Cherry Ripe

I survived a Costco trip on Saturday, today.  I know, it seems like a minor victory, but hey...  I dare you to brave the wretched masses on a copious free sample day.  Over 1,000 parking spaces and every one of them filled.

Anyway... we scored fresh cherries - the first I've seen this season.  What is it about cherries that make them so damned delicious?  I'm thinking about developing an inverse correlation theory of food - the harder it is to process/eat it, the better it tastes.  For example, oatmeal?  Easy peasy, no muss, no fuss... and no taste, unless you add a bunch of flavorants.  But cherries?  You have to individually pit each little tiny morsel - and when they're perfectly ripe, there is no better taste out there.  Nothing to add, no need to gild the lily - just perfect taste.  Same for shrimp - pain in the patoot to peel each one, but so worth it. 

Survival of the Hungriest

Sick day today (one of those stupid, inexplicable fevers that Hank likes to throw my way). Anyway, I went to the fridge and grabbed a piece of cheese, and I swear Moose was trying to hamstring me all the way back to my chair. Apparently Havarti brings out his inner wolf, and he figured if he could just bring me down, the cheese would be his. See if I share any of this with him now. (Ok, he's giving me the soulful eye, so I probably will - make that he's giving the cheese the soulful eye. Such a transparent pup.)

Third Annual Memorial Wake/FU Hank Party

I'm getting together tonight with some friends to celebrate - partly it's a delayed birthday party, but it's also my third annual Wake.  Three years ago tonight, I was waking up from surgery to stop my bleeding and about to find out that my uterus had been invaded by Henry the VIII (or Hank, as I call him.) 

Three years later...  I'm in a better space.  I'm getting ready to retire (15 more work days and counting), Hank has turned out to be settled in and not spreading the way we were afraid he would, I'm a lot closer to family and friends than I was...  All in all, mentally, I'm doing great.  Physically, not so much, but hey... one out of two isn't bad. 

So... on to the next year.  With ham, funeral potatoes, and Kevin's incredible salad.