Bloody Mary

It's been a crazy week, starting with last Friday, peaking on Wednesday, on call. Unusually empty walk-in clinic then early evening, people came flooding in. I ate for once, a denver on brown, brought by Pat and Jule. Our Regina road construction ritual. We'll be in Prince Albert again this summer, the city where we met, down by the river, jogging by the correctional center.

I think that perhaps I can write fiction now.

Where am I with this project? Stalled somewhat, but I have found a number of drinks that I can make this weekend, and I haven't even really gotten to the rum section yet, or tequila, or "Best of the Rest". A Bloody Mary yesterday, and now I see why the Caesar is more popular. Cayenne pepper - really? Lemon and lime? Today I made a martini called Maxim - gin and vermouth (dry) and creme de cocoa and a cocktail cherry. Nice. Caleb made a virgin cocktail for me to try: lime juice, lime cordial, soda water and a dash of Perrier, and a cocktail cherry, in a champagne flute. I suggested he add sugar syrup but he said he wanted to keep it Lo Cal. Jule then whipped up a drink for Pat in the blender: V8 juice, apple juice, lime cordial, and an entire lemon including the peel. Good dad that he is, he tried a sip, and we roared laughing, then listed the ingredients. He washed it down with beer.

For supper, perch that Caleb caught in Perch Lake this morning, asparagus, and bruschetta, with basil from our garden. A more complete meal than I have had all week. Then I played a Mozart sonata, full of mistakes but banging and fast and Caleb pointed out how it's really just scales and I was thrilled that he noticed that - the same criticism laid on Mozart by his detractors in "Amadeus". I hope he keeps up with guitar, or learns piano, or becomes a chef like he says he will, or whatever, whatever, absolutely whatever it is that he really wants; that's what I want him to do.

We watched "Land of the Lost" and it was hilarious. But then it has been that kind of a week. Mad Magazine seemed to me on Thursday like the funniest collection of jokes in the history of the world. I connected with everything that day, with everyone; the flagperson on the highway, my drug-seeking patient who nabbed me on the street, the cashier at McTaggarts and the owner of Betty's, over furs. He's going to be getting in a silver fox, maybe a red fox for Christmas, and I will buy it, and give it to Caleb, for his collection.

If I make it until then.