January 1, 2001

Another new year.  It seems like this last year flew by - it's amazing how, as i age, the days race by at a pace i can barely keep up with. Remember being a kid and thinking that school vacation was endless?  Remember thinking that your birthday would never get here - and now i barely get over one before another one looms before me!  Well, okay it's a few months before that happens again - but still.. i can count those months and it doesn't add up to very far away. 

     Last night, after we got home from visiting friends for new year's eve, i found myself standing in front of the mirror in the bathroom, pulling up the soft bit of skin under my eyes - and remembering when that same skin stayed up there by itself.

     It was a sobering moment.  Which was really too bad since we'd had some excellent wines - but there you go - one never knows when the 'i'm getting old' blahs will hit. After much lifting of skin around my neck and jaw line and eyes, i left the room and decided bed would be a wise decision.

     My mind is not ready for me to be old.             

     Our new year's eve was spent in total indulgence.  We went to the home of some friends and enjoyed every taste sensation we could.  Fois gras, magrette du canard (i doubt that's the proper spelling), caviar, lobster, shrimp, fancy crackers and a baguette.  Then the wines - a different one for each course - Master brought along a 20 year old Sauterne He had been keeping forever (for just the right moment) and then there was a nice white wine and a lovely red for the cheese course.  And for dessert there were truffles and homemade baklava.  And Calvados.  

     A gazillion calories and some happy taste buds later, we managed to make our way home.  But today (as always when we've spent a night out doing something different) there was one memory that keeps coming back to me.  And that was the moment that the Sauterne was poured and the first sip taken by all.  i think there were more happy moans of pleasure to be heard than any sexual encounter i can remember hearing (or making myself.)  And i thought that incredibly funny.

     Mmmmmmmm.  Ahhhhhhh. (Sip)  Ohhhhhhh.  (Sip) Sighhhhhh.  Wonderfullllllll.  (Sip)  Yesssssss.

     Master had His nose in the glass again, inhaling deeply - a 'lost in sensation' smile on His face.  And He reminded all that, just like the guy who pays for the pizza, He who brought the wine gets the last slice - err - sip.  Of course we indulged Him.  

Note:  i've archived the last year - see the link "2000" in the left margin :)