random thoughts – Day 1,431 – (Friday) – bright and brisk

The drive to the office was lighter than usual and the streets were nearly deserted. There was a stop at the Post Office to mail a package and I still arrived at the office on time.

The streets were wet from the snow that fell overnight and the bright morning sun reflected off the surface in a retina burning manner. Unfortunately, I had forgotten the sunglass clips for my glasses, and when I pulled into the dark garage, I couldn’t see.

There were available parking spots on the second level, which is a rarity. By the time my eyes adjusted to the shade of the garage, I was back outside being blinded by the bright sunshine and whipped by the blustery wind. 

Closer to the Bank, the preparations had already been made for WinterFest, which began tonight at 6:00. A tent occupied the lawn at St. Anne’s episcopal Church for the chocolate fest and a large tent had been planted in the bank’s parking lot for the musical performances.

Colorful barriers.

All day long, while running through projects, the thoughts percolating in the back of my mind were about the Sponsor’s Party across the street at Cobblestone’s Restaurant at 5:00. I imagined sampling the array of appetizers that are usually laid out on a buffet table. By 4:30, music wafted up to our office suite from the performance tent in the bank’s parking lot below and my mind was drifting to the party. It was during a conversation with a colleague at that time that I was made aware that the event was not Friday night, it's on Saturday night. Oops. It seems I might need to slow down and digest the information in emails before I rush to add entries to my calendar and get excited about them.

Sesame sprinkled.

I was thrilled to at least know this information before I showed up at the restaurant a day in advance like a total goofball. Dodging a bit of embarrassment was a relief, but it kind of ruined my Friday supper meal plan that would require no cooking. The walk to the garage after work featured colorfully painted concrete barriers closing off Palmer Street that had been set during the day. 

Once at home, the cast iron skillet was set on the stove and the refrigerator was ravaged. Cabbage, broccoli, carrot, mushroom, green pepper, and onion all met the blade of my favorite knife and were tossed into the pan for a brisk sizzle. Szechuan sauce and rice were added, and once spooned into the bowl, a toss of toasted sesame seeds finished it off. Fast and tasty, just how I like it.