Let's Lighten The Fuck Up

So anyone who knows me knows that one of the high points of my week happens on Saturday night when I drink a martini or two and cook dinner and listen to Prairie Home Companion.
And so it is tonight.

I'm making eggplant Parmesan with eggplants from the garden and everything from fresh tomatoes, onions, peppers, mushrooms, to a lovely fresh chev (I love you, Billy!) to fat-free cottage cheese and one of Miss Betty's eggs. Here are the eggplant slices, dipped in milk and egg and then panko, baking in the oven.


Mr. Moon says he does not like eggplant. I think he's going to change his mind on that tonight.

I'm also making bread. Mr. Moon and I went to the Tallahassee Downtown Market Place this afternoon and a very serious looking guy was selling home-made bread. I was looking at his gorgeous loaves and he said to me, "You look like you need some fresh bread."
Hmmmm????
I said, "No. I make my own bread. Thank-you, though. These are beautiful loaves."
And then he said, "Do you use a bread machine?"
Lord, that pissed me off.

And for dessert? A blackberry and mango buckle. Buckle? Crisp? Cobbler? Whatever. Blackberries that Mr. Moon and I have picked by hand and mangoes bought at Publix, three for $1.29.



AND, Hank called me earlier to say that he'd watched some of the World Cup on TV and that two of my favorite men had been together in the stands. He made me guess as to who they were.
"B.B. King and Brad Pitt?" I asked.
"No."
I was at a loss. And so he told me.
"Bill Clinton and Mick Jagger!"
I squealed with delight. He said they were joking, talking, taking pictures with their phones and were in a very obviously good mood.
Now that sort of shit just makes me happy.

To add to the sweetness of the evening, Lily just called to tell me that Owen, on this, his 9 month birthday, walked alone across the living room. My boy! He is a walking person! I told Lily that I remembered so well the night she learned she could walk. It was in Key West and we were the last people eating at a restaurant so we let her down on the floor and she took off. All of the people from the kitchen and all of the wait-staff came out and cheered her on. "Lily!" they cried. "You're walking!"
That was like five minutes ago. And now her son is walking at nine months. Just as she was.
Be still my heart.

And Garrison? Well, he talked about how there's a new Lutheran pastor in Lake Woebegone. Pastor Liz and she's something like they've never seen before- a HAPPY Lutheran. And she held a service in the woods and eighty-five people showed up. And she's working at the Side-Track Tap while the church reviews her resume.
I hope Pastor Liz gets hired. The world needs some damn happy Lutherans.

Obviously, the martinis are doing their job. I apologize to no one for that.