Friday, June 17, 2016

Babies, Beans, And Indefensible Bargains



It has been quite a day here for me in my little world. First off- I got to spend some time with that girl. Is there a cuter baby in the world? I dare you to show me one you think can compare.
Well, unless it is your child or grandchild and then I am certain that that particular baby is just as cute (almost) as this one.
The little tongue. The rosebud mouth. The pink hair ribbon. The monkey-bunny. The eyes. Oh, those eyes, so big and thoughtful! At this point in my life you would think that I would be reasonably inured to such baby charms.
But oh, I am not. Nor will I ever be.
When I am on my deathbed, bring me a baby and plenty of morphine and I will go out the happiest woman who ever lived.

We had a good lunch, Hank, and Lily, and the boys and Maggie and I. Hank is planning on having Owen and Gibson over to spend the night next Friday and they were busy over lunch making plans, discussing what they would eat (pizza) and what they would watch on TV until late, late at night. Owen is beside himself with joy over the prospect and Gibson is highly intrigued.
After lunch I did some more shopping. Fuck that shit, I am done, done, done.
I went to Marshall's and got a shirt and some glittery, faux Birkenstocks. Then I finally bit the bullet and went to Old Navy where some sort of high-frequency sound was whistling and babies were crying and it was hell, Dante's hell, or at least some level of it, and I found the almost exact replica of that Sundance dress but in a fabric so cheap and weird that it may have had its origin as a plastic picnic table which had been made from recycled water bottles and another dress that was similar and I bought them despite their weirdness and the horrible, sure and certain knowledge that they were made by enslaved toddlers in a country I've never heard of and that I am personally destroying the planet and violating every human right known to humankind with my selfish, needless purchase.
I bought a T-shirt too and I'm not even going to discuss the linen overalls.
I am sure that the Cubans will be mightily impressed by my sartorial ways.
Or that, more likely, they will never even note my presence. I am, of course, an old woman and therefore, invisible.
Which is vaguely and yet truly reassuring.

Oh god. I finally got home and had a message from the guy in charge of the Havana trip and my e-mailed documents were unopenable and my real, for sure documents have not arrived in their envelope and so I've re-sent all of the e-mailed ones an assured him that the real ones would arrive tomorrow and then I went out and picked green beans which are apparently not nearly close to the death I had imagined them to be two weeks ago. A startling and miraculous recovery!


There are more there than it looks like and the mosquitoes swarmed me as I picked and I probably got one bite for every bean represented. Oh well.
Perhaps I will make this with them tonight.


which is to be found in this cookbook


which I received in the mail today from Rebecca and I swear to you- I want to make every recipe in that book.
Every. Recipe. In. That. Book.

So tonight I believe I will start out with the Green Bean Tagine (wouldn't that be a good band name?) with Manuka Raisins and Preserved Lemon.
I do not have any Manuka Raisins but I have some regular ones and I also have preserved Meyer lemons that Jessie and Vergil made last year and gave us for Christmas.

I wonder what I'll be eating for supper next Friday night?
Here is what the tentative itinerary says we'll be doing that specific night.

Friday June 24:
Morning: free
Afternoon: guided tour to the magnificent CabaƱos Fort + sunset cocktail at the famed Hotel Nacional
Evening: dinner at private restaurant
F.A.C. with our musicians or any of the exciting clubs in Havana (optional)

I can't think about that right now or I'll pass out. No I won't. I've never passed out in my life.
I don't want to start now.

Good God, y'all! as James Brown might say were he still alive.
I'm glad I have a tiny life because I sure couldn't handle a big one.

Love...Ms. Moon

13 comments:

  1. I couldn't wait for this post because I knew there would be pictures of babies. At least I got one. I take full credit for noticing Maggie's amazingly adorable mouth when she was just born. She is so pretty. Just like Lily. I can't wait to hear about the boys sleepover at Hank's. I want to go! Your trip is going to be so fab! Oh an by the way, I second that on babies and morphine on my deathbed. Put a little kitten in there and I would be thrilled. Sounds good now!!

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  2. You're life is plenty big. You're going to fucking CUBA and you have the cutest grandchild in the world. LOOK at that child's face! Those eyes! The strength of her nose, her grown up, strong, thoughful expression THE ADAORABLE ROUNDNESS OF HER. I think you're absolutely right, she's the cutest baby in the world. Of course, I suspect she's going to look exactly like Lily who looks exactly like her aunt Brenda, but, well, she's also intensely herself. Please. She really does need her own website. I could gaze at her all day. Is it possible to have a crush on a baby?

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  3. When I went to Cuba (illegally, and got caught, but none of that stress for you), I met a very interesting woman. She invited me to her home and her santeria priestess mother and they taught me much about the orichas. And we went to Carnival, which happens prior to Castro's birthday in August, and we had an incredible time (my travel partner wouldn't come because her knowledge of Santeria spooked him, and he made other friends - easier because Spanish is his first language). And as we walked away from the street parties there was a man, and I can't tell you what it was but there was this electricity between us and often I have thought how I wish I'd gone with him, gotten to know him. She would have understood. It was the part of my brain that does not let me get swept away.

    IF you were to bring him to me now I'd appreciate it thanks.

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  4. Joanne- I knew I had to take a picture of Maggie just for you.

    Jo- It's okay. I have a crush on her too.

    NOLA- Lord, honey. If someone wants to take me to a Santeria priestess...well. And if that many shows up, I'll at least give him your love. Wish I could do more.

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  5. I'm so excited for you. And that baby girl - perfection. Just like the others.

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  6. First, yes, you may have come upon the cutest baby in the world. Indeed. Second, your description of the Old Navy dress made me laugh. Good luck with that, and at least you are planning on wearing it for this vacation and not, perhaps, for the long term, because everything I have purchased at Old Navy has changed its shape or texture after laundering, and I don't put things into the dryer! -Jenn

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  7. I'm having my own travel anxieties. I just learned I can't pay for my lodging at the little bed and breakfast with a credit card so I have to take all that cash. and when I booked my flights I did each segment as a separate round trip because I couldn't figure out any other way to do it and now I have realized that I will have to go through security every time during each segment because I will have to retrieve my bag and check it again on the next flight. I'm hoping when I get to the airport that they will be able to send my bag all the way to Edinburgh instead of me have to get it in NJ. and I leave Monday.

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  8. Jill- And she just keeps getting cuter and cuter and cuter...

    Rebecca- I know! It's going to be so funny if she grows up and decides she'll never wear a dress or a hairbow or a ribbon or the color pink again but for now, it's just pure sweetness.

    coffeeontheporch- Yes. I am pretty much thinking of these dresses as "disposable."

    Ellen Abbott- I have no idea whatsoever what I am doing or taking and I'm in real denial about this but my stomach hurts a lot. We will survive. Both of us. I feel almost certain this is true.

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  9. Maggie is quite definitely the cutest baby girl in the universe. She looks like Lily! Those big deep eyes.

    I'm glad you found the dress you were looking for. Cuba, here you come.

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  10. What ARE manuka raisins, anyway? Recipes that call for things people don't have at home or at their local grocery just seem a little pointless, don't they?! A veg tagine with preserved lemon sounds fantastic, though.

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  11. (Not that I am dissing the cookbook. I'm sure it's fabulous. I never cook anyway so I don't know what I'm talking about. :) )

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  12. I read this whole post but all I can see is that girl. She is so perfect. Those lips! That little tongue! That bow! Be still my heart. She is a beautiful child.

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