Saturday in Mariposa

oyceter arrived last night, after spending over five hours on the road after being caught in horrible traffic jams that added three hours to her trip. Because Mariposa is so small and hick-like, the restaurant we were planning to go to closes at 8:30, so once it became clear how late she would be, I scrapped that plan and began peeling vegetables for 20 garlic chicken instead-- a recipe she taught me. Other than the chicken, the ingredients included Kalamata olives (my Dad's suggestion, and an excellent one), bacon (pan-fried and added at the last minute), sweet potatoes, white potatoes, red potatoes, carrots, onions, and leeks.

While dinner was baking, we snacked on beer or wine, and hand-made mochi that oyceter had brought, and I made everyone watch the first two episodes of Samurai Champloo, which had been Netflixed to me by accident. I was very gratified that everyone seemed to enjoy it.

And then oyceter retired to this cute little cottage aka "the penthouse," which has a fake but warm and cozy propane fire, and talked till 2:00 am.

We both brought stuff to exchange and/or share while we're here.

My read/watch while we're here stack-- some brought for her, some for me: Wild Adapter volumes 1-3, Bus Gamer 1, and Just!, all by Kazuya Minekura, all in Japanese; in English, Fruits Basket 4-12, Clover 1-4, Absolute Boyfriend 1, Fullmetal Alchemist 3-4, Anything But You by Jennifer Cruisie in spiffy new hardcover edition (short review: I liked it, but not as much as my favorites of her more recent and fatter books), Scott Westerfeld's Blue Noon, and Faro's Daughter by Georgette Heyer. Also, anime of Bleach and Hikaru no Go. I would have brought more Samurai Champloo because I'm in the modd to watch the whole series all over again, but I didn't have it.

My gifts to her: The Silent Tower and The Silicon Mage, by Barbara Hambly.

Her read while we're here stack, mostly for me: Minekura's Sayuubito, two gorgeous Ai Yazawa art books, and Scott Westerfeld's Risen Empire.

Her gifts to me: The Gentleman Caller by Megan Chance, and a hilarious address book that has covers and back cover descriptions from gay pulp novels from the sixties. I must quote from this later.

It was pouring rain when she arrived, but is sunny today, so if we can find some trails that aren't ankle-deep in mud, perhaps we'll go hiking.

Saturday in Mariposa

oyceter arrived last night, after spending over five hours on the road after being caught in horrible traffic jams that added three hours to her trip. Because Mariposa is so small and hick-like, the restaurant we were planning to go to closes at 8:30, so once it became clear how late she would be, I scrapped that plan and began peeling vegetables for 20 garlic chicken instead-- a recipe she taught me. Other than the chicken, the ingredients included Kalamata olives (my Dad's suggestion, and an excellent one), bacon (pan-fried and added at the last minute), sweet potatoes, white potatoes, red potatoes, carrots, onions, and leeks.

While dinner was baking, we snacked on beer or wine, and hand-made mochi that oyceter had brought, and I made everyone watch the first two episodes of Samurai Champloo, which had been Netflixed to me by accident. I was very gratified that everyone seemed to enjoy it.

And then oyceter retired to this cute little cottage aka "the penthouse," which has a fake but warm and cozy propane fire, and talked till 2:00 am.

We both brought stuff to exchange and/or share while we're here.

My read/watch while we're here stack-- some brought for her, some for me: Wild Adapter volumes 1-3, Bus Gamer 1, and Just!, all by Kazuya Minekura, all in Japanese; in English, Fruits Basket 4-12, Clover 1-4, Absolute Boyfriend 1, Fullmetal Alchemist 3-4, Anything But You by Jennifer Cruisie in spiffy new hardcover edition (short review: I liked it, but not as much as my favorites of her more recent and fatter books), Scott Westerfeld's Blue Noon, and Faro's Daughter by Georgette Heyer. Also, anime of Bleach and Hikaru no Go. I would have brought more Samurai Champloo because I'm in the modd to watch the whole series all over again, but I didn't have it.

My gifts to her: The Silent Tower and The Silicon Mage, by Barbara Hambly.

Her read while we're here stack, mostly for me: Minekura's Sayuubito, two gorgeous Ai Yazawa art books, and Scott Westerfeld's Risen Empire.

Her gifts to me: The Gentleman Caller by Megan Chance, and a hilarious address book that has covers and back cover descriptions from gay pulp novels from the sixties. I must quote from this later.

It was pouring rain when she arrived, but is sunny today, so if we can find some trails that aren't ankle-deep in mud, perhaps we'll go hiking.