When I am upset or stressed, I wake up at 4 a.m.  On a good night, I can fall back asleep.  On a bad night, I lie there in bed awake, thinking about whatever has woken me up in the first place, until I go to the couch and watch mindless T.V., hoping to distract my mind and fall asleep again.  The odd part is that it's always right around 4 a.m.  Last night was one of those nights.  The good news is that I fell asleep again.  The bad news is that fucking bird is back. 

I've mentioned it before, but in addition to having an incredibly supportive family, I've got some pretty amazing friends.  I truly believe that relationships with other people are the crux of life, and that you get out of them what you are willing to put in.  A million thank you's to my friends, especially Arielle, Katie (and Jennie), Caroline, Tara, Beth, Lauren, Jordana, Kim, Roopa, Jenn R., Jenn D. & Viv, for your love, support, and strength.  I am also grateful for the healing powers of flowers, Joe's Pizza and Pearl Oyster Bar's lobster roll.

Look at that snout!!!  Don't you just LOVE it!?!

I had the wonderful opportunity to visit a small scale abbatoir and farm upstate yesterday.  I learned a great deal about meat processing and fell in love with about ten piglets.  I swear I could have watched them all day.  Here's the photo gallery of piglet cuteness.

* ah, the Beatles.  Gotta love 'em.

I am waiting for one more major piece of furniture at the moment — a dining table.  For those of you who have eaten at my apartment, you'll know that my "dining table" was, for many years, my coffee table.  This is now gone, and I'm planning on having a proper table that can expand for company.  Until it arrives next week, as my friend Jimmy discovered last night, my "dining table" is currently your lap as you sit on my couch.  The new coffee table substitute is backordered until June.  Slow and steady improvement, folks.  Slow and steady.  Pictures to come soon!

I was exhausted yesterday, suffering from a late-night return from Long Island for seder (thanks again, Tamara!) and possibly still recovering from the salumi-fest on Monday night.  Although I managed to work out on Wednesday, I couldn't handle it last night.  Instead, I walked home from work, which takes about an hour.  It was lovely out, and on the way home, I saw many, many signs that spring is indeed here, despite the flurries the other day — daffodils, crocuses, cherry blossoms, and plenty of fresh blooms and green grass.  Later in the night I was outside of my apartment and caught a gorgeous tableau of the bright full moon behind the blooming branches of a tree, all framed by the majestic buildings of Fifth Avenue.  If only I had my camera . . .

Pizza, wine and laughs, biking on the West Side bike path, still taunted by the puppy, Num Pang deliciousness, Whisk & Ladle, quality couch time, slow cooker prep, new cell phone ring, lazy lazy Sunday, possible trip/escape planning.

And clearly not feeling much like blogging.  Sorry.

– Why is the sky blue?
– What is the meaning of life?
– Where the hell did this bruise on my knee come from?

since I made it through most of the winter with no major ailments — I've got a touch of the plague.  Blech.  I'm armed with the proper supplies and leftover soba in broth from Soba-ya, so I should be set.

It's time!  Remember the way back before pictures?  Well, there has definitely been progress since then and am making more, albeit very very slowly.  I promise to post some updates.

Can't I work from my bed today?  Please?  I'm so warm and comfy and it sounds very windy outside.  Oh, and please bring me breakfast in bed.  I like one sugar in my coffee (although skim lattes are even better). Thank you.