Dim Sum

Today was Dim Sum...not just because I went and ate dim sum with a good friend, but because it was very much a dim sum day--a day of this and that.
I started it with a run. The morning air filled my lungs with the kind of cleansing coolness that only exists in the Fall, early in the morning. As I exhaled the first few times, my breath was suspended in front of me in a warm cloud. I love mornings like this. I pounded the pavement in my white running shoes, long sleeved shirt sporting a purple Intel bunnyman and grey shorts. Through my ears and into my head rang the tunes of The Who. Running is rythmic and almost meditative. Nothing gets me going better in the morning.
"Teenage wasteland." Breath. "Teenage wasteland." Breath. "Teenage wasteland." Breath.
I got back to the house just in time to get ready and meet my friend, Sushi, at the conference center for an Indian Jewelry Show. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it sounded like a nice diversion.
I back out of the driveway, windows down, sunroof open, and Hawaiian pop music playing on my stereo. I took a deep breath....ah. In my head, a snapshot from our visit to Kauai. And, I am off toward the freeway.
At the Jewelry show, we made a concerted effort not to buy anything, but there are so many beautiful things, we couldn't resist. I walked away with a turquoise bracelet and a lovely amethyst necklace. We all sat around a table sharing the treasures we found. Oohing and ahhing.
I should step back a second...two of Sushi's friends were also at the show. I must have looked odd among my company. All of them old enough to be my mother, but such great company. They all have such wonderful stories and wisdom.
We decide that we want to go out for lunch...all of us famished. We go to C-Fu Gourmet...a restaurant famous for its dim sum.
Dim sum is a great thing; such a communal way to eat. As ladies walked by with carts, we glanced over curiously to see if there was anything we wanted to try. Black bean buns with their sweet, rich brown paste inside...a sweet treat. Tempura shrimp and seaweed rolls. Spring rolls with cabbage and mushroom fillings. Barbeque pork in a red only found in asian cooking. Everything is tempting and tasty.
As we snatch up crunchy, savory and sweet foods with our wooden chopsticks we chat about the things that are going on in our lives. I can't help but smile at this moment. I feel very honored to be allowed to be spend time with three friends who can pick up wherever they have left off, no matter how long it has been since they have seen each other. It made me ache a little for my best friend. It also made my heart swell because I had found a kindred spirit in Sushi.
Life can be like dim sum...you pick and choose those things you do, say and experience. We savor some, others we aren't as pleased with what we find. Along the way, as we taste and sample, our friends and family are right there helping you enjoy everything.
If you have never had dim sum, I highly recommend it. It is a meal to share with those you love and those you want to discover. It lends itself well to deep conversation, but also laughter and fun.
Now, I look forward to the remainder of my day...studying, reflecting, reading, writing and celebrating Halloween.
One more thing...my parents added to our family today. They adopted a new little puppy, what my fiancee calls a "dorky" because the puppy is a dachsund/yorky mix. We are in the process of naming him...our contribution was Yahtzee. I will dedicate my blog to my parents today...they have taken something off the dim sum cart that will add to their lives.