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I took myself to see a movie last night, the first I even
could go see in full a week—okay, technically I could have gone to a movie last Friday, but I had just seen movies the previous two nights in a row and didn't want to do three nights in a row. Even movie lovers need a break! Besides, at the time I thought my next movie would be on Tuesday, but then that had to be postponed until last night because my Tuesday plans changed to hanging out with Claudia instead.
And damn, was the movie I saw last night good:
A Thousand and One, it's called, about a young Black mother who abducts her son from foster care in mid-nineties New York City, and then spans over the next eleven years. I really raved about it in my review. Solid A. This movie will definitely be on my top ten for 2023.
I took the #8 bus home, which was kind of nice as it gave me a bit of time to read my library book. Shobhit had pho' ready to eat when I got home, having embellished the broth fantastically for the box kits we have from Costco, which are truly underwhelming when relying on the kits alone.
Since we were sitting down to eat and I couldn't very easily write my movie review while eating pho', we went ahead and watched this week's episode of
Perry Mason on HBO Max while we ate. I would normally do the review first, but I was hungry. So we watched the show between 8:00 and 9:00; I wrote the review between 9:00 and 10:00; and soon after we were both in bed.
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— पांच हजार तीन सौ इक्यासी —
So here's why I'm posting today's Daily Lunch Update (DLU) a bit later than usual: Kevin and I joined Scott and Elin for lunch, once again at Saffron Grill just as we did for lunch with Scott and Elin nearly one year ago. This time it was kind of a goodbye lunch with Elin: she's set to move to Georgia, the greater Atlanta area, later this summer. It was the last time I got to see her before her four-decade stint living in Washington State is over.
. . . Okay, so, I'm posting a
lot later than usual. We really kind of drew out our time there, for two reasons, I think: first, because we all knew this was the last time we would ever have lunch with this group together. Second, there's also the fact that Elin is retired, and Scott is unemployed at the moment, so they had nothing they had to rush back to. Still, shortly after like 2:00, I had to say, "Well I'm sorry to bring the party down, but I have work I need to get back to."
Scott was sort of like, "Well, we don't!" But, he was kidding around, and got the hint, and we all scooted out of the booth. There were hugs all around, Elin going from Kevin to Scott to me, and actually nearly getting a little teary-eyed. She did also tell us that when they get to their temporary retnal house in Georgia, just one county over from the county Atlanta is in (her current house is in Lynnwood, which is in Snohomish county, one over from where Seattle is located, so she's basically switching to the same kind of proximity to a major city), one of the many requirements for the house they'll be searching for two buy is that it have two guest rooms. With Jenny and Alex still living with them—her daughter and son-in-law are actually moving along with them—that would mean the house will need to have at lest four bedrooms. I suspect she may find she has to have some wriggle room there, but time will tell.
In any case, we've already talked about how, once she settles in, Shobhit and I will have a free place to stay if we ever want to come visit. I have never been to Georgia, and of course Atlanta is about the only place there I'd ever want to see (maybe Savannah), so I'm all about that idea, and actually feel there's a strong chance it will happen. It certainly won't with either Scott or Kevin, so today was likely the last time they'll ever see Elin. Probably not the last time for me though. I suspect I'll see her again at least once more.
Nearly forgetting to get a photo, I'm really glad I thought of it
right after we got outside.
Anyway. I had the Shahi Paneer, as I am almost always wont to do, and chai, because I love their chai, even though it'll definitely keep me awake tonight ("Who cares, it's Friday!" said Scott). They also brought us a complimentary dessert, a slice of banana chocolate cake for us all to share, that was spectacular. I have a long history of getting a free dessert there, but in the past they have always been Indian desserts. This was a surprise, but still a delightful one. I ate too much of it.
Scott had picked Kevin and me up at 11:30 to give time enough to drive up and meet at Saffron Grill at noon; Elin arrived a few minutes after we were seated. He also drove us back, and it was nearly 3:00 before I was at the office again. And then I got distracted by some tasks that needed to get done. I got into a lengthy chat with Noah about a lot of the work-related things that came up at lunch, given that Kevin has been here for ages and still works at the office; Elin was here 28 years before she retired in 2015; and Scott was here 21 years before he left at the beginning of last year—and he still has ongoing friendships and connections with many people who still work here, and most of the ones who recently left after also having worked here a long time. He tends to have a lot of dirt to share, although some of it I take with a grain of salt.
Regardless, it was great to see Scott again after nearly a year, and wonderful as always to see Elin. Now I need to try and get at least one more task done before my work day is officially over.
— पांच हजार तीन सौ इक्यासी —
[posted 4:15]
