evening of general taos and home decor

work was tiring today and entailed a four hour meeting where I didn't understand half the stuff discussed. exhausted, I didn't feel like cooking afterwards and opted to eat out at PekingMan. daniel and I ordered general tao's which is our staple dish when we order Chinese; we're in search of the the best general tao's chicken in the Greater Toronto Area. We love general tao's chicken and used to have it for dinner three or four times a week when we were in school because it was absurdly cheap and filling. anyhow, within the GTA, we've tried general tao's from Asian Legend, Garlic and Onion in Richmond Hill, Congee Wong and now PekingMan. PekingMan is currently in the lead with a good bread to chicken ratio, tender and juicy chicken pieces and a not-too-sweet general tao's sauce.

after dinner we went to browse through ikea, which is across the street from PekingMan, and then to crate and barrel (again). now that the floors are done, we've both in condo decorating/organizing mode. we picked up a couple of small items (for organizing the kitchen) at ikea and then a wine rack at crate and barrel at the mall. what we both really wanted was this colourful striped rug from crate and barrel; it's currently listed as a sale item on the website, making it an affordable splurge, but there isn't an equivalent canadian sale price and because crate and barrel is considered an import, the canadian prices of the rug are significantly higher (even after exchange is taken in consideration). boo urns. it's another of times I shake my fist at being canadian. but nonetheless, the time at the mall was productive: I also purchased a pair of shoes for jamie's wedding. she has very specific shoe requirements for her bridesmaid.

throughout the entire evening, I couldn't help but think how lucky I am to have such a man in my life. we have so much fun together. the last little bit of our evening together was spent eating ice cream and fruits (strawberries, bananas, mangoes and blackberries), brainstorming ideas for the party we're going to throw and arguing about how to eat ice cream (I eat it as quickly as I can; he waits till it's all melted and gross).

lately I've really come to fully realize how blessed I am. in the last little while, I have been real worried about our finances and having some of our plans (to travel, pay off daniel's school loan, get a pet) go awry. but what in my life really merits complaining? why, we have the luxury of eating fresh slightly-exotic fruits (the mangoes), and installing new floors! despite daniel not having a job, postphoned plans, and the uncertainty of things, God hasn't failed to provide in any aspect, especially the little simple things that make each day special.