T minus 33 hours…

As promised, Chez Panisse was really good, though whether it was worth the $100/plate price tag I dunno.  At any rate, it was a nice romantic evening with excellent food – first a plate of seafood bits (Sweetwater oysters on the half shell, Dungeness crab leg, some very tender squid, and yummy shrimp), then potato gnocchi with chanterelle and hedgehog mushrooms in a very delicious sauce.  Both B. and I threw table manners to the wind and mopped up the sauce with some bread, it was that good.  Then we had quail with mashed parsnip (tastes a lot better than it sounds) and some concoction of pancetta with bitter greens.  Clementine souffle with an excellent dessert wine for dessert.  Excellent food.

Along the lines of excellent food, I have promised to take B. to The French Laundry.  It’s a simple matter (NOT!) of getting reservations.  They take reservations two calendar months in advance and it’s damn near impossible to get them.  Time to spend some time dialing for dollars.  Too bad I can’t bribe the maitre d’ over the phone.

But all that can wait until I get back from Ghana.

Ghana!  Yes, it’s just over 1 day before I get on a plane to Ghana, and I’m nervous and excited.  My project has a major review coming up tomorrow, which doesn’t help – essentially, I finish the review with the execs, check in with my manager, check in with the program manager who’s subbing for me while I’m gone, and then I’m outta there.  I’ll be giving my presentation in my travel clothes, with a money belt around my waist!  LOL.  If anyone asks why I’m dressed in short sleeves and flowing pants, I’ve got a great story.

I have finished transcribing my Barbara Walker charts and am just about ready to get started with my entrelac sampler shawl. I’m refraining (with effort) from starting it early…I definitely want it to be a “travel shawl” so will wait until I’m at the airport to start.  Meanwhile, I’m rereading the Ghana guidebook so I’ll have a better idea of where I want to go/what I want to do.

Ghana!  Can’t wait.