I’m starting to wonder if I should ask my bio mom if, you know, there was something else she neglected to tell me about.
CAN’T WAIT!
Oh, see, now I can’t do that, or I will invariably get lost. Yes, driving in the same place, I will get lost. A good sense of direction is not one of my attributes. Or a sense of direction at all, really.
Always remember in Albany, the river is on the east, and should be on your right if you are going home.
I’m early or on time everywhere . . .except work 
but what if you’re travelling home from, say, Potsdam?
I only meant from Albany, downtown. Which is where I most often get lost around these parts. Not being sure where Potsdam is, I couldn’t tell you.
Ha, looking on my map, I see Potsdam is near the Canadian border. That’s easy - go east toward the river, and then follow 87 S all the way to Exit 7! Or Route 9 S. (Yes, I know the river doesn’t go that far north.)
See, highways don’t bother me. The U.S. highway system is great. Inside cities, though, forget it.
Yes, because I look quite Indian, in that pale, redhead kinda way. 
I use the drive-around method of punctuality myself, and while my sense of direction is pretty good, if I’m not completely familiar with the area, I will just head back and forth on one road until the required time has passed. Or, I will sit in my car and read a book–which is why I always seem to have a library in my car.
My husband’s family is a pack of chronic moseyers … but fortunately, the brother-in-law is the worst of the lot. My husband is the herder of the bunch, but even he is prone to bouts of moseyness and lapses of absent-minded lateness.
It’s part of his charm.
Coming from NC up 17? Once you get past that tiny little drawbridge (Great Canal Draw Bridge maybe?) and go past the Mexican restaurant (don’t eat there - trust me. Unless you’re a big fan of ptomaine, then by all means have lunch) turn right at that light (there’s a 7-11 across the road).
You’ll soon come to a four way intersection (passing a firestation on your right). Turning right at this 4-way puts you on Shell Road. Follow Shell through the residential section (passing under I-64) until you come to a fork in the road - but you’re on one of the tines. Go straight down the handle of the fork - this is were Shell magically becomes Canal Drive.
There will be two churches on your left and a guy running a tree removal service from his house on the right, and then the road rises as you cross a set of railroad tracks. Immediately, and I do mean immediately, after crossing the tracks, the house is on your right.
It may look small in front, but it seems like the property goes back aways. At least there are two other buildings back there that look like a garage and a barn that share that property.
Y’all are making me feel bad as a chronically-almost-on-timer. I get to work on time (at least in my new job… no one cared and no one else was on time to the old job so “on time” kinda lost its meaning there), and I can get to big events and even movies on time. But other than that, I tend to get places ~2 minutes after a given arrival time. Partly that’s because I don’t like anyone showing up at my door before they’re supposed to get there. If I invited you over a 6, don’t be showing up at 5:45! I’m probably still in the shower! (Well, unless you’re THAT kind of friend and I’m expecting you to join me in the shower! 
)
anyrose, the wedding is in December. In Massachusetts. Which is a problem because for some unknown reason MA has a 3-day waiting period between getting your marriage license and actually being able to get married. But I don’t have enough vacation time to get to MA 3 days before the wedding. And both people have to appear in person to get the license. Sooooo… I think the actual legal part is either going to take place in NY - get the license on the way to the wedding and get it signed >24 hours later (NY’s waiting period) on the way back after the ceremony - or here in MN either before the ceremony or after we get back from the honeymoon. Not sure. That’s a really long answer to a simple question.
Here is the recipe–and it’s Southern and all!
Death Chicken:
So called, because if you pop it into the oven, it will be done when the funeral is over-hot and ready for you to chow down, post burial. The spices seem a tad strange, just trust me on this, kay?
Grab a 9x13 pan. Pam it. Throw some RAW bacon in the bottom (I line mine up like lil soldiers)-6-8 slices should do. Now, take 1 cup of UNcooked rice and throw that over the bacon.
Mix up 1 can of cream of chicken soup, 1 can water, a pinch of oregano, pinch of nutmeg, pinch of garlic salt and 1-2 teaspoonsful of dried parsley. Set aside.
Place chicken (cook with skin on), white or dark (I use thighs) over the rice–I usually put in about 6 or 7. Pour soup mixture over chicken. Cover in heavy foil and pop into a 300 or 325 oven for about 2 hours.
Enjoy. The only thing that would make this recipe better is if I deboned the thighs before cooking, and I lack that kind of ambition. It’s from the Sweet Potatoe Queen’s book, btw. Nummy.
I have done an incredibly stupid thing and have only myself to blame for it. Don’t you hate it when you do something and then think–duh, why did you do that?
I tried my silver paint on a board–I loved the way it looked. I tried to replicate it on the front hall walls and well, didn’t. It looks terrible. Now, I have to paint the freaking walls AGAIN. I may just try to touch up the spots–of course, I didn’t just try this technique on one wall, no sir-I did all 4, hoping that it would get better…
<raps his knuckles with wooden spoon>
No sir, you have had enough excitement for one day what with school ending and all that (don’t you all have summer school buses? We do!). Go home, lie down and place a cool cloth on your head. Maybe Buskidlet will make you some end of the school year brownies–I am not sharing. Ha!
Rigs Death Chikin sounds nummy! Somehow I just knew it had somethin’ to do with funeralizin’.
Dinner is eaten. No Death Chikin, cept for the fact that the chikin was daid when I grilled it, if that counts. Dessert will be eaten shortly. We’re digesting right now. Ok, ACBG is in the bath tub soakin’ his aching bones, as he puts it. Can y’all believe I let this man soak in my whirlpool tub whenever he wants? What can I say.
Ok, I have had it with the wasps. I try to coexist with them. As long as they don’t build any (visible) nests around my house or get on my back porch I live and let live. However, this is the third day in a row I’ve had to get the industrial strength wasp spray out cause there was a wasp on the back porch. This means war! Hear me wasps and hear me good! I shall hunt down your nasty little nests and eradicate them. I shall hunt for the not visible ones even. I shall be wasp free. You started it wasps, but I’m gonna finish it! Finish it BIG TIME!!!
I need some cake.
Mmm…chicken sounds yummy. I just had el-cheapo frozen pizza and a banana. Not quite in the cooking-for-real mood today. But it hit the spot. Pizza sauce was nice and spicy. Might have to go get ice cream in a bit. Yeah…I lead a sad life.
Sorry about the paint misadventure, rigs. Gotta admit it’s something I could have done. (Just a little more and maybe it’ll look better, I’m sure.) Did that with a doll haircut more than once.
kaiwik hit the nail on the head with the plant identification. Alliums are really really cool. My personal fave is allium schubertii. Here’s a link to better pictures of it in bloom. The size is really impressive, but it’s also cool that it blooms low to the ground. As someone upthread said, there are all kinds of alliums, all different sizes and seedheads.
So Mika, could you hear my eyes rolling as I read your next installment? I’m not a tremendously punctual person for social events, but when someone’s waiting for me to go somewhere, I hate hate hate hate to be late. Oh…icky volunteer story…I think losing the number was a good idea.
Oh, and kaiwik seems like all columbines turn purple after a while. I think the originals die out and the only seeds that survive are the purple ones… I could swear I had some that were yellow. Nope…only purple now.
MBG did you hear the school bus story on NPR this morning? Thought of you, of course.
Didn’t know that owls scared geese away…
Exciting evening planned. Ice cream (do they have devil’s food, maybe?) and then some reading…
GT
Hello all, I’ve been busy, although I popped in a few times to try and keep up.
On the being late thing; I hate it , hate it, hate it. I am always early. If I arrive at someone’s house before the agreed upon time, I’ll drive around right in the general area. I have friends and a nephew who are habitually late. I have developed nervous tics from this. If I say dinner is SERVED at 6:00, I fully expect you to be there. I do not want or appreciate you calling from across town at 6:30 or 7:00 to say you’re on your way. Tough shit; I’ve already eaten.
Mika, I would have strangled your family. That guy who came in to volunteer sounds positively oogy. I would have ripped the number up too.
I am meeting the hubby out at the lake after work so I can pull him around on the wakeboard and/or skis. I don’t feel like going, but, well, the fellas he has with him have never driven a boat, much less pulled a skier or wakeboarder up. So, that leaves me.
The chicken recipe sounds very interesting. I may have to try that sometime.
I guess I better wrap up some work here.
i’m just giving in to my gambling devil tonight - and enjoy some Kozy Shack Rice Puddin’
MBG - maybe you can explain to me something I’ve often wondered - with all the safety regulations in cars - why do buses not at least have seat belts?
ow.
Hey that chicken sounds good, it’s getting a try-out here very soon…
But I had more excitement, flattering, but not in a creepy, stalker way like my old, old GF Susan, of whom I told here a while back. My former physical therapist from a couple months back -Laura? The center she works at shares space with the gym I go to. Today, I’m working out, oblivious thanks to the I-Pod, and I feel a tap on my shoulder. It’s Laura, giving me an up and down look and telling me how “really good” I look and hey, don’t you miss having me twist and bend you?
Now, folks Laura is maybe 22-25, somewhere in there, and can best be defined as “cute as a button”. Former college gymnast/cheerleader type, tiny, thin, pretty, straight dark brown hair and probably has a negative body fat quotient.
I "aw shucks"ed and we just chatted a minute, but that was something on her part, tossing a morsel like that at an old sweaty fart and making my day.
Ok, 'nuff of that nonsense. I’m off to shower, and go to a board meeting to be abused by parents upset with my grandiose plan to eliminate some buses by adding adult crossing guards and making about another 240 kids walk to school next year…
Then the Wife is treating me to wings and beer to celebrate the end of school.
Yeah rigs, we have summer school, but it’s only a couple regular ed buses, maybe 15 special ed buses and some park district swim shuttles. And in the summer, the day ends by noon.
That is not a short answer, but I’ll try…as I glance at the clock and the shower…
Because while lap/shoulder belts have shown to be safety-worthy (?), lap belts alone really haven’t. Bus seats, if you see a new bus, are now built to compartmentalize the seats - they’re taller. Unless the bus rolls over they’re safe up to a pretty major bang.
If the bus rolls, lap belts alone are going to hurt more than they help.
And, of course: $$. Bus capacities are based on 3 to a seat. Lap/Shoulder belts limit you to 2 a seat, which means EVERYONE has to buy 50% more buses.
On top of that, who enforces that kids wear them? Sure we TELL them to, but when they don’t and get hurt, who’s liable there?
Most special service buses, and all of the early bird, and early childhood (3-5) kids wear them, but we also have adult monitors on those buses, as everyone does.
That’s the short answer.
That’s interesting, since IME I have never seen kids cram themselves together like that. I pass a lot of buses on the way to work, as I pass 3 separate schools. And then there’s the kid with cooties who no one will sit near - do those who work up the “maximum capacty” figures take that into account?
Trying to log in to buy tickets for the Robbie Williams tour in December… Site’s busy, dagnabbit!
I swear, buses is one of those things that sounds so simple on the surface and then the more you delve into it–the more complex it gets.
I still don’t get why they don’t turn off their engines when waiting for school to get out–the elementary buses here pull up a good 20 minutes before school ends, and every last one of them is belching out fumes and using fuel to go nowhere…
I have decided to leave the silver splotches on the walls for now, and on Thursday, go back to HD and look at the book again (I am not buying a $20 book for the two pages I’m interested in) and see if I can’t make the silver splotches into some kind of faux marble type something. If I have to-I wll just repaint the damned thing. Thing is, the walls are damaged and paint highlights the damage.
Argh.
Work is getting in the way here-I would really like next week off to get all this crap done. Well, enough whining.
anyrose and just what is Kozy Shack Rice Pudding when it’s at home? Never hoid of it.
Bed tonoc early-no Daily Show, even. I am too tired.
I made the google ads talk about killin’ wasps and bath tubs. I’m so proud of me!
I’m not as adventurous as Rigs is with painting. See, I hate it, so I just slap up one color and try to get it done ASAP. Cause I hate it.
Ok, gettin’ outta here for the night. It’s snuggie wuggie time.