shoelaces with chili garlic sauce

i'm mouthbreathing again. i've done my fair share of this while hung over at work in a previous life, but i can't say there was any debauchery involved this time, unless you count the renegade sinus warriors that have set up camp in my face. one could even dare to call them sinusarriors, but i've made too many bad jokes for one day so i'll refrain. basically, i look like rudolph (blowing your nose does have consequences) and sound like barney rubble. food joy was lost sometime tuesday afternoon, along with my sense of smell. i know i ate chili for dinner because i cooked it myself, but if i'd been blindfolded i couldn't have told you the difference between my meal and a bowl of stewed packing peanuts.

luckily, all 5 senses were in tact for our new years eve potluck. it would have been a crime to miss out on elsabelle's coconut soup, jim's pad thai, and connie's amazing strawberry goat cheese "pie."

the same goes for our week of christmas hopscotch. i don't think i could have survived the constant packing and repacking without the flavors of peppermint bark or my mom's macaroni & cheese. can you imagine eating lox without being able to taste it? i'm thinking partially crushed doorstep slugs.

overall it was a successful trip. i had coffee/lunch dates with a couple of friends that i haven't seen in months. there was much reading (and drawing for coffeeshopgirl) and, according to the waist imprint of my jeans, much eating. there were so many "christmases" that it began to feel customary to arrive at someone's house, commence to eating and eventually exchange gifts. in fact, when i go over to friends' houses now, i still can't shake the feeling that i should sneak into the bathroom and wrap something for the host/hostess to open after dinner. i'm hoping the urge will pass soon because the toilet paper and soapdish presents may get old quickly.