If we were having coffee, or tea, or wine or whatever you wish to drink, I would tell you I do not want to start this post with an “oh my gosh, I’ve been so busy” because that has become over-used in my vocabulary.  I used to loathe people who claimed to be so fricken “busy”.  Well.  Glass houses and all that.  I know that my busyness is based on my total lack of organisation and choice to occasionally sit at my computer and chat with friends from far away.  I could tell them no, I’m not available right now but I choose not to.  Then pay the price.  A price, by the way, I am most willing to pay as I shall always choose people over stuff and work.

By the way, as it is late (again, I’m posting late), I am having a nice “Nighttime Herbal Tea”.

On Monday evening, my friend Mario stopped by for dinner and a great bottle of wine, or two.  I’m so glad I decided to make the port tenderloin with prune sauce! Went very well with the wine he brought!  Phone call to his wife and he was set up in the guest room.  No driving for him, that’s for sure! (Sorry… forgot to take a picture of the pork to tantalise you!)

On Wednesday, I had lunch with my friend Michèle.  We rushed to go to her favourite little Asian place because it is always full by noon.  Hah!  Only about 5-6 tables ended up being filled… go figure!  Every time we get together we just laugh and laugh and laugh…  Okay, truth be told, I make her laugh.  She so reminds me of my dearly departed friend Roxanne who’s laugh just filled a room.  I really must tell her that…  My car was so filthy, I decided to take it to a car wash just around the corner from my house.  Between going up north where we park in the sand, bringing Zeke in the car, and just plain driving around, it was in dire need.  I am not a fan of washing my own car – I think it’s a “guy-thing” – plus it’s not the season so I think it was a most well-invested Nineteen bucks plus three bucks for tip!  Plus, while waiting, under the parasol, I ended up chatting with this really nice guy.  He looked at me and asked me point-blank what my name was as he was sure he knew me from some place.  Turns out he was right.  We went to the same high school!  He’s a year younger so, of course, he recognised me faster than I him! We were actually both gym rats and he played on the handball team.  What a small world.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I might have gone overboard on Thursday!  I went out for both lunch AND dinner that day.  Armen took me out for lunch and we went to one of Mick’s favourite places, Le Barbú, and talked about our guy.  You see, the next day, the 11th, was the first anniversary of our worlds being turned upside down – the day Mick had his heart attacks – a day that was just unbelievable.  I think it was quite cathartic for us to spend the afternoon reminiscing.  Later that evening, I met with another friend and we had dinner in the Gay Village of Montreal.  There’s this great little restaurant called Mozza, Pasta and Passion where you can bring your own wine and the whole menu is table d’hote – meaning each meal comes with the best Caesar’s Salad, the escargot du moment (snails “of the moment”) and a pasta of your choosing.  Crazy combos like brie and green apple or chocolate pasta and oka cheese or, if you are not too adventurous, the old stand-bys  like romanoff or alfredo.  We were very pleased that we had our waiter Raphaël as we knew he was leaving soon as a student exchange to Australia.  Such a sweetie-pie, he is.  This is the one restaurant where you really want to take a bathroom break!  There is a sign beside the door, on your way out that states:  When you have finished dancing, please make sure you close the door on your way out!

Inside the bathroom!

St. Catherine St. East, Gay Village

On Friday I received much love from family and friends via Facebook, texts, in person. Virtual hugs are as good as physical ones, I can assure you!

I was thrilled to make my old chocolate-banana cake for my ex-sister-in-law.  I had teased her last year on her birthday by sending her a picture of her holding her cake that I had made for her about 25 years ago!  I baked the cake on Saturday after work so that all I had to do was make the icing this morning – a white chocolate and dark chocolate ganache topping.  It is decadent.  I had a devil of a time as my white chocolate ganache split!  I managed to get it back together but was not 100% pleased with myself.  I didn’t bother taking a picture of the cake this morning so I just went through my archives to find one.  Not the best picture but frankly, I need to get to bed before midnight!  That gives me 6 minutes so I better hustle!  Nicole sent me a picture of the cake – what’s left of it with a thank you.  Let’s just say her family were surprised when they opened the box, most of them recognising said cake from the past…

Chocolate-Banana Cake

Inside

And, of course, I’ve not teased you enough with the food pictures, so here are the two meals I prepared today for my customers.  Just so happened I, for once, made myself one of the rigatoni pies too!

Rigatoni Pie

Inside

Hopefully I’ve not left your tummy rumbling too much!  I’m hoping I’ll be a tad more organised this coming week food-wise.  One of my families has taken a break from my services until the end of January, so I would like to believe I will be.   HAHAHAHAHAH!  Who am I kidding?

If we were having coffee, I would want to end this with something that totally inspired me.  I was watching Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday with Zainab Salbi – a most inspiring, beautiful, amasing woman and I cannot tell you how thrilled I am that I managed to find the video of her reading her own poem, “What If I Am Not Sadness”.

Have a wonderful week, my fellow Blogging Buddies!

xoxo