slow posting...

i realize that i haven't posted in a couple of days and i received an email from a couple of people about it.

the last two days have been a couple of the worst since the problems started with the herniated discs started at Thanksgiving. (Yes, i said discs. there are three. i never do things in an easy way.) i'm on double doses of Darvocet for the pain and Valium for the muscle spasms and still i am in pain! and i'm not having any fun. the doctor's don't let me take Vicodin because i have too much fun on it. b****es!

i ventured out Friday night (probably why the last two days have been so bad) to see the new Lyric Opera production of Dr. Atomic by John Adams and Peter Sellars. I wanted a glass of gin to get numb but my friends put their collective feet down. Dr. Atomic was one of the most incredible opera experiences i've ever had.

the earliest i can get in to start the treatments is December 28th because of the holidays and doctors schedules. soooooo, i'm going to hobble about and continue to lie low. luckily with the snow last night here in Chicago, i have no desire to even venture out. the guys are here plowing the driveways right now.

i told my friends that no matter how much pain i'm in i AM going to bake bread for the holidays as i always do. i can't wait to make the ciabatta. i have a great recipe from my mother.

sadly, i can't do my big New Year's Eve bash that i do every year. it's a multi-course wine-paired affair that takes 4-5 days to put together. everything is from scratch. the main course this year (i start planning the menu in January!) was going to be Coniglio Tuscano - a rustic rabbit stew.

this is just another little bump in the road of aging.

as my grandmother always said, "The man who said life begins at 40 should've been shot!"