Weekend Update

Hey, Amanda,

I swear I checked last night to see if you had written anything but nothing was here. Bummer!...But nice to have something to read today after W left/when I came back to an empty--but no less lovely :)--place. (Especially since I have new flowers in my favorite vase. Do you remember sending it to me for Christmas one year?)

The weekend was good. W and I went to a fave place Friday night, hoping to catch their happy hour food, but we weren't able to get a seat at the bar until after 6. But it was raining and nasty out, and we knew we wouldn't be going out again on Saturday, or leaving the house once we got home, so we stayed and paid full price. Saturday we did a little shopping and ran a few errands, then hunkered down in the rain. I put a few invites out, but only my friend JP (who got married this summer) came over to hang out. He loved my chili and we had a good time hanging out, watching college ball. He came at 3 and left at 7. I can't believe W and I actually stayed up until 11. (W is so sweet--he was disappointed for me that more people didn't come; he said I'm such a good host, and I had gone all out.)

It was a different weekend for us--W and I definitely like going out and getting dressed up--but that's not the weekend we planned, in part because we're broke. Furthermore, with all the nesting I've been doing, I would have been disappointed if we didn't get to enjoy the clean and cozy fruits of my labor. It was really nice to be low key and not party like rock stars. We had some good down time, time to reconnect and enjoy each other's company. No hangovers to interfere with amorousness and affection. I miss him already, as I always do after a weekend with him.

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I am starving (well, not really) and wishing I had broccoli so I could make what you call the Auntie Barb broccoli salad (and I call the fat b*stard broccoli salad; I'm glad it's still a hit!). I do, however have a nice roll, and bacon, and arugula, and you know how much I heart arugula, right? I think I may make a BLT, with arugula as my L, and pesto mayonnaise. Yum. I thought of going out for an Outback special, to have someone serve me tonight, but I decided that a) I didn't mind playing hostess and 2) I want to enjoy my space now, too. Finally, there is the financial part to consider. I knew 35 dollars would go further at TJs than Outback. I have a nail appointment and a hair appointment this week, and C and I are going to meet for pizza after my hair appointment (she happens to have one too), so I really couldn't justify going out for dinner by myself tonight. I don't have it in me to roll pizza dough today (I want to make a pizza with arugula and prosciutto, try to recreate the best pizza in my life (in Florence)), and an arugula salad--even with a little prosciutto--won't cut it, so a hopped-up BLT will have to do. I think it'll be perfect. I'll just have to decide if I keep with the Pinot Noir I opened yesterday or if I pop open some Sangiovese, all in the spirit.

Which reminds me. The pomegranate ginger ale? It's a brand called Polar. It may be local, I'm not sure; it's almost generic, akin to Stop & Shop brand. They make all sorts of (and mainly) flavored seltzers and this ginger ale I got turned on to by my sister M. So it's not a TJs thing. I guess I'd say start in the soda aisle at your supermarket?...I happen to like plain old vodka and ginger ale (I call it the Polish cocktail, as does my brother-in-law J, who also drinks them on occasion), but the pomegranate gives it that little something extra--besides the false feeling that I'm being healthy by choosing a mixer that has antioxidants. lolol

Okay, I'm off to make myself dinner. After I eat I'll upload a couple of new pics (the vase) and I'll log on again. Hope you had a good night last night; I've got my fingers crossed you'll write later today.

Love you, Barb