RRR (RiseRoarRevolt) just gets better each time, but especially on the big movie screen with all the powerful sound effects.  I haven’t been to a movie theater in decades, so that was fun.  Avdi, Jess and I almost had the room to ourselves on a weekday night; also, the seats were adjustable and comfy, which definitely helps for a 3+ hour saga (they skipped the interval).

This epic Telugu superhero fantasy is set in 1920s India under evil British rule, but that only begins to describe this gorgeous, fun spectacle.  The incredible choreography and fantastical special effects alone are worth seeing.  Some scenes could be straight out of a comic book ‘gita.  Director Rajamouli and the two lead actors are brilliant.  And, they assure us, no computer-generated animals, of which there were many, were harmed!

I’ll spare you from another selfie (since I didn’t take one) and keep the focus on the subject.  Sorry for the poor quality.

Not much else to report…I planted some more lettuce, greens, and herbs in flats.  The previous round is doing nicely and will go to Avdi’s underground lab tomorrow.  I forgot to mention the radishes, peas, and spinach have started to come up in the veg garden.  A systematic garden bed cleanup, in preparation for planting more stuff outside, will be next on the agenda.  Today I’m just at home on a “day off”.

Maxi Glamour reading the Purim Megillah to our synagogue, our Rabbis all in drag, people in costumes drinking (I had absinthe), dancing to David Bowie –what can I say, it was fabulous and hilarious, especially Maxi’s version of the Megillah story, and Rabbi Daniel totally in drag, waving his booze bottle around!  I personally got to meet Maxi, a very talented artist, musician, activist, etc., and do a little photo shoot with them and Avdi!  Their costume was gorgeous, all handmade.  (They told me their pronouns.)

I feel so fortunate to be able to go to a synagogue that is so progressive and inclusive, also with a sense of humor!  And have it be the scene of my first experience (yes, somehow I was a drag virgin).  I’m thankful that Avdi, though not feeling his best, wanted to go and take me, and even helped with my outfit.  I’m lucky and proud.

Wow.  Anything else I write will sound so mundane!  I planted the rest of the root crops–beets, turnips, parsnips, and rutabagas, also leeks.  The bulb flowers are really gearing up.  I did some prep work for planting more indoor flats.  Avdi and K. really enjoyed the hamantaschen I baked.  I spent the night, then came home and did some more prep for the next wave of germination.  Tonight Avdi, Jess, K., and I are going to get to see RRR in its return to theaters!  I can’t wait.  Also another excuse to dress accordingly.  It seems to be my latest phase.

Happy erev Purim, the Mardi Gras of Jewish holidays (even if the history is mostly apocryphal), and my first one in STL.  This year it will be spent in true Purim style and spirit(s), at CRC’s costume drag spiel with Maxi Glamour.  I’m really looking forward to my first drag Megillah, especially in a synagogue!  It doesn’t get much better than that.  Avdi and I are going to switch up our usual attire to be more appropriate to the occasion.  Should be fun.  If you tune in tomorrow, there may be photos…

Meanwhile, I’m getting ready to spend the night at Avdi’s.  If I can, I’ll plant more root veggies in the garden.  I’m sure I’ll get my exercise one way or another, and all the other stuff.

You know, it crossed my mind to t-rav these, but I’ll refrain!  Still, an interesting concept.

Anyway, these are my first attempt in STL to make Hamantaschen.  I even made homemade lekvar (prune filling)!  I used strawberry and apricot preserves for the other two fillings.  Rest assured, no provel was involved!  We’ll see if these pass the all-important family taste-test tomorrow (if they make it that far).

As for last night’s aftereffects, they’re finally behind me.  Almost in time for cheers!  As far as exercise and all the rest, I’m resting from yesterday’s partying.  And I got enough of my social quota to last a while!

Where to begin!  It’s been days since my last post, as I was actually too busy doing actual things to report.  Let’s see…

Thursday evening I went to Avdi’s to spend the night.  The green babies in the basement nursery had a close shave with death, but I managed to save their lives!  Now they’re back on track.

The next day, I got busy in the kitchen with Shabbat dinner, which was Peruvian-style chicken in the slow-cooker, a  green sauce to accompany it, Mexican-style rice, and some fresh greens.  And of course my now-famous Challah.  Avdi and Jess worked in the office.

Meanwhile, inches of rain were pouring into the yard, which turned into a lake.  It wasn’t quite as bad as the last time that happened, when the drainage culvert overflowed its banks and almost flooded the house.  Fortunately this time the veg garden was raised enough to be spared.  Still, it’s weird to see much of the yard become a water feature.  I was waiting for waterfowl to discover it.  I almost needed a boat to cross the yard to look at all the flowers coming up.

Avdi had another bad day with work, but eventually he tore himself away from the latest crisis, and Jess joined us for Shabbat dinner.  Later, I returned home.

Saturday I watched CRC’s streaming Shabbat service, while preparing to join Avdi and Jess for Eric’s birthday events.  There ended up being a herd of 13 of us!  We all met up at the Botanical Gardens and spent a couple of hours wandering around enjoying the Climatron rainforest, the Japanese gardens, the Linnean conservatory/orangery, and all the early spring plants coming up.  I knew many of their friends and family, and met some new ones.  I’m not used to that much concentrated socialization at one time, but it was fun.  I even got to talk “hort shop” with Eric’s brother’s wife, which was nice.

Then we all reassembled at a famous Italian restaurant, Mama’s on the Hill, in St. Louis’s old Italian neighborhood, where we had reservations.  It almost felt like back home in the Bronx.  We were seated at a very long table in a packed party room downstairs with low lights and appropriate “crooner” music.  The drinks, food, and conversation were excellent.  I had my first experience of that St. Louis tradition, toasted ravioli, or “T-rav”.  Not as bad as it sounds!  And of course lots of provel cheese on everything!  We even had some tiramisu and cannoli for dessert.  It was a fine birthday celebration.  Here’s what you might call before and after shots!

Later, Avdi dropped me at home, and we talked about my outfit for CRC’s drag Purim event on Monday evening, and related topics.  I was way too tired from all the festivities to write this all down, so now I’m doing it at 3AM Sunday morning for some reason.  Before I forget it all!  Now I’m going back to bed–to be continued…

Much later Sunday… that “after” shot is kind of the way I feel after having imbibed too much (for me) alcohol last night!  As soon as I feel better I’m going to attempt to make Hamantaschen for Purim.  One final unrelated note–just since the last time I posted, this is what happened–all the new salad seedlings came up!  You turn your back for a second…

This morning on my laps I encountered an actual tenant (the one across from me), and we exchanged greetings.  That’s about the extent of socialization I experience here.  I don’t believe the apartments will hold a block party anytime ever.  Anyway, laps done.

Later I’ll be over Avdi’s spending the night, getting human contact, puttering around the prop lab and garden, and probably eating something wholesome.  Then I’ll do the usual Shabbat production on Friday.

Another little herb (Thai basil) has popped its dome!  Now if my artificial ecosystem doesn’t experience cascade failure (another great Expanse ref and bot metaphor for human environmental destruction), we’ll be in herb and salad business in Webster Groves.  That came out wrong!  Culinary herb!

Update:  Today I learned how to make orange marmalade from scratch!  It tastes great on toasted homemade challah!

Today I got to spend another day puttering around the apartment.  Boring as that sounds, I love it.

I got some plants ready for Avdi’s, did some laps mostly outside, as it was in the 60s, and cooked a pasta dish with tuna, zucchini, and cheese.  Then I walked up to the antique mall to find gift components for Eric’s birthday, and talked to actual live people.  So that covered most of the habit bases.

Here are scenes from yesterday, just hangin’ out with the Skullies.  It doesn’t take much to amuse me.