Happy belated bday, msbelle!

I should remember to plan to get home earlier than I think I "need" to, especially on the g.d. train. It was only an hour(ish) late, but that is more than enough when I'm ready to be home!

I spent much of the weekend holding a sad sick baby. It was fun!

When us kids pulled off a wonderful surprise party for Mom's 60th birthday, our dad told us in no uncertain terms not to even think about doing the same for him. He doesn't mind presents for his b-day, but no celebrations other than maybe a dinner out.

Earlier, someone was talking about having a too-full freezer, and I'll be at that same stage later this week, after I make a stop at Omaha Steaks. I figure if I'm saving all the money on food that I am, I might as well splurge on the good protein when I can, and OS has a pretty good deal they're offering with a coupon--2 filet mignons, 2 top sirloins, 4 chicken breasts, 10 burgers, and 4 stuffed potatoes, which I'm going to see if I can swap out for their box of 8 franks for a minimal extra charge, all for only $40. Those boxes will fill up my pretty small freezer quickly, so I'm going to have to do some burger cooking next week. (They look reaaallly good on the coupon!)

Yeah, the SO would be in serious trouble if he ever tried to pull off a surprise party for me. But he knows this and instead takes me on wonderful quiet national parks anniversary trips and buys me telescopes for Christmas. Well, just the one, but it was a pretty damn nice one, which I think counts for a lot of Christmases.

That sounds like a good deal, Kathy! We only bought from Omaha Steaks once, and I can't remember what happened, but they were all ruined almost immediately after. Roommate left the freezer door open or something.

Speaking of which, the housesitter left a box of stouffer's out on the counter. But fortunately it was just from this afternoon, so it's still fine and I'm cooking it now.

I am so glad to be home, y'all. I had such a great trip. Fantastic seminars, fun stuff to look at, lots of great time with friends, good food (Oh! I decided since we didn't end up going to hockey that I would splurge on dinner with my spending money, so we did go to Roy's! It was delish. The SO had the trio (salmon, seared ahi, butterfish) and I had the mac nut encrusted mahimahi. I wanted opah but they were out. So nom.) and lovely scenery. But I am still just so happy right now to be in front of the fire with my dog.

I miss the free un-capped internet access, though. I got lots of ebooks while I was gone, but forgot to download music too until the end.

The only surprise party I really enjoyed was when my friends threw me a surprise birthday party in March.

My birthday is in June.

I was at the party for an hour before I realized it was for me. That was funny.

(They did it to make up for missing it the previous June. And they knew I'd be surprised in March, which is when various people would be in town.)

When I was little, I had a friend named Xochitl.

I went to school with a Xochitl as well.

Kathy, congratulations on all of your progress!i am just so happy for you.

Last night I went to one of those restaurants where they bring a bunch of meat around on skewers and you eat as much as you like. I didn't think I'd overdone it, but this morning the thought of eating meat makes me feel slightly queasy.

I've never had as surprise party, but my family threw one for my dad's 75th birthday. It went pretty well, and he seemed to enjoy it. Sadly, he wasn't terribly good at organizing social stuff, and I didn't really know my parents' friends, so Mom didn't get a similar do for her 75th. I think she really would have liked one, too. That's the downside for one person in the family handling all the social organizing, I guess.

I avoid wheat as it's my migraine trigger. I'm not a quinoa fan either. I do like rice pasta (corn pasta's got the wrong texture for me). I can eat some gluten, if I'm careful about it, so I use spelt and rye in baking. They make good bread.

I tried quinoa once, and it was sufficiently nasty that I have never had any desire to go back and try it again with all the rinsing and other prep work that supposedly makes it not taste like that. Life's too short.

I love quinoa. I made a wonderful quinoa salad for our New Years gathering with orange juice, parsley, and garlic that everyone loved.

Where are the affiliate links? Not a great sign that I can't find them.