4:55 p.m.

It is getting very cold. I went for a run and froze.

We went to Winston this weekend and stayed with our friends Chef Boots and Doctor E. What I like about visiting the homes of chefs and doctors (at least these two) is that everything has a place. My own home is a place of chaos. Big Daddy puts things back, but never where he found them. And little Monkey - let's just say order is not in the vocabulary of a two and a half year old. I can never find anything. At Boot's and E's I can find the bottle opener in the dark kitchen. It is always in the same drawer.

Dr. E talks about having children. I don't know if she is quite ready for it. I can see the tension building when Monkey is at her messiest. Two year olds know nothing of order or cleanliness. Monkey loves Dr. E though and E loves her, there is no denying that.

Monkey truly loves Boots. She cries everytime she must leave him. He is like a big goofy playmate. And he makes her delicious brioche and yummy concoctions. After a visit our freezer is normally full of Chef Boots' breads.

We went to the restaurant where Boots makes all his goodies on Saturday night. Dr. E had to go to another thingy. Monkey was the only child in the restaurant. Our server found her a pink balloon. The head chef brought her delicacies. The desert chef (under Boot's tutelage) made her chocolate cake with fresh ice cream and strawberries. She was a princess. The jazz trio played quietly in the background and she swayed in her leather covered booth to the music. I was very proud of Monkey for being such a little lady. I dread our next trip to a restaurant of less stature. There will be no warm chocolate gateau at the pizza place.