My microwave is kaput. Somehow a hole formed in the ceiling of the cooking chamber. Now when I try to use it, sparks fly. I hate stove-top cooking. Dirties too many dishes. I want my microwave back!

TO DO LIST
Grocery shopping
Bake cookies
Buy new microwave

I dreamt I was at an Elvis Presley concert. Elvis finished his song and jumped off stage. He grabbed my arm and pulled me to an awaiting black Cadillac.
“No Elvis, the people want an encore!”
“Don’t worry about them, honey. The A-Team’s my back up band and they’ll take care of ’em!”
I looked back at the stage and sure enough there was the A-Team. B.A. was on drums. Murdock played bass. Face stood at the keyboards and Hannibal was the lead singer. If that’s not odd enough, they ROCKED OUT! The audience went wild leaving Elvis and me free to escape in the black Cadillac.

What kicks me is that I was not only at a dollar store but also Michael’s Arts and Crafts yet I didn’t pick up any white buttons for the Mike Nesmith cap I’ve been working on for the past week.

I dreamt a woman told me she was at the end of her lifecycle and because she was jumping off early, she would be reincarnated into whatever body they had available, “Such as a bowl of jello or a slug.” She didn’t seem to mind this so terribly which I thought was quite wonderful since it gave me a belly ache thinking about ending up as a bowl of jello.

On Sunday my mother made an incredible bread pudding. Instead of bread she used pound cake. It was so delish! When I asked her for the recipe she said she whipped a couple of eggs together with a can of condensed milk. In a small pan she layered the pound cake. She then drizzled the egg and milk mixture over the pound cake slices. She baked it at an unknown temperature for an unspecified amount of time. Voila! Incredible pound cake pudding.

The crazy dreams I had last night. One would almost think that I would dream of JD and INXS. That did not occur. Instead I dreamt I was at a dinner party. Sitting across from me was Charles Krauthammer. As we made small talk, I could tell that he was attracted to me. He asked if I would like to go into the kitchen with him and make a grilled cheese sandwich. Charles was able to walk to the kitchen and did not require a wheelchair. I was a little worried wondering what might meet me in the kitchen. I hoped Charles Krauthammer was a gentleman. There really was no reason to worry because as soon as Charles opened the door for me, the dream shifted and I was now in a swim race with Lucy Lawless. I lost because I couldn’t remember how to swim except for doggie paddle.

I dreamt I was in an as yet unfilmed episode of Star Wars. Superman was also in it with me. This was not George Reeves or Chris Reeve, but the new kid Brandon Reeve. Oh, and he had long black hair. Stormtroopers were after us and Superman and I were fighting them off. Although it was going as good as could be expected, I sensed something was bothering Superman. Suddenly I could read his mind.
“I could have been a lawyer or a doctor, but no! I’m a stupid hack reporter. No one likes me. At least I have this beautiful soft hair that I can run my fingers through. It makes me feel whole.”
Once all the stormtroopers were dispatched with I grabbed Superman by the shoulders and I said, “BUCK UP CHUMP! Number one, you got to cut that hair, you look like a chick. Number Two, I don’t ever remember Hervé Villechaize complaining and he had tons of stuff to complain about!”
Superman was shocked but I got through to him. There was no time to contemplate because more stormtroopers were on the way…

My plane was early, Lisa was late. Traffic was insane and we both sat waiting, me for her and her for the traffic to pick up. Originally the thought was we would spend the evening in Philly but with the traffic out of control we figured we would take the Blue Route out to King of Prussia. We got to Bryn Mawr before hunger dictated we stop. Gullifty’s, our old college hangout, was nearby and se we decided to relive old times and eat there. Goodness gracious do things change! Lancaster Avenue is completely different. The dive bars that lined the street have been replaced with very trendy and clean pubs. It was a nice time.

We picked Bobo up at our parents’ house before we went home to the Donnavilla. I swear, the Bobo has gained weight! I was only gone 4 days but the little pedigree has gained about 5 pounds!

At home, I told Lisa how last night I listened to Eddie Cochran songs until I fell asleep and dreamt I was pregnant. Most people only know Summertime Blues, but Eddie put out a mess of other great songs. The one song, Drive-In Show has a lyric I am surely misunderstanding. I told Lisa about it in hopes she might listen to it and give me the correct line.
“Lisa, I swear he sings, I bet my penis to a candy bar”
“You realize that this is very Freudian. It is saying that you are desperate for sex and chocolate.”
“Stop teasing me, I am serious. Listen to it and tell me what you hear.”
“I hear….. ‘I bet my penis to a candy bar’ put on Somethin’ Else.”

Come on, baby, to a drive-in show
i know just the very place to go
i’ll be over, pick you up at 8
this will be our very first date

when we’re parkin’ in the drive-in show
we’ll be sittin’ in the moonlight row
i’ll bet my peanuts to a candy bar
you’ll be cuter than a movie star

when it’s over and we’re headin’ back
we’ll stop in for just a little snack
six hot dogs oughtta be just right
after such a wonderful night

I dreamt I found myself in Cuba. I had no clue how I got there but there I was! The day was coming to an end and I was terribly hungry and tired. Ahead of me was a little hut and I knocked at the door. No one was home so I let myself in. I immediately noticed a stack of letters and I had an uncontrollable urge to open them up. Once they were open, I realized that I had done a bad thing. Whoever lived in this hut would know someone had been here. I then went into the bathroom and as I washed my hands I knocked a container into the sink spilling its contents. OH NO! It was contact lenses! I scrambled trying to find the lenses and put them back into the container. Suddenly I heard footsteps and I knew it was Fidel Castro coming and it was only a matter of time before he knew I read his mail and spilled his contacts. My heart raced and as I tried to escape, I woke up.

My dream just came back to me! I dreamt the Donna Villa had an inside pool that hid under the living room. At night I would push a button and the pool would reveal itself. Living in the pool was a dolphin and a mini-humpback whale. Audra stopped by with her new boyfriend. He looked exactly like the father from Family Matters. I suddenly realized that somehow we were actually living in the TV show 21 Jump Street. Instead of trying to understand how that was even remotely possible or where Peter Deluise could be, I offered to make everyone an eggroll and scrambled eggs.

I dreamt that for some ungodly reason, I was required to take a gym course. The class I chose was “Tanning,” mainly because it sounded so very easy. When I arrived at the classroom there were a ton of girls from my old high school. Each of them had a fishing pole. Apparently this was a new sport that had nothing to do with the sun. The aim was to hook the ceiling and then with the help of a harness, pull yourself up so you were seemingly floating. Then with all the girls also hovering, proceed with a synchronized dance routine.

Around 4 in the morning, little Bobo started crying. Japanese Chins don’t really bark but rather yodel. Bobo is no exception. So at 4 am I am awakened by a high-pitched yodel. I figured it was just an isolated cry and he would go back to sleep. Next thing I hear is him trying to break down the child’s gate that keeps him in the kitchen. I got out of bed and went to the kitchen. “Bobo, please stop crying, please stop! Daddy has to get her beauty rest!”
I then realized that Lisa’s light was on and he probably thought she was up and wanted to go and sleep with her. I ran up to her loft and shut off her lights. Then I went back to the kitchen and turned off the night light. Somehow this worked because he immediately went back to bed and I was able to get another hour’s sleep.

I dreamt I boarded a rocket ship and blasted off to space. Looking out the porthole, I thought I would see the earth as a blue marble but instead it looked more like a ping pong ball. We landed on a planet in which the ground was red jello. Rather than explore the planet, we played softball. I was amazed at how far I could throw the ball.

Here is a recipe for the most yummy rice pudding I ever ate!
Alton Brown’s Indian Rice Pudding

1 cup cooked long grain or basmati rice
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup coconut milk
2 ounces sugar, approximately 1/4 cup
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 1/2 ounces golden raisins, approximately 1/3 cup
1 1/2 ounces chopped unsalted pistachios, approximately 1/3 cup

In a large nonstick saute pan over medium heat, combine the cooked rice and milk. Heat until the mixture begins to boil. Decrease the heat to low and cook at a simmer until the mixture begins to thicken, stirring frequently, approximately 5 minutes.
Increase the heat to medium, add the heavy cream, coconut milk, sugar, and cardamom and continue to cook until the mixture just begins to thicken again, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Use a whisk to help prevent the cardamom from clumping. Once the mixture just begins to thicken, remove from the heat and stir in the raisins and pistachios. Transfer the mixture to individual serving dishes or a glass bowl and place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Another night filled with tossing and turning. I slept, just only in spurts. This is so unlike me. Sure I usually wake up a couple of times during the night, it was just never to this degree. The one thing about frequent breaks in sleeping is that I am remembering almost all my crazy dreams. Last night I dreamt I was in an animal rescue hospital and there were tons of animals walking around. There was a man there I quite liked. He came over and put his arm around me and as I snuggled in I realized he shape shifted into an old bully of mine from grade school. It was horrible.
Now I need to get ready and pack my bags. I am leaving in a few hours for Chicago. (Wasn’t this incessant traveling supposed to end already?)