Literally just inhaled aWhatchamacallit.

I also had pumpkin kringle this week for the first time. I’m always mildly surprised that anyone from this area even knows about kringle. I don’t know why. .

Happy b-day Matt! I am also waiting in anticipppppation of your birthday dinner report.

Ooh, I have no plans this weekend, thank goodness, so I could go to TJs!

Which reminds me that I need to stock up on some TJ's pumpkin butter (and the GF pumpkin muffins and pancake mix, apparently.)

pumpkin-spiced pumpkin seeds

Oh, I forgot about those. So good. I have not been to TJ's to load up on pumpkiny goodness yet, I should get on that. The raviolis are a personal favorite.

Happy birthday, Matt!

Happy birthday, Matt!

I took off work early and got a haircut, and talked to the guys at the bike shop, and walked the dog, and now I am ensconced on the couch with some whiskey-laced chai, doing a speed-run through the final Jan6 committee hearing.

Where are you going to dinner, Matt? I love your dining reports.

Probably just Longhorn Steakhouse this time. Mom had indigestion and heartburn for much of the trip (thanks to a virgin piña colada by the pool), so I want to pick someplace that has standard fare she can safely enjoy rather than getting too fancy or exotic.

It's not particularly a hardship though. The wedding dinner Monday was at the Hawthorn Grill, where we had drinks and appetizers on the patio (cocktail shrimp, herb & parmesan arancini, and mini beef Wellingtons). For the dinner itself I had a filet mignon with red wine jus, caramelized shallots, roasted asparagus, and whipped potatoes. Followed up with a chocolate caramel mousse encased in a hard chocolate dome. No pictures I'm afraid, I was too busy scarfing down everything placed before me.

The pumpkin spiced pumpkin seeds ARE good

I had dinner with a really close friend who moved out of town about a year and a half ago, with two other close friends, and man, I wish she hadn’t moved. Such a bummer. She’s not great at texting and doesn’t do social media so it’s hard.

I've had no pumpkin items of any stripe this week! I did however, get JZ a tiny pumpkin cheesecake last week, and have been eyeing pumpkin pie for Matilda.

Followed up with a chocolate caramel mousse encased in a hard chocolate dome.

Yummmmmm.

I did discover that the German bakery I frequent makes a flourless cake (chocolate with raspberry mousse) which by virtue of its flourless-ness is gluten free. Which is good because my new friend at the bookstore is gluten free, and I was able to bring her a treat.

(Here's the San Francisco twist on the German bakery...They make traditional German style baked goods but the owner/baker is Vietnamese.)

I had dinner with a really close friend who moved out of town about a year and a half ago, with two other close friends, and man, I wish she hadn’t moved. Such a bummer.

It is a huge fucking bummer and I'm more convinced than ever that people do not properly value PROXIMITY.

OMG, it makes everything possible. People act like friends moving away is not a death knell - BUT IT IS. Sure you have some contact, periodically, a few times a year. But it's not the same as seeing them several times a week.

People! Please, value proximity in all your life choices.

Similarly, people do not properly mourn the end of work friendships. These are people you see every day! And then suddenly, they are gone. Capitalism. But we're supposed to just act like that's normal and we're okay when our work bestie is disappeared.