As you know, yesterday was Amoeba’s birthday.  As was his wish, we spent the morning in his lab cleaning and rearranging.  He’s had a couple pieces of equipment in there he doesn’t need for his research that could be better put to use by someone else, so we facilitated their removal.  We also broke down a bunch of boxes he’d been storing and I washed some glassware.

Then we went to the Hungry Clam for lunch.  Amoeba ordered the scallop basket with fries and I had a fish sandwich with clam chowder.  The scallop basket is Amoeba’s favorite  item on the lunch menu.  (For breakfast we both always order Eggs Benedict.  The Hungry Clam makes the best Eggs Benedict I have ever eaten!)  I had never before ordered the fish sandwich.  I usually get the fish basket.  I just wasn’t up for a gigantic mound of fries.   The fish sandwich was excellent.

After lunch Amoeba went back to his lab and I came home and tidied up the Avon half of my office.  I purchased booth space in a flea market this April 23rd, and I needed to audit my inventory.  I also took a shower and got ready to go out.  Amoeba came home, mowed the lawn, then got cleaned up as well.  We went to the Rumor Mill.

I haven’t quite decided if the Rumor Mill is a restaurant with a lively bar, or a lively bar with really great food.  Either way, I always enjoy good food and good music whenever we go there.  Of course Charley wasn’t playing.  I asked him how it felt to sit in the audience and listen to the music for a change.  He said it seemed weird, but that didn’t’ stop him from enjoying his dinner!

Amoeba ordered Pasta Puttanesca with Mussels.  I ordered Mushroom Gorgonzola Flat Iron steak.  We both thoroughly enjoyed our meals. We also had dessert.  When we arrived at the Rumor Mill, Amoeba let me out at the door, and then drove around the block to park.  I went in and got a table, and asked one of the waiters if I could order dessert now, but have it served after the meal.  I told him it was Amoeba’s birthday and I wanted the dessert to be a surprise.  He assured me he would let our waitress know.

Amoeba and I ordered our meal and ate it leisurely while listening to Kate Schuman & Friends.   Kate is a local singer/song writer and she and her band (group of friends) are quite enjoyable.  Kate’s music presentation was a “show” this time, but we also enjoy her when she leads sing-a-longs, which she has also done at the Rumor Mill.

ANYWAY, when it was time to pick up our plates the waitress confirmed that she’d put in my dessert order.  There was no cake on the menu.  My initial reaction was to order the yummy, gooey sounding brownie, but it is made with Kona coffee, which I would love but Amoeba not so much, and it was his birthday.  Another dessert featured coconut, also not one of Amoeba’s favorite things, but the third dessert was apple crisp and apple pie is one of Amoeba’s favorite things so  I ordered that.

This was no ordinary apple crisp.  It was made with perfectly spiced apples and walnuts, but it had a Phyllo pastry crust.  Light, flaky and yummy!  It was served with ice cream and whipped cream.  I ordered one dessert with two spoons and we shared it.  I didn’t want to share, but as I said, it was Amoeba’s birthday!