love the one you're with

If you’re down and confused, and you don’t remember who you’re talkin’ to. Concentration slip away, ‘cause your baby is so far away.

Well there’s a rose in the fisted glove and the eagle flies with the dove, and if you can’t be with the one you love, honey, love the one you’re with, love the one you’re with, love the one you’re with, love the one you’re with.

it's been an eventful weekend. i have been more social than usual and attended more dinners and functions in 2 1/2 day than i have the previous month or so. on friday after work, i went to my neighbors for dinner. they are a family and are so very very different from me in many ways. however, we have some commonalities-unusual for sure-that somehow keep us connected. i actually had a blast with them, before they drove of to lake michigan for 10 days of vacation. they gave me some veggies for their garden.

saturday luncheon brought a baby shower for one of the doctors that work on our team. she is to have twin boys sometime within the next month. we dined at a small french bistro and had a smashing strawberry shortcake complete with fresh whipped cream. i met her husband and spent a little more time with many of my teammates. it's almost overwhelming to think about how much her life will change with the onset of two infants. doubt i could deal.

then saturday night, another friend had invited me over for dinner as his mother is visiting from connecticut. dinner was for 7. i got a call about 6 o'clock from him saying that their stove had gone on the fritz and asking if they come over and cook in my kitchen and then have dinner back at their place. of course, i said yes. he, his partner, and his mother were at my house within the hour making sumptuous paella and spanish tortas -one potato and one sweet potato. it was surreal and it was lovely. and dinner at their home was even more luscious. another guest had made strawberries in balsamic reduction with ginger vanilla ice cream.

in reflection, i realize how different each of these gatherings were. yet each of them fit into my psyche and my heart quite snugly. i love each of them, but with a different part of my soul.

i made an appetizer for the two dinners( i stole this recipe from a chef i work with)

fresh figs (cut in half)
goat cheese crumbled on top
drizzle with fresh honey
cracked pepper on top.

this honestly works like a charm...

today's sound choice is the late and undisputeably great luther vandross with his version of "love the one you're with"