Beef, potatoes and noodles

It's like an Alfredo except it has delicious seared steak chunks in it. 

Half the sirloin from yesterday is cut into cubes. Half the rice powder/wheat pasta dough from yesterday is rolled out and cut into fettucini size noodles. Fun! Half an onion is chopped rustically. One large mushroom, all that I had but half of what I wanted, is sliced.  So it's a proper half-meal then in'nit. 

Cream, milk, pasta water, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, grated nutmeg, salt, pepper. 

I ate half of it, where half is a good 80%.

My heart is filled right now with warmth and affection for all of humanity. 

For today is my birthday, a FACT! that I tend not to advertise except with you guys because I trust you will not make a bfd out it and embarrass me. After running around doing local errands and coming home to a nice quiet day unmolested, there came a timid knock upon my door. As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. Tis some visitor I muttered, or that UPS guy I deplore, so I answered it expecting a bird. Nobody there, but the doorway was filled with helium balloons tied to the door handle. The door swinging inward and the air current drew them inside and directly into my face. A computer printed page with the words to the song Happy Birthday was taped to the door, and a tiny flower bouquet was pinned by the door clamp (installed for notes and messages, cards, well wishes, notices of eviction, and such) tied with a ribbon and with a tiny handwritten note reading,

 "Bo, FELIZ Cumpleaños."

This would be from the building crew. They are the people around here who speak to me in Spanish. They come and go on their own schedule performing routine maintenance and I try to remember each time, if I am here,  to give them a box of my home tempered chocolates egipcio which they always accept. The balloons would be from the same source as the balloons that are replaced each day by building management to advertise leasing outside. The date would be known by the manager who has a son who was born on the same day as I so the association is upfront. [Incidentally, as to the manager, she is the same woman who is described online by Yelp reviewers at considerable length as impossibly overbearing inflexible and mean-spirited. My own experience with all these people is in distinct contradiction.] So I see how this was tacked together for a charming expression of goodwill. And is that the sweetest thing you heard of today?  No? Then, Shirley, your heart must be filled up with warmth and affection for all of humanity too.