Wenesday and such.

     There has been a lot of stress on me.  More so than normal.  I now cook 7 days a week.  Because of my diet restrictions, and that includes lunch and breakfast.  Sister is in to much pain to help and brother in law is utterly useless.  

     I've been at my company about 15 years.  Not a great job, just a paycheck with benefits.  Plus and this is the big one, my co-workers, even the crazy one, make it less of a chore.

     When I started the company was completely different. It was family owned, the son and mother ran it then.   The atmosphere and everything was different.  600 people and they all seemed to know one another.  I was fortunate to go to 2 actual Christmas parties before the change.

     Now the company is much different.  Not to worry, not a lot of details.  Suffice to say every so often we loose one of the old guard.  One of the original people from the first company.  This one was let go.  Sucks.

     I'd known her, well forever.  Nice woman, she was so in my inner circle I even made sure she knew about my heart surgery.  So of course I was going to the goodbye party.  And for the kicker.  My manager who has been there 2 years before me was going.  That is a major deal trust me.

     I prepared the kiddies at home for this event, they had plenty of food.  Of course they scrapped up money for take out.  Oh well.

     I'd never been to the place before, but found it.  I was Hell bound and determined not to miss it.  Was some sort of big sports bar and restaurant.  It was very pleasant.  Saw a couple of the smokers out front, all happy and I greeted them.

     Inside at the bar there were at least 30 people.  I found the guest of honor and hugged her.  She thanked me for getting her out of the office.  Should I mention that?

     She'd asked me to come up with a cart for her stuff.  No problem. Another friend, who'd also been let go, was there with a few other people.  It was 7 to 5 and she was still working.  Then the person that she was training to do her job called.  That took a little time.  Then at 2 to 5 we loaded her cart with her stuff.  All of a sudden all these IM's started popping up on her computer.  It was 5 after.  I said they had 2 weeks and all day to say goodbye.  With that it was done.

     The bar was packed with co-workers, my manager hadn't gotten there yet.  I ordered a cranberry with seltzer water.  I found the very nice person who pretty much organized the event.  Always a nice person and fun to hang out with.  Also another of the secretaries.

     By nature I like to mingle at parties.  Work parties are a little different.  I assume for many there are cliques within departments.  I'm lucky in that I touch all the departments.  Always fun to here what people say and how they are after work.  That's just me though.  My manager came in and sat at the other end of the bar.

     Really didn't hear much that was fascinating but it was fun.  Met one of the dudes from ITs' girlfriend.  Eventually got over to the other end and greeted my manager.  He was talking with a bunch of people so it was easy just to move in and out.

     It was getting late and I knew I should eat.  I tried for the healthiest thing.  Chicken wings.  They were damned good.

     People came and left.  Saw some old faces. It was good and we all had a very good time.

-Later  

Yes Virginia, still Sunday

     A shame too, went out last night and had a good time.  Well I'll need something in the future.

     Before the crock pot dealio, like that word, it's not real.  I decided even though it was late in the day I'd hit the cigar lounge.  Felt I deserved it.

     Glad I did.  To begin with, one of my friends who'd I'd not seen in weeks, cause of hospitalizations was there.  In fact he had practically left when I pulled in and decided to stay.  Another friend was there.  Even better, the guy that used to do Sunday's, he does the weekday shift now, was there.

     It was really nice.  We all caught up, even heard about another friends wedding.  Promised to do some printing for another pal.  It was a nice Sunday like that place hasn't seen in a damned long time.  
      My friend, the one that came back in, mentioned a new shop may be opening.  We'll probably try it.  Back in the beginning of this blog finding a new place was titular in my life.  And even though it's a hike, I just may try it.  I do miss the way the place was.

     Made my curfew at home.  Had time to crock pot the chicken and start the turkey roast.  Then the reason for my early return.

     My cousin wanted to do some Face Time.  A rather Jetsons like thing if you ask me.  I'm assuming it didn't work so well because of the sunspots and stutff.

     Sorry for the short entries but time calls a lot these days.  Hopefully I can explain.  To come, Wed. night out.

-Later

Continuation of Sunday

     For the most part the day was up in the air for me.  In terms of plans.  Everything was done by 1.  Had to be home for a phone call at 6.  Cousin wanted to do something called Facetime.

     I got an idea.  Long story shortened, I'm back to being the primary cook of the house.  Only this time it's my way.  They no longer hold sway.  Sister spends her days hurting, damned cancer.  Brother in law keeps looking for a grown up to show the way.  Not to mention they no longer have the budget to eat out anymore.

     I saw this dusty thing about 2 weeks ago.  Just sitting in my living room.  The box for it was under some other stuff.  It gets used 1 time a year, for corned beef and cabbage.  Yup, a slow cooker.

     Well I tried a recipe that was basically some chicken and carrots with potatoes in veggie broth.  It wasn't terrible, but the chicken came out so aridly dry.  Determined and not deterred I found a solution.  Or the be fair it was a recommendation from my sister.  Use dark meat.

     So on an errand I stopped by the butcher shop in town.  Now this place is one of those old venerable institutions. It's been there well over 30 years, unsure if the same owner or not.  Walked in and joy of joys, they had right in the case boneless chicken thighs.  Could this get easier?

     I got 2 pounds, sliced for stir fry.  One wrapped for that day, and damn if they didn't wrap the other one for freezing.  All for $9.  Yeah I may be hooked.

     Well the recipe works much better.  I just need to work on the seasonings.

     I shouldn't have left this so late.  Sorry, looks like another 3 or 4 blog entry for a weekend.

-Later.

Sunday

     At some point, probably 4 in the early morning I was trying to figure out what day it was.  Part of me was saying Tuesday, another was saying Monday.  Ever have those conversations with yourself?
     
     I had a co-worker top me.  Seems he got up, showered, got in his car and started to drive to work.  Thought there were still a lot of cars on his block.  He figured it out before he got there tho.  Yes it was Saturday, he knew this because the dj on his station was the one he listened to on Saturdays.

     Now mind you I have actually been in the shower on a Saturday and then came to my senses.  Never left the house. Well I finally started to think rationally in this conversation with myself.  Asked, did you do the town fair yet or go shopping?  That's when it dawned on me.  It was only Sunday.

     Gray and misty and just humid out.  I'd stuck to my original plan.  Take the car up town, park in the train station, get bakery goods and paper and walk home.  Went well.

     After food shopping  came home and waited on brother in law.  He was not to tired to walk up with me.

     Standard town day.  Up and down the main street there were vendors, lots of things.  It was better than the previous year, but not great.  I think the weather kept a lot of people away, although it was still pretty quiet.  Bought a T shirt made in the U.S.  Painted one I mean.  Looks cool, it's a bald eagle in motorcycle gear, yes with a helmet, on a motor cycle.

     I'll continue with more later.

Saturday's Adventures.

     Morning.  Me and a coffee mug of seltzer here.  Oh the juice, well you see it's like this.  The bottle I buy is a 6 day serving.  In other words if you go by the serving size it is only 6 days.  Today is Sunday the 7th.  Coffee mug?  I do have an inordinate amount.  I still feel like keeping them in rotation.  This week is a nice large black model, gloss finish.  The inscription reads:

"I'm not over the hill.  I'm on a roll."

     Okay let's begin.  Saturday broke open.  I made a rather gorgeous egg creation with onion; red bell pepper; and asparagus.  All on a whole wheat tortilla.  Was wonderful

     After waiting until 9 I decided to depart.  Had my car title, letter from bank, and insurance bill with me.  By the way, I didn't do such a great job as I have stated.  I should have checked the loan carefully and walked out.  They got me.  Basically if I'd gone with a bank check, meaning had their load set up, it would be for half of what the dealer ship got me for.  Yup doubled it.  So in the long run I lost, I do take victory in the short run.  Next time, have the loan already approved by the bank.  They will only truly get me if I don't transfer the loan, and at a better interest rate.

     I also needed to get money for me and food shopping money.  The more I thought about it, Nooo I wasn't going to just go home and drop stuff off.  So I decided to go straight to the San Genaro festival.

     Off I went, was a nice drive actually.  Gray skies, but not feeling like rain.  Because it's a highway I use so infrequently, it felt like I wasn't here.  So it had high points.  I got there fairly early, before the parade, people were already looking for parking.

     Was told by 1 cop to go to 1 place, couldn't locate it.  Most other lots were clearly marked about towing you.  The occasional spots on the street were 2 hour.  And I saw a lot of local cops.  Which already means they're hankering for a ticket blitz.  

     Then I started thinking.  This is a nice car, be careful where I park.  I then realized that it would mean leaving the title in the car in a strange area.  That and the lack of secure parking made me call it off.  By 10:30 I was being constricted by the traffic in town trying to get out.  

     I didn't consider it a bust as I drove home.  I was happy I'd gone.  I thought I'd treat myself, it was getting nearer to 11:30 by the time I was near my home.  Yup traffic was growing by leaps and bounds westward.  

     I know I've mentioned the new crepe place.  Who now has hours listed, and a nice sign that blinks open.  I've been dying to try a nutella crepe.  I chose against the banana and nutella and went for banana and and strawberry and nutella.  Hit the bank, said hey to the inmates.  Grabbed a cigar and hit the beach.

     I did do an audio version for me to listen to.  So I could clearly recall my doings.  The day was so stand out-ish, I don't need it.

     Beach was nice, little wind, lot of dead horse shoe crabs, baby gulls.  Pretty much deserted.  It was while I was enjoying the smoke that I noted how much I loved the crepe.  I don't think I would have enjoyed at all without the strawberries.  They added a nice cut against the sweet of the nutella.

     I was already thinking about dinner, and how I needed to go to the farm stand.  Really considering starting a low sodium blog.  

     Picked up 2lbs of boneless chicken thighs, 1 for freezing.  It's a local butcher shop that I don't usually go into.  Unless that is, I need something that the food shops wouldn't usually have.  It was $9 altogether so I wasn't disappointed.

     Went to my usual farm stand where they know me well and spent another $20.  Fresh beets, I was steered away from the already trimmed ones.  "The ones with the greens are fresh.  The others aren't"  Bought 1 yellow and 1green squash.  I have have a watermelon, so didn't need that.  Some red potatoes, sugar snap peas, 2 peaches, and like 8 plums.  Maybe something else that I'm not recalling.

     I am enjoying my late night watermelon snack.  As well as my plum after lunch.

     Well that was Saturday.  Today is Sunday, obviously.  Bakery, food shopping, slow cooker, and cigar lounge to look forward to.  Oh and yes, town day.  

-Later.

Morning.

     Sitting here drinking my juice.  WHAT THE HELL!  Yeah I know.  It's like this.

     Without going into all the details, I'm on a fluid restriction.  1500 milliliters a day.  Sounds horrible at first, and it was.  Not so bad though.   Comes to about 1 and 3 quarter Liter bottles of water.  Most days I don't even drink all that.

     My thinking is this, especially at the beginning, I only had so many drinks a day to have, I'd like the first to be nutritious.  So I've chosen one of the 100% juices, not to much sugar, not to much sodium.  Not bad actually. 

     I remember back in the day my mom would drink coffee.  Like 7-10 cups.  That was her story.  Was more like 3-4.  She'd pour some, forget about it halfway in, then pour a new cup because the coffee was cold.  There would always be a mug or 4 around the house with half forgotten coffee from parts of the day.

     I remember being a teen and driving to the diners.  Coffee and fries were the orders of the day.

     Got a little older and enjoyed it even more.  Even went the route of buying beans and grinding them myself.  The grinder would eventually become my herb grinder.  French press is pretty and kind of neat.  Almost makes ceremony out of making coffee.  Did I ever notice the difference, no.

     Older back at home, I actually enjoyed coffee.  I'd sit with mom and her friends, talking, maybe playing boggle or cards.  I really loved coffee.

     So you see I'm a coffee lover, not an addict.  My mornings started well before my first cup.  I just loved it.  So for me, giving it up isn't as hard as it should be.  I mean I've relatives who are complete and utter zombies until their first cup.  Brother in law is like that, sister doesn't drink it.

     So for a good part you may notice coffee missing.  Can I bring it back?  I hope so.  But I am concentrating on my health right now.  And I intend to give it a good fight as I have always done.
 
     Okay so for Saturday what's the schedule look like?  It's after 8 in the morning.  I've had breakfast.  A nice egg wrap that I threw  onions, asparagus, and some left over mushrooms in.  Very good stuff.

     The day looks uninspiring.  Overcast and gray.  I'm still thinking about hitting the San Genaro festival.  Just have to watch what I eat.  Maybe the lounge too.  Tomorrow just may be to packed with stuff for me to make it.

     Well that's all I have to say right now.  Enjoy your day.  Whichever day it is in your part of the world.

-Later

Stuff.....and not STUFU

     HI!  Funny how that word still reminds me a girl I met in an online game.  I don't think I ever said it again after she broke my heart.  Laughable at best.  I tried to keep in touch via email, worked for a small time.  Then I noticed it was always me breaching in and asking how she was.  Then she'd reply.  So I just stopped.  Sadly I'm not even sure she noticed.

     Actually there was another girl too.  The feelings there were just friendship.  It would be hard to explain that.  Maybe even a little painful.  I don't like loosing friends. Who does right?

     That one I met in a chat room on the old about.com website in the humor room.  She was actually my very first online friend.  Lasted a good 5 or 6 years.  I think in a large way she was too self obsessed for my liking.   anyway. 

     Font changed there and I didn't care, because I'm done there.  So what's been becoming of me?

     Well for 1 week I didn't drive.  So I had to be dependent on family and public transportation even for work.   It was kind of neat again.  For the last 3 or 4 days of the week I wound up walking up to the train station and taking it to work.  Then used the bus which was conveniently across from the train station.  Had a light anecdote on my first day on the bus.

     I'm used to New York City public transportation.  It's a different animal out here. Obviously it is not 24/7 here.  The rules differ as well.

     Okay I'm on a northbound bus.  Making time.  I note that here each bus has a permanent rider.  Someone who is a bit off, has all day to ride the bus, and get to know the driver.  Think that would drive me mad.  Anyway.

     I'm getting close, about half a mile from my stop.  There is a stop up there but I pull the cord just in case, you know.  Well that was a little mistake.

     Seems out here the bus pulls over when you ring, not like in the city at the next available stop.  I chuckled at myself.  It's been a good 20+ years since I've taken the bus out here.  I forgot, pull the thing and the bus pulls over as soon as it can.  They don't wait for the next stop.  

     It was a nice day for a walk, balmy, blue sky, and yes I saw the bus make the stop at the bus stop a half mile away.  Lesson learned thankfully.  

     It was nice to take the train again.  Came to about $30 all in all for a 5 day period.  So not all that much cheaper than a car for me.  But then I have a sporty 4 cylinder.

     I took a nice detour on my walks home, enjoying the exercise.  Like I said, it was a nice week of weather.  I'm sure I'd be feeling differently if it was bad weather.

     I did do some driving last weekend.  Even went to the lounge.  Was such a gorgeous day it was only me and the owner.  He's becoming more tolerable.  We watched the Giants loose and I came home.

     This weekend you should have some stuff to read.  Hampton Bays is having another San Genaro festival, friend of mine installed the sound system.  Otherwise I'd never have found out about it.  So I'm going tomorrow.  Sunday is town day.  Vendors lining the streets and stuff, so hopefull some news there.  

     And that really is all I have for you right now.  Hope you come back.

-Later.