I had a dream two nights ago. In this dream I was making “Greg’s Chickpeas” from the Cabbagetown Cafe cookbook – a meal that only I like but that is such a comfort food for me for some strange reason (it’s not like my family even knew what chickpeas were growing up) that I end up making it quite often. Anyway, in this dream I’m making this dish and chopping onions for it when Sage comes over, makes a face and remarks that that is the worst smelling onion she’s ever known and how old is it anyway. It was all in fun, but I woke up thinking to myself that it’s been too long since I’ve cooked anything. Okay, true confession time. It’s been a really long time since I’ve cooked anything. See, the food allowance that we get out here is enough to pay for someone to make and deliver five meals/week and put them in our freezer.
But that’s not the point, really. I mean, hindsight being 20/20 and all, I’d love to be able to go back and motivate myself to cook when we didn’t have something already made up and keep the money for ourselves but there really is something about cooking for me that I really enjoy.
I woke up from that dream at about 4:30 AM and had a bit of trouble getting back to sleep I was so on about cooking. Well, that, and probably I was really hungry as well. All day yesterday I kept flashing back to the dream – how it felt to be chopping onions (even rotted ones!) anticipating the meal. And at the same time I felt inspired about cutting down on dining out. This motivated me to have breakfast at home (instead of on the way to work or skipping it entirely) and listen to Sage reading yesterday’s entry. I came home for lunch, too, which on the one hand was fun, but on the other I think sort of threw Paul for a loop since I don’t come home in mid-day that often. He was quite disappointed, I think, that I wasn’t planning on staying home and having a pillow fight and acted out a bit as a result.
Finally, after working a bit late I got home and Paul and I went shopping at the health food store and picked up stuff to make a few things. When I got home we put away the groceries and I cooked chickpeas and rice for myself. And frankly it was one of the few times I’ve ever intentionally acted out a dream and further had it come out better in reality than in the dream. I forgot how much I loved to cook. I forgot how lovely the smell of frying onions was. Especially when they’re not rotten.
Work continues to move forward slowly but surely. I actually think I can see the end of this job sometime in the next 6-8 weeks. This means that I can expect some crazy hours soon, and for us to have to move out of the apartment – hopefully timed well so I don’t have to live that long by myself in a hotel.
After this there are about three different possibilities that I know of for us to move on to next. One in the southeast, one in the midwest, and one on the west coast. Each has their perks, and their disadvantages. Whatever I do I’m looking forward to the change. And more importantly I’m looking forward to having some time in between jobs to relax in Missouri – if only for a week or two.
I’m getting to be something of a baby about background noise. I was noticing yesterday when the air conditioner (or swamp cooler – we’re not sure which we have, really) was on high and making a bunch of noise that I don’t really ever have silence in my life these days. When I’m at home I have the air conditioner, when I’m at work I have this horrible background noise of pumps running (my office is in a mechanical space – maybe it’s an attempt to motivate me to finish up quickly and not have to listen to it anymore), when I’m in the car I have the traffic noises. I need a break. Anyone know what they did with all of those soundproof booths from the 70’s gameshows?
Actually, I shouldn’t have too much trouble finding silence if I can make the time for it. After all – a few minutes drive and I’m in the mountains or desert (or both, really) and then it’s usually nothing but the wind.
Good idea actually – I’ll have to remember to do that.
That’s all for now – I have to get in the noisy shower so I can get to my noisy office in time.
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