Muscles From Brussels

One benefit from surgery recovery is that you have absolute license to watch bad movies. As C could not get about much for the first few days after surgery, I was his proxy at Elephant Pharmacy. I spent twenty minutes riffling through for any vintage Jean-Claude van Damme movies but came up zeros. Elephant probably has deemed Muscles From Brussels too mainstream tacky and not sufficiently of alternative campiness for it's shelves. If they rent the Spice Girls movie, they shouldn't snub Hard Target- it's got pre-hurricane footage of New Orleans in it. I didn't want to humiliate myself on C's behalf so I just got your usual WWII movie with Donald Sutherland and Michael Caine as a German captain in a plot to kidnap Winston Churchill. No submarines though.

Then I had to go through Andronicos and procure a hefty sack of prunes and a bottle of prune juice just as the doctor ordered for C.

Surgery husband

After days of excruciating pain, C went to see our family physician Dr.B who confirmed a hernia diagnosis and referred him to Dr. Wright for surgery. At the first pre-op exam, while Dr. Wright had a few fingers up C's scrotum, someone busts in with a few knocks on the door. It's no other than the lady receptionist who says "Naan and Curry". Dr. Wright still probing, says "Yeah. Naan and curry. That eggplant curry was real good." After she leaves, Dr. Wright says, "Have some respect for yourself. Put your pants back on." Let's mention Dr. Wright wore a beige crocheted beret, silver snake skin boots in an office over decorated with Guatemalan textiles. If this wasn't Berkely you might get a bit worried.

As there is a long line for surgery, the first available spot would be in February. But as C is in a bad way, he's squeezed for Thursday surgery, the last surgery for the day.

The Best Donut in East Bay

Yesterday at the checkout line at Monterrey Market I tried to break up my Ben Franklin. The cashier asked me, "Did you make this at home. That's pretty good."

The lightest non greasiest donuts are from Donut Time in El Cerrito next to Marshalls on San Pablo. The shop is a time warp back into 80's just like Genki Sushi. I always try to limit myself to one treat and today I went for it. Bavarian creme donut with chocolate glaze. I normally get the old fashioned no glaze cake kind but the yellow dot squirting out the end hooked me somehow. Donut creme, I doubt it has milk products in it, is like a sweet mayonnaise. It was fantastic. And now I'm dying for another donut fix.

C and I made giant batches of organic granola. You have to do it at least once if you live in Berkeley. I made mine quite fancy with dried cherries, cranberries, apricots and Brazil nuts. C stuck to the oat and almond formula. I guess I'd better have just a bowl or granola. No donut is better than a stale greasy donut found at past 11 on a Sunday night.

Porkalicious

Waffle party with sausage and fried ham on Sunday. Almost bought the bacon but most party goers are on a diet so I judiciously held back. After everyone ate, I kicked everyone out like I always wanted to. No point chit chatting once the food's gone. I myself would love to be kicked out of a party once my belly's had it's fill.

I had put Belgian waffle maker on my X-mas wishlist, but Brook gave me hers so we would invite her over. She said she used it only thrice since 1999 as whipping the egg whites were too much of a production. My neglected KitchenAid has been getting more action these days ever since the waffle handover. It's true. Friends love you when you make waffles for them.

I think my new year's resolution is also same as Satchel's. I vow to eat more pie. I bought myself two pie stands to get a head start.

Archie Bunker

Big J says little A's been looking like a cranky old man these days. Wifebeater shirt, man boobs and a pot belly, and of course bad bed hair. Cutie pie's gone awol I guess when you've got no one new to impress.