In the oven is a chocolate pecan caramel cheesecake destined for the big annual Solstice party at Allen Baum and Donya White's house this afternoon. It smells delightful; I hope it works. It's kind of hard to mess up cheesecake, although I have had one or two fail to live up to my imagination. Pumpkin Nut was just kind of weird. I am sure I've mentioned the famous Fourteen Kinds of Cheesecake party I gave at my house in San Francisco once. I went a bit off the stuff after that. But I've recovered long since, and this Turtle Cheesecake ought to be a big hit.
I have dug up all my plants and put them back into pots. I'm afraid the wallflowers and the euphorbia aren't going to make it. I hope the astilbe will, as they hadn't had time to send out many shoots, and I'm fairly certain I can save the hosta, but my heart is heavy. You can laugh, you non-gardeners reading this, but it's awful to have to dismantle six months of planning and hard work in the first place, and these are living things. Everything was in bloom. Now everything is drooping, and in shock, which is not 180 degrees removed from my own spirits.
Robert Lichtman, the friend who was in a car accident, is home from the hospital and doing quite well. However, he's recovering from three broken ribs and a fractured pelvis, so he's not out of the woods yet. He lives 85 miles or so from here back in the hill country of Sonoma, and I said I would try to come by after work next week, but I've just realized how hellish traffic will be going north into Marin at rush hour. The two hour trip could easily turn into a three hour trip, by which time it will be 9pm and dark before I get there. I'm not sure this is a brilliant plan, especially with the long drive back. On the other hand, if I weasel out and beg to come on the weekend, which doesn't suit him as well because that's when his lady friend comes to see him, I'm nothing better than a fair weather friend.
I am not having a very good weekend. But I am sure the party will cheer me up. There's nothing like seeing 100 of your closest friends to put a bit of pep in your step.
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