We were a couple with a mission this morning, although, in my haste to get from phase one of the mission (breakfast) to phase three (shopping), we sort of skipped over phase two (leaving a deposit at the kennel). I've left them a message though, explaining I hadn't realized they were only open til one on Saturdays, and that Fuzzy would bring a check on MONDAY. I don't think it'll be a problem.
But back to the mission. My NaNo-pal Aisling has been recommending a local restaurant, Cafe 'n' Chocolat (which is technically in Pantego, but only by like, half a block), for a year now, and we finally managed to get there this morning. I think I'm in love. From the outside, it looks like any other restaurant in a strip mall, but inside? It's a comfortable tea room scented with Belgian chocolate. I was expecting a menu of scary things dripping in grease, but they're proud to announce that they don't cook with any, and to ask if you want butter or oil added to your food. The menu is a blend of breakfast specials, healthy sandwiches (I'm glad someone in Texas has a source for sprouts, because neither grocery store in my neighborhood sells them), and sinful dessert crepes and Belgian waffles. I was tempted to try Crepes Suzanne, which involve chocolate and orange liqueur, but I was good, and had something with actual protein instead, the savory crepes that were on special. (The filling was swiss cheese, ham, portobella mushrooms, and asparagus.) Fuzzy, of course, had the strawberry waffle – which was covered in fresh strawberries. I did have hot chocolate, and he had hot cider, but the check was still under $20, and the food was delicious. We're going back so I can try the dessert crepes. Or the breakfast food. Or, or, or. Well, it's only 12 miles from home.
After that, we headed to Dallas, intending to go to the World Market at Mockingbird & Lovers Lane (note: Californians know this store as Cost Plus, and it's the most dangerous place on earth. Even more so than Barnes and Noble.), but when we were almost there, we realized we hadn't made the kennel deposit. Oy. So, we turned around, and raced back to Grand Prairie, only to find the kennel closed. Argh.
Undaunted, we drove to Fort Worth, because I realized that there was another World Market there, and we could ALSO get the pictures that we had taken, framed for our parents, for Christmas, at a place that Rana had recommended. From the framing shop we went to World Market, where I bought candy for the nieces and nephews. (In a departure from being The Book Aunt this year, we are giving each of the five kids $20 and a stash of chocolate – the latter guaranteed to piss off their parents. We'll probably take them all to see a movie while we're in Branson, as well. Maybe Zathura.) This year's haul includes chocolate Santas, the non-religious version of Hanukkah gelt, stuffed animals carrying chocolate for the girls, chocolate poker chips for the boys, Ghirardelli chocolate squares, candy corn in Christmas colors, and, oh, yes, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. If they don't all die from sugar shock, I'm sure they'll enjoy it.)
I'd finished with the candy selection, when I turned around and came face to face with the Ornament Rack, and then I nearly cried, because I was in the store shopping with Fuzzy, who hates to shop, and doesn't 'get' my love of Christmas decor, and my mother is in another country, and these trips used to be our mother-daughter ritual, and I haven't seen her in a YEAR. Retail therapy helped a little. I took home one wooden Santa, for my collection, two glass seahorses (red and purple), a glass mermaid, and a glass “rubber ducky” with a Santa hat, and a box of six glass candy canes. I also called my mother as soon as we got home, to tell her all about it. (While I was at it, I ALSO purchased Christmas plates and napkins, which will be used on December 10th, for dessert. Oh, and crackers. The kind you pull, not the kind you eat.)
From there we went to Fridays for a quick lunch/dinner/whatever, and then home for a nap. And after THAT, we went to the 10:00 showing of “The Legend of Zorro” in Cedar Hill, which I enjoyed muchly.
It's now nearly two, I should have been asleep half an hour ago, and, oh, yeah, I never did manage to have any coffee today.