CABIN FEVER

I've been home with the flu since Wednesday. Because of the nature of my job, however, this doesn't mean that I haven't been working, I don't think I've had a real sick day in years. Still, there are inherent advantages of toiling from home; for instance, I get to sit around in my pajamas (or whatever it is I feel like wearing -- or not wearing, for that matter) and I can take a nap whenever I choose to. My cat also keeps me company, she likes to wrap herself around my right foot like a furry sock while I'm click-clacking away at the keyboard and, best of all, no one can hear me utter the crispest of profanities whenever I get frustrated (which is more often when I'm not feeling very well) or when I call people names that I don't really mean but thoroughly enjoy saying at the moment.

The bummer part about getting sick this particular week is that I had to cancel a much-anticipated weekend trip to Vegas to visit friends (I even had this thing all planned out and I'm not normally organized about vacations) and I was forced indoors during a rare spate of really mild and pleasant weather. I tried venturing out into the world -- or at least to the neighborhood Target -- with my sister on Friday night, only to feel my fever shoot up again and cause me more grief. But at least I made out with a DVD set of the much-awaited second season of Grey's Anatomy (uncut!) and a really cute winter-white sweater knit Paul & Joe bag. Shopping therapy redefined, I suppose.

But today, my fifth day at home, I could take it no more. So the husband and I finally had lunch OUT, at a restaurant without a drive-through window (by force of habit I almost uttered the phrase "to go, please" after the server took our order), made a pit stop at the nearby Ann Taylor to pick up a couple of easy knit tops for work, and then decided I wanted to make my famous spaghetti (or more precisely, my famous meat sauce, which I use for almost any pasta dish).

This announcement caused the husband to gasp in a dizzying emotional blend of shock and excitement; whipping up THE sauce is no simple deal, it takes a cartload of ingredients and hours and hours of gentle simmering. I'm so picky about what goes into the pot that sometimes I end up going to three or four stores just to get a particular brand of extra virgin olive oil, canned San Marzano tomatoes, prosciutto di Parma (okay, just gave away one of my prized secrets here), and even just the right type of sweet onions. And to make things even more difficult, I never write anything down. (Hubby ALWAYS asks, "if you don't have a recipe, how can you be sure it turns out the way it's supposed to?" My answer is "I taste it.")

It's almost midnight now and we got through with dinner barely a couple of hours ago because I kept insisting the sauce wasn't ready yet. So while I stepped away to let it simmer more, my poor hungry husband revolted and got the table ready; when I went back downstairs to stir the pot, I saw two large bowls steaming with perfectly al dente spaghetti, a crock of my not-quite-ready meat sauce, a small bowl of freshly grated cheese, and everything else all set.

And as he took the first bite I asked him how it tasted. He was tentative and hesitant, and then said it was just okay. "But it will be perfect tomorrow," he assured me, "after you let it simmer some more and maybe add a bit of salt and sugar." Just as I already knew, of course. I might be a wee bit impatient these days from cabin fever, but some things I know are always worth waiting for.

Comments

[petite]

ey, gigi, i hope you feel better soon!

btw, i think your hubby was pretty sweet...you know, in a 'hungry hubby' kind of way. :-)

[Gigi]

Petite - Thanks, am almost back to my usual self (I'm up late tonight, that's a good sign, 'no?). And yes, I also have to admit that I can never make a good pasta dish without him anyway because for some reason he's the only one who can get the noodles PERFECTLY al dente. I've long since given up trying. :)

[missP]

"And as he took the first bite I asked him how it tasted. He was tentative and hesitant, and then said it was just okay. "But it will be perfect tomorrow,""....

ang super bait naman ni hubby mo ;)

Gute besserung, Gigi.

[BatJay, Ang Dating Folk Singer ng Ma Mon Luk]

baka gusto mo ng sabaw ng sinigang na salmon? jet cooked some and it will be good for your flu.

exchange gift tayo - spaghetti for sinigang?

in any case, jet and i have a gift for you and arnel waiting here at home. idadaan ko sa bahay ninyo one of these days.

take care,
jay

PS - jet and i actually love spaghetti sauce after it's chilled overnight and then re-heated. why is this so?

[amaranthine]

if i've got Grey Anatomy's DVD set(no. 1 reason to be sick! mine at least) and that lovely P&J bag, i bet any sickness will be gone fast enough.

glad to hear you're getting better.

[Gigi]

MissP - He is, really. The first time I cooked for him (we had just started dating), I made pochero and used plantains that were way too "mapakla." And I watched him struggle through dinner, his lips kept smacking and sticking together and he really tried to keep a straight face...I knew then that he'd be the guy to stick with me through thick or thin. :)

Kapitbahay - Sige! I have the sauce frozen (I plan to "fix" it tomorrow). I'll bring you some. I hate to admit this, but the hubby would gladly take Jet's sinigang ng salmon over my meatsauce any day.

Amaranthine - Thanks! I can't wait to veg on the couch this weekend and break out the "Grey's" so by the time the 21st comes around I'll be all caught up again. :)

[K]

Did you purchase that 'Paul & Joe' anyway? Their jeans are obviously cool than the Paper Denim & Cloth but sooo expensive (for me).

I hope you're feeling better now.

[cheH]

I hope you're okies now dear gigi!So sweety naman ni hubby mo!:)

Take care & take some rest & enjoy your GA dvd set please;)

[Gigi]

Hi K - The regular Paul & Joe line is pricey for sure -- but their line for Target is not at all! Prices are below $50 -- can you believe it? Of course the fabrication, details, etc. are not up to par with the regular line, but the styling is fun and somewhat fashion forward. So in other words, yes I bought the bag (about $39, I think -- what a steal)!

Hi cheH - Yes, feeling much better now -- thanks!!!

[K]

I swear P&J brand is too expensive around here, say for a plain crew tee it would cost me $200 unlike the one from Replay's $80 bucks.

HK is relatively getting very very expensive.

[Gigi]

Hi K - That's too bad, I remember when I used to go to HK because of the terrific shopping...and the great prices. :(