I think I'm in love.

With these. (Was that not what you were expecting?) Seriously, I tried these for the first time last night and I love them so much I want to marry them. I've been looking for a culinary love ever since Whole Foods stopped carrying the barbeque "beef" skewers I was so fond of, and...this may be it. Before I can make an official declaration, though, I suppose I should try the pepper "steak" and the orange "chicken." I like to make an informed choice.

In other news, I had a fairly interesting weekend--not all of it "interesting" in a good way.

Friday night, the first night I was planning to pick up Hot Med after the late shift, I got there a little early (the restaurant was hosting some sort of party, so they were a bit late closing), so Hot Med insisted I wait inside and drink some iced tea. As I was turning off the car, I had trouble getting the key out of the ignition. The switch has been a little sticky for a while--I puffed some graphite into it, and that helped, but...I'd probably been living on borrowed time for a while. So, I waited and waited...finally he was done, we got in the car and...nothing. The key turned, grudgingly, but the car wouldn't start. So it turned into a whole embarrassing ordeal in the parking lot, with the wait staff all trying to help figure out the problem. Finally, the boss came out, assessed the situation and made the obvious suggestion that, since I drive a manual, we simply push-start it. (I swear, I was getting ready to suggest that myself. Hee.) I hadn't popped a clutch in a long time, so he said "let me in there!" It didn't take long for the gaggle of guys to get it rolling, and it started right up. "Thank you, Boss, thank you!" (That's a Hot Med quote. It was so cutely enthusiastic that his boss and I both cracked up.) Hot Med was worried about me driving home, and wanted me to stay at his house, but I pointed out that I would be fine until I turned off the car, and I'd rather be at my house with the critters if I was going to be stranded for a while. So I dropped him off, then went home with my generous portion of take-out steamed rice. (Which he insisted on preparing for me. He had even sprinkled some freshly ground pepper on top, having noticed that I grind it onto nearly everything. The boy doesn't miss much, in that way.)

Saturday morning I used one of the "up to four" yearly tows I get from my roadside assistance, and had the car taken to the mechanic I found recently who is open on Saturday. Unfortunately, he didn't have time to get to it before they closed, so I arranged to borrow a car from my parents for the weekend. While waiting for the car to arrive, I talked on the phone with Hot Bro, who wanted to know if Hot Med and I wanted to join him and his wife downtown at the arts festival I had told them about. I explained the car situation, and that I wouldn't be mobile again until later in the day, and he was very concerned that I not feel obligated to pick up Hot Med from work that night if it was too much trouble. He was very concerned that I not feel "imposed upon." I assured him that I had OFFERED the rides, not been ASKED FOR the rides, and that I in no way felt imposed upon. Nice of him to be concerned, though.

My parents tag-teamed a car over with my sister and her husband, and we decided to hit the mall and have lunch while they were in town. I invited Hot Med along--so yes, he has now hung out with my family twice. They think he's charming. Well, most of them do--I'm not sure my father is so crazy about him, after he began choking and gagging at the cigarette smell in the borrowed car. ("You Papa should no smoke. Maybe make dead." I couldn't agree more. I've been trying to get him to quit for years.) But my sister thinks he's "cute and funny," and my mother finds him quite a "character."

I dropped him off at work that evening at 5:00, and picked him up at closing, without incident. Thank goodness. I was also gifted with an enormous to-go box of brown rice, which I stretched through three meals. (Once with butter and honey, once with cheese, once with soy sauce and green onions. I do love rice.)

Sunday morning we went to the arts festival and walked around for a while. It was a gorgeous day, the first day without rain in...22, 23 days? (I lost track, but I know we set a record.)

I had a party to attend Sunday afternoon (at the home of one of my cat lady friends), so I dropped him back at home with a promise to return after the party so we could spend the evening together. He was disappointed that he wasn't going to be allowed to trim my untidy shrubs, but I assured him the shrubs would still be untidy later in the week.

We spent the evening at my house, and it was lovely, with no complaining about the smell of my house, or the distance involved in getting there. (He learns quickly, I guess. Hee.)

Yesterday I picked up my car, complete with new ignition switch. My parents can't come back for theirs until the weekend, so until then, I've got a spare. I hope I don't need to use it. Heh.

I'm seeing Hot Med tonight, and...we'll continue to take it as it comes. I will confess...I'm getting pretty attached to him. Argh! This was not the plan. Life is so much easier when you don't really care about your boy-toy. Why did he have to go and be mostly sweet? I can't fight sweet when it's encased in those shoulders and biceps! Sigh. And hee.