12.31.02 - 3:59 p.m.

There's this perfect moment on the CD I made for Bassett's birthday where Counting Crows' "Miami" flows right into "The Wind" by Cat Stevens, and it just sounds so good. So good.

Do you want to know what's in Dan's car right now? Well, apart from three baskets of laundry and overnight bags, we've got:

turkey kielbasa and two squishy bags of sauerkraut
crock pot filled with potatoes
half gallon of buttermilk
bag o' chicken breasts
Italian-style bread crumbs
goat cheese log
sundried tomato dip, guacamole, caesar dressing (all homemade, mind you)
one can of queso
two cans of salsa
two honking bags of Tostitos (both regular and lime)
two pounds of penne
28 oz. of crushed tomatoes
one garlic bulb
random onion and apple (ok, they're for the sauerkraut)
frozen flat-leaf parsley
eight eggs
chocolate chips
flour
sugar
parmesan cheese in shaker
three sticks of butter
muffin tin
pint of light cream
the recipes with which to cook this feast. . .
and the apron to wear whilst I cook it.

And loading all that in the car this morning was still easier than shopping at the last minute. Even when I forgot the crock pot and all the mashed potato fixins, and ran with arms flailing to the door at the last minute.

Oh, and there's a bottle of champagne in there somewhere. Because I'm putting myself on a strict champagne diet this evening. Fools better bring lots if they're coming to my cooking party.

Me, my man, the cat and lots of carbs. Happy 2003!