God, I feel old.

In other news, Trader Joe's frozen pork shu mai are incredible. I have to remember to have these in the freezer at all times.

Those are good shu mai, yes.

I'm gonna take a stand and say that that "holy shit" that got broadcast while the jockeys were miked up after the race was entirely appropriate. Also, I'm pleased to learn about a professional athlete who is not much younger than me.

We just bought ALL THE THINGS at Trader Joe's, including what looks like nommy gouda with pesto for what has become our friends' annual Cheese Ball (really, it's just a party where everyone brings cheese but we all dress up really fancy -- or whoever wants to dress up fancy does, and everyone else wears what they want). I also snagged some brie for myself, because brie.

And we have reached the time of the year where there's no room in the fridge because we buy so much produce. I can't control myself around berries.

And I have ice on my leg because I whacked the inside of my knee (the part that's really fleshy if you're a big fat panda like me) on our cast-iron pedestal tub. I stepped in with my left leg and my foot slid, which made me lurch forward, and so the inside of my right knee whacked the lip of the tub really hard. It started to bruise immediately. I think perhaps brie will be therapeutic.

annual Cheese Ball (really, it's just a party where everyone brings cheese but we all dress up really fancy -- or whoever wants to dress up fancy does, and everyone else wears what they want).

Man, that sounds perfect.

It's in this house: [link] It is an amazing house.

My parents gave me an Ancestry.com membership for my birthday. I'm looking at the 1870 census, marveling at a very distant uncle whose name was Elphiges. What a name.

our friends' annual Cheese Ball (really, it's just a party where everyone brings cheese but we all dress up really fancy -- or whoever wants to dress up fancy does, and everyone else wears what they want)

I want to go to there. I wonder if there's any way I can make something like that happen near me. I don't know anyone with a house like that, though. Love.

Ooh, fun, Dana!

The cheese ball sounds like a heck of a lot of fun. Also, yummy!

In other news, I have discovered that while both cats are surprisingly meh towards catnip, both of them LOVE lemongrass, and would eat my plant down to nubbins if I allowed them.

I gave them a long leaf from the plant and each grabbed an end and started nomming, leading to a very Lady and the Tramp moment.

I wonder if there's any way I can make something like that happen near me.

All you need is a place to gather (big-ass swanky house not required) and people who are willing to dress up fancy and bring cheese. And the fancy dress isn't even a requirement. It's just an excuse to eat as much cheese as possible.

Last year, someone really did bring one of those giant clear plastic tubs of neon orange puffed cheese balls. Which I ate.

One of my goals when I move is to have some fancy parties.