A post in which I pay for playing on Sunday

My boss just keeps piling on the work. Now, because one of the offices claims it is impossible for them to get their numbers in on time, I have to do the weekly report twice. Joy. I’m trying to remember how lucky I am to have a job. Easier during profit-sharing time. But still.

I remembered mid-way through the morning that I had forgotten Mom's birthday yesterday. I had already gotten her present Thanksgiving weekend, but I should have called her. I called her today though, and she was fine. She and Rod had been out to see the Rockettes, and then out to dinner with a bunch of friends, so she had a nice weekend.

I had to go straight home today to do some of the stuff I didn’t do on Sunday.

I cooked up a batch of bulgur wheat pilaf with sautéed vegetables. I found the recipe on line, and decided to make it because I had most of the stuff at the house already. I was afraid it would be bland, and despite my using four times the seasoning called for, it was. It’s OK. It’s healthy and low-cal, and has plenty of fiber and veggies, but it’s not going to be a joy to eat. But lunches are done for the week anyway. I had thought if it turned out good, I would take some to Dad to taste, but I think I'll wait for a different recipe.

I folded a load of laundry and changed the sheets. By the time I got that done, ate dinner, and cleaned up the kitchen, I was pretty much ready for bed. But the house is somewhat in order. Well I’m supplied for the week anyway.

A post in which there are a million things to do

And yet they miraculously don't get done.

I was up bright and early this morning because I didn’t do anything last night. There was tons to do today, so I started in. I put in a load of laundry, and put some sweet potatoes in to bake. I’m doing sweet potato casseroles this year for parties, and I got some free taters from Carl last week. They are enormous.

That done, I ate some breakfast, got dressed, and headed for the flea market. There were a few vegetables I wanted to pick up to make lunches with today. I was trying to get all my chores done early so that I could go and play with Russ and Billy tonight (we had talked about that Thursday when I got my hair cut), but they headed me off at the pass. Before I could get to White Horse Road, Russ called and invited me to go to Barnyard with them today. Of course I said yes, turned around, and high-tailed it over there.

After the obligatory stop at Starbucks, we headed for Duncan. We were later than I like to be, but I wasn’t really going for anything other than veggies and the visit today. One of my regular guys out there had a Mayfair cake plate (which I didn’t buy because I think they’ve been reproduced) and another pink American Sweetheart salver like I bought last week, this one for only $5, but I didn’t buy; partially because I just wasn’t in a buying mood, and partially because I just bought one last week. I should have picked it up. It was a good price, and would have made a good spare if nothing else.

Russ checked in with some women he knows who make hand-beaded jewelry, which is the reason we went up. I picked a necklace up too (I’m doing some elfing this year for Dad) while we were there – they were really pretty, and the women were really nice.

I hadn’t bought any glass today, but we stopped at the little junky flea market on the way out. One guy had a lot of glass, which he had apparently purchased as a lot from an antique store that was going out of business. He had two Sapphire Blue Fire King lids that he thought went together (one of them was a pie-plate lid), but I explained to him that they didn’t and bought the knob lid from him for $3. He also sold me a pink Madrid candle stick for $1. There was only the one. It’s weird that I turned down the great price on that salver, and then bought this odd candle stick. But I felt sorry for it. It has wax caked all over the inside. Weird.

Madrid candlestick in pink by Federal Glass Co, circa 1932-1939

Leaving there, we went on to Corona’s for lunch since Russ was craving Mexican food. Their spinach enchiladas are really excellent there.

By this point I was stuffed and tired. I had been up since early this morning. When we got back to their place, I scampered home for a quick nap and a shower before we went out for supper this evening with David and Brian to discuss particulars of the SC Bears Christmas party. They’re hosting it this year.

After a half hour of sleep, I felt refreshed, but stuffed still from lunch. The last thing I wanted was something else to eat. We ended up going to Ni Hao though, and as soon as I walked and smelled everything eating seemed like a much better idea.

After dinner, we were all sleepy, and most of us had to work tomorrow. David and Brian peeled off for home. I went back to R&B’s for a bit, but didn’t stay long. The week starts all over tomorrow…

A post in which I am lazy*

I ran all week last week. I only had one night at home. Most unusually for a Saturday in December, there was no event at which I was supposed to appear tonight. Plus the weather was supposed to be ugly. So I had just kind of planned to take the day off. I did nothing today. Unfortunately, I had automatically set the alarm last night, so it went off at 6am. That was a bit of a jolt, but I was able to go back to sleep with no trouble.

I eventually got up and wandered around the house in my jammies for a while. I made some breakfast. I also made a cuppa Indian Friendship Tea that Robert left at the house last Christmas. I had a message from him this morning, and I should have called him back, but basically I was just too sorry and lazy to get into a big phone conversation. I was pretty determined to do nothing. The only thing on the agenda today was to go to Hamerick’s and get Grandma Shumate’s Christmas present. She wanted some new clothes this year. Although I had planned on going this morning, I didn’t. I didn’t even go to the flea market today. I messed around on the computer, read, fell into the Manhunt vortex, and got stood up before I was able to muster the gumption to get up and get cleaned up to go out.

Promising myself lunch out, I finally left the house around 1:45. I went by to see a buddy, and then headed for Hamerick’s – all the way across town. By this point it was about 4, and I was afraid they closed at 5. I wanted to get over there and get her stuff this weekend before it was picked over too badly. Well too late. There was a bewildering plethora of XL petite clothes. Either there are a helluva lot of short wide little old ladies running around, or the buyers at Hamerick’s are under the impression that there is about to be a surge. Grandma wears a petite medium. Yeah that’s about as common as hen’s teeth to start with. When you then take into account the complexities of taste, color, softness, collar style, ease of fastening and un-fastening, having a neck opening large enough not to mess up her hair, etc, it becomes damn near impossible. (It was still better than the year she sent me to buy her panties though. I am seldom self-conscious in public, but I felt like a real perv that year.)

I was there long enough for the sale-lady to pointedly ask if she could help me. I’m hoping she realized that I was merely a lost Christmas-shopping male, and not a wanna-be midget cross-dresser. Eventually, I settled on a button-up top in pale lavender with little violets embroidered up the sides of the placket. The collar was low, and had an extra collar of pale green (the color of the violet leaves) inset inside for a little visual interest. There were pants, miraculously in her size, in a shade of purple about the color of the violets embroidered on the top. I would rather have had matching pants, but this was just going to have to do. The top looked like her, and the other things I found in her size emphatically did not.

After a quick call to Eve for reassurance about my choice, I made my way to the register. Amazingly after the day I’m sure she’d had, the sales lady was actually very nice to me. She teased me a little. “Now did you try this on?” she asked. I explained that I was buying a Christmas present for my grandmother. “Well,” she said. “I didn’t think you would take a petite.” I wonder now if she was flirting with me. I didn’t think to check for a ring, as I usually do with guys. But I digress.

I still hadn’t had any lunch, and I was at the “feed me dammit” stage. I stopped off at Little Caesar’s and got a cheese pizza, because I didn’t have a book to read. I hate going out to eat by myself without a book. So I took the pizza home, stuffed myself with it, and then followed it up with the left-over Christmas cookies that James sent home with me from their party last week. I finished The Lunatic Café before bed. It was lovely.

A post in which I go to see Miss Kat and dana

It was a fairly slow day today at work, so of course it took forever. I was pretty tired after having so much insomnia this week (I was back up at 5am again this morning). But I was looking forward to going to see Miss Kat and dana tonight. dana had invited me over when she was at the house on Wednesday. I left work, ran by the house to feed the cats, changed clothes, and headed to Long John Silver’s for an unhealthy but satisfying and quick repast before heading their way.

Their house is pretty torn up at the moment. They are still remodeling their kitchen, but it’s starting to look like a kitchen again. They’re painting cabinets – a chore I don’t envy. It’s really time to do mine again but I keep putting it off.

They seemed glad enough to take a break though, and talk to me for a while. We had a good visit, and then I went on home. It’s been a long week.

A post in which I read compulsively*

My regular morning guy came by this morning, which worked out fine since I was up with insomnia anyway. I had time to have coffee before he got here. I haven’t seen him since I started dating Jason. It was good to see him. I guess I'm spinning my wheels, but I guess that's better than not stepping on the gas at all.

When I got paid last week I paid my bills and actually had a bit of money left over. Of course I promptly spent that on Christmas presents, but I’ve been thinking about matters fiscal lately. My boss told me today that we are still getting our profit-sharing this year, and I was pretty stoked about that. But then I was thinking, “What am I going to do with that money?” Usually my bonus goes straight to Visa. Of course I could always save it. Yeah right. I guess that’s what I really should do. My financial planner advised that I should have six month’s salary in savings, and I have like $200 usually. It would be nice to have a little safety cushion. I’m just so used to being strapped to the bone all the time that it’s new for me to have to actually put thought into what to do with money. But of course there is always a use or a need for more money. I’m quite sure it’ll get gone somehow.

I went to see Russ and had my hair cut tonight, but could barely put down book three in the Anita Blake series, Circus of the Damned, long enough to do anything. That series just keeps getting better, although I did find a plot hole in this one. It also annoys me that the heroine is supposedly only 24 years old. I’m sorry, but she thinks about things and shows judgment that no 24-year-old has every showed (sorry Justin). I just can’t buy it. But I could forget about it if she didn’t keep mentioning it in the narrative. Still, they are a cracking good read, and I pretty much couldn’t do anything until I finished the heart-stopping conclusion of Circus.

After I finished it I did my evening chores and answered a very friendly email from my friend Gene before starting on the next, The Lunatic Café (which I keep pronouncing in my head as ‘kafe’ like Michael used to, for some reason). It started off well, and has lots of werewolves in it – and I’m not imagining them as the hairless kind like in that New Moon movie either. I’ll confess that I looked up the pics of Taylor Lautner online. He looks good for a child, but I want my werewolves to have some fur dammit.

I took Café to bed with me. I very rarely read before bed any longer, but Laurell K Hamilton may wean me off the DVD player yet. And kudos to her.

A post in which I get to go home!*

I actually got to go home tonight. This was the first evening I’ve spent at home since last Tuesday. It was a perfect night for it. The weather turned into drizzly cold yuck again this morning and was miserable all day. Despite the nasty weather, I had a buddy swing by this morning. That was nice. George has been giving me fits this week. I was up with insomnia anyway. It beats doing laundry, right? OK, I did some of that too.

dana came by the house for a few minutes this evening, but didn’t stay for long. They are in the midst of remodeling the kitchen still and she had lots of work left to do.

With unusual perfect timing, TCM had two Bette Davis movies on tonight. I can only attribute this unexpected largess to the fates tormenting Justin, who recently lost access to the channel. They were calling it a Bogart-fest, but she was in both. I’ll take that any way they want to bill it. Anything not to have yet another showing of The Bridge Over the River Kwai. The first was Marked Woman, which I had seen previously, and which was just as good the second time. The next was The Petrified Forest, which I haven’t seen before, and which I was really anticipating.

But it got kind of a slow start, and Leslie Howard is the love interest. I’m not a huge Howard fan. I never could see how Vivien Leigh (much less Scarlett O’Hara) could have been so wild about his Ashley Wilkes. He was basically playing Ashley in this movie as well, although he was a bit more practical (spoiler: at least in death). There used to be a real fan base for more sensitive men (i.e. men with brains). I should be in that base, but Leslie Howard just never did much for me below the waist. That aforementioned fan base was pushed to the side when the likes of Marlon Brando started doing their macho shtick. From then on actors could either be a grunting hunky moron or second banana. I guess I fall somewhere in between in tastes. As Judy Tenuta says, “Like you, but with a pulse.” I like guys with brains, but you have to have more than just the cerebral. There has to be something upstairs. You have to get out of bed at some point, but I don’t want to spend all day reading poetry and dreaming of a Utopian society either. Add to that the fact that Howard plays a well-spoken but penniless bum, and you pretty much put out a match that was already guttering. Is there anyone left with enough romantic idealism to swoon over such a guy? So I guess I’m just looking for Mr. Perfect, which would be one of the many reasons why I’m still single. Actually, I like to think I’m looking for Mr. Perfect-For-Me. Maybe he’s out there.

At any rate, when Leslie started his high-minded castle building I tuned out a bit and chatted on line; this despite Humphrey Bogart being unexpectedly sexy as the gangster. I've never been a huge Bogart fan, but he was hot in this movie. I talked to a guy who may have some promise. We’ll see. His name is Dale, which is interesting (if a tiny bit disturbing) since that was my maternal grandfather’s given name.

And then Lisa called. She asked if I wanted to play Santa to a group of underprivileged kids. In Chapin. On the day of Donnie’s party. If I’d had the time (yeah, right, in December) I might have done it, but honestly I’m a little uncomfortable with it. Being a gay guy, and coming from a molestation background, if one of those kids said anything wasn’t kosher, I could be under the jail in minutes, never to return. I guess it kind of offends my vanity to be asked to play Santa too. Another one of those life transitions into middle age; when people stop saying “Wow, have you ever been a hair model?” (or whatever) and start saying “Wow, you’d make a great Santa!” Well gee thanks Uncle Fester.

Anyway, we had a good long talk while I missed the rest of the movie. I tuned in just in time to see Leslie Howard die and catch the happy ending. Things turned out so Bette could go to France. I don’t know, maybe that wasn’t such a happy ending after all. Although we were a lot more popular over there then than we are now, and the movie was made in 1936, so she had four years to go before the Nazis occupied. But I digress.

A post in which I have dinner at Dick and Eve's

My phone went off with a text at 6:03am this morning. I was in the middle of that sweet, end-of-the-night REM sleep too. Not a great way to start the day, but whattayagonnado? I got up and made coffee.

I went into work and started panicking because my boss wanted his reserve (the third one in the last 30 days - sheesh) as a top priority this morning. But I also had to pull the regular weekly reports, and start working on year end. But since half my reports for year end didn't run at all, I didn't really have all that much work to do right away anyway, as it turned out. The calm before the storm, but I'll take what calm I can get.

I had intended to go straight home tonight, do some laundry, and turn in early, but Eve called and invited me to dinner. She says it's no problem for me to come any night now since the doc has taken Dad off all meat. Well I haven't seen them in a week or so, didn't see them at Thanksgiving, plus Eve had the rest of my present for Ava that she had picked up. So I told her I would come.

Paul called also, to ask about Dad's health, so I filled him in on the latest details, then told him I had to go because I was really busy with work. He sounded pissed off, but I did have to go.

Eve had made bean enchaladas, Mexican rice, salad, homemade guacamole; it was quite a meal. But she wasn't happy with the way anything turned out. I thought it was delicious.

We had a nice meal and a visit. Dad gave me some more glass "odds and ends" he'd picked up on Ebay. There was a Patrician Spoke plate. I don't usually buy amber glass, but Miss Kat and dana have given me one also, so I have a pair now.

Patrician "Spoke" 11" dinner plate in amber by Federal Glass Company, circa 1933-1937

There was also a Ruby Red cup and saucer set. I usually don't buy cups any more because no one wants to use them, and these weren't Depression Era, but the set was pretty.

Charm cup and saucer in ruby red by Anchor Hocking, circa 1950-1956

Dad had also bought Eve a Princess cookie jar (presumably because she wanted the one he bought for me), and a Cameo cookie jar that was really pretty, although Dad told me that it was supposed to be a reproduction. It looked real to me. I'll have to look it up in the book.

But after a while, I just had to go home. I haven't been home one evening since last Tuesday night. I'm feeling worn down. I went home, washed the dishes, turned on South Park, and went to bed.