Tag: meal

One of those anniversary kind of dates

As some of you know (and THANK YOU for the e-mails, cards, notes, LJ posts), March 26 was…um…the yearly anniversary of my 35th birthday. Vigilant readers of THE DEAL may remember that Aaron was thrown a belated surprise birthday party at a local Houston restaurant, Ming’s, and Tom and some of my friends thought it would be fun to do the same for me.

It WAS fun, and not just because of the presents, eggrolls, and the delicious cake. The company was EXCELLENT. I know I have the greatest friends in the world. I got birthday cards from as far away as Sweden (my college roommate), e-mails from all over the country, and phone calls from near and far. Even though I couldn’t be with all my friends, I promise you were well-represented by the wonderful gathering at Ming’s.


Thanks Lindsey, Lynne, Amy, Richard, Tom, Tim, Rhonda, Marla, and Nora for being there, not just tonight but for years spanning 1968 until now. You’re wonderful, and I love you all.

March at The Compound (so far)

As I mentioned before, March 4 was my mother’s eightieth birthday. My brother and sister came for that, but also because we had a lot of family business to take care of. Oddly, both of them ended up seeing doctors or dentists and taking painkillers and antibiotics. I had no idea spending a couple of weeks at The Compound could be so hazardous to anyone’s health.

I wish I had pictures of the night when a minute in a people-free house allowed Guinness to flip a ham from the table to the floor. Sadly, none of the photos quite capture the more dramatic moments of the last three weeks.
see images

Survivor Finale!

Tonight we forced invited the players on our Survivor Fantasy Tribe to watch the finale with us. We were all happy about the winner, but we were missing one of our players. Steve, in honor of you, I set a place at the table with your favorite beverage, and I even handed over the immunity necklace Rhonda and Lindsey made. Of course, after the photo, I took back the necklace. I didn’t want to be voted off! There was pizza and ice cream.

There is still pizza (thanks, Tom) and ice cream (thanks, Rhonda and Lindsey). It was a great finish to an excellent Survivor season.

Spring and Change

It’s the first day of spring and I just saw a yellow butterfly. It’s not the first butterfly I’ve seen this year, but still, I’ll take it as a good omen. I’ll take all the good omens I can get.

One time (at band camp) at Baba Yega’s, one of my favorite Montrose eateries, I shared my lunch with a butterfly. It landed on a piece of melon and stayed with me, drinking, for nearly half an hour. Better than watching the Discovery channel!

I recently went to Baba Yega’s for the first time in quite a while. I remember when it was a dumpy little place with great food. Then there was a kitchen fire and they renovated, and it was nicer and still had great food.

One of its best features was the garden. A rock fountain, pond, exotic birds, tons of beautiful water flowers surrounded by other flowering plants always in bloom… It was great to eat a relaxed lunch, wander through the garden and talk to the birds, then exit through Wild Earth, their metaphysical shop, which was a source for the essential oils, herbs, and stones and crystals I use in my bodywork and energy work practice.

It’s changed again. Wild Earth is gone. I guess they’re expanding an express feature of the restaurant into that space. The birds are gone. When I was there, the doors to the garden were closed. I don’t know if that was because of the cool weather or if lingering in the garden is no longer encouraged.

The food is still fine, but it’s not as much fun–nor does the brisker pace encourage you–to watch the clientele. The patrons could be picked up and set down in any suburban Bennigan’s or TGI Friday’s and blend into the unauthentic decor. Yet another Montrose establishment adapting to the changes of the last ten years. I miss the grittier, edgier Baba Yega’s…and Montrose.

No sleeping in

I guess I’ve gotten too accustomed to getting four to five hours of sleep. It was the first day in a long time that I was supposed to be able to sleep in, and my eyes opened wide at eight a.m. Dammit.

But it turned out to be a good thing, because James unexpectedly called and asked me to go to breakfast with him. We went to Baby Barnaby’s, one of our old haunts when he lived here. I’ve probably been there only once since he moved away years ago, and it looks great! Still tiny and cozy, but new paint (the ceiling is painted very creatively in stripes; I love it), new booths… Just much tidier and crisper overall, without losing any of its old charm.

I love seeing James and talking. He may be a decade younger than I am, but we are on the same soul level and have always shared an unspoken language that makes actual talking easier. What a great person he is.

Just another day…

…at the compound. We had snow last night for the first time in years. It melted quickly, but for those few hours, we had a white Christmas. Food was eaten, presents were opened, attention was demanded and given.

And today, things are back to normal. With one person hiding under the covers and the rest glued to TVs.

Me, I just want to finish writing a book before it finishes me, and to that end, I’ve been keeping company with nocturnal creatures. Last night I was sure there was a mouse in the house, but I think it was just my own delirium.

Off to eat prime rib and play cards with friends.

Merry Christmas to all, and if that’s not a holiday you celebrate, then just have a great day. =)