Although my social media accounts would lead you to believe I disappeared over the weekend, I really only went up Chicago-Way to visit with HME. The benefits of visiting HME are always too many to list, but I will do my best.
Time escapes me. While I’m forced to admit we’ve been friends for more than 20 years, while I’m with her, I feel 20. Clocks are not a thing. Years merely translate to wisdom and achy joints, they don’t actually exist.
We also schlep around room to room, jammified and braless.
Packing for HME’s is like, grab some comfy clothes, one outfit in case you have to be presentable, and take your pillow, because at some point, your brain and your mouth will exceed maximum usage limits and your eyes will close. Going to a fully-functioning home is the best trip, because you can pack light. Mr and Mrs HME have coconut oil for Moo’s skin and honey for her cough. They have sunscreen and quilts.
Most importantly there are relevant intellectual conversations to be had. If I put all my and my friends’ interests into Venn diagrams, HME and I have the most overlaps. We talk about art, literature, dance, architecture, music, philosophy, depth psychology, religion, food, education, and assorted social issues. I think and learn more in 24 hours of HME than I do in a week.
There is always delicious food. It’s a foodie haven, as Mr HME is one of my favorite cooks. Mr HME assigned me the task of teaching his betrothed to cook while she lived with me in 1998. I didn’t have a lot of success with her, but she’s come a long way from thinking the oven light switch controls the broiler. This weekend’s menu included pulled pork, smoked and dressed properly, pesto & vegetable pasta salad, homemade ice cream and brownies, sausage biscuits with gravy, beignets, banana bread, rib roast, grilled sweet corn, and my favorite — a countertop filled with assorted cheeses, crackers, veggies, hummus, fruit, and prosecco.
I snapped a photo of the rib roast.
You ever cook anything in a way you hadn’t planned, or substituted something because you’re out of what you meant to use, but it turns out to be better than your original method? Cooking serendipity? This is what happens when you run out of propane and end up using the part of your grill that works like a wood stove.
Behold, rib roast ala HME:
mouthgasm
I don’t love meat, and I only had one bite of this because Mr HME shoved a fork of it in my face, but it was delicious. It may have been the best bite of beef I’ve ever tasted. I sacrilegiously seared Sassy’s because she won’t eat it so rare, but as I put it on her plate I told her, “These were happy cows and you can taste their happiness.”
I ate two ears of the sweet corn, though. Ate them like my squirrels do — standing up and gnawing quickly, as if some other larger animal might eat it or me before I was done.
This weekend I was introduced to sipping tequila. My initial reaction to this was confusion. You don’t throw it back and feel the burn, which I think is rather the point of tequila. No, you sip it. I asked, “So does that mean I’ll just take my clothes off really slowly?” Sipping tequila is some sorta liquid ambrosia. Your tastebuds are romanced with a rich complex elixir, until a brandy-like heat coats your tummy and sweet blasphemy escapes your lips. I can’t even.
other drinks wish they were this good
We took in the view. We toured a little in town. We sampled olive oils and balsamic vinegars. We browsed an antique mall and ogled the candy store. We took all the children to a toy store where yes, we all played and yes, we all wanted a new toy. I got some iced coffee and took pictures of doors. We walked around for as long as I could endure the heat and humidity.
I had a lovely weekend.
Fed my belly.
Fed my soul.
Almost starved my anxiety.
Today I’m so tired all I can do is yawn and swipe at my watering eyes, but it’s a good tired, y’know?
joeyfullystated 
Sounds like a fun weekend, that beef looks divine! Always like visiting Chi-town.
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What an amazing post. It sounds as though you had a wonderful time, In Mexico tequila is never tossed back,it is always sipped;slowly,like a great cordial. Bal vin,olive oil,beef and an old friend. Such a wondrous time. Great memories for you and Sassy.
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Interesting. I have been to Mexico, but until this weekend, I’d never heard of sipping tequila 🙂
We all had a really great time! (Four of us went. The boy hung out here in the empty house.)
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I spent a couple of years in Old Mex, and that was where I acquired a taste for tequila;and mescal. That and real tacos.
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Nothing like some time with old friends…time that’s appreciated all the more because it happens so little. When it comes to the tequila, though, I’m afraid I can’t hang with you…a long-ago night of heavy drinking, maraschino cherries, indiscriminate puking…not my finest hour. I can’t face tequila (or the cherries) to this day.
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Oh dear.
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Wonderful with this kind of a weekend: -D
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What a great friend and comes complete with a mister chef!!!
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Sounds like the best kind of weekend and the best kind of tired. Also noted that you snapped pictures of doors – good girl 🙂
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Sounds heavenly! How great to have someone in your life that you feel so totally comfortable with.
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I’m all for starving anxiety! I’m kind of dense – what’s an HME?
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Here’s all the HME https://jolenemottern.com/tag/hme/
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What an awesome weekend! I think I’m most jealous of the conversations. That’s a rarity in these parts.
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It’s a rarity here, too. Seriously. The Mister and I have profound conversations, but not about all that.
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Same with mine. I have to wait for his best friend that we rarely see for that type of conversation. Oooh I’m having an intellectual affair 😄
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That’s hot 😉
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Took some photos of doors 😀👍
Glad you had such a relaxing joyful time. Sounds perfect!
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A trip with friends is always nourishing 🙂
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You two have one hell of a Venn Diagram. Thank you for writing that phrase, Joey. It was withering somewhere in the back of my brain. Now, refreshed. You schooled me on sipping tequilla, too. Well, I never. I’d love me some of that beef, please and thank you. Ummmmmmmm.
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I do hope you encounter some sipping tequila. I only had about 3 ounces, but it was just right. Truly pleasurable!
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well, now I want to go visit them too!
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Mmm Prosecco, iced coffee….and cool people to hang out with…sounds like fun. You, my dear, are a fun magnet. Happy to hear you had a lovely time.
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