Our First "Date" Without the Baby

A new spark of romance kindles within me as my husband and I walk hand-in-hand around Inwood, the Manhattan neighborhood we call home. Strange as it is for us to be just a couple again for a bit, at the same time I feel free skipping along the sidewalk excitedly and joking with my Sweety-Pie.

"Let's check out that new grocery store," he suggests. He is referring not to a store that is actually new but to the Fine Fare ( http://www.finefaresupermarkets.com/ ) at 4776 Broadway that I entered for the first time on December 25th because my usual local grocery store was closed for the Christmas holiday. I'm so glad to share the wondrous discovery of a new food source with my Sweetheart! I recall my pleasure at the site of a huge selection of hummus, salsa, and other dips as I stepped into the surprisingly huge supermarket and my wide-eyed amazement as I spotted the fresh fish counter and requested my usual two pieces of tilapia -- I never thought I could get fresh tilapia so close to home! He stocks up on fresh fruit moments after coming inside.

He adds a big, beautiful eggplant to our cart, saying, "How about eggplant parmesan for dinner?" ( http://www.recipezaar.com/Eggplant-Aubergine-Parmesan-Easy-39586 )  As we wander among the long rows of shelves filled with delicacies, adding some choice items to our basket, I worry out loud to my husband: "But we need mozarella cheese. We have parmesan cheese, but we're out of mozzarella and they don't have kosher cheese here." Or do they? We find the cheese section. I give it a quick glance, not expecting to find any kosher cheese, but my husband with his eagle eyes spots one product with a kosher symbol -- and it's even mozzarella! As usual, I was unduly negative, looking for reasons why our plan wouldn't work; and as usual, he proved me wrong.

So I'll be eating tonight, besides eggplant parmesan, the lesson that I should relax, be positive, and expect plans to work out. It's a lesson that I hope we can feed to our baby --though she will have to wait to taste that eggplant parmesan.