Michele's 27th birthday

I wore my eyemask to bed since there were no light-blocking curtains in Michele's room. She slept in the computer room. I dreamed of eating. I woke early to use the restroom and went back to bed. It seemed like forever. I was waiting for the phone alarm to ring, signaling 7:30. I thought I must have missed it. But eventually it did ring and Chris got up to shut it off. After a few minutes, I got up to take a shower and get dressed. I went downstairs where Cecily was watching TV and doing puzzles. The interview was with a doctor on the rise of colon cancer and the need for earlier screening. The doctor attributed the rise in colon cancer to obesity and lack of exercise – not a word about diet. Harumph. I guess the food industry sponsors wouldn't like it.
I did some of my Wednesday exercises and went upstairs to get my breakfast box. I brought it to the kitchen and mixed all the ingredients together and swallowed the liquid capsules. I ate in the dining room with Michele, Chris and Al. Then I put my bowl in the sink and took the box back upstairs. I sat at my laptop and read e-mail for a bit until we were ready to go to the Asian market.
Cecily, Al, Carol and I got in the Prius and Al drove us to the Asian market. The difficulty in navigating the streets and traffic was everything I imaged DC would be. I wouldn't have done it. But the market was fascinating. It had lots of things I saw in Asia plus things I never heard of. Grass jelly? Fresh amaranth? They were out of the bitter melon that I wanted to try. We found most of the other things we were looking for, even the natto I wanted. On the way home, we stopped at the Thursday farmer's market down the street from Marie's house. They had veggies and plants and breads and meats and fruits. Carol got two parsley plants. Then we went home.
I brought my laptop down to the dining room to read e-mail. I read that one insurance company is paying pediatricians a $400 bonus for fully vaccinating their patients before the age of 2. I took advantage of the current Swanson's promotion and placed an order. Chris, Al and Michele went to The Cheesecake Factory to get a cake for her birthday. She asked for a plain cake and some fruit to put on it.
I read e-mail for awhile. Cecily took the dogs for a walk, but it started raining. When they came in, Carol had to wipe their paws so they wouldn't drag dirt all over the house. Then the sun came out. I went out on the deck to sit in the sunshine. Cecily came out and talked to me for a while. Chris came out to visit with us. And then Michele came out, and so did the dogs. They could not decide if they wanted to be in or out. Cecilly jumped up to open the door every time they stood by it. I think they had her trained. Michele did the same thing. I guess Chris and I did not get the memo. But then it started to rain again so we all went in. Chris worked on the pork butt and broccoli. Cecily supervised.
I went back to reading e-mail. Chris sat in the livingroom to watch the food channel with Cecily. Rowan kept trying to sit in his lap. To save him, I sat in his lap. But Rowan did not understand that that seat was taken and she still tried to sit there, on both of us. We were saved by the door: the dogs heard Marie coming home and raced to greet her.

There was thunder outside and the dogs got very nervous. Marie put them in her room upstairs, but we could hear them scratching at the door.
For dinner we had a pork butt that Chris had in the oven all day. We also had broccoli sauteed in coconut oil and baby bok choy. Most of us put the pork on tortillas, but Carol and I had rice instead. Eventually Carol let the dogs out. After we ate, Marie cut the cheesecake and put strawerries and blueberries on top. I just had the fruit, and skipped the cake. Then we sang to Michele and she opened her cards and gifts. I photographed her wearing the shrug Faye gave her. Rowan tried to sit in Marie's lap and then Chris' lap and then mine, followed by Michele. She was just too big. Then Carol took them down with her. The others wandered off to watch TV or get online or go to bed.
I read e-mail for awhile. I texted with my tapping buddy but skipped the call because we just didn't have the privacy. Then I sat with Chris in the living room where they were watching Chopped. Then Chris got up to go to bed and I went back to my computer to post to my blog.