05 November 2008

11.04.2008

There's really nothing else to talk about today. I drove all the way to Baltimore to vote yesterday, after a long work day there was an accident on the road and I arrived in the dark quiet evening outside the elementary school where I grew up. I've voted absentee for as a long as I can remember, having moved around so much in my life, but I've kept my registration in Baltimore (and now that I'm in DC I still want Congressional representation).

I'll admit it, I got a little lump in my throat when I punched the button. At my mom's house for dinner, she said she got teary when she voted, and several friends said the same. I've voted before, for candidates I felt strongly and not-strongly about, but I think the difference this time was that it felt right. That it wasn't the thing I was supposed to do but that it was the right thing to do.

My mother cooked, in anticipation of change, 9 pounds of prime rib. Nine pounds of the most gloriously marbleized richly flavorful meat I've ever had, with mashed potatoes and green beans that we cooked in the pan juices. Tonight there will be champagne to celebrate and leftovers to savor. Cheers!

Kir Royale
In our house, this is the only way to truly celebrate. It was probably the first cocktail I ever knew, and continues to be one of my favorites. I like a plain kir (made with white wine instead of champagne) just as much.

5 parts champagne
1 part creme de cassis

Pour creme de cassis into champagne flutes. Top with champagne. Serve.

8 comments:

Allie said...

I completely agree with your sentiment. This is the first time I ever voted where it felt like it was the right thing to do, and also the first time I was emotional while voting.

queencake and titangirl said...

good morning from berlin! the funny thing is, that i git all teary yesterday, too, as did a lot of my friends and it´s not even our president as we live in germany! everyone is quite ecstatic here and i find it unbelieveable how that positive energy is suddenly everywhere,it is remarkeable. congratulations on your new president!here`s to hope. best,anja

Dad said...

From the "outside looking in", it seems you punched the right button Mercedes!

Congratulations America.

http://dadonabike.blogspot.com/search?q=Obama+

Orit said...

I cried when I voted...and so did almost everyone I know. It was a champagne moment. (Altho your dinner sounds more festive than mine...we ate pizza around the tv)

Thanks for my favorite blog and go-to recipe collection for any and all occasions. Scaffata is our favorite--and anything with figs.

Anonymous said...

I cried, too, when I saw the results.

Not everyone had a lump in their throats, trust me.

Anonymous said...

This is beautifully written - I'm glad the outcome was positive for us all.

Mark Scarbrough said...

I agree too--and I had champage that night as well. I remember being in graduate school many years ago with my good friend Marcia Reddick. She and I were both working on race relations in 19th-century American lit and we spent many a long afternoon hashing out the conflicting theories, the depressing practice, and our very American lives. She's been gone to breast cancer for five years now, but I felt as if she were standing in that voting booth with me. I wish she could have really been there--and we could have cried and hugged and laughed and been generally astounded at how things turned out.

T. said...

I too toasted the victory with Kir Royale, but with a lemon twist!