With A Friend, Once Again

Coming to New Haven to see Laura is terribly special, but for more reasons than just being able to see my friend once again. Not only does downtown New Haven have great bubble tea, but I feel smart just being in the vicinity of a Yale University Student, I get amazing back massages when I'm here, and it's a nice break from being at home. Just kidding-- those things are nice, but Laura is definitely the main attraction in Connecticut right now.

Did I ever tell you Noodle fans how Laura and I met? No? Well, sit down around the sharing circle, my friends, and let me warm your hearts with a story. It all started in the spring of 2003 in a Costa Rican Tropical rainforest... and, well, two and a half years later, the rest is history. Laura and I became fast friends, we lived together for two years, and now she's one of my dearest pals. Ah, sweet sweet friendship.

Anyhow, so I came for a visit yesterday afternoon somewhat spur of the moment. I'm so adventurous! Ha, yeah right. When I got here, we caught up for a little while, and went on a grocery shopping adventure, and then I cooked a wonderful feast for us in her cute little house. This is what we ate for dinner: spinach penne with a hearty vegetable sauce (tomatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil, spices, green pepper, portabello mushrooms and interestingly but deliciously enough, one grated sweet potato), fried polenta, terryaki steamed kale, and the best hummus I think I've ever made with some fresh whole-wheat pita bread. It was absolutely fabulous.

After dinner we decided to go on a walk in the direction of a yummy bubble tea place, but disappointingly enough, when we got there, we discovered that it was closed. Bummer. I took it for a sign that I should stop eating for the night, but Laura really wanted something sweet, so we took a short detour on the way home and got her some milk black bubble tea from a place called "Ivy Noodle" in the heart of downtown. An hour or so after we left her house, we were back already and just minutes later, I was lying facedown in her bed, naked from the waist up, receiving the most heavenly massage I've had in ages (or at least since the last time she gave me one, which was approximately five months before back in our Bing apartment). Before she was done, I'd fallen asleep, and I didn't wake up until she came back from the shower. At around one o'clock in the morning, we decided it was time for bed and went to sleep.

This morning we hung out a little bit downstairs on her couch where I'd slept, and then Franzi (her German roommate) came down and spent some time with us. Then came a nourishing breakfast of cereal (for Laura) and leftover kale and hummus (for me).

Now it's about noon and I think we're going to try once again to procure some bubble rea for me. Hopefully the place will be open, but if not, then there's always next time. I know I want to stay longer because I miss Laura so, but I also know that she has two midterms and a presentation due next week and I think it would be better if I left to go back home. I just wish she lived a little closer-- not that an hour and a half is a long way, but driving on 95 is annoying. Oh well, I'm sure we'll have another visit soon. This one was fantastic and was just what I'd needed to cheer me up and get me ready for this next upcoming week of work.

Thanks for a fun time, Laura! I love you!