Oh what a night. Or weekend.
The weekend started out great. I had a hellacious day at work on Friday, so I was really looking forward to the weekend. Friday night, David and I went to a surprise birthday party for my friend Monica's 40th birthday. Monica also happens to be my ex's sister but I'm still close to her and the rest of her family - my good friend Johnetta, my hairdresser, is also her cousin. It's been a while since I'd seen Monica's mom so of course I went by the family's table to speak to everyone. My ex's wife *still* will not speak to or even look at me. Jesus, woman, it's been damn near 100 years! GET OVER IT! We don't have to be BFF but basic politeness shouldn't be difficult after all this time. But yes, I am shallow and petty because I took great pleasure in knowing that not only did I look fantastic, David (who's a handsome guy anyway) looked extra special handsome in his "big boy" blazer, while Derrick (the ex) was doing his best Grizzly Adams impersonation.
We stayed for a bit but then we went out to dinner at this great little soul food restaurant, Sweet Potatoes, where I think I had the best meal I've ever had in a restaurant in the state of North Carolina. I had the rainbow trout that was stuffed with sweet potato cornbread stuffing, collard greens and a succotash over garlic mashed potates. OMG so good! David had some kick-ass pork chops with homemade mushroom gravy with macaroni and cheese and a side of collard greens. And the best part? Everything, including a fantastic bottle of wine and an appetizer, was under $65 including tip! We met the owner and chef, who are the *only* two black female restauranteurs in the city and they were both really nice. We're already planning to go back to try the lunch menu.
Afterwards we went to this wine bar/restaurant, 6th and Vine, where there was a great blues band playing. They were truly jamming, to the point where even my husband who does not dance ever started to move a little bit. It was such a beautiful night - brisk, but not unbearably cold - that we walked around downtown and looked at all the cute new shops that have opened. I have to say I'm kinda proud of good ol' Winston-Salem. We're really coming into our own culturally, and I'd definitely encourage a visit if anyone hasn't seen our city before because I think we have more to offer now than ever without losing our small-town feel.
Because David and I are old, we called it a night pretty early and we were home in our PJ's playing online Scrabble by 11:30.
On Saturday, in my attempt to act on one of my new year's resolutions, I invited all the ladies in my family over for a "Soul Food" night. My mom, auntie, grandma and cousin came over and we cooked and ate and laughed and danced and had a really great time. We're going to try to make it a monthly thing, and I'm going to do my best to make it happen if for no other reason than I think my grandmother really enjoys the company. My grandma will be 89-years old this year, and even though it's tough to think about, I know she might not be with us much longer and I want to enjoy her while I still can. I was so exhausted when they left that I was asleep by 9pm. Going down the Soul Train line really does take it out of you!
I was going to work on Sunday but changed my mind at the last minute and thank goodness I did. Mom called and said that grandma had called her saying was blind in one eye and was incoherent on the phone. David and I rushed over to check on her and she said that she was having difficulty seeing and had sharp pains in her eye. She wasn't delirious (that was my mom's panic and exaggeration talking) but she was scared which let me know something was really wrong because my grandma is the epitome of "stiff upper lip". First thing I did was check her blood sugar because she did have a diabetic episode a couple of weeks ago, but her blood sugar levels were normal. Her eye was really red though, and she just kept saying "I can't lose my sight. I can't lose my sight." so David and I packed her up and took her to the ER. (With some "help" from one of the drunks/crackheads in the neighborhood. As bothersome as she was, I have to say that those drunks and crackheads in my grandma's neighborhood do a damn fine job of looking after "Nana" as she's known. They get her prescriptions, take out her trash, cut her grass -- and in return she'll give them food or wash their clothes.) Turns out she had a corneal abrasion and they gave her some ointment, but because of her diabetes and age they want her to go the opthamologist tomorrow so I'll probably take her. We got her home and settled in for the evening, then David and I proceeded to go home and relax all day.
So with all that, I haven't watched Buffy yet but I'm about to watch "Welcome to the Hellmouth" right now instead of the SAG awards. I'm both excited and nervous. But after the drama of today, I think watching Buffy might actually be relaxing.
We stayed for a bit but then we went out to dinner at this great little soul food restaurant, Sweet Potatoes, where I think I had the best meal I've ever had in a restaurant in the state of North Carolina. I had the rainbow trout that was stuffed with sweet potato cornbread stuffing, collard greens and a succotash over garlic mashed potates. OMG so good! David had some kick-ass pork chops with homemade mushroom gravy with macaroni and cheese and a side of collard greens. And the best part? Everything, including a fantastic bottle of wine and an appetizer, was under $65 including tip! We met the owner and chef, who are the *only* two black female restauranteurs in the city and they were both really nice. We're already planning to go back to try the lunch menu.
Afterwards we went to this wine bar/restaurant, 6th and Vine, where there was a great blues band playing. They were truly jamming, to the point where even my husband who does not dance ever started to move a little bit. It was such a beautiful night - brisk, but not unbearably cold - that we walked around downtown and looked at all the cute new shops that have opened. I have to say I'm kinda proud of good ol' Winston-Salem. We're really coming into our own culturally, and I'd definitely encourage a visit if anyone hasn't seen our city before because I think we have more to offer now than ever without losing our small-town feel.
Because David and I are old, we called it a night pretty early and we were home in our PJ's playing online Scrabble by 11:30.
On Saturday, in my attempt to act on one of my new year's resolutions, I invited all the ladies in my family over for a "Soul Food" night. My mom, auntie, grandma and cousin came over and we cooked and ate and laughed and danced and had a really great time. We're going to try to make it a monthly thing, and I'm going to do my best to make it happen if for no other reason than I think my grandmother really enjoys the company. My grandma will be 89-years old this year, and even though it's tough to think about, I know she might not be with us much longer and I want to enjoy her while I still can. I was so exhausted when they left that I was asleep by 9pm. Going down the Soul Train line really does take it out of you!
I was going to work on Sunday but changed my mind at the last minute and thank goodness I did. Mom called and said that grandma had called her saying was blind in one eye and was incoherent on the phone. David and I rushed over to check on her and she said that she was having difficulty seeing and had sharp pains in her eye. She wasn't delirious (that was my mom's panic and exaggeration talking) but she was scared which let me know something was really wrong because my grandma is the epitome of "stiff upper lip". First thing I did was check her blood sugar because she did have a diabetic episode a couple of weeks ago, but her blood sugar levels were normal. Her eye was really red though, and she just kept saying "I can't lose my sight. I can't lose my sight." so David and I packed her up and took her to the ER. (With some "help" from one of the drunks/crackheads in the neighborhood. As bothersome as she was, I have to say that those drunks and crackheads in my grandma's neighborhood do a damn fine job of looking after "Nana" as she's known. They get her prescriptions, take out her trash, cut her grass -- and in return she'll give them food or wash their clothes.) Turns out she had a corneal abrasion and they gave her some ointment, but because of her diabetes and age they want her to go the opthamologist tomorrow so I'll probably take her. We got her home and settled in for the evening, then David and I proceeded to go home and relax all day.
So with all that, I haven't watched Buffy yet but I'm about to watch "Welcome to the Hellmouth" right now instead of the SAG awards. I'm both excited and nervous. But after the drama of today, I think watching Buffy might actually be relaxing.