Through The Looking Glass

Katherine is casting off a fluffy knitted item three feet away from me.

I very cleverly lured her here by having a nervous breakdown (wink, wink). I was just not cool with having to go more than a year between visits, you know? A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.

My editing/proofreading job is going well (on my end, at least).

I need a new bra and some panties. Nothing fits anymore and I am getting really itchy from wearing too-tight underthings. So we are going to Victoria’s Secret, where I have a charge account, as soon as I get dressed.

Whoo!

I wrote a long post the other day, despairing the friends I’ve lost abruptly lately. I didn’t publish it for a lot of reasons.

Today I received an email from Katherine that reminded me what friendship really is. I can’t really put it into words at the moment, so I open up the floor: what is friendship to you?

Me; Oh, is she Scottish?

Will: What makes you say that?

Me: Oh… the forced accent… the fact that her name is Moira MacTaggert…

Can the Green Lantern fight someone with blond hair?

I don’t think any single event has exhausted me this much in my life. Except our wedding.

Even starting on Tuesday, I wore myself out. I don’t remember being this tired last year, and I did just as much work and most of it day-of. Mysterious! I guess I will have to blame the fact that I am pregnant. Shelby certainly saved the day mid-dish washing by giving me a back rub.

Dinner was excellent. Every guest was a new one; none of last year’s guests were here this year. I missed absent folks, but the seven guests we had were just perfect. Chris & Elise, Shelby & Briana, Patrick, Rich, and Dan (who we’d never met before, which only gave me a couple of hives).

The belle of the ball was my macaroni and cheese, which I made from Martha’s recipe, slightly modified (I replaced part of the cheddar with Monterey Jack because the cheddar I bought was extremely sharp and I wanted to cut the flavor a little, and I used a combination of store-bought breadcrumbs and homemade croutons on top). I am so pleased to have had another vegetarian to feed, because otherwise I might not have made the “macamoni” and that would be a tragedy. Everyone loved it and Will and I have been eating the leftovers all day.

The pumpkin soup also came out very nicely. I’ll be adding notes on the recipe to the post below.

Despite a minor disaster first thing in the morning when we discovered that our fresh Willy Bird was partially frozen inside, the turkey came out good (I hear) and the dressing was all eaten and the gravy was apparently very good (I added bourbon).

Shockingly, no one really touched the brussel sprouts. OK, I’m not shocked at all, but slightly ashamed. They are delicious!

The salad did, however, make Elise cry with joy.

Desserts were a big hit, to no one’s surprise.

We are in talks to make more macamoni for tomorrow’s dinner guests. Is that wrong? Oh, don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.

This is the recipe I’m using. I haven’t ever tried it before, so I’ll post any changes I make to it tonight or tomorrow.

Cream of Pumpkin Soup Recipe | Cream of Pumpkin Soup Recipes| Pumpkin Soup Recipes @ CDKitchen.com :: it’s what’s cooking online!

A few notes:

I made 10 servings, and I halved the water (which I used in place of stock), and I still had twice as much as I needed. I guess the servings listed assume the soup is a main course or something.

I garnished the soup with curried walnuts. Dee-lish!

I guess that’s it.

Sometimes I wish I didn’t have to wear glasses. Most of the time I don’t mind, because they are HOT in that naughty librarian kind of way, but when I start to break out at the temples, or when I had that weird bruise on the bridge of my nose, or when I wake up and can’t remember where I left them and can’t find them because I can’t see because I’M NOT WEARING MY GLASSES, I get a little annoyed at my husband’s 20/20 vision. Also, cute non-prescription sunglasses make me cry.

My main reason for never getting contacts, other than the cost, is the fact that I have never been able to apply eyedrops to my own eyes. I figured that would be a problem. On the other hand, I always figured that if I absolutely forced myself, I could learn. Slowly, and with lots of practice.

Yesterday morning I got in the shower just after Will left for work. I washed my hair and shaved my legs, which I do with cheap-o conditioner instead of soap or shaving cream. So there I am with shampoo and conditioner everywhere, and SOME GETS IN MY EYE. I have no idea which, but I think it was the shampoo. My hands are coated in conditioner. My hair is covered in shampoo, which has started running down my face. I am holding a razor and can’t see to put it down.

So I felt around with my free hand till I found the ledge, and set the razor down. I rinsed off my hands, then my hair. ALL WHILE TRYING NOT TO SCREAM IN PAIN. Then I put my face, specifically the left eye, directly under the stream of water. But I couldn’t get my eye to open, and the pain was just intensifying. I had a chiropractor appointment in less than an hour, and it’s a 30 minute drive. I was having visions (extremely blurry, painful ones) of trying to apply drops to my swollen eye so that I’d be able to drive; then visions of crawling blind and naked and soaking wet to the phone to beg Will to come apply the eyedrops for me and drive me to see Dr. Doug. It was, not to put too fine a point on it, bad. Finally I managed to PRY MY EYE OPEN WITH BOTH HANDS, while under the stream of water. I doubt it opened more than a hair’s width, but it was enough. The pain subsided almost instantly, and by the time I finished showering (I skipped conditioning my hair in favor of leave-in) and dried off I didn’t even need drops. Yay for the ocular cleansing and hydrating system!

No contacts for me. Ever.

On the stove are two stock pots, both full of stock in the making – one turkey (using last year’s carcass), one veggie. These will be put to use for the dressing (also called stuffing by some individuals not comprehending that if it’s baked in a dish, it isn’t stuffed into anything, let alone a dead turkey’s ass) on Thursday. Normally I just eat dressing made with turkey or chicken stock, but this year there will be another vegetarian at the table. A real one. Who does not eat meat products. Of course, the thought of his presence sent me into a panic this morning – what if he doesn’t like just eating a plateful of mashed potatoes, stuffing, and cranberry sauce? I mean, some people are crazy. That’s not all heavy carbs! Cranberries are a fruit, which is almost a vegetable! But then I hit upon the GENIUS idea of making baked macaroni and cheese (also carbs but with the exciting addition of protein), which everyone likes. Yay!

So, the menu, as planned:

First Course (how fancy!): cream of pumpkin soup

Salad

Roasted Turkey
Dressing
Gravy

Macaroni and Cheese

Mashed Potatoes
Cranberry Sauce

Brussel Sprouts with fennel, almonds and lemon

Corn muffins

Coffee course: pumpkin pie, brownies (or maybe coffee cake), coffee

There will also be mulled cider.

The big question is, am I crazy to think I can have all that on the table by 2:00?

I’m always saying that I don’t do these things, but I like this one (or really, it looks like two squished together). So there.

Ten years ago
I had just taken the SATs and the test for the GED (high school equivalency degree) and was about to move back to New York City to work my infamous film festival job.

Five years ago
I had just begun working at USA Today, which enabled me to drink all the time to try to forget that Will had left me and never wanted to see me again.

One year ago
Will and I were freshly married and very busy telling everyone that no, nothing was different, damn it. Also I was preparing a Thanksgiving dinner for ten, just like I am this week, and dealing with a leaky ceiling.

Five yummy things

• pumpkin soup

• mashed potatoes
• cranberry sauce
• brussel sprouts
• dressing/stuffing

Five songs I know by heart

• “American Pie” by Don McLean

• “Three Imaginary Boys” by the Cure
• “Last Song About Satan” by Slim Cessna’s Auto Club
• “Falling For You” by Weezer
• “I Know It” by Madonna

Five things I would do with a LOT of money

• pay debts

• buy house (in LA) and flat (in NY)
• travel (top priorities US Southwest and UK/Europe)
• save/invest
• PRESENTS!

Five things I would never wear

• flip-flops to formal events (my own wedding DOES NOT COUNT)

• tapered pants
• a teensy backpack
• the bones of my enemies (sadly)
• store-bought maxi pads (and I’m phasing out pantyliners)

Five favourite TV shows

• Buffy the Vampire Slayer

• A Nero Wolfe Mystery
• Cowboy Bebop
• Wonderfalls
• The Young Ones

Five things I enjoy doing

• sleeping

• eating
• cooking
• snuggling
• knitting

Five people I want to inflict this on
Homey don’t play that.

One minute it was Saturday night and the next minute, here I am. So confusing. I don’t do drugs anymore! (Mom: I mean ever. I never ever did drugs.)

Oh, wait, I do remember seeing a Frank Lloyd Wright house and laughing ourselves silly because we both insisted on calling it an Andrew Lloyd Webber house. We took pictures. I’ll post them sometime after I post the last five weeks’ worth of belly shots. Which will be…hmm, before the child’s third birthday, I promise.

In short:

Woke up just before Will left for weekly ride with Andy. Drank juice, checked internet, watched several episodes of Red vs Blue, drifted off just before Will returned home. Was extremely grumpy and head hurt, negotiated do-over, went back to bed. Slept hours and hours, woke up feeling much better. Went for drive along the boys’ route from that morning, saw pretty house, got junk food, went home. Watched some Cowboy Bebop, went to bed early with book, fell asleep almost immediately.

So you see, I really did miss basically an entire day. I think I need another do-over, because it turns out that Will has to work, which means I am bored.