benifits of baking vegan

i didn't do anything today but cook for mairee. i got up late, washed my hair, and went to the grocery store. when i came home drunkard's prayer had arrived. and i can never get enough over the rhine. i wasn't sure i was going to like it, it's very quiet and simple- the album you imagine two people making as they remove themeselves from the outside world to slowly rebuild their relationship. it sounds like the grey ghost, and i love the pictures of their living room, their dogs, themselves. they are so much more real and less artsy fartsy than their usual photography. i was worried about how few words were in the album insert, missing linford's lyrical poetry, but i knew born already and liked it, so i guessed it would be fine. the first listen i was dubious, as i tend to be, so i thought i'd be patient. even ohio i liked after enough listens, and i didn't expect that to happen. but at the tarantella i realized what it remided me of- linford's solo stuff. what could be more wonderful than karen's lovely voice over the instrumental magic?
anyway, i listened to it while cooking. there were few moments of panic, like when i realized i'd forgotten about the cake, i had no idea how to cut up oyster mushrooms, my whole bag of veggie bullion fell into my hot water and the egg conversion problem. i was halving the recipe so it would fit into my mini bunt pan. 3/4 c is 3/8 cup, no problem. but how do you halve 3 eggs? i used the vegan solution- 1 egg and 1 T. mashed tofu. success!
i won't go into the gritty details of all the cooking, but lets just say that we had little tosts with dilled havari and chianti, then marinated and roasted asparagus, carrots, and beets with garlic, and wild mushroom risotto. and mini ukranian poppy seed bunt cakes with orange glaze and strawberries.
i usally get upset about how i never find out how mairee is doing, we only talk about me. but i was glad to keep away from her wedding= so different than mom or vicky getting married. i think i might actually be able to stay friends with mairee throughout this whole process. i hope so! i felt pretty good about the visit, but was starting to get down. then i started typing this, and i was looking for something in my old files, and found all sorts of wonderful things in a folder titled "connections and love letters." there is a letter from michi that i MUST post someday. it was a reply to one of my whiny letters written in terror as i was begining to come out. and it's so beautiful and encouraging- reminds me of the letter written to the heroine of nancy garden's good moon rising. also found the old blog. i think i'm going to add the entries to the begining of this blog. but then kristy came to give me the magazine she was working for, and get the stuff she's forgotten. and it was nice, i love having guests in town. she elevated my mood, and i'm riding pretty high now.
and tomorrow's still sunday! half the weekend yet to come!