially for an all-you-can-eat buffet). But of course horseradish is bad bad for people with heart problems. Conversation was a little stilted at first, but it was OK. They were nice people. I did snatch a moment to tell Eve about Jason when everyone was at the bar.
We were supposed to see each other tonight after his match (he has a tournament this weekend). He won his game tonight though (against a homophobic straight guy who was apparently MOST unhappy to lose to a homosexual in front of his friends, and exercised markedly poor sportsmanship about it), and his match time for tomorrow is at 8am, so he stayed at home. I couldn't blame him, and wasn't upset, although he was obsequiously apologetic. Lord knows he's going to have to put up with me cooking all week this coming week.
I had been through all my recipes at work and made up a grocery list, so I went ahead and did all the shopping on the way home. I didn't really feel like it, but I knew if I did it tomorrow I would wait until I was up and showered and all and that would eat up half the day. Half the work of the cooking is usually running back and forth to the store for things I forget or run out of, but I'm pretty well organized this time. I'm the most together at this point than I have been for any camp out. I got in, unloaded my groceries, and went on to bed. I have a weekend in the kitchen planned, and still feeling sporadically squiffy. I'm going to need my rest.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
A post in which I feel squiffy
I woke up and headed for home to get ready for work immediately, but I didn’t feel at my best. I felt kind of drug out, and my throat is a little sore. Not bad, just…
Squiffy.
It shouldn’t be a surprise. Half the department has been out sick, or worse, have dragged their pestilence-ridden near-corpses in to the office to continue spreading the yuck. It would also figure that it would be the worst possible time for me to get sick. I have the paperwork to finish on the re-financing, no sick time, a new relationship starting; plus I have a full week of baking scheduled next week, culminating in the Fall Camp-out for LOCK! So yeah, there pretty much isn’t a worse time I could get sick. Grrrrr.
The last straw was that Pam, the girl who sits next to me now, came dragging her plague self into the office today, wheezing and hacking like the cat crawling out of the rain barrel in that
one Pepe le Pew cartoon where she chases him (Scent-imental Reasons, if you're a stickler). In other words, she looked like road-kill. When she apologized for sneezing and coughing everywhere, I’m afraid I was kind of a dick to her. But at least I didn’t yell “Go the FUCK home!” because that was really, really loud in my head. I still felt bad later about what I said.
Little Boots had calmed down today. He has an unfortunate propensity to take out his bad moods on his employees; but he recognizes when he has done it, and is usually a bit sheepish the next day. That was the case today. You just have to learn not to take it personally.
I got through the day, and fortunately didn’t have a lot to do at home tonight. I was going to do a load of towels, eat leftover pizza, and go to bed. But Miss Kat and dana called and wanted to come by, and I had them on my mind anyway so I wasn’t going to say no. They were on their way out to buy a new stove, so they only came by for an hour or so. It was really good to see them. They had been out of town for the weekend in Savannah and apparently had a large time. They were most enthusiastic, and I was really glad they got to go have some couple time. They get so little of it.
After they left, I did a quick triage on the house, put my towels in the drier, brushed my teeth, and went to bed. I was really beat. I sure hope I can throw this off.
Squiffy.
It shouldn’t be a surprise. Half the department has been out sick, or worse, have dragged their pestilence-ridden near-corpses in to the office to continue spreading the yuck. It would also figure that it would be the worst possible time for me to get sick. I have the paperwork to finish on the re-financing, no sick time, a new relationship starting; plus I have a full week of baking scheduled next week, culminating in the Fall Camp-out for LOCK! So yeah, there pretty much isn’t a worse time I could get sick. Grrrrr.
The last straw was that Pam, the girl who sits next to me now, came dragging her plague self into the office today, wheezing and hacking like the cat crawling out of the rain barrel in that
one Pepe le Pew cartoon where she chases him (Scent-imental Reasons, if you're a stickler). In other words, she looked like road-kill. When she apologized for sneezing and coughing everywhere, I’m afraid I was kind of a dick to her. But at least I didn’t yell “Go the FUCK home!” because that was really, really loud in my head. I still felt bad later about what I said.Little Boots had calmed down today. He has an unfortunate propensity to take out his bad moods on his employees; but he recognizes when he has done it, and is usually a bit sheepish the next day. That was the case today. You just have to learn not to take it personally.
I got through the day, and fortunately didn’t have a lot to do at home tonight. I was going to do a load of towels, eat leftover pizza, and go to bed. But Miss Kat and dana called and wanted to come by, and I had them on my mind anyway so I wasn’t going to say no. They were on their way out to buy a new stove, so they only came by for an hour or so. It was really good to see them. They had been out of town for the weekend in Savannah and apparently had a large time. They were most enthusiastic, and I was really glad they got to go have some couple time. They get so little of it.
After they left, I did a quick triage on the house, put my towels in the drier, brushed my teeth, and went to bed. I was really beat. I sure hope I can throw this off.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
A post in which it is a rough day at work
Whew! My boss was in Caligula mode today. After facing the firing squad once and receiving a spate of ridiculous demands, I just got to work and stayed out of his way. It pissed me off at first, but then I thought ‘Well, my time is his to waste. He is paying for it.’ So I went on painting the roses red and just let it roll off my back. I have now dubbed him Little Boots.
After work I had planned to see Jason tonight, and I dashed by the house and then headed over there. I didn’t want to just assume that I would be staying the night, so I threw a few things in a “just in case” bag and left it in the car.
He just ordered some pizza and we talked about our days, other things, and watched a DVD for a bit. He used to be heavy into national competition for color guard, which is apparently just as competitive (and just as cut-throat) as competition cheer-leading. I was surprised when I saw the video. We had color guard in high school, but it was mainly just some marching, flag twirling, and ‘gun’ throwing. The competition teams incorporated those basic elements, but it was more like modern dance than marching around. It’s formatted and judged enough like a drag pageant that I could get into it. He also knew the back stories on the teams we were watching, which of course made it more interesting. He showed me footage of a competition team he had coached and choreographed tonight. It was a little nervous because I just loathe to watch something like that and having to think up something nice to say, but they were lovely. He is obviously very talented.
We’re getting along very well, and I know I keep saying this, but it just feels natural for us to be together. It’s like there was just this place in my life that was waiting for him, and he has just finally stepped into it. We also found out tonight that we both have the same favorite pizza – mushroom and black olive. I actually like mushroom and onion better now, but M and BO was my actual favorite for years and years. I sound disconcertingly like one of those "e-harmony" ads on TV, only there was no homophobic pay service involved.
So it seems like we’re enough alike to get along, and enough different to be interesting to each other and have interests outside the relationship, which help to keep things fresh. I’m pretty optimistic, without having that “tightrope” feeling I had with M. It just feels like I’ve come into something good, for which I have been waiting for a long time.
I ended up getting the “just in case” bag out of the car. It was a very good evening.
After work I had planned to see Jason tonight, and I dashed by the house and then headed over there. I didn’t want to just assume that I would be staying the night, so I threw a few things in a “just in case” bag and left it in the car.
He just ordered some pizza and we talked about our days, other things, and watched a DVD for a bit. He used to be heavy into national competition for color guard, which is apparently just as competitive (and just as cut-throat) as competition cheer-leading. I was surprised when I saw the video. We had color guard in high school, but it was mainly just some marching, flag twirling, and ‘gun’ throwing. The competition teams incorporated those basic elements, but it was more like modern dance than marching around. It’s formatted and judged enough like a drag pageant that I could get into it. He also knew the back stories on the teams we were watching, which of course made it more interesting. He showed me footage of a competition team he had coached and choreographed tonight. It was a little nervous because I just loathe to watch something like that and having to think up something nice to say, but they were lovely. He is obviously very talented.
We’re getting along very well, and I know I keep saying this, but it just feels natural for us to be together. It’s like there was just this place in my life that was waiting for him, and he has just finally stepped into it. We also found out tonight that we both have the same favorite pizza – mushroom and black olive. I actually like mushroom and onion better now, but M and BO was my actual favorite for years and years. I sound disconcertingly like one of those "e-harmony" ads on TV, only there was no homophobic pay service involved.
So it seems like we’re enough alike to get along, and enough different to be interesting to each other and have interests outside the relationship, which help to keep things fresh. I’m pretty optimistic, without having that “tightrope” feeling I had with M. It just feels like I’ve come into something good, for which I have been waiting for a long time.
I ended up getting the “just in case” bag out of the car. It was a very good evening.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
A post in which I tend to the house
I was up way too late last night. It was fun, but I was up too late. I woke up early this morning because Jason had to leave for work, and then just went on and had coffee after I saw him off. But I felt kinda drug out and gritty. I then changed the sheets, which were past the sell-by date.
Work wasn’t as bad today. It’s still month-end, but I have it under control now. I was in a really crabby mood today; I guess form lack of sleep. But I got through it.
Tonight was the date night that Jason and I had set up on Sunday, but he had forgotten he had a tennis game tonight. He is a very serious tennis player and apparently has a tournament coming up. But that was fine. I was so tired; I just wanted to go home and collapse. It was nice to feel like he wouldn’t see me all crabby right away.
Since I was in a bad mood anyway, I stopped to look at some cars on the way home. I’d really like to have a hybrid, particularly after the engine light went off last week on the Bomber. It’s a cute little car, but I’ll never get 140k out of it the way I did with my last truck. I have two main problems with hybrids, even though my bleeding-heart liberal conscience is telling me that’s what I really should be driving:
So after that gratuitous waste of time, I went on home to eat. I had dibs and dabs out of the fridge, and started in on the house. I was tired, but tangling with the car salesman had kind of given me a second wind, which I decided to put to good use. I’ve been horrified that Jason saw the house for the first time looking so awful. I got out the dust mop, vacuum, and duster and made stuff happen. When I got done it wasn’t clean exactly, but it looked more like my house.
While I was cleaning I turned on the Kathy Griffin marathon on Lifetime. She is funny, if a bit on the light side topically. At the end of it all I climbed gratefully into bed, planning to be lulled to sleep by the telly. And then they played a &^%$#@!(*&!! CHRISTMAS AD!! Ugh, Oh God, not ALREADY! I just clicked off the cable and put a movie in.
Work wasn’t as bad today. It’s still month-end, but I have it under control now. I was in a really crabby mood today; I guess form lack of sleep. But I got through it.
Tonight was the date night that Jason and I had set up on Sunday, but he had forgotten he had a tennis game tonight. He is a very serious tennis player and apparently has a tournament coming up. But that was fine. I was so tired; I just wanted to go home and collapse. It was nice to feel like he wouldn’t see me all crabby right away.
Since I was in a bad mood anyway, I stopped to look at some cars on the way home. I’d really like to have a hybrid, particularly after the engine light went off last week on the Bomber. It’s a cute little car, but I’ll never get 140k out of it the way I did with my last truck. I have two main problems with hybrids, even though my bleeding-heart liberal conscience is telling me that’s what I really should be driving:
- They don’t come in a straight drive. I really love my stick. I’ve been driving with one for 24 years now. I would miss it if I gave it up. And I really hate all those ‘shiftable’ automatics. I don’t trust them a lick. The concept just screams of some kind of dildonic committee decision.
- They’re ugly, by and large. The best one, in terms of fuel economy, is of course the Prius. Which looks like a big egg or something. The salesman tonight told me it is ‘tear-drop’ shaped. Still looks like a huge egg from some constipated transformer to me. I keep waiting for it to hatch and have the real car come out. Then there is the Camry hybrid, which looks pretty good, but gas mileage isn’t really that great. There is the Honda Civic hybrid, which is a fine car I’m sure, but is about as exciting as watching paint dry. The local dealership had one on the lot. An ’09. And plain as a mud fence.
So after that gratuitous waste of time, I went on home to eat. I had dibs and dabs out of the fridge, and started in on the house. I was tired, but tangling with the car salesman had kind of given me a second wind, which I decided to put to good use. I’ve been horrified that Jason saw the house for the first time looking so awful. I got out the dust mop, vacuum, and duster and made stuff happen. When I got done it wasn’t clean exactly, but it looked more like my house.
While I was cleaning I turned on the Kathy Griffin marathon on Lifetime. She is funny, if a bit on the light side topically. At the end of it all I climbed gratefully into bed, planning to be lulled to sleep by the telly. And then they played a &^%$#@!(*&!! CHRISTMAS AD!! Ugh, Oh God, not ALREADY! I just clicked off the cable and put a movie in.
Monday, November 2, 2009
A post in which it is a stressful, but good, day
It was stressful at work today, as is usual for the first day of the month. I have a bunch of reports that hit my desk to be sorted and stored, and then I have to use that data to produce my monthly reports. This has become an increasing challenge as monthly reports keep getting added.
I’m usually better prepared to start the week than I was today. But I had no fruit in the house for lunch since I was too sorry to go to the store last night. That entailed a run through the store this morning that was fortunately and mercifully swift.
So I got into the office and began the process. But then I had to leave to go to the bank to do my re-financing paperwork on the house. That went very well – even better than I expected. It looks like I am just on the cusp of not having to worry about money for the first time since I moved out from home. That is an amazingly wonderful thought. I mean I won’t be rich, and I’m not going on any junkets to Europe (as if I would anyway), but I won’t have to worry about debt and paying the monthly bills. That will be a welcome and refreshing change for yours truly. But that trip to the bank, as great as it was, still ate my lunch hour. I’m always more stressed when I don’t get that precious hour away from my desk. By the end of the day, despite the fact that I was bringing order to chaos, as is my forte, I was still feeling pretty frazzled around the edges.
Jason and I weren’t supposed to see each other until tomorrow, but he called about coming over tonight. I wanted to see him too, but had been having an internal debate with myself about the state of the house and the need to cook and shop tonight. I had decided I would do the cooking and then run over the house so that I would be ready for tomorrow, but he told me he didn’t mind just coming to hang out while I cook. I love to have someone to talk to while I’m in the kitchen, but I wouldn’t have asked him over for that. It just isn’t a second (third?) date kind of thing to do. But since he was OK with that, I told him to come on over.
I ran through the store, did the shopping, put everything away, and had started cooking when he knocked. He picked up some take-away, which was nice. He’s all stressed about my paying for breakfast yesterday for some reason. I told him that free breakfast is part of the package when I’m treated as well as he treated me Saturday night/Sunday morning, but he was having none of it. We talked all through the cooking. I was struck again by how natural it feels to just have him at the house, to be in his company. He’s such good company, and so easy to talk to. Before I knew it, I was done with my lunches for the week.
I made an experimental buttermilk Alfredo sauce tonight, adding several kinds of cheese and some reduced white wine. I poured the sauce over a mixture of sautéed onions, broccoli, spinach, carrots, and green peas with Farfalle pasta, for kind of a bastardized pasta primavera. It turned out pretty damn scrummy, I have to say.
We ate a combined supper of what I cooked and things he brought. I turned on the telly, but we ended up watching very little. We just talked and enjoyed each other. I invited him to stay, and he did. It was a very nice evening.
I’m usually better prepared to start the week than I was today. But I had no fruit in the house for lunch since I was too sorry to go to the store last night. That entailed a run through the store this morning that was fortunately and mercifully swift.
So I got into the office and began the process. But then I had to leave to go to the bank to do my re-financing paperwork on the house. That went very well – even better than I expected. It looks like I am just on the cusp of not having to worry about money for the first time since I moved out from home. That is an amazingly wonderful thought. I mean I won’t be rich, and I’m not going on any junkets to Europe (as if I would anyway), but I won’t have to worry about debt and paying the monthly bills. That will be a welcome and refreshing change for yours truly. But that trip to the bank, as great as it was, still ate my lunch hour. I’m always more stressed when I don’t get that precious hour away from my desk. By the end of the day, despite the fact that I was bringing order to chaos, as is my forte, I was still feeling pretty frazzled around the edges.
Jason and I weren’t supposed to see each other until tomorrow, but he called about coming over tonight. I wanted to see him too, but had been having an internal debate with myself about the state of the house and the need to cook and shop tonight. I had decided I would do the cooking and then run over the house so that I would be ready for tomorrow, but he told me he didn’t mind just coming to hang out while I cook. I love to have someone to talk to while I’m in the kitchen, but I wouldn’t have asked him over for that. It just isn’t a second (third?) date kind of thing to do. But since he was OK with that, I told him to come on over.
I ran through the store, did the shopping, put everything away, and had started cooking when he knocked. He picked up some take-away, which was nice. He’s all stressed about my paying for breakfast yesterday for some reason. I told him that free breakfast is part of the package when I’m treated as well as he treated me Saturday night/Sunday morning, but he was having none of it. We talked all through the cooking. I was struck again by how natural it feels to just have him at the house, to be in his company. He’s such good company, and so easy to talk to. Before I knew it, I was done with my lunches for the week.
I made an experimental buttermilk Alfredo sauce tonight, adding several kinds of cheese and some reduced white wine. I poured the sauce over a mixture of sautéed onions, broccoli, spinach, carrots, and green peas with Farfalle pasta, for kind of a bastardized pasta primavera. It turned out pretty damn scrummy, I have to say.
We ate a combined supper of what I cooked and things he brought. I turned on the telly, but we ended up watching very little. We just talked and enjoyed each other. I invited him to stay, and he did. It was a very nice evening.
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