The Time of My Life

Julia & I have been loosely planning dinner together for a week or so, but have been put off by delightful occasions and,a couple of other interruptions. The best delightful occasion was last night, which was Kobe beef chili with Esther, Julia & Miles. GG was here, also. We heard about the train engineer who honked the train horn for them, and Miles told us "how the train goes". What an adventure! Julia was able to see Lisa, Maeve & Addie this afternoon, can't wait to see them myself.

Tonight, after a pretty heavy day in EA, demands comment. We opened a Veuve, and drank moderately, a good bit left in it, but it was so good. Then, we made chicken rice for GG, who has a bug. Next, salt & pepper on thick slices of Hudson valley FG (foie gras, amazingly almost pure calories from fat) browned up then put on spring mix with raspberry and late harvest Vidal from Widmer reduction. Remarkably excellent wine, making us proud to be from NY. The FG is from NY, also, come to think of it. Bursting with pride. You can't drink sweet wine much more than a small glass, so we opened a '99 Dominus, crappy California wine. We have been pretty moderate, but we won't wash the good glasses until morning.

We are listening to my Pandora mix, Great Big Sea presently, which leads to Ireland talk, which leads to reminiscences of past travel. Julia & I have been so fortunate to have taken trips while we are still young enough to remember them. That will probably change before too long. What were we talking about?

Well, tomorrow is Friday. We are all on the edge of our seats for Mike, who probably got the highest score in history on the bar. There must be a frontal lobotomy joke about the bar somewhere in here. I'd rather have a bottle in front of me, anyway, and hope to with Mike this weekend. Amy Winehouse is singing about rehab now, but the night is really young, so this must be a Pandora mistake.

Louis had a good meeting with a banker today. All it takes is good looks & a whole lotta money, you know. It will be incredible to go back into Garvey's all together, to eat Brendan's food (and Ian's) and drink at Lou's bar.

The students, Ceil & Mary, are being crushed, as often happens this time of year. I am proud of them and pray for their good grades, prayers of thanks, of course. Ann Marie's daughter is beginning to student teach, and the hamster in her classroom, Cupcake, expired in front of the third grade today. Not in the lesson plan.

Deer season opens in two days. Louis, John & I erected the world's most awesome hunting stand last Saturday. It was a miraculous series of events that took us from General Welding, to Bach's for a flatbed truck to carry it home, to the field, where nobody was seriously injured. There is still time, though.

Julia has just returned from getting GG into bed. We will hang out together for a while, then go to bed ourselves. The Five Blind Boys of Alabama are now singing LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. Pandora does not make many mistakes.