i woke up only a smidge early rather than extremely early like the previous several days, so i felt more refreshed. it meant less time to muck about the house before work, reading, watching shows/movies my wife does not want to, puttering, etc. but having the proper amount of sleep actually does feel better and allow me to function during the day. like discovering that proper hydration, too, makes a huge difference in alertness and mood.
the doggo refused to leave his cozy fleece hideaway to go out, so i left him there to suffer until either my wife or son received his acceptance. i ate my usual minimalist breakfast of a date bar, worked through several online word puzzles (part of my morning ritual), read some more of a classic sci-fi book i decided to re-read after many years, let our cat drink from a faucet dribble in the bathroom sink while i got dressed, then left for work. the drive to work proved pleasant mostly because i get to listen to my subscription radio service which has introduced me to so many new artists over the years and keeps me from the mainstream radio blahs.
work went well. i shored up several previously pending things, had a substantive in-person meeting, learned some things, glided through the afternoon, and came home.
as usual, i made dinner. we plan meals out two weeks in advance so we know which groceries to get and what to expect. this night, i made baked sweet potatoes, farro, and green beans. i used peanut oil on the sweet potatoes, cooked the farro in veggie bouillon broth, and sauteed the green beans with minced garlic and tamari sauce. i find using “new world” foods together like peanut oil and sweet potatoes makes for a tastier dish. olive oil works, but the flavors do not meld in the same way. this could very well stem from my own mind where intention and motivation can override perception. and we recently discovered farro (an ancient grain found in Egyptian tombs and other ancient places) and fallen in love with it. green beans, olive oil, and tamari? this dish has evolved over many years from the lard-cooked green beans of my youth.
the son ate dinner elsewhere so my wife and i ate all by our lonesome at the dining table with one of our cats casting squinty vibes from a chair opposite us as if to say “please don’t mind me, kind humans, i merely peer at you and your repast out of admiration and a sense of family; but please do not confuse it for desire.” the dog joined us with unabashed hope. we discussed several of my wife’s recent readings and the mechanics of ebooks versus that of print books. in particular, we talked about how we often landmark memorable passages in a book by its location on the page and by the thickness of the pages fore and aft of it and how we might possibly translate that to ebooks. after, we packed leftovers away then regathered in the living room where we talked about her fiber arts projects, our plans for upcoming vacations, the imminent eclipse, the potential ramifications of a recent job interview, and many other things.
the night spooled out nicely. i made some chip dip based on a recipe from a food video series i found last year that reveals frequently tasty recipes through an absurdist lens. my wife and i shared it as we watched the next episode of a new-to-us show we started watching last week on a new-to-us streaming service after dropping another. we ended the evening as we often do by watching funny video compilations which acts as a kind of palate cleanser or reset button for us before sleep.
the son came home at some point, remarking briefly on his evening away, played with the dog, took out the trash (one of his “chores”), asked “what’s this?” while holding up the new chip dip, and then disappeared into his room. bedtime loomed, so i got my clothes ready for the next day and tucked myself in. the dog and wife followed a short while after.