Letters to myself

Dear Self,

Remember how, every time you drink more than one or two alcoholic drinks, even if you don't get "drunk," you wake up in the middle of the night feeling like you're dying? Remember that special burning sensation from your stomach all the way up your esophagus? Remember how you know you need to drink water, but you can't actually move to get some because movement will certainly make you vomit? No? You don't remember? The next time someone invites you to a degustation for a winery, maybe you should try a little harder to remember the inevitable consequences. Yes, you paced yourself. No, you didn't finish everything in your glass. Yes, you were only ever tipsy, and not drunk. But none of that matters, because God didn't actually give you a normal liver. He gave you a little tiny one that gets easily stressed out and overworked. So next time someone offers you that second beach bucket of Long Island ice tea, or that third glass of wine, JUST SAY NO.

Sincerely,

Kusems


One of Hugh's friends has recently started working in a pub in Port Adelaide, and they put on a $90-a-plate degustation last night for one of the wineries in the Adelaide Hills. The food was absolutely spot-on perfect. I was less keen on the wines, but that may have been because they were varieties that I don't like (Rose, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir). I don't know enough about wine to be sure, but I wasn't keen. First, there was a sparkling rose to kick things off. The first course was another sparkling wine (sparkling wine is an Adelaide specialty) with an espresso-cup of mushroom and truffle soup. SOOO GOOD! I could have eaten a vat of the stuff for dinner and gone home the happiest girl in the western suburbs. Then there was a chardonnay with a crab crepe with carrot...something or other. A sauce of some sort. The carrot something or other was very caramelly and lip-licking good. The crepe was delish as well, but really complemented by the carrot sauce. Then there was pinot noir with confit de duck with a tasty jus (I forgot what it was made of). For dessert, there was sherry (I really, really hate sherry) and a salted caramel and chocolate tarte served with sweet and sour cream and mandarin jelly. Then there was a cheese course! There was a cheddar which I found very boring, a bleu that I didn't bother trying, and a brie that was absolutely to die for. I could have eaten three whole triangles of it, but I thought people might judge me. Hugh was judging me for how much I did eat.

I think the mushroom soup and the brie will haunt my dreams for a long time.

Tonight in town, one of the clubs is hosting a "Bow Tie July" party. Hugh's best friend is dj'ing for part of it, so we were gonna go, but Hugh has a bit of cold so we think we'll have to pass. Still, I spent yesterday crocheting myself a bow tie sort of following this pattern by Sara Dudek. Actually, crocheting is super quick, especially something as small as a bow tie, so it shouldn't have take me long at all, but I did something wrong at the very beginning. I decided I liked the way it looked, so continued to crochet the whole thing. But then I needed to replicate the mistake I made on the other end of the bow tie. I spent about an hour and a half trying to figure out how to do that, and when I couldn't figure it out, I just started a second bow tie, but only did the first rows, and then sewed it onto the original. I do not recommend this method. Which leads me to another letter to myself.
 

Dear Self,

Remember how, whenever you knit anything, you always stray from the pattern, thinking you're being super clever by improving it, and you ALWAYS end up having to frog it and repeat it at least four times? And then in the end, it looks stupid anyway? Remember how you do that for every single project you ever make? Yeah, you should probably stop doing that.

Sincerely,

Kusems