Soup to Nuts, to a Better America

For the first time in more than a year, I had a few friends over for dinner last night. I made Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup, and my guests contributed a wonderful loaf of bread and a delicious lemon tart. As soup recipes go, this one is a bit involved, but the soup is so flavorful, it's worth the effort.

On the one hand, a rousing success: a very good meal, shared and enjoyed by delightful friends. On the other hand, I can't take credit. My sister and Supergirl #3, TJ, came over in the afternoon and helped with some housecleaning, and TJ, my unpaid sous chef, got the soup started, and did 90% of the chopping for me. They also came for dinner, and immediately tackled the dishes afterwards. (Otherwise, I'd still have a sink full today, I'm sure.) Thanks, Sis & TJ!

I was experiencing my usual teeth-gnashing back pain before, during and after. My performance may not have been Oscar-worthy, but I got through the evening without actually gasping or crying out. I realized that I'm still a long way from being able to entertain, even on that small scale, without a lot of help. Since I'm trying to figure out a new life that doesn't require a lot of help, I think my days of hosting dinner parties for 10-20 guests are over. I had considered hosting one of those "Bye-Bye Bush" parties, but now I know that even a low-key, open-house type of evening is just more than I can handle.

So, my friends, I will be imagining your presence at my private celebration; I will be imagining our shared pride, and glee, and hoist my sparkling cider in an imagined toast: Here's to awakening from a long national nightmare. Here's to a country that respects intelligence instead of sneering about "elitism" and celebrating ignorance. Here's to restoring our civil liberties, and maybe just a smidgen of respect from the rest of the world. To the abolition of Homeland Security. To the end of this shameful chapter that includes Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay. To the convictions* of war profiteers (boy, I'm really shooting for the moon here, eh?) To finally being proud to call myself an American. Here's to the presidency of Barack Obama!

*A "Cost-Plus" For-Profit War; a chilling 4-minute video that was banned in Congress, as if that would make a difference.