I Am Proud Of Myself

My backyard, looking up.

First off, let me tell you that the tofu/chicken/vegetable soup was absolutely terrific. It was more of a stew, actually, by the time I was done with it. I had a nice big bowl with a dollop of Greek yogurt on top, finished off with some chili oil. I filled two containers with leftovers for freezing and refrigerated enough for a few more meals. So that worked rather well. 
Did you ever think about the fact that if you make a soup with no recipe and no measurements and your own choice of ingredients which may or may not include almost everything in the refrigerator that it is, in fact, a completely unique soup, never made before in the history of the world? I'm sure there have been similar soups but not exactly the same. 

I've done something exciting! I emailed my beloved landlord in Roseland and asked if he had any dates open in the next week at the cabana next to the lion pool, overlooking the Sebastian River, and he did and I have booked us for seven whole nights, starting on this Thursday. A week from today will be Glen's and my forty-first anniversary and we have spent some beautiful anniversaries there. We didn't do a damn thing last year to celebrate except to make martinis and kiss each other which is fine, but between the fact that the occasion does deserve special celebration and that I have been missing Roseland so much, this will be perfect. 
Strangely enough, I've been thinking this would be our forty-second anniversary, adding an extra year like I did with my birthday. What is wrong with me?

No need to answer that. I know I'm old. 

For those of you who are relatively new here, Roseland is the place where I lived my life from the age of five until I was around twelve. Ten years ago I wrote what I think is one of the best posts I ever wrote and it was about Roseland. You can read that HERE if you have the inclination. I have written many, many posts about Roseland because it is, in some deep, mysterious way, the place of my heart. 

Last year Glen and I did go to Roseland in August but the cabana house wasn't available and we stayed in another property the beloved landlord owns and it was really charming and lovely and had it's own sweet little pool but it wasn't the cabana house on the river and also, we both got Covid. Now I have often said that was one of the best vacations of my life because I had one task and one task only and that was to rest and get well and the little house was perfect for that. Also, neither one of us felt that bad. 
But it's been awhile since we were last there staying at the pool house and so it will be even that much sweeter. Despite my ongoing and increasing anxiety at the thought of travel, I am so familiar now with that Roseland house, that part of the Sebastian River, that pool, that beautiful place where the bamboo knocks like an animate wind chime so far above our heads when the breeze catches the leaves, where the birds come in to roost every night at the same time, where the sunsets are nothing short of holy glory, that I feel as if I was going to another home which is not scary at all. 

Also, the Publix is about half a mile away and so is the Goodwill AND the best Thai restaurant I believe I've ever had the pleasure of dining in. 

In other words, I have my own routine there, my own habits, my own well-established joys. All my needs are met.

And Mr. Moon is pretty good at being a pool boy. 

So that is booked, Danno, and Glen says he is excited too and I hope he is. He does love the fishing at the nearby inlet and we may even take his boat this time so he can fish in the river somewhere other than from the dock. 
Yes. This house has a dock but it is a GOOD DOCK on a GOOD RIVER where those holy glory sunsets can be viewed every evening and when the mullet jump you look to see if the dolphins are following behind them, looking for their dinner. There are dolphins in that river. Also manatee and sometimes sharks. And alligators. No. We do not swim in it. But the Atlantic ocean is only a few miles away if you need to be salt-water blessed, and of course, there is the lion pool. 

I got my flu shot today. We'll see how I feel tomorrow. I discovered a small tear up near the collar on a lightweight denim jacket I had planned on taking on our little journey. I have had this jacket so long that I'm surprised there are more than two threads holding together anywhere on it. So if all I do tomorrow is get a little visible mending done on that, it'll be okay. 

Seeing as it's Friday, you will not be surprised that this happened. 

I even washed the quilt. 
I've made myself a tiny martini in the tiny martini shaker and am drinking it out of a tiny martini glass. 
There will be another. And next Friday I will be having martinis with my husband in Roseland. 

Happy Friday, y'all. 
Love...Ms. Moon