Dishes

This photograph must make me seem like such a slob. The whole mess of my kitchen is contained to one countertop and one window sill, where there are endless dishes, two stainless steel canisters of rubber spoons and spatulas shoved haphazardly in, a hapless Jade plant which I swore I could keep alive yet then I sprayed it with insecticide once because two small gnats had somehow found their way into our space and I believed it to be the Jade's fault, so I sprayed repellant which in turn, killed the several leaves on which I sprayed, plus the bottle of Ivory and the near-empty bottle of Jameson which I can safely contribute to my friend Jeff who pumps the stuff practically right into his veins. Alright, not so much - he paces himself well but that stuff is like lighter fluid for the most part.*I've stayed away from posting recently but not because I don't want to catch up with everything we did with Paul and Angie after Boston, or after we flew to Chicago to meet little Brady and to see the rest of the family, including Hannah my almost 5-year-old playmate and her little sister Lauren, and their Mom, and Brady's Mom, and their parents (Craig's parents) and everyone else, but more or less because after so much happening, I've really just felt like leading a regular old life, not writing about it, not worrying about it, just living it. I may not make it back in time to discuss the beauty of the past adventures (although, I do need to recap the family visit, which I will do with the handsome photo shoot of Eddie's grilling talents, someday, maybe soon) but I don't want to forget the things that happen presently, too. For instance, how we've gotten to such a great weight point where finally we can order our favorite Chinese from Wu Liang Le (sp?) and not feel guilty, or where we can head to Nina's (tonight) for my NY Strip with Chimichurri (sp?) and sauteed spinach with garlic and Craig's cannelloni, which were succulent and rich. Or how last Saturday I made us low-fat Spicy Garlic Chicken Cakes which involved chopping raw chicken in my new food processor (scary) but with the Horseradish Aioli, they were seriously of restaurant quality in flavor. Plus with the fat-free sour cream and chives mashed potatoes and extra virgin olive-oiled asparagus, I can't see how Craig could have wanted anything else.*Then Sunday we ate vanilla yogurt with granola and watched Zodiac, which was pure genius (thank goodness for smart scripts in a sea of stupid people making money off of stupid scripts). We left the apartment for lunch and a drink at Genesis (on 2nd) then came home, where I made chicken salad for my lunch week and we suited up to head to the Lower East Side to a fascinating little place called Pianos at Ludlow and Stranton. Stanton? There we ate the most amazing sandwiches - Craig had a chicken sandwich he called "the best I've ever had, ever" and I ate a grilled salmon/seared tuna steak sandwich with Jack cheese that could have blown any Bobby Flay or Rachel Ray recipe for the same out of the water, for sure. I ate around the white breaded roll, and whatever balsamic salad dressing was on our salads was meant to be served in heaven - it was amazing. We stayed out way too late with Jeff that night (he was our reason for going to Pianos, as he was drumming for a friend's show) and Monday sort of crawled by, but now it's near Thursday and we're basically enjoying a plain regular New York week together. I've been nothing short of in love with every moment I've had the chance to see him, peaking in morning hours when we commute together, then becoming quite anxious and giddy-happy in the evening, which rarely finds us commuting together, when he comes home and shrugs out of his shoulder bag and kicks off his shoes. Now he is watching his movie solo, rather, he's sleeping. It's near 9 o'clock and while the best of me wants to keep chattering away blissfully, especially in my new thin self, which matches the self I used to be before I turned into a late-twenties, early-thirties-something, I think I'd better wrap it up and see to it that Craig makes it into bed soon. I believe he's ready.*Today was Hannah's first day at school! Exciting! And my nephew James goes soon, too! I wonder how these little ones take it all in??? And my friend Mary is pregnant - I found out yesterday. We're going to Washington D.C. with another couple that goes way back with them, too, that we know from here in New York, to visit Mary and her husband Roger, in the end of September. They were basically my surrogate family in St. Louis. I love them that much, anyway. It will be fun to see a pregnant Mary!*For now, I promise updates of the past. I just don't know how disciplined I can be with that. Oh, yeah. I forgot. Guess what? I get to work with Sharon, the woman who inspired my most productive writing semester, ever, last winter term! I mean, I get to work with her one-on-one. I found out yesterday. She teaches five students from her home, but can't take on more than that, and doesn't kick anyone out of a new session (sessions last 10 weeks). So I've been bugging her for weeks and she finally found out she has a quitter - which means I have a space! One-on-one writing coaching with one of the most amazing women around. How great is that? Details to follow.*