In which my neglected garden gets attention, I'm sorry to say.

My life is pretty good. Apart from a stubborn ton bit of excess weight and the occasional court summons, not much troubles the tranquil surface of Lake DarkEm. I can't complain. But, as Joe Walsh says, sometimes I still do.

( Wherein forgiveness is called for but is hard to conjure up. )

In much nicer news, I got to meet skripka and blueraccoon today, and see inalasahl and llaras again when they all came over to my house for a mini-shindig. What a fine group of women! They got to meet Monsoon and the Bathtub of Resuscitation. There was chocolate, and the ritual consumption of tea, and some little clippy koala bears (thank you, Skripka!). Then we all went to eat at a neighborhood restaurant that I like. There was lots of good fandom and personal talk, some lovely food, and a really amazing crême brulée flavored with Earl Gray tea.

( Sekrit messaj to shindig gals )

Then, to round out my day and soften my horticultural sorrow, I dragged my sis off to see Brokeback Mountain.

28 Days. Stir crazy.

It's been raining in Portland for 28 days.

"How do you live in that climate? What do you do all winter?" is a question I've been asked by Californians more than once. The usual answer is, "Indoor stuff."

But you know, after a while you say fuck it, and go out in the rain because you've just got to get some air and see the sky, and you no longer care how wet your head and feet will get, or how bad your hair will look.

I got to that point today.

I stuck on a hat and a pashmina and my Mephistos, grabbed the convergence device, and headed downtown via the Eastbank Esplanade, a walkway that runs alongside--and for part of its length floats on--the Willamette River.

( Apparently I was not alone in my cabin fever. )

While I was walking--just after I'd taken that photo, in fact--the device rang. It was my friend John in England. So I got to walk in the pouring rain on the Willamette while chatting with someone 5000 miles away.

And in this fashion, I got a very invigorating four miles in, hit the only cash machine my temporary ATM card works in, caught a bus home, hung my wet things up to dry, and, at the request of Nieces 2 and 3, made The Macaroni And Cheese That is The Key To the Universe.

Life in Oregon. Not that bad, all things considered.

The Macaroni And Cheese That is The Key To the Universe

Recipe time!

The Macaroni And Cheese That is The Key To the Universe

( Okay. It's not really macaroni. But it's cheese-o-riffic. )

Nutritional information:

Calories: so, so many
Calories from fat: most of them
Protein: Sure. Some. Cheesy goodness.
Mom-foodness: 100% of the recommended daily allowance