Epiphany used to be one of my favorite days. In recent years, I've
come to let it slide, but having been reminded of it today here on
rfc, I'm all for it.

D took the car into Dallas to be serviced today and it ended up
costing over a thousand bucks. Tire rod ends, rack and pinion stuff,
high cholesterol, roaches in the cam shaft, varicose veins, and maybe
a new annacannafrannastan or two. Plus she was left hanging with a
loaner when they didn't get it done by quitting time this evening. She
sat for two hours at a Starbucks this afternoon (Dallas errands had
been done) waiting to get our car back and then had to drive the
loaner back to Cow Hill. The loaner is a subcompact car. I believe
it's a Toyota Morsel -- one of the new "amuse bouche" lines of motor
vehicles offered for cost-conscious folks like we all should be.

Shortly after I took her sputtering-with-rage call apprising me of the
situation, the doorbell rang. I was feeling quite the victim -- $1K
in repairs, Morcel headed my way, etc. (not to mention the fact that
I'd had to work today and will work again tomorrow). The man who rang
the bell was one of the workers who'd helped level our house last
year. He and his wife had to get to Dallas. His mother-in-law had
suffered a stroke and had been Life-Flighted to Parkland Hospital. He
was flat broke and didn't have any money for gas. "I'm getting paid
next week; I'll pay you back," he said.

My problems suddenly became smaller than that tiny Toyota D was
driving back from Dallas. Way smaller. Infinitesimal. I gave him a
ten-spot I found in my wallet. "Happy Epiphany," I said.

I wish I'd given him more. The perspective he shared with me is very
valuable, indeed.

Anyhow, here's dinner:
http://tinypic.com/3ydmhar.jpg

That's cod fillets crusted with ground cashews and jalapeno with a
little mustard. The sauce is pan juices with reduced chicken stock
and Chardonnay. There are some morsels (!) of lemon confit nearby.
The eggplant rounds were roasted and then some grated locatelli cheese
was melted on top. The last of the red cabbage in the house (two
people take a long time to eat a head of cabbage) got stir-fried in
olive oil and then a quick steam in chicken stock with capers and a
dash or two of Tabasco.

In some circles, Epiphany means the time when wisdom and understanding
comes.

Happy Epiphany, all.
--

modom

http://www.koyote.com/users/modom/home.html