As I grow older, I think the fat descends from my face and shoulders and puddles around my hips. The good part of this, besides the welcome extra padding, is that I finally have cheekbones! And collarbones! Naturally, I had both those as well as all manner of other bones before this as well, but now I can see them. Now I don't need to learn contouring.
I also generally succumb to gravity more easily, I find. If I don't catch myself, I hunch. A nap sounds like a good idea some afternoons. I have begun feeling occasional twinges in my back and A helpfully offers me a back brace when I complain.
I'm also more mellow, I find, and more inclined to please myself. I've started enjoying cooking for just myself. It is fun coming up with food that pleases my palate and needn't please anyone else's. It's enjoyable, shopping for vegetables and making plans for them. I don't even mind doing the dishes, since there are so few of them. And best of all, I have figured out how to make myself cake, in under a minute. I swear, I've timed it.
What you need is a tablespoon and a half of Pillsbury cake mix, a tiny pinch of salt and two (not one, not three) chopped blocks of dark chocolate. You add to this half a tablespoon of oil (I do not measure anything precisely. I've made this often enough to know when it looks right) and a tablespoonful of water. Stir together and microwave on high. My highly scientific method for knowing when it is done is to stand in front of the microwave and sniff, until I can smell the cake.What emerges is better than most bakery-bought cakes I've eaten. It's warm and crusty; the chocolate has melted into delightful little pools and there's just enough of it to keep you interested but not so much that it gets sickly. I do recommend letting it rest for a minute or so before you dig in. Everything seems to settle and crust over in that brief wait. If you want it more brownie-like, add more oil and less water. If you want virtuous cake (why would you?), add less oil and more water, but I warn you, you'll regret it.
