Regular Tuesday with Irene - It's Irene's Birthday!

Happy Birthday Irene! I always feel so blessed that you are in my life!

It was like a flash, a whirlwind, a typhoon force gale, and then suddenly they all...everyone... were at school and Vince and I were alone at the house again. But today we had things to do in town. Vince needed to drop off some halibut rods to a fellow he has met from Soldotna who came down for fishing. We need some chicken food. I need to have coffee with Irene and Maya. So, Vince dropped me off with the women Wise and he went his own way (which I am sure included a visit with Sharon and a sticky bun at Two Sisters).

Topics Discussed:

I decided that I didn’t need to act totally broke anymore and that I could buy myself a travel mug that I really like. The message on this mugs speaks volumes to my state of mind.

Marina's first day of school and her so so cute communication with Dad while on the school bus. "Dad, do you read me? Over" They both realized that it was not until the bus had left the school and passed the first hill did the reception come in. Even then, with all those noisy children in the background, conversation was tricky.

Irene wants loyal readers to know that she does not have a specific “re gifting closet”. She has a place where there are a few pharmaceutical ‘suck up’ gifts that she and Matt were given, but that congress had passed a law that was going to prevent that from happening so much anymore and so those days are nearly gone.

How Falcom tricked the ladies in the Cafeteria at school to give him a free hot lunch and then, in perfect Falcom form, narked himself out the second he stepped off the bus. "Well Mom, something happened, and I know you are going to be mad about it but I am going to tell you anyway..." (yes, it was the most unhealthy hot lunch day of the week...corn pups, french fries, juice and chocolate milk.) I had to write a note and sent it along with my repayment of $2.75 that said, "Don't be fooled by this cunning and manipulative child! I send a healthy-ish lunch to school with him daily. Being an Islander he is already on the diabetic super highway. In the future, please have Laura call me before giving him a lunch. Thank you!"

Riley has so much homework in school this year that Irene can not imagine how Riley is going to make it with his sanity and love for school intact.

That Marina has so little homework in school that she is becoming disappointed.

In which I don’t know what has gotten into me that I have become such a girly girl and in the past month have acquired 5 very sparkly polishes for fingers and toes.

We found Maya eats much better when receiving a pedicure and chao (traditional Vietnamese rice porridge) simultaneously. This may be one of the marks of a future Diva. We wondered if this was not unlike the signs that the Tibetan Monks look for when searching for the next Dali Lama. "Ah, yes, the lock of grey hair." "Ah, yes, the thrill of pampering...."

Dinner plans with Vince and I for her birthday tonight.

How her new accountant told her about a friend of his who started a company in Vietnam, and isn't it wonderful...he can hire American trained engineers for $8 an hour. We reflected on this strange form of slavery that many Americans choose to rationalize and then I said, "Maybe I need to figure out a company that I can start over there, then I'll have to visit a few times a year." Then Irene said, "Then you'll be (like......)" and I said, " I would never demand my fruit to be cut for me before I awake. Coffee poured, maybe..."

John Irving: Weird or Genius

And then, as always, The Things We Can't Blog About.

When Vince came to pick me up the dog, cat, and kid all jumped on him like he has some magic magnetizing force that attracts the wild energy. Irene will post a picture of it on her blog. Check it out.

And then, at 6.30, after organizing all the kids, Vince and I ran down to the homestead where we met Matt and Irene for a birthday dinner and laughing good time.

The appetizers Irene selected were Oysters on the half shell and wild mushrooms in garlic and wine cream sauce. Both items were grown locally. The boys would not eat the mushrooms at first because they know who had done the picking, but that didn't stop me or Irene. They were AWESOME! I'll admit, I was secretly hoping for some accidental psychedelic trip...just for fun and old times sake, but no such luck!

Then after salads came the main course. Irene had a mango salad I had an oyster mushroom tariyaki cream sauce over seafood and noodles. I had to pick it because it had the word DIVA in the title. It was awesome! I also picked it because Vince was getting my second choice, a steak with a blue cheese sauce. I figured he'd share. Well, he didn't say a peep the entire time he was eating and when I looked over his plate was wiped clean. He said, "That was the best steak I've ever eaten at a restaurant in my life." I said, "You didn't even offer me a bite!" He said, "I know, I was sitting here quietly hoping you wouldn't notice how much I was enjoying it because I didn't want to share."

Oh, and I didn't photograph the killer bread (that I dipped in the sauce of the wild mushrooms) and the salad (which I did not request to have the dressing put on the side). This picture represents the only non caloric portion of the night.

Even though I was not hungry I had to sing happy birthday and take a few bites of birthday cake. Yum.

Vince and I left there feeling so happy. It was a nice, slow meal (practically European style) with great friends and good laughs. (We only had one phone call, from Falcom, who was hiding in my room whispering while he was narking out DeeJay for telling them to go to bed. Ah, peace!) Thanks for a great time! Happy Birthday Irene...We love you!

PS. Dear friends of the WW, Suzanne and I will be starting back up the first Monday after labor day...these dalliances in delicacies will not go on forever, I promise.