Out on a date!

Since Miya was born – which was over two years ago now – my husband and I really haven’t been on many dates. I think we went out for my birthday, and there may have been one other evening out – but neither of us can remember where or when.

But tonight we had a date. We went out for a lovely dinner. Just the two of us.

We were going to go to a local Italian place, but their kitchen closed at 8. So we were forced to go the Wellington Gastropub – a pricey but delicious restaurant a little further down the street.

I had a tasty salad with walnuts, cranberries and goat cheese ,followed by risotto cakes on a bed of chick peas and olive. V had fish cakes and sablefish (described by our server as “halibut, but more unctuous”).

We lingered over drinks, enjoyed our food and didn’t have to wash any dishes or pots afterward. There was no flipping of coins to see who would cook, no scrounging in the fridge and freezer to see what ingredients could be coaxed into some resemblance o f a meal. We sat back and chatted. Delicious food, artfully presented, was brought and set down before us. Empty dishes magically disappeared. Empty glasses were refilled. It was all quite lovely.

This whole arrangement was made possible because of a confluence of circumstance and good-will. There is a new show on HBO: Game of Thrones. This show if of interest to friends of ours, friends who do not subscribe to HBO. They suggested that we record the show on our PVR and, in exchange for free babysitting, they would watch it at our place.

So with two shows waiting on the PVR, they came over and settled in for the evening – and we headed out on the town (well, down the street).

Apparently M cried at one point and our friend went in and was received with dumbfounded silence. They stared at each other in the darkness, then our friend left and close the door behind her. M never made another peep.

All in all a lovely evening, made possible by the generosity of friends and of my husband.