Funny memory, meatballs! eggplant! ricotta!

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Y'all, on the way home from the market just now, I saw a youngish girl walking down the street in a hoodie, extremely short shorts and silver sandals. It is December 15 and in the mid-40s here. I can only imagine that she was doing the walk of shame. Ah well, haven't we all at some point?! Also on the way home, I was waiting at a red light, and I swear to you that concurrent with the light turning green, the man behind me toot-tooted at me to go. Seriously, it was as if he were wired to the traffic light control panel. Find some patience dear sir. His reaction reminded me of a decades-old story concerning an aunt of mine who wasn't really an aunt but was so close to our family that we thought of her as one. Her name was Rita, she was always make-up'd, coiffed and bejeweled and she was an absolutely wonderful, full-of-spunk woman. One afternoon, many(!) moons ago, she was waiting at a red light, and is my case this morning, almost before the light turned red, the man behind her honked. He, unlike my polite tooter this morning, really laid on the horn; in response, Aunt Rita calmly put her car in park, opened her door, walked to his window, asked him to roll it down, and said "If you're in such a god-damn hurry, why don't you stick a feather up your butt and fly over me?" She then turned around and walked back to her car, got in and drove off. Don't we all wish we had such presence of mind? I mean, that is the kind of comment I would, if at all, conjure up 20 minutes after the fact. I chuckle every time I think of what that man must have been thinking as Glam Rita spoke her mind. Hah!

On another note completely, I am having some degree of meat-purchasing guilt as I just bought probably 8 pounds of it for meatballs and assorted Christmas dressings. I of course bought the good stuff but feel I must be responsible for a decent amount of non-ecofriendly activity with it all. Ah well. I do my best. I also got the makings for a deconstructed eggplant parm I've been eyeing, some more cream and milk for ricotta and the ingredients for a second batch of rum balls and a pumpkin cheesecake. Christmas is definitely a'coming, and so are many guests.

Off to make a smoothie...

Today was truly a marathon- have lost the will to bake anything; WF One Day Deal

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What a major day- it was a race from start until now, a full 12 hrs + change. Fortunately, it was filled with many good things so minus the raging migraine I've got as my toxic copilot, all's well. I went to Pilates and then to the most wonderful Celebration of Light ceremony in J's kindergarten classroom- it was just beautiful in every way and culminated with each child lighting a candle and sharing with us what their inner light shines for; Jack's light shines for helping Oliver when he's hurt. Yes, I was in tears by the end. O is back on the napping wagon, merciful god, so I managed to get a shower and vaguely caught up during that. Then back to the races of housework, pick-ups and so forth. This afternoon, an old friend stopped by. He's one of the neatest people I've ever known...went to college with T, and I've gotten to know him over the years since T and I met. He's lived and worked all over the world, recently drove 10,000 miles through 16 countries (Czech Republic-> Mongolia) in 37 days to complete the Mongol Rally and is now studying Arabic in Beirut. It was wonderful to sit with him, catch up and hear his stories, and the children were reMARKably well-behaved. Will wonders never cease?! They were completely angelic.

Now I'm off to catch up and feel that I've got reams to do. Having made the boys a lovely dinner but having not had time to get to the market today, cooking dinner for me would require more energy and creativity than I have. So, it's cereal or take-out TBD. I hope to be back on the stick with good things to share with you tomorrow.

~~ Tomorrow's One Day Deal at participating Whole Foods is Boneless Beef Sirloin Steaks for $5.99/pound (reg $9.99) so if you're grooving for beef, make your way over.