Let it rain, let it pour...
8:46 p.m.
I witnessed today how a belly full of good food, a glass of good wine and cooler temperatures turn me into a very personable, funny, entertaining hostess from the bitchy, perimenopausal, overheated bag of sweat I was prior.
The hot, muggy weather of yesterday was followed by a thunderstorm of very dramatic proportions. I picked my family up at the bus station at just after 8 p.m., brought them home, fed them veggie burgers (which I had to prepare in a pan on the stove since our barbecue ran out of propane while I was grilling salmon burgers for us earlier), and then the wind picked up. We had to run around the house closing windows even before the rain came down, and when it did, it was spectacular. My family, coming from an arid country where rain in the summer is unheard of, enjoyed it mightily, my sister-in-law gazing raptly at the pyrotechnics from her vantage point on the deck, Suzie taking advantage of the human companionship, being ever so slightly freaked out by the flashes and booms.
This being Quebec, the power went out around 9:30 and stayed out for five and-a-half hours. In my foresight, I lit one candle before the lights went out, and was able to light more so that we could sit in the living room amid their glow, listening to Buddy Boy play his guitar and my brother play his mouth harp. Around 11 p.m. there was nothing to do but go to bed, so we did, but it was so hot that sleep did not come easily. The lights came on at 3 a.m., just as Hubby was having a pee in the dark. Thankfully the stuff in the freezer and fridge didn't have a chance to melt.
This morning I was up early, showered first thing, foregoing my luxurious bubble bath, so that I could prepare a gourmet breakfast, strawberry crepes. The first couple turned out rather terribly, so Little Princess ate them before she headed out to work. The others turned out quite well, although not works of great beauty, but no one complained about aesthetics and everyone asked for seconds.
Even with last night's storm, the air was still hot and muggy. I took my mother and sister-in-law into town to shop at the latter's favourite store (the factory outlet, that is), where everything was 50% off, and then to the Java for iced coffees. My sister-in-law likes minerals, so we took a detour to the mine store where she purchased some vesuvianite and some fairy stones, which are an interesting calcite accretion made by generations of bacteria. All along the way we saw downed trees and branches from last night's wind.
But the pi�ce de r�sistance for me today was the supper I prepared. It was so hot and I was literally slaving over a hot stove. From Vegan Planet I made Indian-spiced quinoa and Indian-spiced lentil patties with a three-fruit chutney. It was so delicious. At one point I had to go outside and stand in the rain to cool off. But once I finally sat down to eat, I felt so much better. I actually started laughing and joking, where earlier I could only grumble and say, "Don't touch me!"
I shall be out of touch for the next few days as we go on our whale-watching adventure. Don't worry, there will be stories galore no doubt when I get back.
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