Tuesday

Fifth day of lunar cycle
Waxing moon in Aquarius

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"Do not let great ambitions overshadow small successes." - Fortune Cookie
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Music of the Day:
-- Cadillac Angels - Illinois Boy

Days meditating: 9

Drinking: Water; Celestial Seasons Tension Tamer tea
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When Michael and I met, he had come to my rescue. Although at the time he didn't know it.

I had fallen over on my motorcycle about a block from his house. His bike had been the one I had seen at the coffee shop in Baywood Park.

Anyway, I had attempted a left hand turn and in the turn, my motorcycle died because I did not yet know how to feather the clutch and over we went.

For Michael helping me out, I offered to by him a drink at a local bar and I also offered to fix him dinner. It was only fair since he took his time and know-how to get me back on the road.

So, I had him over for dinner. I prepared one of my favorite meals. It was couscous with pan-fried chicken chunks with mozzarella cheese and an alfredo sauce. Sometimes I leave off the alfredo sauce and use soy sauce.

At that point in time I was living myself and did my own cooking. I was a fair cook. Even my therapist at the time suggested that when I became upset to invite someone over and prepare dinner for them. It worked.

Consequently, I prepared dinner. Michael was helping where he could such as cutting up the chicken.

We are chatting and I am preparing the dinner. Everything was going fine. I mean we are new to each other. So there are the looks, the smiles, blushing, and quick kisses. Oh my.

Everything smells good and it all comes together perfectly. Little did I know the surprise waiting for us.

I set us up in front of my picture window which looks out onto the Pacific Ocean. It is going to be a glorious sunset.

As we are eating, Michael says, "What are these little black crunchy things?"

I say, "What black crunchy things?"

I began looking at my plate of food. And there, there on my plate, on my plate of food, I see little black crunchy things. Upon closer inspection, I cannot believe my eyes . . .

"Oh my goodness, that looks like some kind of bug!" says I.

"Yep, that is what it looks like to me," replied Michael.

I began sputtering the contents of my mouth onto my plate.

I began to look at my plate and yes, there are little dead bugs. I cannot imagine what they can be and I certainly hope they will not make us sick.

Michael inquires, "What spices did you put in your dish?"

I reply, "Salt, pepper, and parsley."

We both go into the kitchen to look at the jar of parsley. Pouring some out into my hand, yup, there they are.

"How old is that bottle of parsley?" asks Michael.

I have to think a minute.

"Let me see," I said.

"This bottle came with me from Kansas and I have been here for seven years. I'm not sure how long I had it in Kansas. It is pretty old I guess." I answered.

Unbeknownst to me, when seasonings like parsley are left in the right environment, weevils can sprout. OMG!

I felt so bad. Here I was trying to make a good impression and instead I feed a maybe boyfriend, bugs! This is not a good way to begin a friendship.

We ditched my meal and went out to dinner. Michael told me not to worry about it but I was beside myself. I'm not cooking again.

Afterwards we went back to my apartment and went through all of my spices and anything that came with me from Kansas was tossed out. As I wrote earlier, I have no idea how long I had some of those spices so they could have been 10 years old or older.

Yuck!

Thus begins my love life with Michael. I have a few more cooking stories but this is the worst of them according to me.
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This morning, instead of meditating right away, I prepared myself a cup of tea, and sat down in my chair and finished the book "Taltos." Finally, I am done with it.

Michael had gone to the library and I called him there to see if the library had Stephen King's new book, "11-22-1963." They have it but it is on hold. I asked him to pick me up another book which he did, "The Last Werewolf." This will be fun to have a book picked for me by Michael.

There is sunshine today and blue skies. The humming birds are whizzing about and chirping.

Our neighbor was out this morning putting up more lights. Our little corner of the "barrio" will be well decorated for the holiday. I am happy with our lights. We are going to put some up in the front window. We have out the Santa Biker. Michael found the box with our other smaller decorations which I will place some where in the apartment.

I did finish up the pumpkin soup yesterday. I had a cup but it seems a little bland. I don't know whether to put more brown sugar in or more salt and pepper. I am considering taking a cup over to a neighbor who cooks and ask her what she thinks.

At this moment, it seems everything is still. I do not hear birds singing. Oh, there was one, oh and another one. There is a light breeze. Michael is working on his computer and grumbling. Me I am writing away. I have stopped once to play the mahjong game when I reached a point of nothing coming to mind.

I hope this all makes sense, today I seem to be all over the place in my head.

mz. em

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Currently reading:
-- "Taltos" - Anne Rice
-- "The Last Werewolf" - Glen Duncan
-- "The Daily Book of Art/356 readings that teach, inspire & entertain" - day 64
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