Friends

Wonderful Christmas celebrations!
And we survived the roads.

Also, makoussa ... Cameroon.

Something I am SO excited to share with Derek (and there are so many things).

In the US I often get frustrated that dancing is so tied to ego.
In other cultures I've lived in, it's about the freedom to let loose and have fun!!!

Rather than "is he/she a good dancer or not" the question is "why the hell aren't you out on the floor dancing with us?!"

To just move and feel and be so lost in that rhythm, it's such a liberating and happy thing.
And I really can't wait to show him these sorts of cultural differences.

Funny, too, listening to music and one language I absolutely can't understand. I remark on how when I can't understand or even recognize it sounds like 'fake language' to me... because so many I can at least feel comfortable 'hearing' (if not actually get by in). One thing my ear is, is definitely flexible. Not perfect, but open to picking things out very quickly as a result of growing up multilingual. Hence how easy it was to learn Papiemento- the influences come from many languages I have roots in.

Listening to Soukoss music right now, resting up a bit to go out to the horse farm.
A classic of rumba (not the best vid quality)
Mario - TP OK Jazz - Franco Luambo Makiadi


Congo (Zaire) - Awilo Longomba - Carolina II


This music fuels a certain energy in me... bringing me back to warm nights dancing outside under stars. A special happiness and love. Sweating, shaking, smiling until it hurts.
Through sub-saharan Africa and the Caribbean islands w/African diaspora.

I deem the dinner a fair success... mostly timed things right.
His dad seemed to like the endive and his mom seemed to like the boysenberry crumbcake.

We simplified to:
-glogg and venison and cheese and crackers
-mixed green salad with champagne vinaigrette and pear
-pao de queijo
-wild rice
-the belgian endive and asparagus rolled in ham and baked in a white sauce
-boysenberry jam crumb cake with icecream and blackberries
-coffee

Cut out the cookies as it would have driven us crazy. Was fun!

Why won't Amazon.com process my credit card right? What am screwing up?
I know I drank, but I didn't drink THAT much (truth be told, swear the fumes from cooking up the glogg hit me harder than the actual drink itself, whoah!)

Also, he snores. Too much. At first I thought it was cute and soothing. I later learned that this was due to his 'sitting up' position that first night. It's like a train in the house... but louder! I had TWO dreams last night in which his snoring was a prominent point.
One dream evolved into 'background noise so loud I couldn't think' at which point my waking brain took over and said "What the hell! It's him snoring!" And I feared I'd have to sleep in another room. Oh no! Next birtday present? One of those anti snoring pillows.
Damn.
I peek over to see him sprawled all funky and making silly noises on the couch right now.
Time to snuggle on over and get a good nights rest. I'm beat.


And if anyone wants the glogg recipe. It seriously rocked. A lot. And was easy. And delicious. And the four of us polished it off before dinner even started. As in plished off a bottle of port, wine, and almost a full bottle of brandy combined (with the spices).
Warm wintery goodness.

So what happens when you are 'trying to use up the ingredients in your fridge'?

arugula, prosciutto, touch of honey, gouda and gorgonzola (just a little)- on a roll - toasted
(with a little black pepper and herbes de provence)

spaghetti carbonara made w/venison bacon, chinese spinach egg noodles, mozarella and gouda, shallots, cracked black pepper, and garlic

crunchy peanut butter, paprika, rotisserie chicken leftovers, sate seasoning, aleppo pepper, and a touch of honey- warmed on a toasted roll


And I get a kick out of listening to the radio and hearing people call in to make a fool of themselves. Like, get a clue before you voluntarily publicly humiliate yourself. But then, some people seem to have no shame.



We went to our favorite spot last night. First time going there as 'just us' rather than with a group of friends. I ordered the duck cassoulet with artisanal sausage and northern beans and bacon. He ordered the sausage stuffed quail on a bed of squash puree (DIVINE!) and nestled under a micro cress salad. Started with seared scallops and parsnip soup. Washed down with good Belgian beer.

Crocheting a scarf for my brother... and watching Jakob the Liar.

Hope is priceless.