Note to self: Must wear clothes when outside.

It’s a simple enough premise.

I don’t know why I seem to have such a hard time grasping it.

Perhaps it’s because I so rarely get caught.

Note that I said ‘rarely’ not ‘never’.

I do know better.  It’s happened before.

Still…. Did it have to be the Maire (Mayor)?

Okay, okay, here’s the story.

When I get up in the morning, I put on exercise clothes – leotards and stretchy top.  Now, since I don’t actually go to a gym any longer these have, perhaps, seen better days.  They’re intact enough to actually stay on my body, but that’s about it.

Over the exercise clothes, because I don’t want anyone to see them, and it’s spring, I put on my  gardening clothes.

My gardening clothes consist of a pair of gray sweat pants with enough holes to be fashionable at WalMart, but as they are on over the leotards, I’m still covered.  On top is a gray sweatshirt (no, they do not match) that has had the sleeves cut off at the elbow many, many years ago.

Thus clothed, on Monday, I put on my rubber clogs and went out to mow the front lawn.

Oh, almost forgot….

Second not to self: Learn to keep your mouth shut.

Just as I finished mowing the lawn a strange car came by, a man got out and started walking slowly down the center of the lane, spraying the weeds in the road, the car following behind.

As he walked past me I said ‘Bonjour!’ as one should, then, smart ass that I am, I asked if he would mind spraying the weeds in my garden as well.

He laughed (as he was supposed to) said Non (as expected) and continued on.

Now, our house is in the middle of nowhere, on a dead-end lane with one other house about a block further down.

It’s quiet.

After I put the mower away I realized I was covered in grass clippings.

Naturally, I took off my sweatshirt and gave it a good shake.

Then the sweat pants, followed by the socks.

As I was busy violently shaking my clothes, with my back to the road, the guy with the sprayer came back and was standing at the gate, waving at me.

To put the clothes back on would imply that I was, somehow, standing in my front garden, indecent, and knew it.

I decided to brazen it out, I mean, after all, I didn’t know this person and would probably never see him again.

I stuck my bare feet into my rubber clogs and clomped on over to the gate.

He said he came back to spray my garden.

I explained that I hadn’t been serious and he didn’t really need to do that.

He insisted.

He had spray left over.

He’d be happy too.

I smiled and said thank you.

He sprayed.

Then his car and driver returned to pick him up.

And I realized it was the Mayor.

Naturally, he parked, got out of the car, and, as is proper, came over to greet me and shake my hand.

Naturally, we had to make small talk while his cohort finished spraying my damn garden.

There I am, in my ratty, tight, stretch, work-out clothes, barely this side of decent, no make-up, hair not combed, bare feet in muddy clogs, talking to our very dapper French Maire.

Someday, I’ll learn….

Until then, I’ll stay in the kitchen.

And make pasta.

The other day, as I was doing my weekly shopping list, mon mari picked up a cook book – Williams Sonoma’s Pasta.

After flipping through it for a bit, looking at the pretty pictures, he handed it to me and said: ‘Make this’.

I did.

I rarely post a recipe that’s not an original, and I did modify this one….

And it was so good I have to send it to Ruth, of Once Upon a Feast,
for this weeks Presto Pasta Nights

Garlic Meatballs with Angel Hair Pasta 

  based on a Williams Sonoma recipe

The garlic
1 bulb garlic
2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp black peppercorns

The meatballs
12oz (350gr) ground beef
1/4 cup mashed garlic
2 tbs dry breadcrumbs
2 tbs Parmesan
2 tbs white wine
1 egg
1 tsp dried thyme

The rest
2 cups chicken stock
4oz (125gr) angel hair pasta
1/2 cup Parmesan

The garlic: Separate the garlic cloves but do not peel.  Put the garlic, chicken stock, thyme and peppercorns in a small baking dish.  Cover and bake for 60 minutes at 325F (160C).
Strain chicken stock and reserve.  When cool enough to handle, squeeze the garlic out of the peel and mash with a fork.

The meatballs: In medium bowl combine egg, garlic, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, wine and thyme. Mix well. Add beef and mix well, hands work best, kneading it like bread dough. Form into small meatballs, about 1″ (2.5cm) in diameter.
Heat reserved chicken stock plus 2 more cups in a large skillet.  Add meatballs, being careful that they don’t touch. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until done, stirring and turning the meatballs once or twice, about 15 minutes.
Cook pasta according to package directions.

To finish: Divide the pasta into two large, flat, pasta bowls.  Ladle half the meatballs and stock into each bowl.  Top with Parmesan and serve.

Can anyone ever have too much garlic?

I think not!