Long bike rides to and from everywhere and I feel badass. Definitely have my biking muscles back. Also, yesterday made dinner for 8 - black beans, fish tacos, and shrimp. The black beans are a staple, always excellent, but it was my first time cooking fish or shrimp, as i pretty much always just make vegetarian food or otherwise make someone else handle the meat side of things. Shelling the shrimp was annoying, but I got it all at the market the morning of, and I knew that fresh gulf shrimp were almost impossible to screw up and they were delicious. Same with the fish. How lucky, to be right on the ocean. I always think that I don't take advantage of it enough, but even last night, it was the vegetable sides that i loved... a limey creamy purple cabbage coleslaw, a simple salsa, perfect guacamole, and soft market-fresh lettuce.

In the midst of cooking I took a break and walked to the corner to pick up some bombay sapphire. It was super hot and a gin/tonic seemed the thing... but it was 30$ for a fairly small bottle and I just couldn't justify it, so I came back with a few beers I didn't even open. As a result, I drank only a couple of glasses of wine, and was remarkably sober all evening. Very unusual dinner party..somehow those always end up very sloshy for me. It was a slightly weird mix of people at the dinner, but I started with a bonfire outside so everyone had lots to say about how much lighter fluid to use, and the mosquitoes, and then how hot the fire was, etc.,and that was a decent ice(fire) breaker. I always feel super awkward hosting dinner parties on my own. Very much miss having someone, preferably Em, to handle that initial part.

Tonight I biked to John's for dinner and I poached pears in wine with maple syrup. Took some vanilla bean ice cream along in a cold bag in my backpack and it was impressively not melty despite the 45 min ride in the heat. All this to say: I've been cooking a lot and it's been fun. And I've been hanging out with people, and that's also been fun. Life feels pretty nice right now. If I could add a bit more dissertating into the mix, all would be well.

11:11 p.m. - 2015-11-29