Another Wonderful Weekend

Saturday we went to my parent's home *way* up in the mountains. Where I live you see the mountains all around, but you don't feel like you live *in* them - at my parent's, you do. It was gorgeous day and the leaves are far advanced in their colors up there. We went for a long walk, fed apples to the horses, ate a wonderful dinner,talked and played by a roaring fire. Just perfect. Ds had such a wonderful time he didn't want to leave, suggesting for the first time that he stay with Grammy and Papa and mommy and daddy leave. My mom was all for it. Ds was heading for their guest bedroom and my dad was trying to cut him off. I think his words were "Good God, don't let him get into that bed!" He knew what they would be in for and wasn't having it. This kid really only feigns interest in sleep and much prefers using a bed for his gymnastics routines - and his best shows are after midnight. So we managed to coax him into leaving (much to my dad's relief) and today he actually asked to get back in the car "and go on the bumpy road to see Grammy and Papa!"

Then today we had a birthday party for La Senora Crisanta - or so I thought. As it turned out it was a surprise party for me, too! Her whole family came - her husband, their 2 sons and 2 daughters, all with children of their own - Crisanta has 10 grandchildren. It was a rare and special treat to have us all together. Wanting to make something very special, I dug into my Mexico One Plate at a Time and found Cochinita Pibil - slow roasted anchiote pork in banana leaves. It roasted for 4 hours and the smell was incredible. Happily the roast was delicious, as well, and won raves from everyone - even ds loved it. I also made some chipotle black beans and Crisanta's family brought some lovely chicken baked with nopales, homemade tortillas and *two* tres leches cakes. Unfortunately, our camera ran out of batteries before "la mordita". I learned about the mordita, or "little bite", when I lived in Mexico. It's a custom that you lean into the cake to take a little bite and your friends get an opportunity to push your face in it. I let them know that I was onto them as they circled around me and did my best to make it quick and *still* ended up with icing up to my eyebrows. Crisanta's son, Alejandro, got pictures of this and promised to pass them along. I will be sure to post them if I get them.

My Groovalicious Birthday Dance Party

It is said that you can never have too much of a good thing - but how often are you *really* given the opportunity to try? Last night I tried. Oh, I tried. It was my birthday and I offered up a table groaning with myriad sushi platters, bottles of red and white wine, and a Triple Chocolate Ganache Cake with Chocolate Dipped Strawberries. I could not have ordered a more beautiful night: it was mild and starry. We hung Chinese lanterns and filled the evening with even more light. Some of my dearest friends were able to join me and we ate, drank, danced and were very merry. I felt like a rock star. Here's to more days like this. Here's to it just getting better and better. Cheers!