Sometimes, bombs go off, and you don’t even realize the impact they’ll have through all the smoke and chaos and initial “WTF happened?”. Meaning sometimes, it’s not the Apocalypse but the Aftermath that really stings, that lingers in the air—often invisible but still noxious, clouding your senses.Vinyl of the day: “So runs the world away” by Josh Ritter.

The fallout feels like fog. I owe(d) thousands to the IRS. To me, numbers are painful realizations that make self-employment feel like Sisyphus-style self-immolation.

Fortunately, there’s food. And silk. And vintage “pearl” neckties. And Dan Costello. Even, and especially, on tax day.

I don’t even know how he does it. He took the scraps of haphazard, neglected and wilting vegetables and over-exposed-to-the-air tortillas and made magic happen. We got this cast iron dutch oven somewhere for some such cheapness (Dan will remember and I’ll ask him later and then delete this part with just a cheap-ass number and you will forget this sentence ever existed. Poof. Like magic). All this became Black bean & radish fried tortilla pie.Then he made a Sour cream salsa with tiny diced peppers and herbs. And he served it for us…While we modeled our tax day outfits in the living room. Me: Jones New York copper silk skirt – $4 (thrift store).  Cream silk button up – $3 (thrift store).  Vintage “pearl” necktie – $14 (Antique World Mall). Frye Dorado boots – let’s forget how much they cost, shall we (Fryeboots.com). Kelly Lynae: I’m not sure exactly, but she looks very professional and quirky, as one should on tax day.

Book of the day: “Dry” by Augusten Burroughs.

Kelly had just moved into an apartment downtown, and was subsequently broke. So we gave her one of our (or I should say Dan gave her one of his after I awkwardly whispered to him that it would be so nice) seldom-used cast irons for her tiny stove. But then…Look out Kelly! There’s a monster above your head! “Soggy Bread” by Ben Wilson, from his 2010 Monsters in the Cupboard series.Then Dan served dessert. Pear almond pistachio baklava with Zoi honey Greek yogurt.We also gave Kelly a full-length mirror and a beaded vintage vest because she needed those too, obviously.

System adjustments, (tea) party people. We’ll turn out fine through generous fine tuning, in the wake of it all.