Susan can't escape the risotto.

Two years, one month and eleven days ago Susan and the husband hosted a party to commemorate 20 years together in matrimonial entanglement. Lots of lobsters got eaten at this party & Susan made stock from the shells with the intention of using the stock for risotto.

She tried and failed and tried and failed to make the risotto, it was always too al dente. She got tired of trying and failing, so she put the risotto project on hold & kept the stock in the freezer.

Not too long ago she bit the bullet and purged her freezer of the beloved Twentieth Anniversary Lobster stock. It was sad but necessary and Susan knows there are other lobsters waiting out there on the horizon for her to eat them and make more stock.

Last week Susan took a risotto making class at Sur La Table, which is a great place to learn how to cook something. Aside from learning to make three types of risotto Susan met Roseann, a girl with an entire Wonder Woman comic book cover tattooed on her arm. It was pretty impressive. Susan and Roseann hit it off enough to partner up for a future class.

Anyway, Susan left the class feeling excited to finally have mastered the secret risotto and put Arborio rice on her shopping list because one does not use Chinese Restaurant Rice for such things.

On NaBloPoMo Day Three Susan was invited to Little Sister's house for dinner. Little Sister's town has a pretty nice upscale Italian supermarket at which Susan stopped to look for her rice. She also wanted to pick up a tin of Italian tuna fish in olive oil because she's always heard how good it was. While standing in the aisle considering her choices she heard someone addressing her.

A gentleman with the appearance of a homeless dude in an army jacket and full grey beard appeared to be stunned by Susan's beauty and dropped the bag he was holding right in front of her. As he picked it up he said 'That's a bright coat you have.'

Sidebar: It was! Susan was wearing an orange double-breasted coat, vintage (thrift) of course, with new buttons she had sewn on two weeks ago.

He came closer and said 'It matches the color of your hair.' to which Susan responded that's exactly the effect she was going for.

The homeless dude kept on walking but then doubled back and asked 'Are you accompanied tonight?'
Susan explained that she was on her way to her sister's for dinner.

'May I accompany you there?'
Susan smiled and declined his offer with a little flattered laugh.

He smiled back and said 'Maybe I'll see you another time then' and extended his hand 'My name is John'.
Susan shook his hand, introduced herself and wished him a good evening as they parted.

Then she got the hell out of Dodge.