the birthday of pasta sauce

Ahhh... first love.  When John and I started dating, I was head over heels. Anything he said or did was wonderful, and I thought he was the cats meow. Still do. However, those first love goggles came off about 8 months after we started dating. It was my birthday.

Sometimes I would drive from Stillwater to Norman, spend the weekend at John's with friends, and go back for the school week. We would eat at Othello's, and drink wine, listen to music, and go home. Sometimes we had friends to hang out with, but sometimes we didn't.  That is when I also fell in love with puttanesca sauce. Mmmmm. My mouth waters at the mere thought of it. The subtle hint of anchovy, and the delicious herbs and olives...crushed red pepper....it's my favorite.

So, for my birthday we invited my dear friend Turie and her boyfriend Cory (now husband) over to run to dinner and have drinks.  We were going to Othello's. I was so excited and wondered what the first birthday present from my new prince would be.  Turie and Cory got there, and I was ready to open my gifts.  I opened Turie's, and then it was time to open John's gift.  I tried to be delicate because I had no idea what could be inside.  I gently removed each piece of tissue paper while I was dying inside with anticipation. DYING. Then I pulled it out.

Pasta Sauce. A jar of it. That was it. Oy.

When I was little, all I wanted every year was a pink Barbie car.  The kind that you actually get in and drive around.  I would come home thinking that it would magically be in my garage, and it never was.  Not saying that I was deprived, cause I was far from it- but man, I wanted that Barbie car.  NOT getting it taught me a valuable lesson though. Be grateful for what you have, hopefully you have most of what you need,  and always leave room for the things that you want. So I didn't grow up with the silver spoon that others have thought was in my mouth. I'd call it a pewter spoon.

With that being said....

Back to pasta sauce. 

Apparently I said "where is the rest?" and Turie laughed, and I am sure that John was mortified.  He said "that is it."  Am I horrible or what?! I still don't understand why he didn't throw a coupon for a home cooked dinner with maybe some dried pasta in there or something... poor kid was clueless.  I mean, pasta sauce? Now that I know him a little better, I get it.  He was being thoughtful in the way that a man knows how and a woman won't ever understand and will always complain about. 


ciao.