(no subject)

I mentioned that my mate and I walked around downtown Royal Oak Sunday afternoon. I didn't mention that I did this barefoot. It felt so good to have my first long barepawed walk of the year. I did put my shoes on to go into Noir Leather, a very cool place that, by chance, is actually one of my sweetie's company's clients. We found a few interesting things that are very tempting targets for trade dollar spending. Walking by all the antique stores that seem to proliferate in the area I had much fun gazing through the windows at the timeless treasures within, my own timeless treasure right beside me, her paw in mine, her marble-green eyes shining in the Spring sun. It was such a good day.

In fact, it was a wonderful day despite the fact that going out to Dragonmead, a local brew pub, didn't work out due to them being closed on Sundays. We posponed our Scrabble game and instead watched the first half hour or so of one of my MST3K episodes, the infamous Ed Wood flick Bride of the Monster, before retiring.

After work Monday evening we made that postponed visit to Dragonmead with carry out sushi in tow. My star decided it was time to introduce me to the wonders of Japanese (non)cooking. It was, well, different. My brother is a big sushi fan. For my part, it wasn't bad. I liked the inari, and the california rolls were edible and even interesting, and though the avocado in them freaked me out a little bit, I ate three of them. I most enjoyed the crab rangoon which, admittedly, aren't really sushi, but they were known and safe which I need a little bit of when dealing with unknown, scary food. I'm glad I tried the sushi though. Maybe we'll do it again sometime.

What we will do again sometime, specifically next Monday, is visit Dragonmead again. It's just such a lovely place. It's quiet, but not oppresively so, and the air is clean and filled with good smells. The atmosphere is almost ren-faire like. It has a very relaxed pace and no one rushes you or hovers over you to see when you're leaving your table. Andrea and I just sat and read for a while after arriving (she had picked up some interesting stuff a copy of Bitch magazine and a wonderful [and very amusing] book of etiquette that caught her eye ["The Bride Wore Black Leather and He Looked Fabulous; etiquette for the rest of us"] at the book store next to the gay/lesbian community center). She had something that I can't spell (Heffeweisen?) while I had a root beer, and we broke out the Scrabble game which she proceeded, over the course of one more Heffeweisen, one cream soda, and one orange soda, to trounce me at. It was such a nice time that we're planning on going over there every Monday evening as a really nice way to unwind after the first day back at work. The whole weekend was so peaceful and wonderful and Monday was a perfect complement.

In other news, my grandfather is doing better. I hadn't had a chance to write about it, but he's been having a couple of health problems and, last week, fainted in his driveway. Doctor's determined it was due to low blood pressure and changed his meds, but thorough testing for other problems revealed a small spot in his brain that's bleeding. I was rather concerned about this. Fortunately, after some medically ordered rest, he seems to be doing a lot better and the doctors have cleared him for activity like swimming at his health club again.

I've never been as close to my grandfather as I'd like to be. I guess that's really my fault. Or, more precisely, the fault of my neurology and shyness. Growing up we didn't see them a terribly often (once or twice a month perhaps) and I was a painfully shy kid anyway... I never really learned how to relate to my grandparents well. I matured in so many ways over the last two years and I think that's one of the things I really got better at. Several times I've been out to their house to use my grandpa's forge and learn from him. I just wish I knew he and my grandmother better. I think, I hope, that will come in time, though the distance doesn't make things easy. I've called and talked to them on the phone a few times recently and plan to keep doing that, but I'm really not good on the phone. Still, I think it pleases both of us to know the other one is doing ok and thinking of them, and that's the important part. My love and I will be seeing them, along with the rest of my family, on Easter weekend. I'm greatly looking forward to that I miss them.

Mmm, I'm stuffed. I had pizza tonight, sitting on the couch with Andrea while she watched American Idol. I actually find myself enjoying watching some of the performances on there. My raccoon and I seem to have similar taste in music, judging by the similartiy of our critiques. But I have to get off the computer now, I think. I need to go polish my beloved's pawnails for her. *giggles* That's so much fun!