on floggings

The carbon monoxide detector started beeping this morning at 2 am. Someone forgot to change the batteries at daylight saving time. When ever it beeps like that, the noise drives the hounds c-r-a-z-y. Like batshit crazy psycho dogs from hell. For the next hour I tried to get them to not sit on my head in bed, and not pant like they just ran a 100 yard dash. And the drooooool. Ick.

Later, when it was time for me to get up, they slept their sweet little dawg dreams on their beds while I shuffled down the stairs to put on a gallon of tea. I had a early morning meeting so I was not pleased. But the meeting turned out delightful, we shared a lot of tips we'd gathered on doing business. It was at a funky, independent coffee house - yes, they still make those - full of positive energy.

On the way back to the office, I stopped for my Artist Date at Whole Foods. If you don't have a Whole Foods or a Wild Oats or some sort of natural food market, you are missing out. This place is amazing. Huge. Samples galore. Beautiful, bright colored fruit of all kinds. I ran my fingers over the plastic-like skin of a purple eggplant. Stood there in the middle of a crowd shaking a white coconut, listening for the milk sloshing around inside. Then I headed over to the meat department. Bright red beef, flavorful sausage and funky cuts of pork stared out at me from behind the glass. There were these tempting cheddar-stuffed beef rolls, salmon stuffed with crab and ready to cook meatballs with chunks of onions and peppers bursting out.

I made my way to the breads. The pumpernickle called out to me in its earthy darkness. But I had a better idea. As I turned around, 300 cheeses called my name. The young cheese monger was more than ready to let me sample the cheeses. He suggested I close my eyes and point to try something new. And that's just what I did. I bought $20 worth of cheese. Sage Derby, a marbled green cheese from Britain, Mezzo Seco and mild white cheese and my big splurge, Fleur de Marquis, weighing in at $27.99/lb. It's a sheeps milk cheese with rosemary, juniper and hot pepper in the rind. The smell reminds me of a warm summer afternoon.

Since my day started at 2 am, you would think I'd be ready for a nap. But I'm a good date. I left Whole Foods with a new bounce in my step. I'm eager to munch on the juicy fruit salad - boysenberries, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and pineapple - that I bought for lunch. Then I'll wake the dogs and drool on them for a change.