HALLOWEEN! What a fun holiday - at least in spirit. Woke up to what I thought was late, realized that I hadn't adjusted the time on my other clocks to compensate for daylight savings time. Didn't matter - it was the weekend, I had a full day planned, but at a relaxing pace.
After coffee and a little to eat, I did a few domestic things like pull up the pepper plants I had (unsuccessfully) growing out back. Out of all three pepper plants, I think they yeilded close to 2 peppers each - different varieties - Bell, jalapeno & thai.
Packed up for my bike ride and hit the road to run errands. I noticed that it was unusually warm - later I found out later that it got up to 81 degrees. I was going to cook my pumpkin soup tonight, so I needed a few things. Went to the asian market, go me some chive blooms, almonds, cream, and a few other thangs - picked me up some capers, sweet black wild rice, gorgonzola and asiago cheese.... I love that grocery store.
 Fountain, Marcel Duchamp, 1917 (click on photo to read story behind this famous urinal) |
Went on a really nice 46 mile bike ride - did the Vienna to Shirlington, Alexandria - Arlington loop. The most perfect weather. Lots of people were out - so there were little pockets of pedestrian traffic. It was a nice day - I didn't mind. The kind of day that you stop at a park bench, and sprawl out - people watch, suck in the Fall air. Finished up, came back to my car - loaded bike - changed shoes then headed into the community center to use the bathroom. A rather horrific and embarrassing thing happened.
I don't have any pockets on my bike shorts - and the particular bike jersey that I had on didn't have back pockets either - so when I wander around - I have to keep my wallet and keys in hand. But I will use the elastic wasteband of my bike shorts to "hold" the keyfob to my car if I need a hand free......well...I needed a hand free, while visiting the men's room. I was attempting to take the keyring out of my bike short wasteband, and fumbled...my keys fell into the urinal..... Kerplunk.....
GROOOSSSS!!!!NASTY!!!!!...ewe yuck grody!.... I had to quickly fish them out of there - they went all the way into the water (which was fortunately not wee wee), then ran them under water. I was nervous because my car's keyfob car alarm is not waterproof - worried that I'd not be able to get into my car. To make a long story short - I'll never do THAT again - I need some kind of elastic thing to hold my keys, like a clip. Had to spray them with lysol and dry them out when I got home....Grrrr...
Came home and made the most wonderful Pumpkin soup - as promised, the recipe is
here. It turned out masterfully - and paired with broiled salmon with dill, and brocolli with a rasberry vinagrette - the meal was perfect.
During dinner - the Trick-or-Treaters came to the door - the whole evening was relaxing. Still cannot believe how dark it gets (early) now.
Sunday night anxiety settles in....