I got up with Terry this morning. It was my usual time to get up for work but I didn’t mind. I woke up in an incredibly cheerful mood, and was humming around the kitchen making coffee when he woke up. He is not a morning person, and I know it’s annoying as hell, but I just couldn’t help it. I woke him up, turned on the TV to his requested station, brought in his freshly laundered and folded clothes, then got out the coffee things. He had to be in early, and couldn’t stay long, but it was nice having a guest to do for, however briefly.
Since I got so little done yesterday I was determined to do better today. I also wanted to get things done early so that I could hopefully get in some Russ and Billy time today. We had planned to get together last night, but I was too worried about the state of the roads (which of course froze back over) to go out.
I made lunches for this week and got them in the fridge, then made Russ’s baked beans. I made a small batch for me as well, and I have to say they turned out kick-ass! By the time I did that, did the cat chores, straightened up after Terry, and got cleaned up myself, it was early afternoon.
I called Billy and made plans to meet them for supper.
I rested a bit. I was feeling a little run down.
I played on the computer for a while, took an Emergen-C, and eventually went to join them for supper at Lieu’s. Truthfully, I’m not wild about Lieu’s, but Russ and Billy love it, and there had been such a conundrum about where to eat (I had originally been instructed to find a place they didn’t know the name of, only to be called back en route because it were closed) that I just let it go. My food was OK, but too spicy.
After supper, Russ and I went back to his place for a visit in Gracine while Billy went back to the office. He’s apparently trying to catch up on a lot of work and keep things going, despite the fact that he’s supposed to be recovering from surgery. But his back is doing very well, which is a very good thin.
Eventually, Russ had to leave to go help Billy, but I needed to go home and to bed at that point anyway. It was a pretty good weekend, all things considered.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
A post in which I waste a perfectly good Saturday
I was up fairly early, and looked out the window first thing. Sure enough, there was a nasty ¾” coating of ice on pretty much everything. Freezing rain is a lot more dangerous than it sounds. You can drive on snow, but no one can drive on ice. Ice also tends to pull power lines down. I was glad that a) I didn’t have any unexpected company, and b) that I was prepared.
I had plenty to do today to keep busy and amused. There was the cook book I could work on. Several recipes that need to be transcribed are at the house. I had the new valances to sew. I’ve had the fabric for a couple of weeks now. I needed to cook lunches for next week, and I wanted to make Russ a batch of my baked beans (he loves them) since I wasn't able to take food in when his dad died (he was out of state).
I also had a switch for my bathroom light that needed to be replaced. The light switch for the light over the sink has a short, and so I had picked up a new one last night to replace it. It’s been bugging me for a couple of weeks. Thinking that it was low-hanging fruit, I decided to start there.
Before I got started though, I had to eat breakfast, take a nap, etc; the typical things I do on a lazy Saturday when I have plenty of time. I also had to re-meld with the BBC Saturday lineup of my favorite shows, which are a big reason why a lot of housework doesn't get done at my house when I have BBC America.
Eventually, I toddled off to the bathroom to fix the switch. After some experimentation with rubber gloves, I finally decided I would have to turn the circuit breaker off (it’s the prudent thing to do), and went out in the ice to do so. I took the old switch out, and wired in the new one. It didn’t work. I then made the first of about 8,000 trips in and out of the house to re-wire and try it again. I ended up sitting on the toilet, staring at the switch, trying to will some kind of knowledge from the wires or something. I mean, there are just only so many ways to hook it up. I finally tried the old switch again, and it worked. This meant that I had spent all this time trying to wire up a new switch that was bad. Yeah, I was pretty hot about that one.
At this point, it had become a mission to get this thing done. Against my better judgment and my carefully laid plans, I got dressed and went out into the ice to get another switch. My first stop was at the Kmart near my house, which carries exactly 6 items, and re-stocks the shelves promptly every 17 years whether they need it or not. Despite a bewildering array of switch plates, they had not a single dimmer switch. This was a not an altogether unexpected but bitter disappointment nonetheless. I don’t know why I bother to go in there. It’s kind of like singing the 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' before a baseball game; kind of a hopeful ritual. I should really just start singing the song as I drive by – it would do about as much good.
I now had to get out onto the real streets to get to the Home Depot. When I got there, I faced a bewildering array of fancy-schmancy switches. They had multiple slides, switch and slides, and on and on. They had everything except the plain dimmer switch I sought - which I patiently explained to the friendly and helpful Home Depot employee I eventually recruited to help me. He extolled upon the virtues of the many, varied, and complex light switches they had; and I explained to him that I really didn’t want to have a light switch I needed a degree from MIT to operate at 3am when I just wanted to pee without going blind. He ended up commiserating with me, but couldn’t help me with a simpler switch. It was the MIT dimmer or a regular ole toggle-and-fry-yer-eyeballs-out standard switch. Once again, technology zooms past the obvious. I didn’t feel like going all the way across town in the ice to get another simpler switch from the place where I had already purchased one dead one, so I grudgingly bought the MIT dimmer and headed home.
On the way home, it occurred to me that this new switch wouldn’t fit the switch plate I had already. I began to curse softly and consistently under my breath. Prior to this realization the cursing had been more intermittent.
I got home, installed the switch, made my eight-thousand-and-second trip outside to hit the breaker, and finally had light. I went back to Kmart to get a switch plate, but despite the array, they didn’t have the one I needed – naturally. I really wanted to finish this stupid switch today. First because it had been annoying me for a week or so. Second because it had become a thing at this point. Third because Terry had called and was coming to stay tonight. I hadn’t seen him since he moved back from Ohio. I wanted the house to be nice. At this point in the proceedings, however, I had to admit defeat. There was no way I was going back out in that mess to drive all over town looking for the switch plate I needed. I sat down at the computer, found one online, and paid $7.40 to have in shipping just to have an end to it.
Having spent three and a half hours trying to replace a fucking light switch, I was done for the day.
I got cleaned up, straightened up the house, started laundry, and put a pan of decadent baked broccoli in. I wanted there to be something good to eat when Terry came in from work.
I settled in on the sofa and played online while I watched telly. TCM showed Wuthering Heights tonight, and it was excellent. Merle Oberon was the perfect Cathy. After that Murder at the Gallop came on. It was as if TCM just planned a special evening for me. I have formerly been a Joan Hickson man, but I’ve seen two of the films that Margaret Rutherford has done. It may be blasphemy to my former self, and to my regard for BBC, but I think I like Margaret Rutherford just as well.
Before the movie ended though, Terry came in. I figured I would be able to find out whodunit anytime, but Terry’s visits are rare. We smoked, talked, and I washed his uniform while he cleaned up. We caught up and I fed him broccoli before he finally had to go to bed. He had to work in the morning. I wish I saw more of him, but he’s so incredibly busy with work and school right now it seems that he is just never free.
It’s lovely and cozy to go to sleep with the knowledge that someone you love is safe and warm under your roof.
I had plenty to do today to keep busy and amused. There was the cook book I could work on. Several recipes that need to be transcribed are at the house. I had the new valances to sew. I’ve had the fabric for a couple of weeks now. I needed to cook lunches for next week, and I wanted to make Russ a batch of my baked beans (he loves them) since I wasn't able to take food in when his dad died (he was out of state).
I also had a switch for my bathroom light that needed to be replaced. The light switch for the light over the sink has a short, and so I had picked up a new one last night to replace it. It’s been bugging me for a couple of weeks. Thinking that it was low-hanging fruit, I decided to start there.
Before I got started though, I had to eat breakfast, take a nap, etc; the typical things I do on a lazy Saturday when I have plenty of time. I also had to re-meld with the BBC Saturday lineup of my favorite shows, which are a big reason why a lot of housework doesn't get done at my house when I have BBC America.
Eventually, I toddled off to the bathroom to fix the switch. After some experimentation with rubber gloves, I finally decided I would have to turn the circuit breaker off (it’s the prudent thing to do), and went out in the ice to do so. I took the old switch out, and wired in the new one. It didn’t work. I then made the first of about 8,000 trips in and out of the house to re-wire and try it again. I ended up sitting on the toilet, staring at the switch, trying to will some kind of knowledge from the wires or something. I mean, there are just only so many ways to hook it up. I finally tried the old switch again, and it worked. This meant that I had spent all this time trying to wire up a new switch that was bad. Yeah, I was pretty hot about that one.
At this point, it had become a mission to get this thing done. Against my better judgment and my carefully laid plans, I got dressed and went out into the ice to get another switch. My first stop was at the Kmart near my house, which carries exactly 6 items, and re-stocks the shelves promptly every 17 years whether they need it or not. Despite a bewildering array of switch plates, they had not a single dimmer switch. This was a not an altogether unexpected but bitter disappointment nonetheless. I don’t know why I bother to go in there. It’s kind of like singing the 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' before a baseball game; kind of a hopeful ritual. I should really just start singing the song as I drive by – it would do about as much good.
I now had to get out onto the real streets to get to the Home Depot. When I got there, I faced a bewildering array of fancy-schmancy switches. They had multiple slides, switch and slides, and on and on. They had everything except the plain dimmer switch I sought - which I patiently explained to the friendly and helpful Home Depot employee I eventually recruited to help me. He extolled upon the virtues of the many, varied, and complex light switches they had; and I explained to him that I really didn’t want to have a light switch I needed a degree from MIT to operate at 3am when I just wanted to pee without going blind. He ended up commiserating with me, but couldn’t help me with a simpler switch. It was the MIT dimmer or a regular ole toggle-and-fry-yer-eyeballs-out standard switch. Once again, technology zooms past the obvious. I didn’t feel like going all the way across town in the ice to get another simpler switch from the place where I had already purchased one dead one, so I grudgingly bought the MIT dimmer and headed home.
On the way home, it occurred to me that this new switch wouldn’t fit the switch plate I had already. I began to curse softly and consistently under my breath. Prior to this realization the cursing had been more intermittent.
I got home, installed the switch, made my eight-thousand-and-second trip outside to hit the breaker, and finally had light. I went back to Kmart to get a switch plate, but despite the array, they didn’t have the one I needed – naturally. I really wanted to finish this stupid switch today. First because it had been annoying me for a week or so. Second because it had become a thing at this point. Third because Terry had called and was coming to stay tonight. I hadn’t seen him since he moved back from Ohio. I wanted the house to be nice. At this point in the proceedings, however, I had to admit defeat. There was no way I was going back out in that mess to drive all over town looking for the switch plate I needed. I sat down at the computer, found one online, and paid $7.40 to have in shipping just to have an end to it.
Having spent three and a half hours trying to replace a fucking light switch, I was done for the day.
I got cleaned up, straightened up the house, started laundry, and put a pan of decadent baked broccoli in. I wanted there to be something good to eat when Terry came in from work.
I settled in on the sofa and played online while I watched telly. TCM showed Wuthering Heights tonight, and it was excellent. Merle Oberon was the perfect Cathy. After that Murder at the Gallop came on. It was as if TCM just planned a special evening for me. I have formerly been a Joan Hickson man, but I’ve seen two of the films that Margaret Rutherford has done. It may be blasphemy to my former self, and to my regard for BBC, but I think I like Margaret Rutherford just as well.
Before the movie ended though, Terry came in. I figured I would be able to find out whodunit anytime, but Terry’s visits are rare. We smoked, talked, and I washed his uniform while he cleaned up. We caught up and I fed him broccoli before he finally had to go to bed. He had to work in the morning. I wish I saw more of him, but he’s so incredibly busy with work and school right now it seems that he is just never free.
It’s lovely and cozy to go to sleep with the knowledge that someone you love is safe and warm under your roof.
Friday, January 29, 2010
A post in which I prepare for ice
The weather forecast was for ice tonight, so everyone was going crazy; apparently including me. The law of the south is that whenever inclement weather is predicted, you have to go buy your bread and milk, whether you need it or not. Unfortunately, I had to go to the store. Bread and milk I have, but I was out of cream for my coffee. If I was going to be iced in, I wasn’t going to be iced in without coffee fixins.
The grocery store, of course, was a madhouse. Eight million people, all grabbing stuff like it was Armageddon, and gumming up at the front of the store, despite the fact that every register was open and even the managers were out there bagging groceries. I got my few items and got in line with some people who, like me, were feeling slightly silly. We sheepishly shared self-depreciating humor as we waited in line. Amazingly, I wasn’t in there until my Social Security kicked in, as I had expected.
I got home and texted a buddy who had gotten in touch earlier today. He’s a nice enough guy, but not really dating material. I was kind of wanting some time alone, but he offered to come over. I thought “Why not?” That question was soon answered. He showed up (eventually – I have to talk him in with the cell phone every time) in a snow-covered car with an overnight bag. Um, I don’t think so. He came in for a while, but I studiously avoided any of the sledge-hammer hints he was throwing out about staying the night. He’s a nice enough guy, but there was no way he was getting snowed/iced in here with me, possibly for a couple of days, possibly sans power. Recipe for a homicide.
Eventually we ended up on the sofa watching Groundhog Day with Bill Murray. Eventually, I prized his butt out of the house with a crowbar, and went on to bed.
The grocery store, of course, was a madhouse. Eight million people, all grabbing stuff like it was Armageddon, and gumming up at the front of the store, despite the fact that every register was open and even the managers were out there bagging groceries. I got my few items and got in line with some people who, like me, were feeling slightly silly. We sheepishly shared self-depreciating humor as we waited in line. Amazingly, I wasn’t in there until my Social Security kicked in, as I had expected.
I got home and texted a buddy who had gotten in touch earlier today. He’s a nice enough guy, but not really dating material. I was kind of wanting some time alone, but he offered to come over. I thought “Why not?” That question was soon answered. He showed up (eventually – I have to talk him in with the cell phone every time) in a snow-covered car with an overnight bag. Um, I don’t think so. He came in for a while, but I studiously avoided any of the sledge-hammer hints he was throwing out about staying the night. He’s a nice enough guy, but there was no way he was getting snowed/iced in here with me, possibly for a couple of days, possibly sans power. Recipe for a homicide.
Eventually we ended up on the sofa watching Groundhog Day with Bill Murray. Eventually, I prized his butt out of the house with a crowbar, and went on to bed.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
A post in which Russ returns
Russ and Billy got back from Savannah today. Russ has been on my mind a lot lately, of course, and I was very glad he was home. I had an appointment to get my hair cut today, and was a week overdue already, but Russ didn’t feel like working today. I could certainly understand that. One more week of Donnie Osmond disco hair seemed like a small enough sacrifice on my part.
They did ask that I come to the house tonight, along with Ben. It was very low-key. Russ seems to be handling this pretty well.
We went out to Texas Roadhouse for supper. I had fried fish, and even more big ole fat steak fries. I should have gotten something else, but that was all that really appealed to me. They do have a ‘vegetable plate’, but there are only three green vegetables in the list, one of which was green beans cooked with meat. They do have good Caesar salad though.
Billy told me over supper that Russ’s mother had made a point of making him feel welcome, and went out of her way to thank him for coming. I think the only person who thinks Russ isn’t out to his parents may be Russ, but that’s his life. I know from experience, you just don’t have to tell your mama. She already knows; and from little anecdotes related at supper, his dad knew too.
After supper we just went back to the house and smoked and talked. Sometimes it isn’t what you do. It’s just being there that really matters.
We also watched a movie called Role Models. Billy confessed it was one of his favorites. With the exception of the cringingly dildonic medieval role-playing scenes and Paul Rudd’s ear-curdling song (unless he is a much better actor than I thought, this man shouldn’t even sing in the shower), it was fairly watchable. I was more than amply compensated for any deficits in the movie by the nude scene Seann William Scott did. Who cares if he can act? That man is freaking gorgeous. Even with no fur. But of course the movie really wasn’t what mattered anyway.
We spent some time together, laughed, renewed the bond, and reminded Russ that there are still plenty of people who love him left on earth.
They did ask that I come to the house tonight, along with Ben. It was very low-key. Russ seems to be handling this pretty well.
We went out to Texas Roadhouse for supper. I had fried fish, and even more big ole fat steak fries. I should have gotten something else, but that was all that really appealed to me. They do have a ‘vegetable plate’, but there are only three green vegetables in the list, one of which was green beans cooked with meat. They do have good Caesar salad though.
Billy told me over supper that Russ’s mother had made a point of making him feel welcome, and went out of her way to thank him for coming. I think the only person who thinks Russ isn’t out to his parents may be Russ, but that’s his life. I know from experience, you just don’t have to tell your mama. She already knows; and from little anecdotes related at supper, his dad knew too.
After supper we just went back to the house and smoked and talked. Sometimes it isn’t what you do. It’s just being there that really matters.
We also watched a movie called Role Models. Billy confessed it was one of his favorites. With the exception of the cringingly dildonic medieval role-playing scenes and Paul Rudd’s ear-curdling song (unless he is a much better actor than I thought, this man shouldn’t even sing in the shower), it was fairly watchable. I was more than amply compensated for any deficits in the movie by the nude scene Seann William Scott did. Who cares if he can act? That man is freaking gorgeous. Even with no fur. But of course the movie really wasn’t what mattered anyway.
We spent some time together, laughed, renewed the bond, and reminded Russ that there are still plenty of people who love him left on earth.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
A post in which I check in on my peeps*
I continue to work on my project for Kindred. It’s going very well. I had decided to do 25-30 recipes for the book, but when I finished up my list today, I had put down 61 just off the top of my head. I worked on a couple of them today during spare moments at work, and they’re coming together well. I’m pleased that they seem to be striking the tone that I wanted, that I’m writing with my “real voice” as Justin says.
I called and talked to Billy today after work. I was trying to find out if Russ was home yet or not. I was really hoping he could get away from his family. He’s been there a week, and I get the impression that his relationship with his family is not all that could be desired. I was very relieved to hear that not only had Russ moved the base of operations to Joanne’s house (she lives near his family), but that Billy had driven down and was with him as well. Short of being home, that was about as good as it was gonna get for him right now. That, plus the fact that Billy’s back is doing very well, put my mind at ease. He’ll be back tomorrow, and I’ll see him then. I’ve already told Billy I have cleared the calendar, and whatever he needs that I can do, I’ll do.
When I got off work tonight I went by the library to pick up some books. I left my last Anita Blake book at James and Jeff’s house last Friday, and don’t want to read on in the series until I finish that one. After the library I decided to treat myself to dinner out. I just ate out with Dick and Eve last night, and I probably should have gone on home for soup and salad anyway, but I went on to ComoPete’s for a veggie burger plate. They have the BEST fries. I LOOOOOVE big ole fat steak fries, which is, I suppose, why I bear more than a passing resemblance to a big ole fat steak fry myself.
While I was at dinner I had a text from new (possible date) Billy. Apparently now he’s having roommate drama and is looking for a new place to live (with three dogs yet), while having to work insane hours for having been out with his back last week. His back is doing better from what he said, but it still sounds as though his dance card of life is full for the foreseeable future. That’s disappointing. I like him.
When I got home I worked on my newly expanded FarmVille property, and watched the final episode of Last Cake Standing, which actually was rather disappointing. They had to do six-foot cakes for a set of sextuplets, but none of the cakes was really finished, despite having 24 hours to do them. Still, it was OK.
I had a buddy offer to come over, and then take almost an hour and a half to get there. From freakin Greer. I could have driven to Chapin by the time he got here. But I suppose beggars can’t be choosers, right? Fortunately, as George mostly continues hibernating, I have to put up with a limited amount of these shenanigans at the mo.
I called and talked to Billy today after work. I was trying to find out if Russ was home yet or not. I was really hoping he could get away from his family. He’s been there a week, and I get the impression that his relationship with his family is not all that could be desired. I was very relieved to hear that not only had Russ moved the base of operations to Joanne’s house (she lives near his family), but that Billy had driven down and was with him as well. Short of being home, that was about as good as it was gonna get for him right now. That, plus the fact that Billy’s back is doing very well, put my mind at ease. He’ll be back tomorrow, and I’ll see him then. I’ve already told Billy I have cleared the calendar, and whatever he needs that I can do, I’ll do.
When I got off work tonight I went by the library to pick up some books. I left my last Anita Blake book at James and Jeff’s house last Friday, and don’t want to read on in the series until I finish that one. After the library I decided to treat myself to dinner out. I just ate out with Dick and Eve last night, and I probably should have gone on home for soup and salad anyway, but I went on to ComoPete’s for a veggie burger plate. They have the BEST fries. I LOOOOOVE big ole fat steak fries, which is, I suppose, why I bear more than a passing resemblance to a big ole fat steak fry myself.
While I was at dinner I had a text from new (possible date) Billy. Apparently now he’s having roommate drama and is looking for a new place to live (with three dogs yet), while having to work insane hours for having been out with his back last week. His back is doing better from what he said, but it still sounds as though his dance card of life is full for the foreseeable future. That’s disappointing. I like him.
When I got home I worked on my newly expanded FarmVille property, and watched the final episode of Last Cake Standing, which actually was rather disappointing. They had to do six-foot cakes for a set of sextuplets, but none of the cakes was really finished, despite having 24 hours to do them. Still, it was OK.
I had a buddy offer to come over, and then take almost an hour and a half to get there. From freakin Greer. I could have driven to Chapin by the time he got here. But I suppose beggars can’t be choosers, right? Fortunately, as George mostly continues hibernating, I have to put up with a limited amount of these shenanigans at the mo.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
A post in which I have supper with Dick and Eve
I've been thinking a good bit about my project for the Kindred this week. Don't want to put it off and have tons to do a the last moment. Not only would it be stressful, it would hardly be respectful to handle my pledge job in such a slapdash manner. I started putting together a list of recipes today for the cookbook. I also put together a mailing list for the members to make my monthly status reports easier to send out.
Well what with Russ’s dad passing and all, it made me think about my own dad. I called Dick and Eve and scheduled dinner with them tonight. I started thinking on the way over there that I hadn’t ever done anything for Dad’s birthday. It’s on December 19th, and when Lisa & Co. came up for his annual birthday visit this year I was sick. That was shortly before I was diagnosed with Epstein Barr, and not knowing what was wrong with me, I didn’t want to expose them all. So I bought dinner tonight.
Good enough deal for me. We went to Portofino’s, to which I am now officially addicted. We had a very nice waitress, named Rita, to whom Dad took quite a shine and extolled to the manager with golden praise on the way out. We did have excellent service. Of course I had some more of their gorgeous tortellacci. It was as wonderful as usual.
After supper, we went back to the house for a visit. Eve hadn’t seen my car before, and I took care to turn around in the parking lot on the way out so she would see Gracine from her best angle – the front – the first time she saw her. She was quite complimentary, and Dad continues to live vicariously through my gas mileage, which is now hovering around 41MPG. He seems to wholeheartedly approve of my choice, but then when I bought the Bomber he said he liked it too. He now tells me that he never liked that car, and thought it was a girl’s car. Whatever.
We had a pleasant visit, and avoided the Cindy and Paul thing for most of the evening.
Dad was very amused that I wanted to go home and get my cotton in tonight on FarmVille, but he had a TV program he wanted to watch anyway.
So I hugged them both, told them I loved them, wished Dad a belated Happy Birthday, and headed home.
Well what with Russ’s dad passing and all, it made me think about my own dad. I called Dick and Eve and scheduled dinner with them tonight. I started thinking on the way over there that I hadn’t ever done anything for Dad’s birthday. It’s on December 19th, and when Lisa & Co. came up for his annual birthday visit this year I was sick. That was shortly before I was diagnosed with Epstein Barr, and not knowing what was wrong with me, I didn’t want to expose them all. So I bought dinner tonight.
Good enough deal for me. We went to Portofino’s, to which I am now officially addicted. We had a very nice waitress, named Rita, to whom Dad took quite a shine and extolled to the manager with golden praise on the way out. We did have excellent service. Of course I had some more of their gorgeous tortellacci. It was as wonderful as usual.
After supper, we went back to the house for a visit. Eve hadn’t seen my car before, and I took care to turn around in the parking lot on the way out so she would see Gracine from her best angle – the front – the first time she saw her. She was quite complimentary, and Dad continues to live vicariously through my gas mileage, which is now hovering around 41MPG. He seems to wholeheartedly approve of my choice, but then when I bought the Bomber he said he liked it too. He now tells me that he never liked that car, and thought it was a girl’s car. Whatever.
We had a pleasant visit, and avoided the Cindy and Paul thing for most of the evening.
Dad was very amused that I wanted to go home and get my cotton in tonight on FarmVille, but he had a TV program he wanted to watch anyway.
So I hugged them both, told them I loved them, wished Dad a belated Happy Birthday, and headed home.
Monday, January 25, 2010
A post in which I bitch about cable again
Not much going on today. I ran by the grocery store yet again on the way home, and managed to spend another $20. At some point, I really need to figure up how much of my income I’m spending at the grocery store.
I got my DirecTV bill, and sat down with it today to figure out the rest of the sales person’s lies. I had been told that my total bill would be $61, but it ended up being $72. The saleswoman, despite my specific instructions, had not added in the box rental or taxes. When I add the maintenance plan in a year or so, as I’m planning to do, the rate will be a couple of dollars more than my Charter Cable was. This after they advertise a $29.95 rate. That is the promotional rate alone, not counting taxes or “box rental”. If anything goes wrong with DirecTV, they charge you to fix it. If you’re renting boxes, they charge you because the boxes are theirs and you have damaged them. Back when I owned my own boxes, they said they were charging me because the boxes were mine, and I was asking them to fix them. So you’re pretty much screwed either way. There needs to be some kind of mandatory disclosure law or something. Otherwise they charge you a fucking bolt at a time.
I also finally texted Russ tonight about his dad. Despite feeling pretty confident about my writing, I have an absolute horror of writing condolence notes. I know they're important, and that people expect them, but the futility of it all just defeats me. There is nothing you can say that doesn't sound pat, tinny, and useless when you read it back. Just sending words to someone who had just lost a loved one feels so pathetically inadequate to me. But I know, after having experienced losses of my own, that sometimes just a gesture does make you feel a tiny bit better. It's not the originality or the effectiveness of the words; it's the fact that you cared enough to send them. So I texted Russ tonight, and told him that I love him, and that I'm sorry. That's about all you can do. The funeral is tomorrow, and he'll have to face it without Billy. As awful as that is for me to think about, I know it's worse for Billy to contemplate. I feel so bad that he's having to do this alone.
When I got home tonight, I finally had enough Facebook neighbors to get a second tank in FishVille, and to expand my farm in FarmVille. That was cool. I got my second virtual tank all set up and stocked. Such is the life of an internet stud.
I played computer games and watched telly. I tried to get in touch with new Billy, but no dice.
I got my DirecTV bill, and sat down with it today to figure out the rest of the sales person’s lies. I had been told that my total bill would be $61, but it ended up being $72. The saleswoman, despite my specific instructions, had not added in the box rental or taxes. When I add the maintenance plan in a year or so, as I’m planning to do, the rate will be a couple of dollars more than my Charter Cable was. This after they advertise a $29.95 rate. That is the promotional rate alone, not counting taxes or “box rental”. If anything goes wrong with DirecTV, they charge you to fix it. If you’re renting boxes, they charge you because the boxes are theirs and you have damaged them. Back when I owned my own boxes, they said they were charging me because the boxes were mine, and I was asking them to fix them. So you’re pretty much screwed either way. There needs to be some kind of mandatory disclosure law or something. Otherwise they charge you a fucking bolt at a time.
I also finally texted Russ tonight about his dad. Despite feeling pretty confident about my writing, I have an absolute horror of writing condolence notes. I know they're important, and that people expect them, but the futility of it all just defeats me. There is nothing you can say that doesn't sound pat, tinny, and useless when you read it back. Just sending words to someone who had just lost a loved one feels so pathetically inadequate to me. But I know, after having experienced losses of my own, that sometimes just a gesture does make you feel a tiny bit better. It's not the originality or the effectiveness of the words; it's the fact that you cared enough to send them. So I texted Russ tonight, and told him that I love him, and that I'm sorry. That's about all you can do. The funeral is tomorrow, and he'll have to face it without Billy. As awful as that is for me to think about, I know it's worse for Billy to contemplate. I feel so bad that he's having to do this alone.
When I got home tonight, I finally had enough Facebook neighbors to get a second tank in FishVille, and to expand my farm in FarmVille. That was cool. I got my second virtual tank all set up and stocked. Such is the life of an internet stud.
I played computer games and watched telly. I tried to get in touch with new Billy, but no dice.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
A post in which I stay home*
It was another drippy yucky day today. I slept in, but not as late as yesterday.
I did have a buddy run by briefly. It was nice, but not really what I wanted.
After lying around on the sofa for a while, I got started on laundry. I cleaned up and went to the store for a few odds and ends, and hauled off the recycling. It had just been yucky all day, but when I went out to run errands, the clouds decided it was time to rain in earnest. I dripped into the house and started cooking. I had some kind of pasta helper stuff with mushroom sauce, and added caramelized onions and spinach to it to up the veggie quotient for lunches this week.
I basically did chores and got ready for the week today. I’ve partied so much this weekend that I really couldn’t argue with staying home today. I thought about calling Billy, but he’s had surgery, and has already had one wreck in the car. I also thought about calling Miss Kat and dana. But I really needed to stay home and get things done today. Plus the later it got, the nastier it got, and I just frankly didn't feel like going back out in it.
I had talked to Billy (the potential new boyfriend) last night. His back is still torn up and now his uncle is in the hospital and may not make it. So he just doesn’t have the time or the fitness to date. We had planned a lunch date today, but that didn’t end up happening. It’s really just as well since I have so much going on right now. I may have a party next weekend, and on the weekend of the 6th I have a trip planned to Granny’s with mother. So it’s going to take a bit of time for me to make room in the schedule anyway. I had just decided to give up on dating and live for my friends when I meet someone. I’m hoping that we’ll both get some free time some time soon. Our schedules are already going to be difficult since he works at a restaurant and has Sundays and Mondays off. But Russ has that schedule, as do James and Jeff. We’ll work it out if it's meant to be.
I did have a buddy run by briefly. It was nice, but not really what I wanted.
After lying around on the sofa for a while, I got started on laundry. I cleaned up and went to the store for a few odds and ends, and hauled off the recycling. It had just been yucky all day, but when I went out to run errands, the clouds decided it was time to rain in earnest. I dripped into the house and started cooking. I had some kind of pasta helper stuff with mushroom sauce, and added caramelized onions and spinach to it to up the veggie quotient for lunches this week.
I basically did chores and got ready for the week today. I’ve partied so much this weekend that I really couldn’t argue with staying home today. I thought about calling Billy, but he’s had surgery, and has already had one wreck in the car. I also thought about calling Miss Kat and dana. But I really needed to stay home and get things done today. Plus the later it got, the nastier it got, and I just frankly didn't feel like going back out in it.
I had talked to Billy (the potential new boyfriend) last night. His back is still torn up and now his uncle is in the hospital and may not make it. So he just doesn’t have the time or the fitness to date. We had planned a lunch date today, but that didn’t end up happening. It’s really just as well since I have so much going on right now. I may have a party next weekend, and on the weekend of the 6th I have a trip planned to Granny’s with mother. So it’s going to take a bit of time for me to make room in the schedule anyway. I had just decided to give up on dating and live for my friends when I meet someone. I’m hoping that we’ll both get some free time some time soon. Our schedules are already going to be difficult since he works at a restaurant and has Sundays and Mondays off. But Russ has that schedule, as do James and Jeff. We’ll work it out if it's meant to be.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
A post in which it is Kimbley's surpise party
I woke up today feeling rough. The combo of partying, staying up way too late, and drinking red wine gave me a pounding headache. I awoke because the pillow was hurting my head. I took some ibuprofen (which is now never far from my side) and tried to feel human again. Usually a hearty breakfast will help. To that end, I applied a gorgeous fry-up to the problem. I heated the last of the hash brown casserole, added fried eggs to the top, and had the last of the juice. To top it off I added most of a box of Grasshopper cookies – the Keebler equivalent of Girl Scout Thin Mints. I then proceeded to sleep on the sofa until 1:30pm.
Eventually, I decided that I had to move. Kimbley’s birthday party is tonight, and I was to bake the birthday cake. Since she doesn’t like layer birthday cake, I was making her a pound cake, which she loves. I straightened up in the kitchen and got my cake in the oven. I then called Donnie to find out about beverages.
It turns out that they ended up with about 30 RSVPs for the party. I was speculating on whether or not a pound cake would feed 30, when Donnie said “Well, it won’t. So I baked one too.” Ok. So that was kind of a set-up for a contest. I had planned on doing strawberries anyway, so I told him I would do enough for both cakes. It’s kind of a thing. Kimbley loves pound cake, and Laura loves strawberries, so when I do both they both get a treat. I like using fresh berries better, but hey, it’s freakin January. I ran by the store, thawed out the strawberries, and mixed them with chocolate syrup, Kahlua, and shaved dark chocolate. Yeah, it’s much.
I then pulled the ugliest pound cake out of the oven I have made in a long time. Lopsided, without a good rise, and part of it stuck to the side of the pan and pulled off when I unmolded it. It kind of looked like it had the mange, but the part I tasted off the pan was good. I guess it was a good thing we had two cakes. Donnie’s will at least be pretty. We can just show his, and serve mine as a fill-in.
By the time I finished getting ready and lamenting and all, it was time to go.
Kimbley was completely surprised, and had apparently helped Donnie clean up for her own party without suspecting a thing.
Unfortunately, Russ’s dad passed today. He had been sick for a while (they thought he was going to go at Christmas), and he was 84, but I guess you just really can’t ever be ready for something like that. Russ is in Savannah, and Billy has just had surgery. He’s at home. Russ wasn’t out to his family. I called and talked to Billy after I found out, but there isn’t really anything any of us can do for Russ until he gets home. It’s very sad all around. Billy decided not to go to the party, which I can understand.
The party was great. Donnie has such a lovely home for entertaining, and everyone there was nice, and fun. Some of Kimbley and Laura’s former co-workers showed up, but unlike in the past, they didn’t get too loud or wild.
The food was gorgeous. Donnie had put out a whole spread. There were two (!!) vegetarian soups for me to choose from. The weather had been rainy and yucky all day, so Donnie did soup, corn bread, and sandwich fixings, among other finger foods.
Random party snap - the birthday girl is sitting on the sofa.
Eventually, I decided that I had to move. Kimbley’s birthday party is tonight, and I was to bake the birthday cake. Since she doesn’t like layer birthday cake, I was making her a pound cake, which she loves. I straightened up in the kitchen and got my cake in the oven. I then called Donnie to find out about beverages.
It turns out that they ended up with about 30 RSVPs for the party. I was speculating on whether or not a pound cake would feed 30, when Donnie said “Well, it won’t. So I baked one too.” Ok. So that was kind of a set-up for a contest. I had planned on doing strawberries anyway, so I told him I would do enough for both cakes. It’s kind of a thing. Kimbley loves pound cake, and Laura loves strawberries, so when I do both they both get a treat. I like using fresh berries better, but hey, it’s freakin January. I ran by the store, thawed out the strawberries, and mixed them with chocolate syrup, Kahlua, and shaved dark chocolate. Yeah, it’s much.
I then pulled the ugliest pound cake out of the oven I have made in a long time. Lopsided, without a good rise, and part of it stuck to the side of the pan and pulled off when I unmolded it. It kind of looked like it had the mange, but the part I tasted off the pan was good. I guess it was a good thing we had two cakes. Donnie’s will at least be pretty. We can just show his, and serve mine as a fill-in.
By the time I finished getting ready and lamenting and all, it was time to go.
Kimbley was completely surprised, and had apparently helped Donnie clean up for her own party without suspecting a thing.
Unfortunately, Russ’s dad passed today. He had been sick for a while (they thought he was going to go at Christmas), and he was 84, but I guess you just really can’t ever be ready for something like that. Russ is in Savannah, and Billy has just had surgery. He’s at home. Russ wasn’t out to his family. I called and talked to Billy after I found out, but there isn’t really anything any of us can do for Russ until he gets home. It’s very sad all around. Billy decided not to go to the party, which I can understand.
The party was great. Donnie has such a lovely home for entertaining, and everyone there was nice, and fun. Some of Kimbley and Laura’s former co-workers showed up, but unlike in the past, they didn’t get too loud or wild.
The food was gorgeous. Donnie had put out a whole spread. There were two (!!) vegetarian soups for me to choose from. The weather had been rainy and yucky all day, so Donnie did soup, corn bread, and sandwich fixings, among other finger foods.
Random party snap - the birthday girl is sitting on the sofa.The cake was a success. I think one cake would have done, but Kimbley took the rest of it home so that was fine. Donnie’s cake was of course gorgeous, with a high, triumphant, perfectly golden crown. The bitch. The strawberries were a HUGE hit. Everyone loved them and I was glad I made a big batch.
I had a lovely visit with everyone, and may have gotten another invitation for next weekend. They were trying to put together a game of charades when the party started breaking up.
Eventually it ended up just being the hard-core group of friends left. We had a nice visit in the garage, smoking and talking, before I headed home. Another lovely evening. I am so blessed to have such great friends!
Friday, January 22, 2010
A post in which it is a LATE night
Well despite my disgust with the continued marketing of our government, I was looking forward to seeing Jeff and James tonight. They don’t get off work until 10 or 11pm, so I had plenty of time to go home, eat supper, relax for a bit, and try to take a nap. That didn’t happen. As usual when I really need to sleep, I couldn’t sleep. I lay and watched some telly for a bit, but eventually just got up and got ready to go.
When I got to the house I let the dogs out and washed a few dishes they had left in the sink, and read for a few minutes before they came in. They’re flush with “new house” plans, and are making some great strides actually. They’re going to have the house sided this year, among other things. We had a great visit, catching up on the last week (they were just at my place on Sunday), and generally just enjoying each other’s company.
We watched a great movie about the Miss Gay USA pageant called simply Pageant. It was very good, and Jeff and I talked about old pageant memories it brought back for us. I have bought pageant DVDs before, and been very disappointed with the quality. Drag is so much an energy/in-the-moment thing that it doesn’t travel well. The shows that I’ve seen prior have seemed small, canned, and tawdry when not actually in the room. Not so with this movie. It did a great job of capturing the performances on stage, and behind stage, which is hard to do.
It was a lovely evening, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I got home about 3:45am!
When I got to the house I let the dogs out and washed a few dishes they had left in the sink, and read for a few minutes before they came in. They’re flush with “new house” plans, and are making some great strides actually. They’re going to have the house sided this year, among other things. We had a great visit, catching up on the last week (they were just at my place on Sunday), and generally just enjoying each other’s company.
We watched a great movie about the Miss Gay USA pageant called simply Pageant. It was very good, and Jeff and I talked about old pageant memories it brought back for us. I have bought pageant DVDs before, and been very disappointed with the quality. Drag is so much an energy/in-the-moment thing that it doesn’t travel well. The shows that I’ve seen prior have seemed small, canned, and tawdry when not actually in the room. Not so with this movie. It did a great job of capturing the performances on stage, and behind stage, which is hard to do.
It was a lovely evening, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I got home about 3:45am!
A post in which I no longer feel the need to vote
I heard on the radio last night that George Bush finally succeeded in the one thing he really wanted from the start – he has sown the seeds for the final collapse of American Democracy. He didn’t do it directly, but he’s done it all the same. By packing the Supreme Court with a bunch of rabid “conservatives”, he has created a run-away court that will eventually be responsible for the fall of our government.
The decision was made yesterday, in the context of the case Citizens United v. FEC, to let corporations give unlimited funds to political candidates, and for political advertising. In short – they have cleared the way for us to be governed by Wal-Mart.
This legal earthquake overturns 100 years of Supreme Court legislation that tries to even the playing field for political candidates.
The reality is that only legislation has kept the pit bull out of the playground. According to Politico:
For example:
Again from Politico:
I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that a large portion of the blame lies with the bone-idle laziness of those who bother to vote. One of the reason that such massive amounts of cash are needed to run a campaign is that the American voters (a minority to start with) rarely do more than watch political ads on television. The vast majority of those who do bother to vote do so without ever seeking any independent information on their candidate, and without picking up a newspaper.
The saving grace of this is supposed to be that the source of funding on the barrage of corporate-sponsored ads is supposed to be “transparent”. The definition of that “transparency” will be important. Do you really think that lazy voters are going to check to see who paid for the ads they’re content to be spoon-fed? If sourcing information comes at the end of the ad, as a disclaimer, maybe. But if you have to crack a book, newspaper, or even go on the internet to find out the source of said funding, the vast majority will never bother. If they aren’t going to research their candidate, I think we can safely assume they aren’t going to research the source of funds promoting him. So, barring a reversal, or some infusion of sanity (which I am skeptical enough to doubt in our present broken system of government), this is the end. I think the nation will probably stand for my lifetime. I am selfish enough to take solace in that. But the days in the nation in which we live today are numbered, starting today.
Commentators agree that the change in laws will benefit the Republican party. Bush and Roberts are apparently ready to sacrifice the country for the sake of their party. This is amazingly short-sighted, even for neo-"conservatives".
Get ready for corporations to stop pulling the strings, and start running the candidates. God forbid I should live to see a McDonald’s president. George W Bush and John Roberts may well do what Saddam Hussein could not – end the American way of life.
Let the record show that you were there - the day the American government was SOLD to the highest bidder. John Roberts was the auctioneer, George W Bush set up the sale, and the republican party sold the country for partisanship.
The decision was made yesterday, in the context of the case Citizens United v. FEC, to let corporations give unlimited funds to political candidates, and for political advertising. In short – they have cleared the way for us to be governed by Wal-Mart.
This legal earthquake overturns 100 years of Supreme Court legislation that tries to even the playing field for political candidates.
The reality is that only legislation has kept the pit bull out of the playground. According to Politico:
The decision reverses a 1990 ruling by the court that allowed the government to bar corporations and unions from spending general treasury funds on ads expressly urging a candidate’s election or defeat. And it overruled part of a 2003 decision that upheld restrictions on independent corporate expenditures enacted the preceding year in the seminal campaign finance overhaul act known as McCain-Feingold.Many of the commentators seem to have the fairy tale viewpoint that corporations really don’t have much interest in politics. I would love to visit the world in which such Pollyannas exist.
For example:
- Any green candidate will be marketed out of existence by the powerful energy lobby. The existing coal and oil industries have fought tooth and nail against any kind of clean-up legislation for years. This gives them the ability to give unlimited dollars to any candidate that helps maintain the status quo. They have the unlimited dollars to spend.
- Any hope of health insurance reform goes out the window. With the Massachusetts seat that was Ted Kennedy’s going to a Republican, they can now filibuster any attempt to pass a Health Care Reform bill. You can bet that the again unlimited dollars that the Health Insurance lobby has to spend will swamp pro-health care reform candidates at mid-term elections.
- The prescription drug industry has already sponsored misleading campaigns about importing drugs from Canada. They now have free rein to spend as much as they would like to promote their agenda.
Lower courts sided with the FEC, and the Supreme Court first heard the case in March. But in June, instead of coming back with a ruling, Chief Justice John Roberts asked the parties to return for a rare re-argument of the case — with a much broader focus.So much for conservatism.
Instead of merely arguing whether federal election laws should have applied to “Hillary: The Movie,” Roberts asked the parties to argue whether the court should reverse rulings in two prior cases upholding the government’s ability to limit corporate and union election spending.
Again from Politico:
Fred Wertheimer, a longtime advocate of McCain-Feingold, called today’s ruling “the most radical and destructive campaign finance decision in Supreme Court history” and said the court’s majority had “abandoned longstanding judicial principles, judicial precedents and judicial restraint.”On the radio last night, John Roberts had some BS to say about how “the right to free speech should extend to corporations” too. Have you ever heard of a corporation that had trouble getting its message heard? Because I haven’t.
I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that a large portion of the blame lies with the bone-idle laziness of those who bother to vote. One of the reason that such massive amounts of cash are needed to run a campaign is that the American voters (a minority to start with) rarely do more than watch political ads on television. The vast majority of those who do bother to vote do so without ever seeking any independent information on their candidate, and without picking up a newspaper.
The saving grace of this is supposed to be that the source of funding on the barrage of corporate-sponsored ads is supposed to be “transparent”. The definition of that “transparency” will be important. Do you really think that lazy voters are going to check to see who paid for the ads they’re content to be spoon-fed? If sourcing information comes at the end of the ad, as a disclaimer, maybe. But if you have to crack a book, newspaper, or even go on the internet to find out the source of said funding, the vast majority will never bother. If they aren’t going to research their candidate, I think we can safely assume they aren’t going to research the source of funds promoting him. So, barring a reversal, or some infusion of sanity (which I am skeptical enough to doubt in our present broken system of government), this is the end. I think the nation will probably stand for my lifetime. I am selfish enough to take solace in that. But the days in the nation in which we live today are numbered, starting today.
Commentators agree that the change in laws will benefit the Republican party. Bush and Roberts are apparently ready to sacrifice the country for the sake of their party. This is amazingly short-sighted, even for neo-"conservatives".
Get ready for corporations to stop pulling the strings, and start running the candidates. God forbid I should live to see a McDonald’s president. George W Bush and John Roberts may well do what Saddam Hussein could not – end the American way of life.
Let the record show that you were there - the day the American government was SOLD to the highest bidder. John Roberts was the auctioneer, George W Bush set up the sale, and the republican party sold the country for partisanship.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
A post in which the indulgence continues
Well I didn’t go out to lunch today. I did eat my packed lunch.
But on the way home, I had to stop and get cat litter. And I knew that I had finished my salad the night before. Rather than go out to eat, I decided to run by the Fresh Market so I could pick up some more of that grapefruit candy, to which I am now addicted (because yeah, what I really need is more candy in my diet). While I was there I did get some more salad, but couldn’t resist the clarion call of their fantastic pimento cheese; and crostini to go with it, and little tomatoes, and a partridge in a pear tree... I did get out with only spending $16 tonight. That’s a lot better than the $85 I spent last time.
I also ran by Publix on the way home to get some snausages since I am out. They were on sale. I should have gotten more, but the yuppies in line in front of me had already tied up the line for about 15 minutes and I was ready to be home.
So I got home and had a very indulgent supper of grape tomatoes with pimento cheese on crostini – one of my favorite meals ever. To top it all off, I had a couple of delicious almond pillow cookies from Fresh Market (another verging addiction). They are very familiar to a date-filled cookie one of my dad’s aunts used to make. I wish he wasn’t diabetic now. I’d have them make him a batch of date-filling cookies.
I tried to get in touch with Billy tonight, but couldn’t. I know he was back at the doctor today because he was having problems with one of his legs related to the torn muscle. I was vaguely concerned that things might have gotten worse, but didn’t want to call again in case he was resting. I’m really ready for him to get better so we can meet. We have a date on Sunday too. I’m hoping he’s well enough for that.
But on the way home, I had to stop and get cat litter. And I knew that I had finished my salad the night before. Rather than go out to eat, I decided to run by the Fresh Market so I could pick up some more of that grapefruit candy, to which I am now addicted (because yeah, what I really need is more candy in my diet). While I was there I did get some more salad, but couldn’t resist the clarion call of their fantastic pimento cheese; and crostini to go with it, and little tomatoes, and a partridge in a pear tree... I did get out with only spending $16 tonight. That’s a lot better than the $85 I spent last time.
I also ran by Publix on the way home to get some snausages since I am out. They were on sale. I should have gotten more, but the yuppies in line in front of me had already tied up the line for about 15 minutes and I was ready to be home.
So I got home and had a very indulgent supper of grape tomatoes with pimento cheese on crostini – one of my favorite meals ever. To top it all off, I had a couple of delicious almond pillow cookies from Fresh Market (another verging addiction). They are very familiar to a date-filled cookie one of my dad’s aunts used to make. I wish he wasn’t diabetic now. I’d have them make him a batch of date-filling cookies.
I tried to get in touch with Billy tonight, but couldn’t. I know he was back at the doctor today because he was having problems with one of his legs related to the torn muscle. I was vaguely concerned that things might have gotten worse, but didn’t want to call again in case he was resting. I’m really ready for him to get better so we can meet. We have a date on Sunday too. I’m hoping he’s well enough for that.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
A post in which I go to lunch again - twice in the same week!
I had to pay for myself today, and the food wasn't nearly as tony, but it was still tasty.
It was a very interesting day. I got a call from DirecTV first thing this morning. The woman who called me back apologized profusely, but couldn’t really do much. Their system is just flawed. She assured me that my comments would be passed on, etc. She did put me down to automatically disconnect from the premium channels at the end of the trial period – they apparently don’t tell you that you have to do that, and then just start charging you for them. Yet another little scam, but at least I'm opted out of this one.
I had lunch out today with my old friend Kimberly. We have known each other for so many years now, but have kind of grown apart. Long story. Anyway, we caught up on each other’s lives and families. I told her the saga of Christmas and she dutifully admired Gracine. It was very good to see her.
I chatted with Billy some more today. We started off chatting online, and then I called him this evening to talk for a while. He sounds like a real sweetheart. I am encouraged and hopeful. We made plans for lunch on Sunday. He works in the service industry, so he has Sundays and Mondays off. He doesn’t have a kidney stone. They told him today that he has actually torn a muscle in his back – ouch. Needless to say he wasn’t at his best tonight, but he still sounded pretty good. I hope he’s well in time for Sunday. It feels good just to have some hope for my personal life on the radar though.
It was a very interesting day. I got a call from DirecTV first thing this morning. The woman who called me back apologized profusely, but couldn’t really do much. Their system is just flawed. She assured me that my comments would be passed on, etc. She did put me down to automatically disconnect from the premium channels at the end of the trial period – they apparently don’t tell you that you have to do that, and then just start charging you for them. Yet another little scam, but at least I'm opted out of this one.
I had lunch out today with my old friend Kimberly. We have known each other for so many years now, but have kind of grown apart. Long story. Anyway, we caught up on each other’s lives and families. I told her the saga of Christmas and she dutifully admired Gracine. It was very good to see her.
I chatted with Billy some more today. We started off chatting online, and then I called him this evening to talk for a while. He sounds like a real sweetheart. I am encouraged and hopeful. We made plans for lunch on Sunday. He works in the service industry, so he has Sundays and Mondays off. He doesn’t have a kidney stone. They told him today that he has actually torn a muscle in his back – ouch. Needless to say he wasn’t at his best tonight, but he still sounded pretty good. I hope he’s well in time for Sunday. It feels good just to have some hope for my personal life on the radar though.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
A post in which I go out to lunch
I spent some time this morning doing a three-page letter to DirecTV. No, I don't think it will do any good, but it made me feel better. So I raged against the machine for a while. For good measure, I went to their website, found and email address, and emailed it to them as well. I was limited to 2,000 characters per email, so it took 7 parts to get it all through. If nothing else, maybe it will clog up their inbox.
I have a busy week of days planned this week. Today my rep from Atlanta came in to town and took me to lunch. His name is Steve, and he tries really hard, but he's just not terribly charismatic. He talks too much, and when you can talk, he's hard of hearing, so you kind of have to yell at him. We went to Stax Peppermill today, one of my favorite restaurants, but a fairly quiet place. I felt a bit self-conscious yelling at him in the reserved atmosphere. He's also on a heart diet, which is fine, but he can't ever seem to find anything on the menu that he wants, so his ordering food is always very complicated. Today there was a 20-minute debate about the salad with the waiter. He didn't want a fancy salad, he wanted a lettuce wedge with tomatoes and bacon only, but wanted a small wedge. Of course since they can't custom order the size of the lettuce heads, a wedge is pretty much a wedge. So he had them cut the wedge in half so he could send half of it home with me, only it had bacon all over it. Now I am the first one to applaud someone for not wanting to waste food, but he just went on an on, and asked me didn't I want to take it home and wash it off? Yeesh. Then he ordered a chicken sandwich. He had to customize the ingredients, of course, and then when they brought it out it was too big. He then started pressing the other half of his sandwich off on me. I explained for the umpteenth time that I don't eat meat. Then he wanted me to take half sandwich back to the office to give it away to someone there. He was so insistent about it that I finally agreed to do it. One of the guys actually ate the damn thing, thank God, but what a rigmarole! After scaring me pretty badly on the way back (he's a pretty bad driver, and for me to say that is saying something), I was glad just to be back in the office, leftovers in hand or no.
My lunch was good though. I had Seafood Newberg, one of my faves, and something I don't eat that often. The sauce was a bit thin, but very tasty. It came with a creamy orzo pasta they do that is lovely, although it was a bit salty today. I also had broccoli and hollandaise - I can eat old shoes if they have hollandaise on them. I got a fancy salad too. They do great salads there. This one came with Gorgonzola, mandarin oranges, and craisins with mixed greens and nuts in a vinaigrette. It was a bit sweet (it could have used some more Gorgonzola) and all the fruit kind of ended up at the bottom, but it was still very good.
It was a quiet day at the office today, and I was leaving early to go to the dentist anyway.
I love my dental hygienist - she is an absolute sweetheart. She always talks to me when I come in, but today she got around to asking me about my old dentist. Now when I first started coming to my new dentist, a couple of years ago, they asked me why I was changing. I explained, and really kind of got the feeling they were both being studiously silent. I know that professionals, doctors in particular, don't usually discuss their colleagues with patients.
Today I got the rest of the story, or at least some dirt. My hygienist nonchalantly brought it up today. "Why did you leave Dr (X)?" she asked. "Seeing him on your chart made me wonder again." I told her the same thing I had said before. He had never made me feel welcome (I also thought he was ordering expensive work that I didn't need because he was preparing to retire). "Basically," I said. "I just think he didn't like me. I think I made him uncomfortable." She replied "Well screw him!" (She knows I'm gay, because a gay friend of mine referred me to them.) She seemed genuinely angry on my behalf. She then gave me the dirt about him. Apparently he imported a young trophy wife, joined a band, and got a swelled head. She went on to share the opinion that said trophy wife was only interested in his money, and told me that he has recently gone through a difficult divorce. Then she gave me a free fluoride treatment and sent me on home. She's a sweetheart. I've told her before that if I ever hit the lottery I'm going to hire her to come live with me and clean my teeth every day. Then we can have coffee and she can fuss at me about how much sugar I use in it. She told me she doesn't think that sugar in my coffee will hurt me, because I keep my mouth "spotless".
After that I went on home and put some laundry in. I made a green salad for dinner and had some hash brown casserole. I ate the last of my lovely Fresh Market grapefruit candy and a peanut Goo Goo Cluster for dessert.
I just hung out, chatting online, and getting the hang of the new cable. I watched most of Sunshine Cleaning, which I had been wanting to see, because I have free fancy channels as part of the introductory offer. It was pretty good, if self-consciously "indie". Also, why are all the grandparents in these indie films wild, crazy eccentrics? In my experience most grandparents aren't. I'm just sayin.
Then I got an email from a guy on Manhunt. When I read his profile, it sounded a lot like the one I wrote when I first started dating again - back before my list of criteria got edited down to "breathing, not a child, not a senior citizen, not annoying, reasonably attractive". He's smart, and sexy, and he's a vegetarian too. We had a good time chatting online for a while, but he's home with back problems. His name is Billy. After hearing his symptoms though, I think he probably has a kidney stone. Eventually, he had to get offline so he could go to the ER. That made me think he had been pretty dedicated to the conversation. I'd like to meet him. He loves Thai food as well. He lives in Walhalla, but he's thinking about moving in to Greenville. We'll see where this goes when he's feeling better.
I have a busy week of days planned this week. Today my rep from Atlanta came in to town and took me to lunch. His name is Steve, and he tries really hard, but he's just not terribly charismatic. He talks too much, and when you can talk, he's hard of hearing, so you kind of have to yell at him. We went to Stax Peppermill today, one of my favorite restaurants, but a fairly quiet place. I felt a bit self-conscious yelling at him in the reserved atmosphere. He's also on a heart diet, which is fine, but he can't ever seem to find anything on the menu that he wants, so his ordering food is always very complicated. Today there was a 20-minute debate about the salad with the waiter. He didn't want a fancy salad, he wanted a lettuce wedge with tomatoes and bacon only, but wanted a small wedge. Of course since they can't custom order the size of the lettuce heads, a wedge is pretty much a wedge. So he had them cut the wedge in half so he could send half of it home with me, only it had bacon all over it. Now I am the first one to applaud someone for not wanting to waste food, but he just went on an on, and asked me didn't I want to take it home and wash it off? Yeesh. Then he ordered a chicken sandwich. He had to customize the ingredients, of course, and then when they brought it out it was too big. He then started pressing the other half of his sandwich off on me. I explained for the umpteenth time that I don't eat meat. Then he wanted me to take half sandwich back to the office to give it away to someone there. He was so insistent about it that I finally agreed to do it. One of the guys actually ate the damn thing, thank God, but what a rigmarole! After scaring me pretty badly on the way back (he's a pretty bad driver, and for me to say that is saying something), I was glad just to be back in the office, leftovers in hand or no.
My lunch was good though. I had Seafood Newberg, one of my faves, and something I don't eat that often. The sauce was a bit thin, but very tasty. It came with a creamy orzo pasta they do that is lovely, although it was a bit salty today. I also had broccoli and hollandaise - I can eat old shoes if they have hollandaise on them. I got a fancy salad too. They do great salads there. This one came with Gorgonzola, mandarin oranges, and craisins with mixed greens and nuts in a vinaigrette. It was a bit sweet (it could have used some more Gorgonzola) and all the fruit kind of ended up at the bottom, but it was still very good.
It was a quiet day at the office today, and I was leaving early to go to the dentist anyway.
I love my dental hygienist - she is an absolute sweetheart. She always talks to me when I come in, but today she got around to asking me about my old dentist. Now when I first started coming to my new dentist, a couple of years ago, they asked me why I was changing. I explained, and really kind of got the feeling they were both being studiously silent. I know that professionals, doctors in particular, don't usually discuss their colleagues with patients.
Today I got the rest of the story, or at least some dirt. My hygienist nonchalantly brought it up today. "Why did you leave Dr (X)?" she asked. "Seeing him on your chart made me wonder again." I told her the same thing I had said before. He had never made me feel welcome (I also thought he was ordering expensive work that I didn't need because he was preparing to retire). "Basically," I said. "I just think he didn't like me. I think I made him uncomfortable." She replied "Well screw him!" (She knows I'm gay, because a gay friend of mine referred me to them.) She seemed genuinely angry on my behalf. She then gave me the dirt about him. Apparently he imported a young trophy wife, joined a band, and got a swelled head. She went on to share the opinion that said trophy wife was only interested in his money, and told me that he has recently gone through a difficult divorce. Then she gave me a free fluoride treatment and sent me on home. She's a sweetheart. I've told her before that if I ever hit the lottery I'm going to hire her to come live with me and clean my teeth every day. Then we can have coffee and she can fuss at me about how much sugar I use in it. She told me she doesn't think that sugar in my coffee will hurt me, because I keep my mouth "spotless".
After that I went on home and put some laundry in. I made a green salad for dinner and had some hash brown casserole. I ate the last of my lovely Fresh Market grapefruit candy and a peanut Goo Goo Cluster for dessert.
I just hung out, chatting online, and getting the hang of the new cable. I watched most of Sunshine Cleaning, which I had been wanting to see, because I have free fancy channels as part of the introductory offer. It was pretty good, if self-consciously "indie". Also, why are all the grandparents in these indie films wild, crazy eccentrics? In my experience most grandparents aren't. I'm just sayin.
Then I got an email from a guy on Manhunt. When I read his profile, it sounded a lot like the one I wrote when I first started dating again - back before my list of criteria got edited down to "breathing, not a child, not a senior citizen, not annoying, reasonably attractive". He's smart, and sexy, and he's a vegetarian too. We had a good time chatting online for a while, but he's home with back problems. His name is Billy. After hearing his symptoms though, I think he probably has a kidney stone. Eventually, he had to get offline so he could go to the ER. That made me think he had been pretty dedicated to the conversation. I'd like to meet him. He loves Thai food as well. He lives in Walhalla, but he's thinking about moving in to Greenville. We'll see where this goes when he's feeling better.
Monday, January 18, 2010
A post in which I hate, Hate, HATE ALL CABLE COMPANIES!!
It worked out well that my boss was out of the office this week. I have a bunch of stuff I need to do that will eat into office time. It's not that I couldn't do it with him here, it's just better that he isn't. It is no problem for me to keep the job going seamlessly, but it's just annoying to have to keep telling him and clearing stuff with him.
The first of these little excursions was to get Charter the fuck out of my house again. I had contracted all the stuff with DirecTV to get them back in, and the install was today. The installer called me on the way to work to ask about coming first thing, which suited me fine.
The install took about 30-45 minutes. I was floored. When Charter came in the last time they were here for over four hours. He finished up and left, and I headed by the Charter offices to return their cable boxes. Whether or not you are using them, they don't stop the bill until you bring the boxes and all associated parts back to them. I turned them in, and asked about the status of my account, thinking there would be a refund due. I was told that I owed $12. That was impossible because my account is current, and they took a first/last month's payment from me when I set up the account. When I mentioned this, I was sent immediately to the supervisor's desk. She just told me again that I owed $12. I explained why this was not possible. She then told me that their records only went back 6 months (also impossible) and that she had no record of the initial larger payment. After making this lie, she just sat and looked at me. She blinked slowly and deliberately, clearly prepared to say the same thing over and over until I left. I tried to explain to her that this is why everyone hates them. She just told me the same thing again. Finally, I just said "You know, I guess it's really worth $12 to get Charter out of my life. I'm done." I left.
When I went back to the office, I logged in to try to claim my "rebate" with DirecTV. They have been aggressively advertising a $39.95 monthly rate to me for months. It turns out, unsurprisingly, that to get that rate you have to open an online account, give them all your personal information, agree to be email-marketed, etc to get the rate. I sighed, and started setting up the profile - the umpteenth that I have set up in the last several years. Then there was a problem. I haven't changed my phone number since the account was disconnected before. They had a closed account under my old phone number. I couldn't open a new account because of that, and the system wouldn't send me the password for the old account because the email address on that account was Michael's.
I called the person who sold me the system to try to get this resolved. She had given me an extension, and told me to call her if there was any problem, but the number she gave me didn't allow me to enter an extension. I reached an oxy-moronically (and I do mean moronically) titled 'customer service' representative who refused to connect me with the extension I requested, but couldn't help me herself. This started an hour+ of increasing frustration. No one that I talked to had the ability (or the slightest inclination) to help me. Every employee I spoke with just wanted to fob me off on someone else, who claimed to be unable to help me as well. I was referred to an automatic phone system that told me my account was closed (because of the old account) and disconnected the call. When I tried to reach the last prior person with whom I had been speaking, he refused to take the call. There is no supervisor at DirecTV. They will not tell you their last names. I was told that the facility supervisors had neither phones nor email addresses. There is apparently no one who can actually do anything except give you another useless toll-free number to start all over again. The only way to complain is to write a letter(!!) which goes to a PO Box, which I'm sure empties directly into a trash can. You may of course have no name with which to address correspondence.
I eventually figured out a way around the system on my own, without speaking with a single employee who could (or would) help me in any way. (I did finally talk to one guy who agreed, after 20 minutes, to change the phone number on my account.) By the end of all this, needless to say, I was livid.
I hate all cable companies. They seem to feel that they can just do anything to you, and you'll put up with it to keep your television working. I should have just had them disconnect the service. But the boxes are already in, and it's all working. I eventually figured out a way to get my 'rebate'. So I'm leaving it in. But I still hate them. They are a prime example of what is wrong with American businesses. There is absolutely no accountability. There is no way to complain. There is no way to even tell someone (if you could find someone to complain to) who treated you so crappily. I have no doubt after speaking with the employees I spoke with today that if Valerie Plame had been a DirecTV employee, her identity would never have been known. So there is no incentive for their employees to do anything. All they're interested in doing is getting you off their phone. Maddening~!
***
Billy had surgery last Thursday. Friday he was discharged. I was super-busy this weekend, but thought it was just as well since he probably wouldn't feel like having people in. Of course I had heard from Russ after the surgery that it was a success, but I decided that I really needed to go and see how he was doing.
Accordingly, I got in touch and he's apparently doing fine, and pain free for the first time in a long time. I was really glad for him. He's also up and about. We decided to go out to dinner. I offered to bring something in, but he had been cooped up in the house long enough and wanted to go out. I was glad he was feeling that good.
I dashed through the house after work, changed, fed the cats, stopped for flowers, and got to their place in time to watch Auntie Mame (the Rosalind Russell version) for a while before Russ got home. Before I sat down though, I mixed myself a large cocktail. It had been that kind of day.
We went to Portofino's. I seem to have an insatiable appetite for their tortellacci.
So we ate and caught up. They told me about the car accident they had been involved in shortly after Billy's surgery - someone backed in to them at a gas station. Thank God Billy wasn't hurt.
After the meal we went back to the house for a visit and talk, but it was a school night so I didn't stay terribly late. It was very good to see them. I love those guys.
The first of these little excursions was to get Charter the fuck out of my house again. I had contracted all the stuff with DirecTV to get them back in, and the install was today. The installer called me on the way to work to ask about coming first thing, which suited me fine.
The install took about 30-45 minutes. I was floored. When Charter came in the last time they were here for over four hours. He finished up and left, and I headed by the Charter offices to return their cable boxes. Whether or not you are using them, they don't stop the bill until you bring the boxes and all associated parts back to them. I turned them in, and asked about the status of my account, thinking there would be a refund due. I was told that I owed $12. That was impossible because my account is current, and they took a first/last month's payment from me when I set up the account. When I mentioned this, I was sent immediately to the supervisor's desk. She just told me again that I owed $12. I explained why this was not possible. She then told me that their records only went back 6 months (also impossible) and that she had no record of the initial larger payment. After making this lie, she just sat and looked at me. She blinked slowly and deliberately, clearly prepared to say the same thing over and over until I left. I tried to explain to her that this is why everyone hates them. She just told me the same thing again. Finally, I just said "You know, I guess it's really worth $12 to get Charter out of my life. I'm done." I left.
When I went back to the office, I logged in to try to claim my "rebate" with DirecTV. They have been aggressively advertising a $39.95 monthly rate to me for months. It turns out, unsurprisingly, that to get that rate you have to open an online account, give them all your personal information, agree to be email-marketed, etc to get the rate. I sighed, and started setting up the profile - the umpteenth that I have set up in the last several years. Then there was a problem. I haven't changed my phone number since the account was disconnected before. They had a closed account under my old phone number. I couldn't open a new account because of that, and the system wouldn't send me the password for the old account because the email address on that account was Michael's.
I called the person who sold me the system to try to get this resolved. She had given me an extension, and told me to call her if there was any problem, but the number she gave me didn't allow me to enter an extension. I reached an oxy-moronically (and I do mean moronically) titled 'customer service' representative who refused to connect me with the extension I requested, but couldn't help me herself. This started an hour+ of increasing frustration. No one that I talked to had the ability (or the slightest inclination) to help me. Every employee I spoke with just wanted to fob me off on someone else, who claimed to be unable to help me as well. I was referred to an automatic phone system that told me my account was closed (because of the old account) and disconnected the call. When I tried to reach the last prior person with whom I had been speaking, he refused to take the call. There is no supervisor at DirecTV. They will not tell you their last names. I was told that the facility supervisors had neither phones nor email addresses. There is apparently no one who can actually do anything except give you another useless toll-free number to start all over again. The only way to complain is to write a letter(!!) which goes to a PO Box, which I'm sure empties directly into a trash can. You may of course have no name with which to address correspondence.
I eventually figured out a way around the system on my own, without speaking with a single employee who could (or would) help me in any way. (I did finally talk to one guy who agreed, after 20 minutes, to change the phone number on my account.) By the end of all this, needless to say, I was livid.
I hate all cable companies. They seem to feel that they can just do anything to you, and you'll put up with it to keep your television working. I should have just had them disconnect the service. But the boxes are already in, and it's all working. I eventually figured out a way to get my 'rebate'. So I'm leaving it in. But I still hate them. They are a prime example of what is wrong with American businesses. There is absolutely no accountability. There is no way to complain. There is no way to even tell someone (if you could find someone to complain to) who treated you so crappily. I have no doubt after speaking with the employees I spoke with today that if Valerie Plame had been a DirecTV employee, her identity would never have been known. So there is no incentive for their employees to do anything. All they're interested in doing is getting you off their phone. Maddening~!
***
Billy had surgery last Thursday. Friday he was discharged. I was super-busy this weekend, but thought it was just as well since he probably wouldn't feel like having people in. Of course I had heard from Russ after the surgery that it was a success, but I decided that I really needed to go and see how he was doing.
Accordingly, I got in touch and he's apparently doing fine, and pain free for the first time in a long time. I was really glad for him. He's also up and about. We decided to go out to dinner. I offered to bring something in, but he had been cooped up in the house long enough and wanted to go out. I was glad he was feeling that good.
I dashed through the house after work, changed, fed the cats, stopped for flowers, and got to their place in time to watch Auntie Mame (the Rosalind Russell version) for a while before Russ got home. Before I sat down though, I mixed myself a large cocktail. It had been that kind of day.
We went to Portofino's. I seem to have an insatiable appetite for their tortellacci.
So we ate and caught up. They told me about the car accident they had been involved in shortly after Billy's surgery - someone backed in to them at a gas station. Thank God Billy wasn't hurt.
After the meal we went back to the house for a visit and talk, but it was a school night so I didn't stay terribly late. It was very good to see them. I love those guys.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
A post in which my brunch is a smashing success!
Well my alarm clock went off this morning :) That made me happy. Not that I needed an alarm this morning. I was up early to get ready.
There were a thousand things that I would have done if I'd had the time. I could easily have worked all day yesterday. But they weren't things I had to do. To make up for being late yesterday, Justin & Co showed up early today, catching me in mid-prep. Fortunately I had prioritized well this morning, and my hash brown casseroles were ready and all the crucial things were done. After about 20 minutes of panic, I just relaxed and put folks to work. Soon the happy bustle of friends filled the room. I would have loved to have had everything perfect when they walked in, but it all got done, and we had fun doing it together. So it all worked out. Which is what I need to remind myself when I get crazy(er).
After I had made the first round of coffee, Jeff put the second round in so I could sit down for a minute or two and visit. After a pause and a cigarette, I started cooking. It's hard to screw up pancakes of course, but my hash browns were a big success also. I served lingonberries and powdered sugar with the pancakes, and they all liked them too. So we ate, drank, and then smoked and talked some more. The conversation was lively, and everyone seemed to have a good time - I hope they had as good a time as I did.
This was the farewell voyage for my Blue Willow dishes, which I have decided to pass on to Lisa to make room for BB's Wedgwood I'm going to collect. I didn't know if anyone would want them or not, but both Amanda and Justin now said they would like a set. James couldn't believe I was getting rid of them. They are pretty, but I really only need one set of China. I'm glad the set got such a capital send-off. It was a happy, delicious meal, eaten with much bonhomie. You can't ask for more than that.
After a while, Justin, Amanda, and Drew had to leave, but Jeff and James stayed on - I was really happy about that. I love them both, and don't get to see as much of them as I would like. We talked and visited, and eventually I put a movie in. It was my weekend for B cinema. We watched Sextette, Mae West's last movie, today. It's pretty much a train wreck, but they seemed to enjoy it.
After the movie, we decided to go shopping. I needed to make that run to TJ Maxx, and JnJ wanted to take a ride in the new car. So off we went. They didn't have what I wanted at TJ Maxx, but I did start looking at sheets.
I have a marked penchant for bed linens, as all my friends know. I had been very good last week and taken five sets of sheets to Goodwill. I usually buy irregulars that are on sale, and are apparently potato-shaped or something - they rarely fit the bed properly. Or they pill. Or there is some other problem with them. I had been thinking that I would treat myself to a nice set of first-quality sheets that are actually bed-shaped. I also had Granny's Christmas money... I asked JnJ if they would mind riding over to the mall with me while we were out. Belk's was always Grandma Shumate's store. She just thought if it came from Belk's it had to be good stuff. Accordingly, I marched in to Belk's determined to buy a set of the best sheets they had, cost be damned.
But I got distracted in the shoe department (act surprised). They had Asics on sale for $39.99, so I picked a pair of those up. I have my new spring tennies taken care of. They're really pretty too.
I wanted ice blue, sateen, 100% cotton, at least 250 thread count sheets. After looking around for a bit I found a nice set in icy blue-ish that met all the criteria and were 400tc. They were $110 sheets, on sale for $60. I was like, "OK, these are they." When I got to the register though, they rang up at $40 - there was an additional sale this weekend. So that was a TJ Maxx price on some of Belk's best first quality. When JnJ saw that they decided to buy a set also. When we went back over to look, I found a color I hadn't seen before - a rich, golden, candlelight yellow. I ended up getting them too.
By the time we got home, it was around 6pm. JnJ were ready to go home, and I couldn't blame them. It had been a lovely day, but despite the fact I hated to see the end of it, it was time.
They left. I finished cleaning up the kitchen (James had very kindly helped me do most of the work earlier), washed my new set of icy blue-ish sheets, put them on the bed, and got in it.
There were a thousand things that I would have done if I'd had the time. I could easily have worked all day yesterday. But they weren't things I had to do. To make up for being late yesterday, Justin & Co showed up early today, catching me in mid-prep. Fortunately I had prioritized well this morning, and my hash brown casseroles were ready and all the crucial things were done. After about 20 minutes of panic, I just relaxed and put folks to work. Soon the happy bustle of friends filled the room. I would have loved to have had everything perfect when they walked in, but it all got done, and we had fun doing it together. So it all worked out. Which is what I need to remind myself when I get crazy(er).
After I had made the first round of coffee, Jeff put the second round in so I could sit down for a minute or two and visit. After a pause and a cigarette, I started cooking. It's hard to screw up pancakes of course, but my hash browns were a big success also. I served lingonberries and powdered sugar with the pancakes, and they all liked them too. So we ate, drank, and then smoked and talked some more. The conversation was lively, and everyone seemed to have a good time - I hope they had as good a time as I did.
This was the farewell voyage for my Blue Willow dishes, which I have decided to pass on to Lisa to make room for BB's Wedgwood I'm going to collect. I didn't know if anyone would want them or not, but both Amanda and Justin now said they would like a set. James couldn't believe I was getting rid of them. They are pretty, but I really only need one set of China. I'm glad the set got such a capital send-off. It was a happy, delicious meal, eaten with much bonhomie. You can't ask for more than that.
After a while, Justin, Amanda, and Drew had to leave, but Jeff and James stayed on - I was really happy about that. I love them both, and don't get to see as much of them as I would like. We talked and visited, and eventually I put a movie in. It was my weekend for B cinema. We watched Sextette, Mae West's last movie, today. It's pretty much a train wreck, but they seemed to enjoy it.
After the movie, we decided to go shopping. I needed to make that run to TJ Maxx, and JnJ wanted to take a ride in the new car. So off we went. They didn't have what I wanted at TJ Maxx, but I did start looking at sheets.
I have a marked penchant for bed linens, as all my friends know. I had been very good last week and taken five sets of sheets to Goodwill. I usually buy irregulars that are on sale, and are apparently potato-shaped or something - they rarely fit the bed properly. Or they pill. Or there is some other problem with them. I had been thinking that I would treat myself to a nice set of first-quality sheets that are actually bed-shaped. I also had Granny's Christmas money... I asked JnJ if they would mind riding over to the mall with me while we were out. Belk's was always Grandma Shumate's store. She just thought if it came from Belk's it had to be good stuff. Accordingly, I marched in to Belk's determined to buy a set of the best sheets they had, cost be damned.
But I got distracted in the shoe department (act surprised). They had Asics on sale for $39.99, so I picked a pair of those up. I have my new spring tennies taken care of. They're really pretty too.
I wanted ice blue, sateen, 100% cotton, at least 250 thread count sheets. After looking around for a bit I found a nice set in icy blue-ish that met all the criteria and were 400tc. They were $110 sheets, on sale for $60. I was like, "OK, these are they." When I got to the register though, they rang up at $40 - there was an additional sale this weekend. So that was a TJ Maxx price on some of Belk's best first quality. When JnJ saw that they decided to buy a set also. When we went back over to look, I found a color I hadn't seen before - a rich, golden, candlelight yellow. I ended up getting them too.
By the time we got home, it was around 6pm. JnJ were ready to go home, and I couldn't blame them. It had been a lovely day, but despite the fact I hated to see the end of it, it was time.
They left. I finished cleaning up the kitchen (James had very kindly helped me do most of the work earlier), washed my new set of icy blue-ish sheets, put them on the bed, and got in it.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
A post in which I am naughty, and go antiquing
I really should have stayed at home today and worked in the house, but life is just too short. This is the mindset that allows the place to get so filthy. Having been out Friday night, and planning to entertain on Sunday, I already had this weekend fairly booked, but just couldn't resist. I love going off with Justin, and Amanda was coming with us. I don't think I've even seen her since November, and I just adore her.
They were late, so I went on to the grocery store to buy the food for tomorrow. I didn't think I would feel like doing it after they left, which proved to be the case.
Justin was bringing a 'plus 1' for brunch tomorrow, and did today as well. It wasn't the guy I was expecting though. It was his friend Drew. Apparently it has been too long since I enjoyed the company of a man. I was majorly sexed up by Drew all day. Every time he walked in front of me it was just all I could do not to bite his neck or something. He of course is lusting for Justin, and was completely oblivious to my constant flirting. Since I am a gay man, this of course merely increased my ardor. To no avail.
But I digress. One of the reasons for the trip was that Justin wanted to go back in the thrift store in Pickens where we found such cool stuff last week. Accordingly, we decided to start there and work our way back. As I suspected though, we had pretty much picked that place clean. We had again marked the place we always end up missing on the way out there though, and we actually stopped in there today. When we first walked in, it looked like a Babies R Us had thrown up in there - the vast majority of the merchandise consisted of primary-colored toys and books, along with more car seats than I have ever seen in one place. We plowed in anyway. Drew found a vintage video game system and got that. There was a small area of electronics in the back room. In stock was a CD playing alarm clock. I have long wanted one, but they are pretty expensive. The last I looked at them, $150-200, which was why I didn't have one already. I figured it couldn't possibly work, and passed it by. But Drew asked the store owner if he could plug in his video game before he bought it, and I decided to check it out. I went to the car and got a CD, then carried it to the register. It played. So I paid $24 for it. Checking online later, I note that they are now significantly cheaper than the last time I priced them, but that didn't decrease my victory in the least at the time.
We also went out to a remote store called The Lamb. We had been by there last time, but they hadn't been open. They had an excellent selection of really nice things, but they had some fairly ambitious prices on the stuff. We gave it a look-see, and I ended up talking to the owners a bit. They had a couple of pieces of Bubble glass I wanted, including an elusive flat soup. They cut me a deal and I got them. I don't really like places that mark things too high and then make you dicker with them, but they were nice folks.
By this time it was about 4pm, and we were all starving. We ended up going for Mexican at Los Amigos. Their food is consistently good, and we enjoyed it. Drew actually started talking to us (he had been on his phone on the internet for most of the day) and showed heretofore unexpected depths and some surprising political opinions. I enjoyed talking to him, but of course the fact that he is smart just made me all the hotter, which was of course futile.
On the way in from Easley, I suggested that we stop at Big Lots on an impulse. I think that was the most fun stop of the day. Amanda is moving in to her own place and took the opportunity to peruse the 'failed food ideas' section that is always my favorite part of the Big Lots trip. We both got into it and ended up going back to get carts. For some reason I also bought yet more fabric softener. I have four bottles now; but it was a good price, OK? $50 later I emerged triumphant with a bunch of strange groceries, including some Mrs Sullivan's pecan pies. I just loved the slogan on the box: "I luv Pie" LOL
We went back to my place to relax for a bit. I had told Mom that I would go to TJ Maxx this weekend, but by this time it was raining, and we were tired, and no one felt like going back out. That was fine. We had an excellent visit. It turns out that Drew and I are both passionate about bad movies, and we compared notes on the movie Showgirls, which we both love. I ended up digging out Vegas in Space, and we all just hung out, watched that, and ate Big Lots junk food. It was a capital evening.
This is exactly the kind of thing I want to do more of. It's so hard for me to be impulsive. It is a big goal for me to let go of having to have the house perfect and just have people in because I enjoy it. I would never have thought to have a Big Lots trip and junk food movie night, but it was one of the most fun evenings at my place in many a day. I want to do it again!
When they left, I was preparing for bed when I realized it was only about 8:30. That was good. I gave the house a quick straighten up and washed all the dishes. I spent about a half hour messing around with my new alarm clock and figured out how to set it. We'll see if it works - I've got folks to cook for in the morning!
They were late, so I went on to the grocery store to buy the food for tomorrow. I didn't think I would feel like doing it after they left, which proved to be the case.
Justin was bringing a 'plus 1' for brunch tomorrow, and did today as well. It wasn't the guy I was expecting though. It was his friend Drew. Apparently it has been too long since I enjoyed the company of a man. I was majorly sexed up by Drew all day. Every time he walked in front of me it was just all I could do not to bite his neck or something. He of course is lusting for Justin, and was completely oblivious to my constant flirting. Since I am a gay man, this of course merely increased my ardor. To no avail.
But I digress. One of the reasons for the trip was that Justin wanted to go back in the thrift store in Pickens where we found such cool stuff last week. Accordingly, we decided to start there and work our way back. As I suspected though, we had pretty much picked that place clean. We had again marked the place we always end up missing on the way out there though, and we actually stopped in there today. When we first walked in, it looked like a Babies R Us had thrown up in there - the vast majority of the merchandise consisted of primary-colored toys and books, along with more car seats than I have ever seen in one place. We plowed in anyway. Drew found a vintage video game system and got that. There was a small area of electronics in the back room. In stock was a CD playing alarm clock. I have long wanted one, but they are pretty expensive. The last I looked at them, $150-200, which was why I didn't have one already. I figured it couldn't possibly work, and passed it by. But Drew asked the store owner if he could plug in his video game before he bought it, and I decided to check it out. I went to the car and got a CD, then carried it to the register. It played. So I paid $24 for it. Checking online later, I note that they are now significantly cheaper than the last time I priced them, but that didn't decrease my victory in the least at the time.
We also went out to a remote store called The Lamb. We had been by there last time, but they hadn't been open. They had an excellent selection of really nice things, but they had some fairly ambitious prices on the stuff. We gave it a look-see, and I ended up talking to the owners a bit. They had a couple of pieces of Bubble glass I wanted, including an elusive flat soup. They cut me a deal and I got them. I don't really like places that mark things too high and then make you dicker with them, but they were nice folks.
By this time it was about 4pm, and we were all starving. We ended up going for Mexican at Los Amigos. Their food is consistently good, and we enjoyed it. Drew actually started talking to us (he had been on his phone on the internet for most of the day) and showed heretofore unexpected depths and some surprising political opinions. I enjoyed talking to him, but of course the fact that he is smart just made me all the hotter, which was of course futile.
On the way in from Easley, I suggested that we stop at Big Lots on an impulse. I think that was the most fun stop of the day. Amanda is moving in to her own place and took the opportunity to peruse the 'failed food ideas' section that is always my favorite part of the Big Lots trip. We both got into it and ended up going back to get carts. For some reason I also bought yet more fabric softener. I have four bottles now; but it was a good price, OK? $50 later I emerged triumphant with a bunch of strange groceries, including some Mrs Sullivan's pecan pies. I just loved the slogan on the box: "I luv Pie" LOL
We went back to my place to relax for a bit. I had told Mom that I would go to TJ Maxx this weekend, but by this time it was raining, and we were tired, and no one felt like going back out. That was fine. We had an excellent visit. It turns out that Drew and I are both passionate about bad movies, and we compared notes on the movie Showgirls, which we both love. I ended up digging out Vegas in Space, and we all just hung out, watched that, and ate Big Lots junk food. It was a capital evening.
This is exactly the kind of thing I want to do more of. It's so hard for me to be impulsive. It is a big goal for me to let go of having to have the house perfect and just have people in because I enjoy it. I would never have thought to have a Big Lots trip and junk food movie night, but it was one of the most fun evenings at my place in many a day. I want to do it again!
When they left, I was preparing for bed when I realized it was only about 8:30. That was good. I gave the house a quick straighten up and washed all the dishes. I spent about a half hour messing around with my new alarm clock and figured out how to set it. We'll see if it works - I've got folks to cook for in the morning!
Friday, January 15, 2010
A post in which I visit with Miss Kat and dana
Little Boots was on vacation today, and although he still managed to wreak some havoc via email, for the most part it was a quiet day.
I had an email from Justin. Giving in to temptation, I agreed to go antiquing with him tomorrow instead of staying home cleaning and making curtains in preparation for my brunch on Sunday. I also heard from Jeff and James. Their schedule has opened up, and we'll be seven for brunch now.
In keeping with my New Year's Resolution to entertain more, I invited Miss Kat and dana over tonight, but dana called me later in the day to say they didn't feel like going anywhere tonight. She invited me over there, though, so I went.
Greg was in from Atlanta, and we had a good visit. I caught them up on what's been going on. It was a very pleasant evening.
I had an email from Justin. Giving in to temptation, I agreed to go antiquing with him tomorrow instead of staying home cleaning and making curtains in preparation for my brunch on Sunday. I also heard from Jeff and James. Their schedule has opened up, and we'll be seven for brunch now.
In keeping with my New Year's Resolution to entertain more, I invited Miss Kat and dana over tonight, but dana called me later in the day to say they didn't feel like going anywhere tonight. She invited me over there, though, so I went.
Greg was in from Atlanta, and we had a good visit. I caught them up on what's been going on. It was a very pleasant evening.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
A post in which I am apparently very old
I got the heat bill tonight, and am trying to figure out if I'm saving money or not. It's hard to tell, because it's been so butt-ass cold for WEEKS.
Bill Jan 09 - $109.69
Bill Jan 10 - $150.21
37% increase
Therms (gas usage) Jan 09 - 69
Therms Jan 10 - 107
55% increase
Avg temp Jan 09 - 49F
Avg temp Jan 10 - 38F
22% drop
Also, only two weeks of the bill reflect the new windows, which were installed 12-21. Billing period ended 1-5. So I guess I'm just going to have to look at next month's bill and hope the temp goes back more into the normal range. Lord I'm old. Next I guess I'll start a log on how long its been since I had my tires rotated. Sheesh.
Bill Jan 09 - $109.69
Bill Jan 10 - $150.21
37% increase
Therms (gas usage) Jan 09 - 69
Therms Jan 10 - 107
55% increase
Avg temp Jan 09 - 49F
Avg temp Jan 10 - 38F
22% drop
Also, only two weeks of the bill reflect the new windows, which were installed 12-21. Billing period ended 1-5. So I guess I'm just going to have to look at next month's bill and hope the temp goes back more into the normal range. Lord I'm old. Next I guess I'll start a log on how long its been since I had my tires rotated. Sheesh.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
A post in which it is a fairly uneventful Wednesday night
It was a pretty good day today. Little Boots was on the warpath, but I just kept my head down.
One of my New Year’s Resolutions is to entertain more. Its perfect timing since my house hasn’t been this clean in several years. I also have all these new dishes. Additionally, Justin has charged me with having “events” at which to use my glass. Since I also still have James and Jeff’s Christmas presents, I decided to have a brunch this Sunday. I contacted everyone and started to work through everyone’s schedules, only to find that Jeff and James apparently have no free time at all for the next three weeks. Their schedule is literally unpossible.
Reluctantly I just said we’d have to do things another time (while at the same time having a greater appreciation for the Herculean efforts Justin apparently exerts in putting together a casual gathering of the clan). But I’m still having Justin and Amanda to brunch on Sunday. Of course that means I’ll have to actually wrap her last present, but I’m really ready to put the wrapping stuff back in the attic anyway. That leaves me only the problem of feeding Amanda. She’s not as bad as she used to be, but she’s still pretty much a nothingatarian.
I’m enjoying having fancy groceries in the house. I finished up the pimento cheese and crostini tonight.
I also, despite engaging in a bit of self deception, have been waiting with bated breath for the next installment of Last Cake Standing on Food Network; this excitement making me feel even more foolish when I found out it was a re-run. But I haven’t seen it before, and so was tuned in to see the second installment tonight. I wasn’t disappointed. Now I’m trying not to go online and see who won. That would spoil it, but I really don’t want to wait two more weeks to find out. If they were going to re-run it, they could have at least done a marathon, or done them back-to-back nights or something.
One of my New Year’s Resolutions is to entertain more. Its perfect timing since my house hasn’t been this clean in several years. I also have all these new dishes. Additionally, Justin has charged me with having “events” at which to use my glass. Since I also still have James and Jeff’s Christmas presents, I decided to have a brunch this Sunday. I contacted everyone and started to work through everyone’s schedules, only to find that Jeff and James apparently have no free time at all for the next three weeks. Their schedule is literally unpossible.
Reluctantly I just said we’d have to do things another time (while at the same time having a greater appreciation for the Herculean efforts Justin apparently exerts in putting together a casual gathering of the clan). But I’m still having Justin and Amanda to brunch on Sunday. Of course that means I’ll have to actually wrap her last present, but I’m really ready to put the wrapping stuff back in the attic anyway. That leaves me only the problem of feeding Amanda. She’s not as bad as she used to be, but she’s still pretty much a nothingatarian.
I’m enjoying having fancy groceries in the house. I finished up the pimento cheese and crostini tonight.
I also, despite engaging in a bit of self deception, have been waiting with bated breath for the next installment of Last Cake Standing on Food Network; this excitement making me feel even more foolish when I found out it was a re-run. But I haven’t seen it before, and so was tuned in to see the second installment tonight. I wasn’t disappointed. Now I’m trying not to go online and see who won. That would spoil it, but I really don’t want to wait two more weeks to find out. If they were going to re-run it, they could have at least done a marathon, or done them back-to-back nights or something.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
A post in which I return to work
My desk had been in pretty good shape before I left, so coming back today wasn’t so bad. My boss has now decreed that the weekly slides are sent out twice a week; initial slides, then edited ones. That is twice the pain in my ass, but I got it done. Just. One of the guys turned his stuff in to me about 10 minutes before I’m supposed to leave. Grrrrr.
I’ve been taking my Emergen-C pretty religiously, but didn’t take it this afternoon. I could really feel the difference. By the time I realized why I was so tired I was afraid that if I took it, it would keep me awake.
I did have one of my favorite meals tonight. Pimento cheese on little toasts with grape tomatoes – Yummm! I rationalize that if I eat a salad first (which I did) it isn’t quite so heinous for my body.
I had plenty of little chores left to do. I baked my spaghetti and divided it out into lunch portions, cleaned up the kitchen, changed out a load of laundry, made tea, and hung the new shower curtain.
After that I got ready and turned in early. I was really beat.
I’ve been taking my Emergen-C pretty religiously, but didn’t take it this afternoon. I could really feel the difference. By the time I realized why I was so tired I was afraid that if I took it, it would keep me awake.
I did have one of my favorite meals tonight. Pimento cheese on little toasts with grape tomatoes – Yummm! I rationalize that if I eat a salad first (which I did) it isn’t quite so heinous for my body.
I had plenty of little chores left to do. I baked my spaghetti and divided it out into lunch portions, cleaned up the kitchen, changed out a load of laundry, made tea, and hung the new shower curtain.
After that I got ready and turned in early. I was really beat.
Monday, January 11, 2010
A post in which it is my day off
I had the kind of day off today that I usually plan, but seldom actually execute.
I woke up feeling surprisingly well considering the long day and all the partying yesterday. I was up early, and futzed around for a bit before making some breakfast and trying to lie back down. The primary function of the day off was to make sure I recovered and was ready to go back to work tomorrow. I didn’t go back to sleep though, so after about an hour I got back up and started getting ready to face the day.
I got things together to run errands, loaded the car, and hit the road shortly after 11am. I dropped the recycling, and then took a load to Goodwill – it seems I always have a load for Goodwill these days. After that I ran by UPS to drop the mistaken shipment I got from the Honda people for return. For being such a good boy, I treated myself to lunch out at Saffron – they have a lovely lunch buffet that is a constant test of my will-power, but I was being indulgent today.
I ran by Whole Foods to pick up a couple of things that couldn’t be purchased elsewhere, and then ran home to put them away. I needed to go get groceries and cook today, but I wanted to have a little enjoyment as well. Telling myself sternly that I would not go to Southern Estates, I went down to Anne’s Antiques to have a look round. I had wanted to go there Saturday, but Justin reminded me we had just been there a couple of weeks ago. He was right, it was too soon. I did buy a little Glasbake ramekin, mainly because it was my Glasbake pattern, and I just don’t think you can have too many ramekins.
I started up the road, and then remembered I need still more plate stands. That was as good an excuse as any, and so I naughtily went in Southern Estates anyway. They do have a great selection of plate stands there. I picked up a bunch, and then had a rummage through the store. They do have two pieces I’d like to have, but both of them are priced high, and after buying all that glass last weekend I really couldn’t justify buying them. There is a Cloverleaf luncheon plate only a few dollars over book, and a Madrid console bowl that is at about twice book price. It’s pretty, but not that pretty. Plus, it’s amber. I usually don’t buy amber glass.
Leaving there, I headed to The Fresh Market. I love to shop there. It smells like coffee instead of disinfectant, and they play classical music. Whether you are affluent or not, it makes you feel that way to go in. Ordinarily I don’t shop there, but Miss Kat and dana had gotten me a gift card there for my birthday which I had decided to redeem today (I had so much fun spending my Christmas gift card last week that it had put me in mind to do it).
At first I was trying to be practical. But The Fresh Market isn’t really a practical store. I’d decided to make White Trash Spaghetti for lunches this week, and needless to say many of the ingredients weren’t in stock at The Fresh Market. There was no way I was going to ask someone there where the Velveeta was. I thought when I got the card that I eat pretty well, and fairly indulgently, but then I started seeing the kinds of things that I want, but ordinarily don’t buy. Miss Kat and dana had told me to use the card for little luxuries that I don’t usually buy for myself, and that’s exactly what I did. I geared up and bought me some fancy groceries. I got Goat’s Milk Gouda (one of my very favorites), Lingonberry preserves, roasted salted pecans, grapefruit candy, and the ingredients for one of my very favorite meals: crostini, Fresh Market pimento cheese, and grape tomatoes. I found lots of little dainties I wanted – to the extent that when I went to check out, I had spent $85!
On the way home, I had to stop at Publix still to fill in the ingredients I hadn’t been able to get at Fresh Market. I emerged triumphant, having spent another $38.
When I got home, I had spent almost $160 on groceries today, and still had no cream for my coffee. In the frenzy I had forgotten it. But I have some good food to eat this week!
I put everything away and started cooking. I put the spaghetti together (stopping only to sit down for a minute and eat some excellent Whole Foods pizza for supper), but by the time I got done it was too late to bake it tonight. I just stuck it in the fridge, cleaned up the kitchen, and got ready for bed. I had hoped to maybe get the new valances for the bedroom run up today, but had just run out of day. I guess they'll be there.
It’s been another full day, but a very fun day. I’m pretty much ready to face the week.
I woke up feeling surprisingly well considering the long day and all the partying yesterday. I was up early, and futzed around for a bit before making some breakfast and trying to lie back down. The primary function of the day off was to make sure I recovered and was ready to go back to work tomorrow. I didn’t go back to sleep though, so after about an hour I got back up and started getting ready to face the day.
I got things together to run errands, loaded the car, and hit the road shortly after 11am. I dropped the recycling, and then took a load to Goodwill – it seems I always have a load for Goodwill these days. After that I ran by UPS to drop the mistaken shipment I got from the Honda people for return. For being such a good boy, I treated myself to lunch out at Saffron – they have a lovely lunch buffet that is a constant test of my will-power, but I was being indulgent today.
I ran by Whole Foods to pick up a couple of things that couldn’t be purchased elsewhere, and then ran home to put them away. I needed to go get groceries and cook today, but I wanted to have a little enjoyment as well. Telling myself sternly that I would not go to Southern Estates, I went down to Anne’s Antiques to have a look round. I had wanted to go there Saturday, but Justin reminded me we had just been there a couple of weeks ago. He was right, it was too soon. I did buy a little Glasbake ramekin, mainly because it was my Glasbake pattern, and I just don’t think you can have too many ramekins.
I started up the road, and then remembered I need still more plate stands. That was as good an excuse as any, and so I naughtily went in Southern Estates anyway. They do have a great selection of plate stands there. I picked up a bunch, and then had a rummage through the store. They do have two pieces I’d like to have, but both of them are priced high, and after buying all that glass last weekend I really couldn’t justify buying them. There is a Cloverleaf luncheon plate only a few dollars over book, and a Madrid console bowl that is at about twice book price. It’s pretty, but not that pretty. Plus, it’s amber. I usually don’t buy amber glass.
Leaving there, I headed to The Fresh Market. I love to shop there. It smells like coffee instead of disinfectant, and they play classical music. Whether you are affluent or not, it makes you feel that way to go in. Ordinarily I don’t shop there, but Miss Kat and dana had gotten me a gift card there for my birthday which I had decided to redeem today (I had so much fun spending my Christmas gift card last week that it had put me in mind to do it).
At first I was trying to be practical. But The Fresh Market isn’t really a practical store. I’d decided to make White Trash Spaghetti for lunches this week, and needless to say many of the ingredients weren’t in stock at The Fresh Market. There was no way I was going to ask someone there where the Velveeta was. I thought when I got the card that I eat pretty well, and fairly indulgently, but then I started seeing the kinds of things that I want, but ordinarily don’t buy. Miss Kat and dana had told me to use the card for little luxuries that I don’t usually buy for myself, and that’s exactly what I did. I geared up and bought me some fancy groceries. I got Goat’s Milk Gouda (one of my very favorites), Lingonberry preserves, roasted salted pecans, grapefruit candy, and the ingredients for one of my very favorite meals: crostini, Fresh Market pimento cheese, and grape tomatoes. I found lots of little dainties I wanted – to the extent that when I went to check out, I had spent $85!
On the way home, I had to stop at Publix still to fill in the ingredients I hadn’t been able to get at Fresh Market. I emerged triumphant, having spent another $38.
When I got home, I had spent almost $160 on groceries today, and still had no cream for my coffee. In the frenzy I had forgotten it. But I have some good food to eat this week!
I put everything away and started cooking. I put the spaghetti together (stopping only to sit down for a minute and eat some excellent Whole Foods pizza for supper), but by the time I got done it was too late to bake it tonight. I just stuck it in the fridge, cleaned up the kitchen, and got ready for bed. I had hoped to maybe get the new valances for the bedroom run up today, but had just run out of day. I guess they'll be there.
It’s been another full day, but a very fun day. I’m pretty much ready to face the week.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
A post in which it is a very full, very fun Sunday
I woke up today feeling pretty good. I did a lot yesterday, but apparently I was able to do so. I was supposed to be at Russ’s house at 9:30, and of course with my being up so early that was no problem. It was still butt-ass cold, so I had on double pants, socks, a shirt and hoodie, plus a coat. I took gloves and a hat too. Annoyingly, I forgot to put Russ’s glass that I bought him yesterday in the car, despite having soaked the labels off, washed it, and wrapped it in unprinted newspaper to keep it from getting smudged.
We had our usual stop at Starbucks for coffee while we caught each other up on the latest goings on with mutual acquaintances.
We got to Duncan in good spirits, but there were very few people there. It was still below freezing and there were very few shoppers. After last weekend, there were very few vendors either. Even the vegetable seller didn’t show up. Since we were there, we walked through anyway, and did the smaller junkie flea market just up the road, but there was very little on offer. The one thing I did find was something to complete the Christmas joke I’ve been anticipating. I was very happy about that. Details later…
I didn’t stay to visit when I got back to Russ and Billy’s house; I had too much to do! I ran by the grocery store and picked up the ingredients to make David’s special extra-cheesy artichoke dip. That’s always a big hit, and I wanted to take something to the party. I hadn’t made one this holiday season because I hadn’t been anywhere much, and if no one else wanted some I did.
I got home, jumped in the kitchen, and put the dip together in record time. Then I got to rest for a half hour before I got up to put it in the oven and get ready for the party.
Dan’l and Jim were having the party at 3pm so people could come on a Sunday. That is the one beef about their party; it’s always on a Sunday, but that suits their schedule, and it is their party after all. I took tomorrow off work so I didn’t have to worry about recovery time.
About the time I got ready and got my party bag packed, R&B showed up. I usually ride out with them because I know the way, because I’m on their way there anyway, and because parking is at a premium.
The party was lovely, and it was great to see everyone, as always. There were a number of Australian folks there this time (Dan’l and Jim are always meeting exotic people), and one of them brought an authentic Pavlova. I’ve never eaten it before, but it was scrummy! Seldom do I feel out-classed culinarily, but when I saw that, my poor little artichoke dip just looked like something the country cousin had made. Nonetheless, it was devoured. There is always an impressive spread, but this year’s was spectacular, and everything was delicious.
So we visited and socialized and smoked the day away. When the sun went down it got very cold on the porch though. We had a very good time, then headed home shortly after 9pm. It had been a very good day, but I was glad to get into my warm bed.
We had our usual stop at Starbucks for coffee while we caught each other up on the latest goings on with mutual acquaintances.
We got to Duncan in good spirits, but there were very few people there. It was still below freezing and there were very few shoppers. After last weekend, there were very few vendors either. Even the vegetable seller didn’t show up. Since we were there, we walked through anyway, and did the smaller junkie flea market just up the road, but there was very little on offer. The one thing I did find was something to complete the Christmas joke I’ve been anticipating. I was very happy about that. Details later…
I didn’t stay to visit when I got back to Russ and Billy’s house; I had too much to do! I ran by the grocery store and picked up the ingredients to make David’s special extra-cheesy artichoke dip. That’s always a big hit, and I wanted to take something to the party. I hadn’t made one this holiday season because I hadn’t been anywhere much, and if no one else wanted some I did.
I got home, jumped in the kitchen, and put the dip together in record time. Then I got to rest for a half hour before I got up to put it in the oven and get ready for the party.
Dan’l and Jim were having the party at 3pm so people could come on a Sunday. That is the one beef about their party; it’s always on a Sunday, but that suits their schedule, and it is their party after all. I took tomorrow off work so I didn’t have to worry about recovery time.
About the time I got ready and got my party bag packed, R&B showed up. I usually ride out with them because I know the way, because I’m on their way there anyway, and because parking is at a premium.
The party was lovely, and it was great to see everyone, as always. There were a number of Australian folks there this time (Dan’l and Jim are always meeting exotic people), and one of them brought an authentic Pavlova. I’ve never eaten it before, but it was scrummy! Seldom do I feel out-classed culinarily, but when I saw that, my poor little artichoke dip just looked like something the country cousin had made. Nonetheless, it was devoured. There is always an impressive spread, but this year’s was spectacular, and everything was delicious.
So we visited and socialized and smoked the day away. When the sun went down it got very cold on the porch though. We had a very good time, then headed home shortly after 9pm. It had been a very good day, but I was glad to get into my warm bed.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
A post in which we gleefully plunder our way across the upstate
Today dawned bright and glorious, but cold. I know because I was up to see it. I let Justin sleep in for a while and then commenced to futz around the house around 9 or so. He was up in short order. We had coffee and a quick breakfast, basically using as many serving pieces as possible to do so. I used my jelly server for the first time, to serve homemade jelly Russ’s mother had made. While we ate we discussed plans for the day, and talked about what we wanted to find. I wanted to find some Bubble glass for my set since I’ve decided to use it for every day.
I did little chores around the house while Justin got ready, and then got ready myself. The day was put on a still-more fortuitous footing by the receipt of an email from Lady Beth, acknowledging my Kindred petition, and basically telling me that it would be accepted, while not acting as the Official Acceptance. The email made me feel even better than I already did. I had been looking forward to today ever since we made the date.
So around 11am, we set off in Gracine with all our books to do some serious collecting. We had decided to do the 95 corridor out to Pickens. The first stop was the Easley Goodwill. Nothing there. Next was a junky place that Justin and Amanda found. As usual, we found nothing there (barring one refrigerator dish lid that was there the last time we went). We were getting ready to leave when the owner of the place told me he had some glass he wanted to show me, and led me back inside to his office. It was a very uncomfortable situation. He was a nice enough guy, but if he’d had anything I recognized he was the type to be convinced it was worth a fortune (if only because most of what he had was unidentifiable refuse). Secondly he had this gi-normous yellow-capped boil on his face. It was bright red, irritated, and looked as if it might go off at any moment; spewing over any hapless by-stander. I didn’t want to be that by-stander. But I am nothing if not intrepid, and I have seen some treasures in some surprising places. Plus, I just didn’t know how to tell the guy no. So I went.
His office was cluttered, stuffy and too hot from a kerosene heater. When we got in there, he couldn’t find whatever it was he wanted to show me. He proceeded, instead, to go through an itemized tour of the dubious treasures he had accumulated through his years of selling. Needless to say, we were pretty much under-whelmed. Justin tried to do a subtle Bugs Bunny creep out the door, but our swollen captor was having none of it. “Tell that boy to come back in here.” he demanded. “And tell him to close the door he doesn’t let all my heat out!” Justin, collared, slunk back in, and we reluctantly made the appropriate noises over his prizes for as short amount of time as was humanly possible under the circumstances. Eventually, we beat a hasty retreat under the most tenuous of excuses and drove gratefully the hell away from there, thankful that the angry boil was still intact.
Next was a small thrift store across the street. I have never scored there, but it’s a promising-looking place, and they had some interesting things coming in the door when we were there today (albeit nothing we actually wanted to purchase). Justin was a wee bit discouraged at this point, but I reminded him that these were just warm-up places, and that we had yet to get to some of our most favored and reliable haunts. My optimism proved well-founded. We ended up having a red-letter collecting day today.
Next was Mountain View Hotel Antiques. Usually, for me, this is really more of a museum tour than an actual store. They have some lovely things, but most of them are outrageously priced. Many of them have been there so long that the price stickers are completely illegible. But it is a beautiful store in an actual old hotel, and well worth looking around for entertainment if for no other reason. They also have a piece of Mosser glass that I’ve been visiting and studiously not purchasing. I did so again today. But they also had an elusive blue Bubble Glass flat soup bowl. These are pretty tough to find, but this one was priced at $15 - $3 over book. Although I rarely pay full value for anything, I have decided to use this for everyday, so I could justify a kind of need for it. Plus I was just in the mood to buy some stuff today. The owner of the store turned off unexpectedly charming. She’s never been mean or anything, she’s just usually not chatty. Today she took a shine to us. When she found out that we were also glass/dish hounds, she told us all about meeting Gene Florence (swoon), and showed us some unusual pieces she had in stock that we had missed (which were aggressively priced, but really cool nonetheless). She also marked my bowl down to $12, which was at least book. So I bought it.
That set the tone for the day. We were apparently irresistibly charming to all dealers, and there was glass everywhere. Maybe it was the fates paying me back for not being able to do any antiquing on my vacation. Maybe God was just smiling on me for some reason. Maybe Gracine is blessed with Glass Luck (we discussed the possibility – this was her maiden voyage antiquing). Maybe it was just one of those days. I don’t know why, but I wasn’t going to argue with it.
After that, it was around the corner to Uncle Sam’s. This is one of Justin’s favorite places, but I hadn’t heard of it until he took me there. The owner there is a nice guy, and the store is also a great place just to poke around. He has several dealers who specialize in Depression Glass, and one ultra-complete set of pink Adam in the front of the store, on sale today for only $3,000.00. I forewent. But he did have a Bubble dinner plate there that I had seen the last time. Again, I hadn’t purchased it because it was priced over book. But book on a dinner plate is only $5. I decided I could pay the $8 they wanted for it today, and did so. I also got a little more Christmas for Amanda (I felt I had kind of short-changed her a bit), and a surprise for Lisa (for her Christmas next year). Justin found a beautiful hand-painted teacup and saucer that he fell in love with, and bought it.
On the way out of town, we stopped at the former Jesus Saves thrift store (now very un-colorfully re-named as something I can’t remember), and the Miracle Hill thrift store across the street; but there were no scores in either. That was OK; the best was yet to come.
By this time we were both getting peckish, so Justin used his GPS to find a local watering-hole for a quick lunch. I was dying for some cheese sticks. Fortunately they had them. They were small and expensive, but they hit the spot.
On the way in to Pickens, we passed the thrift store that we always mean to stop at, but always seem to skip. We vowed to stop on the way back, and soldiered on. Next was ABC Antiques, another favorite haunt of Justin's to which he had introduced me. The woman that runs this place is very sweet, but she doesn’t take cards of any kind. That has been a problem for us both before, but we had forgotten. We went through the whole store without finding anything, but as luck (today) would have it, at the front of the store there was a good selection of Bubble Glass. It was a bit aggressively priced, but since it was on sale for half price that wasn’t really an issue. I got a dinner plate, a saucer, and five berry bowls in my Sapphire blue; and also picked up two berry bowls and the creamer in white Bubble for Russ. While she was writing all that up, I picked up a crystal Colonial “Knife and Fork” bread plate. It was marked $5, which was too high, but I got it for half price so it wasn’t too bad. I also picked up a 9oz Queen Mary pink tumbler, on sale for $4 – that was a find. After she wrote everything up, I realized I didn’t have enough cash to cover it all. Yikes! Fortunately, Justin had some and covered me.
The next stop on the tour was the Stockade Antiques – the old Pickens jail has been made into a really cool store. Once again usually more of a museum than an actual purchasing point, although I have scored here before. I looked again at a Colonial Block water glass that I had looked at in there before, too rich for my blood at $10. They also had a pink Adam plate marked at $22; down from $32, but still too high. As we were walking out, the owner came over to ask if we wanted to ask her about anything (she had told us to ask about anything we were interested in that wasn’t on sale). The owner of the place is a neat lady. She’s in her 50’s, well preserved, and has a vague air of suppressed senuality – a kind of sexy librarian thing going on. She reminds me of a cross between Anne Margret (as she looks now) and Sarah Palin. But this woman is no Sarah Palin. There’s no way she’d be a token to the white male establishment. I suspect the man unwise enough (or fortunate enough) to take this woman on will find he has a tiger by the tail. But I digress. I asked her about the water goblet. “How much would you like to pay for it?” she asked. “Well,” I replied, “I’d like for you to give it to me, kiss me on the cheek, and wish me well; but I’m not going to ask for that.” She walked over, took me by the arm, and started leading me back over to the goblet. She purred, “I’ll take the kiss on the cheek, but how does $6 sound?” I told her that sounded just fine, and we concluded our business on very good terms. I was well satisfied, and she seemed flattered. She’s a cool lady.
The Stockade is usually the furthest point for Justin, but I’ve been in to Pickens downtown before, and there was a place that I wanted to have a look round in again. Unfortunately, it is now closed. But we drove downtown a bit anyway, just looking around and seeing what was there. No dice as far as antique stores go, but as we were preparing to turn around, Justin spotted a building with what looked like turrets on it. Out of curiosity, we turned down the street to look at it. It turned out to be the town hall, but just a door or two up from it was a grungy little thrift shop. Thinking that while we were there we may as well have a look, we turned in.
Junky and dingy as it was, this place was a treasure trove. I immediately found an Iris & Herringbone candlestick; it was chipped all to pieces, but a promising sign. Justin walked over to a rack of glass and pulled out a beautiful silver-etched tray ($3), and over his shoulder I found two Royal Lace berry bowls marked for $2.50 each – in pristine condition. Nosing around a bit more, Justin found a Lorain crystal divided relish, again pristine, for $10. I knew it was worth twice that. The problem was we still had no cash. For whatever reason, I hadn’t stopped after the Stockade; but fortunately they took checks. I guarded the purchases while Justin went for his checkbook. When we got to the register the woman checking us out held up the relish dish. “This is marked $10!” she exclaimed incredulously. I thought she was getting ready to double the price. But she rang up $6 instead, Justin’s tray at $1, and the berry bowls at 0.50 each. We barely got out of the door before Justin started laughing uproariously. That was the highlight of the trip, and the relish dish was the find o’ the day. It was book at $23, and the berry bowls at about $16 each.
On the way back through Easley, we stopped at a little place I had been to once before. They have glass there, but I didn’t score the last time. Today I bought a Buttons and Bows pitcher (this pattern always makes me think of Granny) for $8! That’s less than half book!
It was about 5pm by this time, and we were flagging, plus the antique stores were closing. As we were heading home though, I speculated that the Friendly Antique Man (aka Antiques Plus) might still be open. Justin called, and it turned out they were open until 6pm. I needed plate stands anyway, and we’ve bought them there before. We went in for a quick look around.
I found a little Radiance dessert/bread plate marked $4. They book for $1 each, but they are hard to find. Justin is collecting a set also, but said that was too rich for his blood. I picked it up. I also looked, again, at the vintage Fire King Sapphire Blue trivet; a piece I have long wanted to add to my collection. But book on it is $18, and this one was priced at $22.50. But it was marked 20% off. After some debate, and after Justin telling me he had never seen one any cheaper on any of his travels (he’s been looking for one for me), I went ahead and bought it. It rang up for $18 even. The dessert plate was on sale for half off. I didn’t feel bad about paying $2 for it.
At long last, we turned towards home. Justin had been acting as librarian while I drove, so we already knew about the fantastic deals we had gotten today. We still unpacked all our stuff and had a good gloat though. That is always a great part of the trip. I started soaking labels off and deciding where things would be displayed, but we were hungry for supper by this time.
I was dying for she-crab soup, and I knew they had it at Liberty Tap Room, so we went there. On the way we had the only real down note of the day. I hit a cat on the way over. It was just out in the headlights all of the sudden and I had no time to react. I have never hit anything before except a bird and a butterfly. I was pretty upset about it, but Justin did a good job of distracting me. There wasn’t anything to be done but lay it down.
Supper was good, although the soup wasn’t as good as some I’ve had. But it was served with fresh-baked sourdough bread and butter, which makes up for many deficiencies. I also had a big Caesar salad. We split a piece of Key Lime pie, and I got a side of that fabulous blue cheese cole slaw to go. I wanted it, but just couldn’t hold it tonight.
On the way back, Justin said he would get back home just in time to see Jeff and James when they got off work. I would have loved to go and see them, but I was completely whooped. I wished him safe journey, sent them my love, and went to BED. Gratefully. It had been a wonderful but very long day, and I was feeling it. And I have another full one tomorrow. Russ texted me about going to Duncan tomorrow, and of course I couldn’t say no… Plus it is Dan’l and Jim’s holiday party tomorrow. I need to rest up!
I did little chores around the house while Justin got ready, and then got ready myself. The day was put on a still-more fortuitous footing by the receipt of an email from Lady Beth, acknowledging my Kindred petition, and basically telling me that it would be accepted, while not acting as the Official Acceptance. The email made me feel even better than I already did. I had been looking forward to today ever since we made the date.
So around 11am, we set off in Gracine with all our books to do some serious collecting. We had decided to do the 95 corridor out to Pickens. The first stop was the Easley Goodwill. Nothing there. Next was a junky place that Justin and Amanda found. As usual, we found nothing there (barring one refrigerator dish lid that was there the last time we went). We were getting ready to leave when the owner of the place told me he had some glass he wanted to show me, and led me back inside to his office. It was a very uncomfortable situation. He was a nice enough guy, but if he’d had anything I recognized he was the type to be convinced it was worth a fortune (if only because most of what he had was unidentifiable refuse). Secondly he had this gi-normous yellow-capped boil on his face. It was bright red, irritated, and looked as if it might go off at any moment; spewing over any hapless by-stander. I didn’t want to be that by-stander. But I am nothing if not intrepid, and I have seen some treasures in some surprising places. Plus, I just didn’t know how to tell the guy no. So I went.
His office was cluttered, stuffy and too hot from a kerosene heater. When we got in there, he couldn’t find whatever it was he wanted to show me. He proceeded, instead, to go through an itemized tour of the dubious treasures he had accumulated through his years of selling. Needless to say, we were pretty much under-whelmed. Justin tried to do a subtle Bugs Bunny creep out the door, but our swollen captor was having none of it. “Tell that boy to come back in here.” he demanded. “And tell him to close the door he doesn’t let all my heat out!” Justin, collared, slunk back in, and we reluctantly made the appropriate noises over his prizes for as short amount of time as was humanly possible under the circumstances. Eventually, we beat a hasty retreat under the most tenuous of excuses and drove gratefully the hell away from there, thankful that the angry boil was still intact.
Next was a small thrift store across the street. I have never scored there, but it’s a promising-looking place, and they had some interesting things coming in the door when we were there today (albeit nothing we actually wanted to purchase). Justin was a wee bit discouraged at this point, but I reminded him that these were just warm-up places, and that we had yet to get to some of our most favored and reliable haunts. My optimism proved well-founded. We ended up having a red-letter collecting day today.
Next was Mountain View Hotel Antiques. Usually, for me, this is really more of a museum tour than an actual store. They have some lovely things, but most of them are outrageously priced. Many of them have been there so long that the price stickers are completely illegible. But it is a beautiful store in an actual old hotel, and well worth looking around for entertainment if for no other reason. They also have a piece of Mosser glass that I’ve been visiting and studiously not purchasing. I did so again today. But they also had an elusive blue Bubble Glass flat soup bowl. These are pretty tough to find, but this one was priced at $15 - $3 over book. Although I rarely pay full value for anything, I have decided to use this for everyday, so I could justify a kind of need for it. Plus I was just in the mood to buy some stuff today. The owner of the store turned off unexpectedly charming. She’s never been mean or anything, she’s just usually not chatty. Today she took a shine to us. When she found out that we were also glass/dish hounds, she told us all about meeting Gene Florence (swoon), and showed us some unusual pieces she had in stock that we had missed (which were aggressively priced, but really cool nonetheless). She also marked my bowl down to $12, which was at least book. So I bought it.
That set the tone for the day. We were apparently irresistibly charming to all dealers, and there was glass everywhere. Maybe it was the fates paying me back for not being able to do any antiquing on my vacation. Maybe God was just smiling on me for some reason. Maybe Gracine is blessed with Glass Luck (we discussed the possibility – this was her maiden voyage antiquing). Maybe it was just one of those days. I don’t know why, but I wasn’t going to argue with it.
After that, it was around the corner to Uncle Sam’s. This is one of Justin’s favorite places, but I hadn’t heard of it until he took me there. The owner there is a nice guy, and the store is also a great place just to poke around. He has several dealers who specialize in Depression Glass, and one ultra-complete set of pink Adam in the front of the store, on sale today for only $3,000.00. I forewent. But he did have a Bubble dinner plate there that I had seen the last time. Again, I hadn’t purchased it because it was priced over book. But book on a dinner plate is only $5. I decided I could pay the $8 they wanted for it today, and did so. I also got a little more Christmas for Amanda (I felt I had kind of short-changed her a bit), and a surprise for Lisa (for her Christmas next year). Justin found a beautiful hand-painted teacup and saucer that he fell in love with, and bought it.
On the way out of town, we stopped at the former Jesus Saves thrift store (now very un-colorfully re-named as something I can’t remember), and the Miracle Hill thrift store across the street; but there were no scores in either. That was OK; the best was yet to come.
By this time we were both getting peckish, so Justin used his GPS to find a local watering-hole for a quick lunch. I was dying for some cheese sticks. Fortunately they had them. They were small and expensive, but they hit the spot.
On the way in to Pickens, we passed the thrift store that we always mean to stop at, but always seem to skip. We vowed to stop on the way back, and soldiered on. Next was ABC Antiques, another favorite haunt of Justin's to which he had introduced me. The woman that runs this place is very sweet, but she doesn’t take cards of any kind. That has been a problem for us both before, but we had forgotten. We went through the whole store without finding anything, but as luck (today) would have it, at the front of the store there was a good selection of Bubble Glass. It was a bit aggressively priced, but since it was on sale for half price that wasn’t really an issue. I got a dinner plate, a saucer, and five berry bowls in my Sapphire blue; and also picked up two berry bowls and the creamer in white Bubble for Russ. While she was writing all that up, I picked up a crystal Colonial “Knife and Fork” bread plate. It was marked $5, which was too high, but I got it for half price so it wasn’t too bad. I also picked up a 9oz Queen Mary pink tumbler, on sale for $4 – that was a find. After she wrote everything up, I realized I didn’t have enough cash to cover it all. Yikes! Fortunately, Justin had some and covered me.
The next stop on the tour was the Stockade Antiques – the old Pickens jail has been made into a really cool store. Once again usually more of a museum than an actual purchasing point, although I have scored here before. I looked again at a Colonial Block water glass that I had looked at in there before, too rich for my blood at $10. They also had a pink Adam plate marked at $22; down from $32, but still too high. As we were walking out, the owner came over to ask if we wanted to ask her about anything (she had told us to ask about anything we were interested in that wasn’t on sale). The owner of the place is a neat lady. She’s in her 50’s, well preserved, and has a vague air of suppressed senuality – a kind of sexy librarian thing going on. She reminds me of a cross between Anne Margret (as she looks now) and Sarah Palin. But this woman is no Sarah Palin. There’s no way she’d be a token to the white male establishment. I suspect the man unwise enough (or fortunate enough) to take this woman on will find he has a tiger by the tail. But I digress. I asked her about the water goblet. “How much would you like to pay for it?” she asked. “Well,” I replied, “I’d like for you to give it to me, kiss me on the cheek, and wish me well; but I’m not going to ask for that.” She walked over, took me by the arm, and started leading me back over to the goblet. She purred, “I’ll take the kiss on the cheek, but how does $6 sound?” I told her that sounded just fine, and we concluded our business on very good terms. I was well satisfied, and she seemed flattered. She’s a cool lady.
The Stockade is usually the furthest point for Justin, but I’ve been in to Pickens downtown before, and there was a place that I wanted to have a look round in again. Unfortunately, it is now closed. But we drove downtown a bit anyway, just looking around and seeing what was there. No dice as far as antique stores go, but as we were preparing to turn around, Justin spotted a building with what looked like turrets on it. Out of curiosity, we turned down the street to look at it. It turned out to be the town hall, but just a door or two up from it was a grungy little thrift shop. Thinking that while we were there we may as well have a look, we turned in.
Junky and dingy as it was, this place was a treasure trove. I immediately found an Iris & Herringbone candlestick; it was chipped all to pieces, but a promising sign. Justin walked over to a rack of glass and pulled out a beautiful silver-etched tray ($3), and over his shoulder I found two Royal Lace berry bowls marked for $2.50 each – in pristine condition. Nosing around a bit more, Justin found a Lorain crystal divided relish, again pristine, for $10. I knew it was worth twice that. The problem was we still had no cash. For whatever reason, I hadn’t stopped after the Stockade; but fortunately they took checks. I guarded the purchases while Justin went for his checkbook. When we got to the register the woman checking us out held up the relish dish. “This is marked $10!” she exclaimed incredulously. I thought she was getting ready to double the price. But she rang up $6 instead, Justin’s tray at $1, and the berry bowls at 0.50 each. We barely got out of the door before Justin started laughing uproariously. That was the highlight of the trip, and the relish dish was the find o’ the day. It was book at $23, and the berry bowls at about $16 each.
On the way back through Easley, we stopped at a little place I had been to once before. They have glass there, but I didn’t score the last time. Today I bought a Buttons and Bows pitcher (this pattern always makes me think of Granny) for $8! That’s less than half book!
It was about 5pm by this time, and we were flagging, plus the antique stores were closing. As we were heading home though, I speculated that the Friendly Antique Man (aka Antiques Plus) might still be open. Justin called, and it turned out they were open until 6pm. I needed plate stands anyway, and we’ve bought them there before. We went in for a quick look around.
I found a little Radiance dessert/bread plate marked $4. They book for $1 each, but they are hard to find. Justin is collecting a set also, but said that was too rich for his blood. I picked it up. I also looked, again, at the vintage Fire King Sapphire Blue trivet; a piece I have long wanted to add to my collection. But book on it is $18, and this one was priced at $22.50. But it was marked 20% off. After some debate, and after Justin telling me he had never seen one any cheaper on any of his travels (he’s been looking for one for me), I went ahead and bought it. It rang up for $18 even. The dessert plate was on sale for half off. I didn’t feel bad about paying $2 for it.
At long last, we turned towards home. Justin had been acting as librarian while I drove, so we already knew about the fantastic deals we had gotten today. We still unpacked all our stuff and had a good gloat though. That is always a great part of the trip. I started soaking labels off and deciding where things would be displayed, but we were hungry for supper by this time.
I was dying for she-crab soup, and I knew they had it at Liberty Tap Room, so we went there. On the way we had the only real down note of the day. I hit a cat on the way over. It was just out in the headlights all of the sudden and I had no time to react. I have never hit anything before except a bird and a butterfly. I was pretty upset about it, but Justin did a good job of distracting me. There wasn’t anything to be done but lay it down.
Supper was good, although the soup wasn’t as good as some I’ve had. But it was served with fresh-baked sourdough bread and butter, which makes up for many deficiencies. I also had a big Caesar salad. We split a piece of Key Lime pie, and I got a side of that fabulous blue cheese cole slaw to go. I wanted it, but just couldn’t hold it tonight.
On the way back, Justin said he would get back home just in time to see Jeff and James when they got off work. I would have loved to go and see them, but I was completely whooped. I wished him safe journey, sent them my love, and went to BED. Gratefully. It had been a wonderful but very long day, and I was feeling it. And I have another full one tomorrow. Russ texted me about going to Duncan tomorrow, and of course I couldn’t say no… Plus it is Dan’l and Jim’s holiday party tomorrow. I need to rest up!
The spoils, laid out: (left to right, top to bottom, front to back) Radiance dessert/bread plate, Anchor Hocking Sapphire Blue "Bubble" flat soup and dinner plate, Bubble dinner plate and saucer, 5 Bubble berry bowls, Fire King Sapphire Blue trivet (center front), Holiday "Buttons and Bows" pink pitcher, Colonial "Knife and Fork" bread plate, Lorain divided relish, two Royal Lace berry bowls, the Queen Mary tumbler in pink, and Colonial Block water goblet in green at far right.
Friday, January 8, 2010
A post in which Justin comes to visit
Work went smoothly today. I was setting stuff up and knocking it down. By the time I left, I was ready to be off work on Monday.
Justin was coming tonight, and I was SO excited about tomorrow, but I was feeling run down. I just took and Emergen-C and went on. My neck isn't swelling. I have antiquing tomorrow and the party Sunday, but I have Monday to recover. If I have to I can spend almost the whole day Monday on the sofa.
Justin ate at his place, so we didn't go out. That was fine. I probably needed to stay in tonight anyway.
When he got to the house I got out all the glass I got for Christmas and started re-arranging the window in the kitchen. There was no point in doing the whole thing before I know what I'm buying tomorrow, but we got all the new stuff out. That led to getting out all the Bubble Glass I got with him in December. I got out what I already had as well, and it's a surprising amount. I think I have enough of it to use for everyday now. So I'm going to pack up the dishes Mom got me for Christmas back in 07 and use the Bubble. I've also decided to go ahead and collect a set of cups in BB's china to use for tea and get rid of the Blue Willow. Or at least pack it up. I love those cups, but there is no point in my having two sets of china teacups because I hardly ever use them. I have a set in my depression pattern also.
There are a lot of different things I could do in the window, and we talked about that. I could put out my matching set of Depression Glass for a while, I could put all my vintage Sapphire Blue Fire King cookware in it, or display my pieces of BB's china. Or I could just re-do the arrangement of assorted pieces right now. So many things to play with!
Justin had come in with his sewing basket. He's quilting now, and buying fabric to make into scraps. I showed him the bedspread and we discussed bedroom colors. I'm leaning towards a purple now. He agreed with Donnie, though, that I couldn't use the valance fabric I had from Mother. When I told him I guessed I would have to go with gold damask, he said "Hmm. I might have something that will work." He went to his sewing bag and pulled out a perfect gold damask drape he had bought on sale, lined and all. Plenty of fabric to make valances. So all I have to do is throw a couple of seams in that and I'll have new valances. Excellent. I really didn't like the looks of those new windows in the bedroom being naked, but couldn't bear to put the old valances back up. And free! Well I'll buy him lunch or something tomorrow.
We ended up spending the evening with him ripping seams while I played on the computer and we watched A Room With A View. I didn't think much of that movie the first time I saw it, but it has grown on me, and Justin hadn't seen it. It was a pleasant and companionable evening.
Tomorrow: The Stores!
Justin was coming tonight, and I was SO excited about tomorrow, but I was feeling run down. I just took and Emergen-C and went on. My neck isn't swelling. I have antiquing tomorrow and the party Sunday, but I have Monday to recover. If I have to I can spend almost the whole day Monday on the sofa.
Justin ate at his place, so we didn't go out. That was fine. I probably needed to stay in tonight anyway.
When he got to the house I got out all the glass I got for Christmas and started re-arranging the window in the kitchen. There was no point in doing the whole thing before I know what I'm buying tomorrow, but we got all the new stuff out. That led to getting out all the Bubble Glass I got with him in December. I got out what I already had as well, and it's a surprising amount. I think I have enough of it to use for everyday now. So I'm going to pack up the dishes Mom got me for Christmas back in 07 and use the Bubble. I've also decided to go ahead and collect a set of cups in BB's china to use for tea and get rid of the Blue Willow. Or at least pack it up. I love those cups, but there is no point in my having two sets of china teacups because I hardly ever use them. I have a set in my depression pattern also.
There are a lot of different things I could do in the window, and we talked about that. I could put out my matching set of Depression Glass for a while, I could put all my vintage Sapphire Blue Fire King cookware in it, or display my pieces of BB's china. Or I could just re-do the arrangement of assorted pieces right now. So many things to play with!
Justin had come in with his sewing basket. He's quilting now, and buying fabric to make into scraps. I showed him the bedspread and we discussed bedroom colors. I'm leaning towards a purple now. He agreed with Donnie, though, that I couldn't use the valance fabric I had from Mother. When I told him I guessed I would have to go with gold damask, he said "Hmm. I might have something that will work." He went to his sewing bag and pulled out a perfect gold damask drape he had bought on sale, lined and all. Plenty of fabric to make valances. So all I have to do is throw a couple of seams in that and I'll have new valances. Excellent. I really didn't like the looks of those new windows in the bedroom being naked, but couldn't bear to put the old valances back up. And free! Well I'll buy him lunch or something tomorrow.
We ended up spending the evening with him ripping seams while I played on the computer and we watched A Room With A View. I didn't think much of that movie the first time I saw it, but it has grown on me, and Justin hadn't seen it. It was a pleasant and companionable evening.
Tomorrow: The Stores!
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