Saturday...

... in Laguna Beach. A lovely cool crisp, sunny day.

Just to keep up with my intention to note down everything, I'll risk boring myself with the recitation of the usual for the first part of the day: tea at 7AM, porridge with the familiar fixings at 8AM or so. I did not venture out, even for a walk, because we had booked the Geek Squad to stop by and install a new cable box and get it co-ordinated with all the other electronic stuff that I have no way of understanding. What I did understand, though, was that after hours of work (and vast expense) the damn thing still wasn't working: Cox Cable had sent a faulty box. I had to drive up the canyon and wait in one of those take-a-ticket-and-wait-till-we-call-you stores to get a new one, and then install it myself. On the way home at 2PM, ill-tempered and hungry, I stopped to join Ellie at the Zinc Cafe for a shared egg salad sandwich and a half a (miniscule) marzipan muffin. Very tasty, despite its size!

A cup of chai mid-afternoon, with one of those long, thin, chocolate-coated dunkers.

The treat for the day was reserved for the evening, when we were invited to the newly-remodeled and impressive home (spectacular is a little too big, but it's getting close!) of Ellie's cousins on Lido Isle, with whom we have been too long out of touch. The dinner was delicious, starting with a glass of sparkling white Italian wine, along with the kind of appetizers I would normally tuck into unrestrainedly-two fine cheeses and a very soft, very tasty goat's cheese served with a kind of sweet-tart chutney with nicoise olives. Quite unusual, and delicious. I managed to remain conscious, and to choose judiciously, without going overboard...

Appetizers followed by osso buco with a very nice finely chopped tomato sauce, orzo and broccoli, and a fresh salad of various greens and mixings, and a glass (well, for me, two glasses) of a pleasant Bogle pinot noir we had brought with us. Altogether a fine eating experience (see, I get to write gourmet for once!), topped only by the pleasure of good conversation and the renewal of family goodwill.

Home late, in time for a few minutes of SNL, and off to bed.