December 4 Sunday thoughts

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” – J.R.R. Tolkien

I think those three things, and creating/doing them with family and friends, are really what I live for.  Carnet and I fell in love over good food, music, and laughter.  And, without really much discussion, we both strive to bring those into our house, or wherever we are, every day.  I don’t know how many concerts we’ve been to (this year being the bummer exception of a year due his crazy traveling schedule) but we always “rock out”, as I like to say.  My favorite venue?  The Fox Theatre in Oakland. It’s gorgeous and there’s not a bad seat in the house.  My other favorite venue is our living room, in the morning when he puts on one of my favorite songs to wake up and dance to, or late night after a few glasses of wine.

I have to thank both my mom and my dad for my love of good food, laughter, and music.  Even though times were lean when I was growing up until my teens, my mom always made food special. And, we always laughed around the dinner table.  My dad who was a huge prankster, so that always brought more laughter into my life (as well as few tears when he dressed up in scary costumes and jumped on my bed).  The piano in my house was a great thing. My mom played beautifully. And, when the piano bench wasn’t being used for sitting on, she, my sister and I would take turns jumping up on the  bench with an air microphone and lip sync to whatever record was playing (yes, we had records!).   Ahhh, love those days.  I wished I would have kept playing the piano, as now I’m just a hack.   Apparently, I was thanked for my talents and then released by my piano teacher at age 10 or 11 (?) after I composed a piece of all sharps and played it at a concert.  My bad.  Then to seal my fate, my sister had to go and compose something beautifully sweet, which was so unlike her.  My husband bought me a great electric keyboard for Christmas several years back to encourage my to get back into playing and I have yet to play a piece for him because I think I’m really bad. I still like those sharps.  One day I’ll take some more lessons!

Tonight’s dinner:  Salad pizza! I have to use up a bunch of greens and random small bits of things in the fridge.  I think it will be prosciutto, gorgonzola, pears, grated romano and some greens dressed with balsamic.  That just screams for a glass of 2008 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, but this kid is not yet healed, so I’m staying away from my favorite libation in favor of the ever healing – water.   Nonetheless, there will be laughter in my house, as our friend Chris is coming to stay this week (he’s from Canada, so he’s already funny); there will be good food; and I’m sure there will be music.