December 19, 2011

It started snowing as soon as I got up and it didn’t let up all day. I had the perfect view for a landscape that seemed to have escaped from a Curry and Ives’ postcard with the tree branches outside my window laden with pristine snow and the ground completely covered with the powdery stuff. I love to see snow drifting down the paths, especially when I don’t have to deal with it as was the case today. I listened to music, read from a book of short stories and pondered what to do about food as my fridge was almost entirely empty and what was there was not appealing at all.

Had flat bread with the persimmon spread I had been able to salvage and café con leche. Nilufar knocked on my door with a plate of fried dough, similar to our Dominican “Johnny cakes” telling me they were made to celebrate her baby’s first teething event. They were warm and just the perfect snack on a cold day. Despite the falling snow, the satellite dish was working and I watched non-stop coverage of the death of Kim Jong Il and the announcement that the dynasty was to continue as his son was to succeed him. Is mass hysteria that easily induced so that thousands of fully-grown adults weep in public as if the end of the world had arrived? It was pathetic to watch such displays of grief given how little this person ever did for the common people of North Korea.

I was never so glad to have lots of flat bread around the apartment and had some for lunch with the last chunk of cheese still in the fridge. I then took a short nap and went back to the fridge for I remembered I had purchased a package of frozen won tons and figure I could make a soup, cream-based. It turned out a bit too salty, but totally edible. I think I’ll add potatoes and carrots tomorrow to make it more substantial.

Snowy views from my windows

Yoomie called to find out how I was “coping” with Peter’s departure as if he had been a lover of mine or something. I replied that I was fine, but had been thrown for a loop when their departure had been accelerated without giving her any of the details. She’s organizing something for Christmas day and wanted to know if I was going to be in town. I might be willing to participate in something low cost and not stressful. After all, Christmas is meaningless to me by now.