Good friends, good food

I fixed the best spaghetti ever tonight--pardon my modesty, but it was so easy and so good. I got the recipe from Mystery Lovers' Kitchen, where I believe it came from guest blogger Wendy Lyn Watson, author of ice cream shop mysteries who lives in North Texas and will be visiting TCU this spring. I'm looking forward to meeting her. The original version was vegan with Gimme Lean sausage, but I used grass fed beef.
I discussed the meatballs in the last post. The sauce is simply diced and crushed canned tomatoes (a large can of each), a small can of tomato paste, 1/4 cup red wine, and basil and oregano. True plain Italian taste without fancying it up. Made the sauce last night and refrigerated it. This afternoon, I stirred in the meatballs and put the whole thing in the oven to cook. My guests munched on provolone, Genoa salami, and gherkins (maybe an odd combiantion) until I boiled the pasta and called them to dinner. Served a huge green salad, bread that no one ate, and that was it. Good dinner.
Better conversation. Bright, literate, involved people. We talked about everything from cats (all cat lovers, which Wywy took advantage of) to constitutional theocracies and a lot about the current state of the Episcopalian church, since they are all members and Katie is active on the national council. We laughed and told stories and generally had a good time.
Note the new picture on my blog (how can you miss it?). Taken at the Botanic Garden by my friend and neighbor Polly Hooper, who was dismayed that even the evergreens at the garden are brown. She took lots of shots, but I liked this one because I thought it made me look happy, which I am.
Wywy gave me a scare today. I left the office to find he'd thrown up between the living room and dining room. When I went to clean it up, I saw him (and heard him) lying on his side in the door to my bedroom on the wood floor--totally unlike him. This is a cat who likes soft surfaces. He was meowing pitifully. I picked him up and found he left behind two pieces of poop (fortunately not on me). I loved on him, then set him down to see what he'd do. He was wobbly, but then seemed to get "at himself." After a bit, he was asking to be fed, and I noticed he jumped up for his food and then up to my bed. Tonight he's the same old self. One possibility: a tummy distress, though I can't think whate he ate. But I'm also wondering if cats have mini-strokes. He showed all the symptoms. I'll call the vet in the morning just to ask. Wywy is almost nineteen, and I know his time is limited.
Good day. I'm tired and going to read a bit, then go to bed.