Shirley thinks we dum simmed

I've been trying to gather my gear for next weekend's backpacking trip.  How come it's so frustrating every time?  I can't find my X.  I don't remember the last time I saw my Y or Z.  It's all alphabetical up in here.

So, as I do every single time, I'm making a list of items that I need to locate (or refill) before I leave for the trip.  I hope that folding the laundry will provide me with all the clothing (except my silk shirt, which I have no idea where it is but I know I haven't worn it recently.)  I know I have at least three headlamps and I'm not sure where any of them are right now.  And since it's been more than a week since my last backpacking trip, I no longer have a fresh mental list of what I usually take.  Oy. (Although, I do have gear lists from previous trips.  That helps.)

Anyway, that's what I'm doing this evening.  That, and slowly migrating all my camping equipment to the sunroom, so that in the future it'll be a little handier (as compared to scattered around the entire upstairs.)  (And downstairs.  The stuff is freaking everywhere.)

This morning, I slept in, and then when Shirley and Susan got home from their respective churches, we went out for dim sum!  Unfortunately, by the time they got home from church and we got over to Wheaton, the pickings were getting a little slim.  I never did see some of my favorite items.  It was still tasty, though.

Shirley pouring tea while we waited (and waited) for somebody to come by with food.

Shrimp and chive dumplings, chicken curry egg rolls, some kind of noodle thing

I got to try a few things I'd never had before, so that was nice.  But if we go back, it'll be earlier.  We think the sweet spot is around 11:30.  Also, yesterday may have been overdoing it.  I was hungry again by the time we left the restaurant.  Stupid appetite!

Also also, there may be some apocalyptic kind of thing going on, because Andy voluntarily ate next to Olli today.  It was totally his idea.  I'd keep an eye out for dogs playing with cats (crap!  this totally happens here!) and other omens and portents.

Andy acting like it's totally normal for him to be this close to Olli.  Olli being shy about having his picture taken.

We went to Hollywood East and it was good

We'd been meaning to go out for dim sum for a long time.  Over a year.  I first got a hankering for it while I was trying to thruhike in 2010.  That was approximately 18 months ago.  I can't remember exactly how long it had been prior to that since I had gone out for dim sum.  Too long, I'll say.  Every so often the topic of dim sum would come up, and one of us (probably me) would say "We should do that."  And we would agree that we should, and the matter would be dropped.

So a few weeks ago I made a stand.  WE WERE GOING TO DIM SUM.  I put a date on the calendar.  I invited people.  I chose a restaurant.  I made it happen, dammit.

JD, full of dumplings and other yummy things

This carrot-looking thing actually has egg custard inside of it.

We went to Hollywood East, a restaurant I had not visited in its current incarnation.  The previous incarnation had good food, but it wasn't dim sum.  Generally, I visit Good Fortune (several hundred yards away) and they were pretty good.  But I really liked Hollywood East, in large part because almost everybody spoke English, and they were completely comfortable discussing the different foods with you and predicting what you might like.  Also they bullied us into trying the congee, which was delicious.  Sometimes you need a little push.

I didn't take pictures of the whole meal because I was busy eating. I didn't even think of it until my carrot/dessert.  Too bad, because most of the food was pretty.  I can't remember what all I ate, but I know it included steamed shrimp dumplings, steamed chicken buns, baked roast pork buns, congee, turnip cakes, steamed chive and shrimp dumplings, beef rice noodle crepes, and shrimp rice noodle crepes. We ate family style, so generally I had one of a thing, or half of one of a thing.  It's a lot of fun to eat that way.

Afterward we were all really full.  JD and I came home and relaxed for a couple of hours.  My digestive system needed the time.  After a bit we all moved out to the living room and got comfortable.

So comferbuls

Finally, I felt like I could risk going for a walk without my innards leaving me.  I lollygagged my way around the park, taking pictures of this and that.  Also the other.

This holly

That branch of pine cones

The other path through the woods

Winter bonus: you can see the sky!

A railroad spike in a stump.  Huh.

When I got home, A) I was ravenous, and 2) JD had a very picturesque fire going in the dining room fireplace.  My plan had been to eat dim sum for breakfast, and then have a very small snack for dinner.  Hiking in the cool (though pleasant) air showed that my plan had flaws.  Such as the fact that hiking makes me really hungry.  So instead of a tiny snack I had leftover turnip cake, then a sweet potato, and finally a microwaved apple.  And frankly I could still eat.  However the very pleasant feeling of all being in the dining room around the fire helped stave off my hunger a little bit.  Winter is all about being cozy together, right?