Tuesday

Oct, 23, 2001

meals with friends

We got up and went to the club this morning. The brief stationary bicycle ride (a little over twenty minutes) and a couple of weight machines brought a shot of endorphin. I felt great. I would have felt greater if I didn't have to go to work. I don't mind it, really. Except that I'm scratching trying to figure out what to spend my time on so that I can do some good.

I had a pleasant Japanese lunch. Sashimi, gyoza and some miso soup. Further, I had it with SuRu and one of the Nancys. The one who loaned me Italian tapes and Florence books and maps. We talked about starting a business renting books, maps, adapters, luggage, etc. to travellers. Fun to think about. Impractical to do. I do like travel for fun.

My mom had wanted to treat my friends LG and Pam to dinner because they helped her with her computer while I was gone. And SuRu, too, for calling and commiserating with her. We ended up with Forrest's parents, too. We had a nine-top at Zoot. I had the most delicious filet with mushrooms and baby spinach that I've ever had. We kicked it off with some duck mousse paté and armagnac-soaked prunes.

We drink a couple of bottles from our cellar, a nice Burgundy and an Andrus Reserve.

We passed around a couple of desserts.

I had some small souvenirs for people from Florence. And a sack of dark chocolate bars for Pam to taste for the now famously endless book on the subject of chocolate, dark. She works on it when she visits Austin. We have decided if she does finish it that she will have to start another book so that she can come visit us often.

The evening ends with a round of hugs at the restaurant and then I find myself in my easy chair, trying to work the puzzle in the NY Times and failing. On a Tuesday! I have three newspaper piles, all eighteen inches to two feet. I vow to do something about them this weekend. And, if that is the least of your worries...what a lucky kid I am.

family and friends finish a fine meal at Zoot

still doing memories of my long weekend as a tourist here as part of the video portion

Ponte Vecchio

closed up shop on the Ponte Vecchio

flash of gold on the Ponte Vecchio

"Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace..."

John Lennon, "Imagine"

Meta:
We'll just be keeping Lennon's radical lyrics here indefinitely. I'm almost up to the point of updating in, more or less, real time.

JUST TYPING
Little souvenirs.
Little memories with friends.
Life.
Isn't Much.
Else.