My birthday is on Thursday. I'm excited. Not because I'm doing anything in particular, but because I'm able to have a birthday. I never thought I'd be glad to be getting older, but I am. I am. I'm excited that this birthday I feel healthy. Last birthday I was gearing up for my second chemo treatment. This birthday I want to drink bloody mary for breakfast and eat mexican food.

John was in Breckenridge all weekend, so the animals and I lounged around the house. It was bliss. Isabel and I took up the entire bed. The dogs and I played, I refilled the pond, cleaned up a bit and got two good workouts at the gym.

Last night I had my first French class... We made mussels for the first course. I am not opposed to the taste of mussels, it's the texture. I ate the entire bowl, because I'm all about sucking it up and trying things I don't necessarily *like*, but I have to say, mussels are still not my favorite. We baked our own bread and made a pesto broth to coat the mussels. Then we roasted some lamb with a pistachio herb crust (yum!), made an onion, tomato, zucchini & eggplant tian as a side, and a potato gallete in.... drumroll, please.... DUCK FAT. The tian was really good. I liked the other vegetables better than the eggplant. Eggplant can have a bit of a bitter taste. The tomatoes were perfect.

Then, dessert. I am not a dessert girl, but OH SWEET HEAVEN. It was one of the best desserts I have ever experienced. Pain perdu in an apricot Grand Marnier sauce. GOD BLESS AMERICA. I was so full after dinner... like, Thanksgiving full... but I stuffed that pain perdu down the hatch like there was no tomorrow. I will definitely try that recipe at home.

We made so much bread that we all took home half a loaf. We got to try two wines, a white with the mussels and a red with the lamb. It was so fun. I heart cooking school. Tonight my goal will be to not eat so much that I want to cry.