This and That ...

Remember how I was saying that Dancing in Socks Guy and I were both concerned about cooking "real" meals for each other? We'd both been in situations where someone or another announced that they were a REALLY good cook and proceeded to serve up a steaming hot dish of puke. Up until last night it looked like we were good as far as that went and then ... well, poor Dancing in Socks Guy had the first "bad" cooking experience.

I've been doing most of the cooking since I got here, last night was his turn. We'd gone out and bought a wok, which he spent all afternoon seasoning with the same care and attention most people would lavish on their first baby. We also went to Talin Market and bought all kinds of good stuff, such as Sesame Balls and Senbei and, oh yeah, stuff for stir fry. I made the oyster sauce and he did all the vegetable prep and stir frying. We ate it, quite late, around 10 PM, and it was yummy.

It sure tasted better going down, as it turned out for me. I woke up around 2 AM and spent an hour getting rid of it by the two means naturally possible. The throwing up part was hard, much harder than you'd think it would be for someone who spent nearly two decades throwing up at least once a day. But, just as former smokers and religious converts are most vociferous about their new lives, so it is with former bulimics. All I could think about was how gross it was going to be, but as it always does, I felt so much better once it was over. Given the short duration, it was probably bacterial in origin, most likely Staphylococcal. My poor sweetie felt so bad! He didn't come down with it quite so badly as I did, just a mildly upset tummy. But, we're both fine now.

I know you guys really wanted to read all about that.

Aside from giving ourselves food poisoning and buying the wok, we also got some more stuff for the house. There is a little stationary store in the Nob Hill section of Albuquerque called Papers. They don't seem to have their own website, but it's wonderful. Aside from gorgeous stationary, they also have unique wrapping paper, cards, and assorted little tchochkies. We have a fish theme in the bathroom, so we got some aquatic-themed wrapping paper which we'll varnish and put up. I'll post a picture when it's done. I also got something I fell in love with the first time I went to this store, and always imagined getting one day should I be lucky enough to live in Albuquerque with my love. I was that lucky, so I went and got these. They are switch plates which have covers from 1950's era pulp novels lacquered on. How cool are these?

This one is in the living room:


This one is in the hallway:


And this one is in the bedroom:

I love them :) They add a certain yo no se to the place, I think. I need to pick up one more for Dancing in Socks Guy's office. He initially thought the idea of getting special switch plates was pointless, but he loves these. The kitchen has "willow ware" switch plates already that I got at Big Box Store, and the bathroom switch has this bizarre three-switch configuration which means I'll probably have to lacquer the existing plate. Maybe with some of the aquatic-themed paper.

Elle