Chicken Soup Chinese Medicine - Acupuncture, Herbs, Nutrition, 27 Years Specializing in Women's & LGBT Health, hepatitus, HIV

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Neither Storm of Night, nor Terrorists, nor Cancellations . . .

August 20, 2006

Neither Storm of Night, nor Terrorists nor Cancellations . . .
Shall Dampen Anticipation of More Tomatoes, Bike Rides & Alaska

Last Thursday I was speaking with one in our “Betty Ann” group who called from Idaho to express her sincere regrets for having to miss the upcoming Alaska cruise with Olivia.

Yes, she’ll join us soon at MECCA and for forthcoming adventures . . . a cancellation, she noted, truly does not mean one must disappear or miss out on future fun.

@ Back a week ago, the day after the recent foiled terrorist plot hit the news, I was chatting with my British “cousin” Irene Hendrick who introduced me at MECCA to her sisters . . . one of whom had arrived from London via Heathrow just the evening before the story broke.

We allowed as how new security measures might put the kibosh on Liz’s and John’s roles as purveyors (my "source") of fine Amish-grown green tomatoes via their travels back and forth between Altoona and SFO . . . We allowed as how, on grounds that the tomato is likely to be judged somewhere between a liquid and a gel, my stash would probably be left behind among piles of bottled water, wine, shampoos, lipsticks and other ointments.

(As alluded to in a previous entry, I wrote in Pop’s eulogy about times he sent us from Mississippi back to Washington, DC with boxes chock full of fine tomatoes stowed beneath our seats on Delta Airlines.)

The solution found this week? Carefully place some 15 big ones in a food storage bin to be checked in baggage, with a note taped on top declaring hopes for a "best ever" plate full of fried green tomatoes.

So, a new batch of the green ones did arrive this past Thursday, none the worse for the wear, and they now populate my refrigerator crisper here in the Castro. Trick is, one must minimize the hours without refrigeration least the pink of ripening begins. Fed Ex was consided as an alternate, but accompaning Liz in checked baggaged proved more expedient . . . and ultimately, successful.

If none of this makes sense to you, no matter . . . Many . . . well, maybe that should be "most" . . . don't get it about green tomatoe rituals.

@ Another major feat just accomplished is I’m once again a bicycle owner. Check out the photo album from our Ladies Go Biking group’s first ride. More to be said about that bike soon.

A second photo album awaits you from our new Smart Women Get Together Business Network group’s reception held at the historic Townhouse Restaurant in Emeryville.

@ Oh, yes! I do look forward to the upcoming “Betty Ann” group’s outing on the Olivia Cruise to Alaska. (See YouTube L-word video on what to pack at this LINK.) Our local cruise goers met for a chat at MECCA last Thursday night, and they’ll be met not too long from now in Vancouver by more in our crew from Hawaii, Virginia, Santa Cruz and other parts near and far.

Oh, yes! I do look forward with anticipation to once more experiencing the awe-inspiring moments as our ship moves through the Gastineau Channel to Juneau . . . a cathedral-like fiord with slopes on either side, featuring snow-capped peaks, waterfalls . . . and . . . a peaceful quiet like none other . . . and it's okay, that there's nothing more to say . . .