we dine by moonlight

Since I started freelancing my working hours are completely unpredictable. That's entirely my fault, since I'm the one who decides that I will work later in the evening on a particular project. Of course this work schedule sort of disrupts my cooking schedule and this year, this summer in particular, I've been rather bad at cooking at home. *Slap on the wrist. My bad habits become even more regrettable when I finally do prepare a meal at home. It's so inexpensive and so easy. I don't know what the problem is. Suffice it to say, I leap at the opportunity to make an occasion out of home cooking, like when the gentleman suggested the other night that we make dinner together and eat a late night al fresco meal at our top-secret river valley lookout.

Eating late is tough for me. I start to get cranky and mopey the later in the evening it is till suppertime. Last night we didn't pick up our last few ingredients until close to 8pm, so you can imagine how pleasant I must have been. Understand of course that I grew up eating supper really early. I haven't quite broken the habit and since my first bout of aenemia I sort of let my cantankerous side roam free when the blood sugar levels drop. When I'm hungry I can be rather dramatic. I clutch my stomach and groan loudly. I plop myself down on the couch or daybed and let out exasperated sighs. I curl up by the window, staring outside and whimper rather pathetically (as pictured in the photo above). I'm a real treat. Most of the time I don't get any sympathy or I get a granola bar thrown at me (which will soothe the savage beast for a short period of time). Luckily, the gentleman was in a patient and understanding mood and encouraged me to quit my sulking and enjoy the fabulous view of the river valley sunset and moonrise. Even in my most sullen state I couldn't resist the charm of the High Level Bridge in the evening light.


It was really nice. We sat on the balcony for a bit and watched the trains pass by while the sun disappeared. We waited while the full moon rose up from behind one of the apartment buildings in the distance before we went back inside to cook dinner.




I didn't take any photos of our food prep, but we didn't make anything too fancy. Just a simple pasta dish... spaghettini with roasted tomatoes, green beans, ricotta and pine nuts which we paired with a glass or two of white wine. We ate back out on the balcony lit by the moonlight. My idea of an ideal summer evening.



All that was missing was the hammock on which to have a post-dinner nap.