Big Day and Big Plans

This is the time of year when my mind is consumed with one thought. No, it isn't how does it feel to be half a hundred (thanks, Dad). The burning question in May is 'Why the hairy heck aren't I in France???' My early mornings should be spent on a lovely terrace overlooking a marina full of yachts slowly sipping excellent coffee and eating freshly baked croissants or batards spread with sweet butter and maybe a bit of apricot jam or creamy honey. The only thing on my mind should be what movies I'm going to see that day or which cafe we'll have a delicious and leisurely lunch. Typically, this would put me in a funk that not even a lovely glass of Blanc de Noir Chandon champagne could cure. I just had some on my birthday. That stuff can cure almost anything. Where was I? Ah, yes, the Not in France Funk. This year, however, I eschewed being cranky in favor of planning to go next year. We'll have reason to go next year as we'll actually have all sorts of business to conduct. Though the last time we went without actual business, I came back with some amazing contacts. At any rate, Jon noted my 'Deb's determined to go back to France' look and sighed in resignation. He had to admit, we have business in Cannes next year. We even have business in Paris this time. Thus, I can feel less guilty about my 'Why would I go to France and NOT go to Paris' attitude. I only feel a little guilty about that attitude, so next year I'll be guilt free. I love planning trips. I really love planning trips to France. Thus, I had a fun Saturday. First bit of great news, the airfare has plummeted from the last time we considered traveling there. That's an excellent portent.
Health Update
I visited the surgeons last week for a post-op check-up. Everything is looking good. I was very excited that they removed the staples from the incision. I think the thing that bothered me the most about this entire ordeal was seeing what appear to be regular office staples holding me together. It generated this image of my surgeon wailing away on me with his office stapler. It just got to me. I almost said it got under my skin, but that would be too silly. I didn't look when they were removed. I just knew that it was an ordinary staple remover, and I didn't want confirmation. [I was going to do a link to surgical staples, but the images made me a little queasy]. I'm really glad the nasty things are gone. I didn't know how annoying they felt until they were missing. I'm much more comfortable. They liked my progress. I'm not saying that recovery is trouble free, but it is proceeding nicely. Still, please keep those prayers and good thoughts coming. I have several weeks before I'm out of danger from infections and other post-op complications.

Year of Fun – The Big Day

One of the best reasons for celebrating the birthday on more than one day is a great deal of pressure is off for the perfect day on the exact date. I had my doctor's appointment the day before, and I was out a whole eight hours. And I rode home with Craig. Thus, I was exhausted. On Tuesday, my actual birthday, I had some important errands to run. Luckily, I didn't get an early start. I would have missed a delivery of flowers, chocolate truffles and an adorable stuffed bear from my lovely cousin Katrina in New Jersey (many thanks, again, cuz). I had plans for the amazing shellfish sales still going on post Mother's Day. I came home with some amazing lobster tails and huge shrimp. Unfortunately, I was still tired from Monday, and all the walking involved in the errands left me too tired to cook when I got home. The fancy food would have to wait a day. But there were more surprises at home. We'd barely crossed the threshold when there was another delivery! My brother and sister-in-law and my wonderful nephew sent me an Edible Arrangement, a centerpiece that looks like a bouquet of flowers, but it's made of cut fruit. It was amazing!. (Thanks, family). Mind you, I had just bought a big box of strawberries and blackberries. I thus had a lot of fruit in the house. By the time I took apart the arrangement to refrigerate it, I had almost a shelf full of fruit, not to mention two heads of lettuce and two big bunches of kale that were supporting the arrangement. Jon and I were in for some really healthy eating. But for that night, I celebrated with a couple of chocolate truffles and a glass of champagne. All in all, it was a stellar day. And the next day, I made a shrimp and lobster bisque and a roasted shellfish cocktail that made me want to sing. I'd say that the big 5-0 went very well. And though I'm no spring chicken, I think that after I've healed, I will be able and ready to embrace cougar-hood. [I tried to find links to the definition of a cougar in its current form, but they were all sleazier than what the word has come to mean recently. Earlier, it meant an older woman on the prowl for younger men. More recently, it's come to mean a beautiful and confident older woman who is very comfortable in her skin. I prefer this definition.]

What's Cookin' Sunday

It was delightful to feel up to some real food prep yesterday. I chopped enough aromatic veggies for three main courses this week. It's not very hot out this weekend, so I' m making some decidedly un-spring like meals. I'm just in the mood for slow cooked, one pot comfort food. Thus, I'm making chili, coq au vin and meatballs in marinara sauce. I'll be able to share some with the studio denizens and have leftovers. This should spare me from cooking the rest of the week – unless I get a wild hair about making something else. I still have to figure out what to do with all that lettuce and kale. Right now, the house is scented with cumin and garlic from the chili bubbling away in the slow cooker. After I finish a decadent lunch of home made Buffalo wings, I'll finsih the meatballs and start the coq au vin. I'll put up photos next week.

Updates

In the run up to releasing Demon Under Glass online, we'll be doing the first wave of interviews with cast and crew tomorrow. It's been interesting reconnecting with this film and those characters. I've been working hard fleshing out a continuation of the storyline and figure out what to ask in the interviews. There will be lots of observations, photos and possibly video in the blog next week.

My family is in town next weekend, so I'm not sure if the blog will be on time or not. I'll post an announcement if there is a delay.

Stay Tuned!