I love that I get to live in a place that has a Penzey’s store. And I need a few things…
Yesterday. Out on the bike, on the way home - there’s a stretch of road I always dread. Over a reservoir, and then climbing steeply, narrow, twisty, surprisingly busy - a bus route, even - with cars going way too fast. Thing is, there really isn’t an alternative out that way, so I just hold my breath and…
OK, so I was just approaching the reservoir, and I ran into the back of a line of traffic. Roadworks? Lights? I rolled to the front of the queue to see what was going on - no lights, road closed for 15 minutes, urgent repairs. Eh - you’re shitting me! - I’ll tell you what, it takes a lot to close a road to a bike. I rolled straight through, and rode a nasty piece of road - while it was closed to traffic.
Smile? I was grinning from ear to ear.
j
Yesterday, I unexpectedly ended up able to attend an open-to-the-public event hosted by my former employer. I didn’t know it was happening and I was next door for a client visit, and walked past the entrance and saw someone I knew greeting people. She let me in, and I spent the next two hours walking around and seeing so many people I used to work with, and just generally catching up. Leaving that company was bittersweet for me, and it felt good to reconnect.
They even let me take a few items of swag, which my son promptly took for himself, which made me smile too.
My son and I have also been having a blast this past week playing Human Fall Flat together. It’s the most silly, ridiculous game I’ve ever played (even more than Untitled Goose!) and I’m loving every second with him.
Our dogs get a BarkBox each month filled with toys and treats. The toys are cool in that they usually are interactive. This month they got a fish with a squeaker, a crinkle (noise) section, and a treat recovery thing. You can shove a treat down the fishes mouth and the dog has to figure out how to get it. Simi loves toys like this. We spent a half hour watching and laughing at him.
It is really difficult for them to get the treat out!
So, my wife gave me a very short list, a couple of spice blends from Penzey’s. I’d never been there, but it’s a narrow storefront in an upscale strip mall, so I expected a quick “duck into the small store and grab a couple bottles off a shelf”.
Oh my gosh… the place was big, with separate “dioramas” of kitchens and living areas. I tried finding things on my own, but I had to ask for help for every item (and most of them had multiple “flavors” that I had to choose from).
Oh yeah, they are serious about their spices. And they keep the stuff fresh too. Only Indian markets have spices that fresh for comparison. But the spices are different there, too.
No noodling, please.
I cracked myself up today. One of the dogs was walking ahead of me, and stopped to have a nice stretch, with tail held high. In best Herman’s Hermits style, I sang, “Mr. Hank, you’ve got a lovely butthole…”
I laughed, but Hank just took me at my word.
The hotel I was at last weekend had put up some Halloween decorations, one of which was an 8’ tall zombie waiter outside the hotel restaurant which was motion activated so its eyes lit up red, head moved, and spoke as you went by. I was having breakfast Saturday morning, and a man was leaving with two little girls - one about 5-6 and one about 3. The young one insisted that Daddy go stand in front of the “big scary man”, then put her hands over her eyes and had big sister lead her safely past. She was scared but she had a plan!
This morning FtGGrandkid2 was born. Got a picture later. Seriously cute. Hopefully we’ll be able to visit in a day or so.
Parents still haven’t decided on a name.
The sunrise out of my living room window. The sky turns from red to pink to daylight.
I saw a woman walking seven dogs in the 'hood. I keep hoping a stray cat will adopt me.
I planted an azalea in a whiskey barrel in our backyard. It’s a nice healthy plant, bought from a good nursery that doesn’t sell weedy or skanky ones.
I’m looking forward to seeing it bloom. It should be a nice shade of pink, which will look pretty in the shade of our birch trees.
Welcome, FtGGrandkid2!
Ted Dog did a funny little dance for me, then we walked around the yard for a while. It was the 20 minutes of Perfect Weather I get here. Cold beer, good music from the back deck… it was pretty nice.
You need to see Hickory’s. It’s ‘The Golden Ghost’. Like something out of Jason and The Argona… I realize I can’t spell that.
Like …astronaut
…argonauts.
Just being helpful😄
My mother had azalea bushes in the front yard at the corners of the house. Twice a year for three or four weeks they were gorgeous - an explosion of pink! Then they exploded - all the pink on the ground, bushes spindly and naked! I felt so sorry for Mom. Did I miss anything?
In the backyard we had a dogwood; same deal - beautiful white blossoms BOOM! all gone!
Don’t get me started on the little walnut tree.
Man, three wise men are following my Hank’s shining star!
Seeing a Dodgers/Yankees World Series!
The Cat Who Ran Like Hell The First Time He Saw Me is purring loudly with two paws on my lap.
I am smiling. (And providing ear skritches.)
I bought two coleus plants from the local nursery in the spring. They were by far the prettiest things I had in the yard this year. They’re on their downhill run outside now, as it gets colder, so I took several cuttings from each and put them in water in the house. I’m starting to see some teeny tiny roots on a couple of them, so I hope this will mean coleus redux next spring. I will them to grow every morning while I am waiting for the coffee to brew.