A post in which it is Super Bowl Sunday!*

Donnie had invited me to his Super Bowl party, and I was looking forward to it. I really wanted to watch the game, and it’s always better with friends. Plus this solved the problem of me having to have a party.

I knew I had to be there at 6 or so, but I had a lot to do today.

I ate some breakfast. I had a piece of leftover pizza from lunch yesterday, and I decided to try, once again to poach some eggs and make toast to supplement it. I love poached eggs, but have never been able to make them. The first one, as usual, was a disaster. But the second one turned out OK – the first decent poached egg I have ever made. I think I’ve not been waiting for the water to get hot enough before I put them in. So I triumphantly ate breakfast, but making poached eggs destroys the kitchen.

I took a nap. I needed the rest after being out late last night, and because I knew I would be out late tonight, but it put me behind schedule when I woke back up at noon. I hastily cleaned up the breakfast mess, and then ran to the store for the last things I needed for lo mien, and dip fixings. I had agreed to make my mother’s layered taco dip for the Bowl tonight.

I had a friend coming through town today and he was supposed to stop by to see me. I only get to see him about twice a year, and I really like him. His name is Jay, and he lives in Atlanta now. I checked in with him and he was going to be late, which actually suited the way things were running.

I got home and put about half the dip together. Some of the layers are vegetables and can’t be put on until you actually serve it. I had done most of the chopping when Jay got to the house.
After a lovely and relaxing visit with Jay, he left to go on home, but it was almost 5pm. I decided that I could be a little late – I wanted to go ahead and put the lo mien together so I wouldn’t have to come home and cook Monday night.

Well I got the lo mien done in pretty much record time, but making Chinese food destroys the kitchen worse than anything – even poached eggs. There is all the chopping mess, and then you have to put it together quickly so you have to drag everything out at once. I have to say this was the best lo mien I have ever made. My noodles weren’t quite as done as they should be, but I feel like I have the combination correct for the flavor.

Working as quickly as possible, I cleaned up the kitchen and headed for Donnie’s. I was only about 20 minutes or so late. They had delayed the game waiting for me (I felt kind of bad about that, but it’s easy enough to do with a DVR). I put the dip together, got a plate of food (having worked up an appetite earlier, and having taken time for only a light lunch today) and settled in to watch the game.

It was a good game, and my dip was roundly praised. Always a good combo. All the food was good.

We were rooting for the Saints. They’re from the south, and I feel sorry for New Orleans. They could use something to raise their spirits. Plus Peyton Manning had defected from them. Against all odds, the Saints came from behind to win. The last quarter was spectacular football, and the final interception Tracy Porter of the Saints ran in for a touchdown was like something out of a sports movie. It was beautiful. I am so happy for them!

Tracy Porter of the New Orleans Saints (left) breaks away to run an interception in for a 74 yard touchdown in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl. What a play!

Mom's Seven Layer Mexican Dip is just always a hit. It was so pretty Christina said I should make a picture of it, so I did.

A post in which I go to a lesbian bar

I woke up this morning not feeling well. I just felt icky and hung over, despite not getting drunk last night. Once again, I had plenty to do today; and once again it did not get accomplished.

I dragged myself to the sofa and watched some BBC America as I tried to wake up. I’ve been in flea market withdrawal. It’s been weeks since I’ve been able to go; so I finally roused myself and drug myself over the White Horse Road for a bit. It was clear this morning, but still soggy, and there weren’t any yard sale people there. I did go inside and see the Gourmet Food Lady, and picked up some stuff; including a big ole hunk of hoop cheese (old timers call it rat cheese). It’s one of my faves, and was cheaper than I usually see it. Since it was shrink wrapped in heavy plastic, I figured it was pretty safe. I got home, toasted some on whole wheat bread, and ate it with scrambled eggs and hot sauce – yum! After that I had a nap and tried to get motivated. Without a lot of success.

Christina texted me that she had passed her Nurse’s Exam and was now officially a nurse. They were going out tonight to celebrate, and I was invited, which was nice.

I had planned to do my taxes today, so I called the H&R Block near my house. I’ve always had good luck getting in there without waiting forever. Ordinarily I do my taxes myself, but with the window credit and all this year, I decided to pay to have them done. I got right in, and the guy that did them was very nice. Sadly, Gracine didn’t qualify for the energy efficient tax credit (the car had not been introduced when that measure was passed), but I did get my window credit. For my first time itemizing, it went pretty smoothly.

While I was out I decided to go ahead and pick up groceries. I had decided to make lo mien this weekend for lunches next week. I had the noodles in the freezer. It is damn near impossible to find proper lo mien noodles, so when I find some I get them. I went to the Chinese grocery for odds and ends, including some baby bok choi. They have lovely bok choi there. They have pretty savoy cabbage also, but since they are consistently the size of small waste baskets I don’t buy them there.

When I got home I put stuff away and rested for a bit before I went to meet C&J for dinner.
We were going to a new place tonight called Mojo’s. I had never been, and couldn’t find out anything about it online. I called Christina and talked to her, and apparently its lesbian owned and operated. It’s become a hangout for the local lesbians, but they are downplaying that aspect in the interest of business I suppose. Apparently The Castle has lost their stranglehold on the liquor license board, or Mojo’s is flying under the radar.

It’s an OK place. It’s more bar than restaurant, but nice enough inside. There’s a good-sized bar area, an eating area, and a dance floor. It’s decorated with WWII pinup girl poster re-prints, which I thought was pretty cool and low-key. The rest of the décor is traditional lesbian chic. Gray floor tiles, brown walls, corrugated metal ceiling. The general impression is that it was designed to be hosed out if necessary. One look around the clientele, though, would tell you that you’re in a lesbian bar; lots of no-nonsense women, which frankly suits me just fine. The menu was all frozen deep-fried stuff. But we were there for a celebration, not for the food.

Kimbley and Laura were there, and Donnie and Mark came in. Two friends of K&L, named Toni and Ronnie came in. They’re very nice. We had appetizers and food, but Mark and Donnie declined to eat (my impression is that the limited menu didn’t meet with their approval). I had a couple of drinks with the group, but then the bar stuff cranked up. Very loud music kept conversation to a minimum. I remembered why I don’t go to bars any more.

I hung out for a while and danced a bit, but frankly I was pretty bored. I was there with people I really like, but couldn’t really talk to them. Of course flirting opportunities in a lesbian bar were pretty scarce for me. There were some gay guys in there, but they were in a group, and seemed to lean towards the ‘skinny bar-fag’ genre.

I invited the group back to my place, but Christina was in a party mood and wanted to stay to dance. I was just noised out. I didn’t want to be a party-pooper, but I was pretty much done.

Russ had invited me over, and I called and talked to Billy, but they were headed for bed.

I went on home and headed for bed myself.

A post in which I visit with Miss Kat and dana

It was another rainy, yucky day today. All day long. When I got of work, I made my soggy way home to change. I had invited Miss Kat and dana over, but they preferred that I come there. I really couldn’t blame them.

There was nothing in the house to eat that I wanted to wait on, since I had let the fridge empty out this week in preparation for going to the mountains. I could have had a cheese sandwich, but just really felt like eating something better on a Friday night. I usually stop at Long John Silver’s when I go over there. I can just grab a quick meal of fish tacos (a guilty pleasure of mine); but tonight I thought “Screw it. If I’m going to eat something bad for me anyway, I’ll just get what I want.” So I went to another Chinese buffet, this one over off White Horse Road. For some reason I just die for cheap Chinese food around the time of Chinese New Year. I’m sure it’s completely in my head, but I indulge it.

Of course tonight’s meal wasn’t as much fun as last night with Nicole (nor was the food as good, frankly), but I have an excellent book right now. It’s another Charlaine Harris book, called Poppy Done to Death. This series features the intrepid Aurora Teagarden, sleuth in a small southern town, rather than her more popular Sookie Stackhouse character. I have one of that series in the pile too, but there’s just something about a whodunit when the weather is ugly.

After eating enough to keep a small Ethiopian village alive for a week, I went on over to Miss Kat’s, to find her at home alone. dana had taken Miss Helen to the auction tonight. We sat and talked and visited until dana and Miss Helen came in. I helped them carry in all the stuff, and Miss Helen showed me her disaster pantry, where she is putting food aside in case of the rioting/war she believes is coming. She said “Can you shoot a gun?” To which I replied that I can, but haven’t for many many years. “Too bad.” She commented. Apparently I am to be one of the many casualties of the coming difficulties.

After visiting for a bit with dana I headed on home.

A post in which I go out for Chinese Buffet

I talked to Mother this morning about the trip, and apparently they are expecting a lot of snow and ice in the mountains this weekend, so the tri p to Granny’s is cancelled. I was disappointed, because I wanted to see Mom and Granny, but at the same time, this left me free to make plans for the Super Bowl. I had agreed to go up before I realized the game was this weekend. I got in touch with Russ and Billy, and Kimbley and Laura, but no game parties planned that I can find out about. Maybe I’ll have people in myself. If it wasn’t on a Sunday I’d be all for it, but having a party and then having to work the next day may be more than I really want to take on.

I got a lovely response from Lynn on my first Kindred update today. That was nice.

Nicole and I had planned on going to dinner and having a visit tonight, so despite the weather we decided to go. It had snowed lightly during the day, but by the time I got off work it was just wet drizzly yuck outside – in short February weather. February is the cruelest month, not April. February is the month in which we Southerners pay for our pretty weather the rest of the year. We have unpleasant Januaries sometimes, and I’ve been through ice storms in March, but February is consistently disgusting, nasty, raw weather.

Not to mention it contains Valentine’s Day, the bane of single people everywhere. Nothing like a special day where society says, in unison “Hi there you pathetic loser! Life is passing you by AND your expendable to society! Hope you don’t die alone and get eaten by your cats!” But I digress.

After going by the library, and (God help me) the grocery store (I was out of milk. I take solace in the fact that it is my duty to buy groceries during inclement weather whether or not I actually need anything. I did go to a better neighborhood tonight instead of the redneck store in mine, so it wasn't such a madhouse.), I went home to meet Nicole.

We went to Ni Hao, since I’ve been craving Chinese buffet for several weeks now, and I basically ate like I just got out of prison or something. I’m seriously considering just abandoning all dietary restraint for the month. I could use the boost in morale. Not the best idea in the world from a clothes-fitting perspective, but it makes a dandy rationalization.

After supper, we just went back to my place, turned on some music, cracked a bottle of Pinot Noir, and talked. Nicole is a talker too, so we never lack for conversation. She’s nearing the end of school, has landed a fabulous intern position, and things are starting to happen for her; and I am just thrilled. Girlfriend has paid her dues.

It was a lovely evening

A post in which I try to get motivated to pack

It was a frustrating day today at work. I spent over two hours poring over a new report my boss wants done. I was trying to figure out how I kept ending up $5million off. Eventually, I realized that the report was wrong.

I sent out my first progress report to the Kindred today. I’m to send a status report each month for my pledge year. I felt good about sending it out today. I think I’m making tangible progress towards my goals, and I had before and after pictures of the bedroom to send, showing the new valances. I also sent a sample recipe from the book I’m working on.

I would have gone out to dinner tonight on the way home, but I had finished my book today at lunch. I don’t really like going out to eat by myself. With a book I can enjoy it well enough, but I wasn’t going with nothing to read. It’s just as well. I need to clean out the fridge before the weekend, and I’m going out to dinner with Nicole tomorrow anyway. It’s not as if I need the extra calories. After getting through the holidays in pretty good shape, I’ve eased vigilance in January, and my work pants are getting tight again. Back to the salad.

I went home and finished up the last of the super baked beans I made last weekend. I messed around online, watched a little telly, and chatted with a friend on Facebook. I was putting off packing. It needed to be done tonight since I’m visiting with Nicole tomorrow. Ordinarily I don’t mind packing, but I just couldn’t get motivated tonight. I had already decided not to do laundry before I went. Then I decided not to pack up the Blue Willow dishes, which I really should do so I can get them out of the house and on to Lisa. Getting things out of the house is a big deal when your house is as small as mine. I’ve been letting the green room junk up and I really need to clear it out. But I decided to wait on that, primarily because I don’t have anything to wrap the dishes in, and didn’t feel like going back out to buy newspapers; which is a pretty piss-poor excuse.

Eventually I did throw some things in a bag, so the barest basic is done. Then I went to bed.

A post in which I get my hair cut

It was busy today, as I knew it would be. I had the usual Monday stuff to do, plus month end to assemble. But I’m used to doing it all, so I just sat down and started getting stuff out.

I finally had my appointment with Russ today. He had put me off week before last, and then his dad passed last week, so he was gone all week. At five weeks out (I try to have it cut every three weeks), I felt like I had a Church O’ God bouffant.

Russ seems to be fine. He is hard at work catching up his client base after being out of town.

After being shorn (I felt a bit like a New Zealand sheep must feel on my way out), I headed for the library and picked up a book that had been on hold for me since last Friday. Thankfully it was still there.

I would have gone out for something to eat on the way home, but there really isn’t anything around between the library and my house. I am really craving Chinese buffet. I went by the one near my house. I haven’t been in there in months because the food quality had gone down so precipitously; but I didn’t feel like driving back across town, and was craving strongly enough to give them another chance. They’re closed. I figured they wouldn’t last when the buffet started looking so straggly. They would offer to cook anything special you wanted and put it out, but that kind of isn’t the reason you go to a buffet.

I went on home and ate stuff out of the fridge. I need to clear it out before the weekend anyway. I’m supposed to be going to see Granny this weekend with Mother.

A post in which I do the new valances

I woke up feeling pretty crappy today. I had a headache and a tired feeling that I recognize as the calling-card of Epstein Barr. I decided not to go in to work.

After a hearty breakfast of baked beans on toast with egg (the Brits really do know something about how to eat), I turned in for a nap. I slept most of the morning, and then watched BBC America for a good portion of the early afternoon.

After lunch I was feeling a bit better, and decided that the day shouldn’t be a total loss. As another motivating factor, I have my first monthly progress report for the Kindred on Wednesday and wanted to have something good to report.

So I got out the sewing machine and made the new valances. They turned out pretty well. They do make the bedroom windows look finished. I’m not happy with them, of course, because I know where the mistakes are, but they’re the type of things that people who don’t sew are unlikely to notice. I am becoming more experienced at sewing. I did a lot of the ironing and pinning in advance today, and when I finished one valance, I put it up to see what needed to be fixed before I did the others. That saved me some time. Instead of pulling out seams, I could just re-iron and re-pin the others.

By the time that was done I was tired, but at least felt that I had accomplished something today.

The bedroom, sans valances. I hated the old ones so much that when I took them down for the window people I just got rid of them.

Bedroom with the new valances up. Jinx wasted no time going in to inspect.

Detail on the new valances. You can see a little bit of the pattern. The drapery panel had a 2" crest on top, so I used it and did the two other panels I made to match.