Today was an anticipated treat for me as I headed off to the seedy part of town to meet my dad for lunch. Hilltop Tacoma…it’s pretty notorious. Probably not like going to Harlem for a tourist, but it’s not a place I want to hang after dark. It does however boast some of the BEST Pho restaurants around! For the uninitiated, Pho is Vietnamese Noodle Soup. A Bahn Mi (Bun-mee) is a Vietnamese sandwich with French roots. It’s like taste bud utopia!

It’s not my first outing since being sleeved, but it (wait for it…break into the chorus with me…,) “It feels like the first time, (feels like the very first time).” Hahaha I have no idea where that came from, but I seem to have a song in my heart quite a bit these days. God is good, and I am in love with my sleeve!

I ordered a small rare beef…and there is nothing small about Pho soup. Traditionally, a “Large” is something you could bathe a baby in and a “Small” is probably 3 cups of broth, 4-6 oz of thin sliced beef and about 1½ cups of rice noodles…along with all the garnishes; onions, cilantro, fresh basil, bean sprouts, jalapenos, and a slice of lime. A squirt of hoisen and a touch of sirachi and I am down for the count. I like it just spicy enough that my lips are on the verge of buzzing. Oh yeah, NOW we’re talkin’!!

Anyway, as my mouth was watering and I was heady with the smell of anise and spice, it occurred to me that I was going to have to have a plan of attack. I needed a strategy. I’m not supposed to drink while eating…but, but…but it’s soup! You have to eat and drink at the same time. Dilemma!!! So here’s what I did: I gave my noodles to my dad (because who needs all those bland carbs anyway, they don’t add any flavor, just bulk…and I let the rare beef “cook” in the simmering broth. I added my condiments; got it just right, and then I slurped away! Oh My Word—I will never have faux Pho again. Diggidy-Dog, this is the stuff! Now, I’m not admitting to having faux Pho (i.e., instant Pho), because I just ain’t admitting it...But if I did, there would be no comparison. After getting through quite a bit of the broth, I decided to masticate (oh, I hope that doesn’t ruin your appetite lol) a piece of now cooked beef. Mmmm, MMMMM, MM! Then another. And all the taste buds screamed, “Ditto to what she said!”

I thoroughly enjoyed myself and in no way did I feel like I did any injustice to that sublime bowl of goodness.

There is no point to this blog, unless of course it’s just that what the rest of the world may call restriction, I’m calling freedom. This little sleeve of mine reminds me of what a good church is; it’s not about what I can’t or shouldn’t do, it’s about what I get to do!

That’s my salty slice of the day. I hope y’all are living life like you only get one chance…with the blessing of having a second one!

Thanks for listening!

God bless,

Susan