GETTING TO KNOW YOU

"Getting to know you, getting to know more about you...
" Getting to like you, getting to hope you like me..."

Remember that song from "The King and I"? That's what's been happening lately, especially this weekend. I'm getting to know some friends of my who I usually only see at the L.Q.
Besides the party at the Babylonians the other night, then the dinner party last night in which it was revealed that I used to be the daycare teacher who cared for my friend Viki's son way back when...tonight I had another dinner guest, Astarte. She and I have been acquainted for several years but it's only been the last month that we have actually gotten together, talked, and have started to become real 'friends'. And it turns out she's actually almost a neighbour.

It's been quite enjoyable having these dinner guests. I do enjoy cooking and, living alone, I don't always make special things. So again tonight I had a special menu which was delicious and worth the little trouble it took to put together.

I tried a new kind of salad: A Moroccan salad with oranges, dates, walnuts, and Moroccan olives on a bed of assorted greens and a dressing of orange juice, olive oil, garlic and dijon mustard drizzled over the top. Mmmm! The main course was baby potatoes. And I did chicken breasts in a gravy made with pureed asparagus, lemon juice and cream. Asparagus was the vegetable dish. Outstanding!

Astarte and I enjoyed a long talk over dinner and some good red wine. Getting to know each other and delighted to have made this new friend.

As the Babylonian said last night "We ought to do this more often!" And I agree. I love giving dinner parties and it is so much nicer to sit with people, listen to music, talk, and enjoy each other's stories. I've promised everyone I'll do a Moroccan dinner next. Perhaps I'll try and do that as the special event before leaving for my holidays in May. Make a party out of it.

Friends are like flowers in the garden of life. It's Springtime, and the flowers are blooming!