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more chocolates etc

  • Posted on November 9, 2009 at 10:35 pm

I totally spaced and didn’t get to Li-Lac today, so Jacques Torres it is. A medium assorted box and some orange peels. Will be delivered on Thursday.

Had to turn down an invitation from mom for brunch on Sunday. After this dinner, I doubt we’ll be in much shape to go anywhere on Sunday- though Scotty joked that we’d have to come in, for the hair of the dog from the night before.

So much work to get done this week, I know I’ll end up having to do some on Sunday. The price I have to pay, I suppose. There’s always more work to be done; I can never seem to find or have enough time to get it all done. It’s part of the reason I end up staying so late- I can only really start working without interruption after 4. Gotta remember to ask about working in Piscataway data center- now that would be convenient in the winter.

I can’t wait for this weekend!

dinner and a show and a party

  • Posted on November 1, 2009 at 11:31 pm

At some point months ago, I had gotten us tickets to see Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull at the Count Basie Theater in Red Bank. We had front row balcony seats on the aisle. I had made reservations at one restaurant which we ended up canceling at the last minute and getting another reservation at the restaurant literally down the block from the theater, Buona Sera. I was a little leary of the place, even though it got good reviews. You’re always worried that they get by on being so close to the venue and serving passable food. I have to say that though it was crowded and noisy, the service and the food were outstanding. The cocktails were rather potent, but tasty, though a little expensive at $12 each. I started with a half order of fried calamari. I never order it any more but I thought a half order couldn’t be too much of a disappointment. This was light and crispy, neither chewy nor greasy, served with a very simple and tasty marinara sauce. This was calamari made right. For my entree I had zuppa de pesce- shrimp, scallops, Lobster Tail, Mussels, Clams & Calamari. Again, the seafood was perfectly executed, with everything in a spicy sauce.  The Husband had goat cheese wrapped in prosciutto which he proclaimed some of the best he ever had. He then had a filet mignon (slightly closer to well than medium) topped with Gorgonzola, served with port wine demi glace as well as a crab cake. For dessert I had a carrot cake, individual servings, and the Husband had cheesecake. I think New York style.  Dinner was a tad expensive, but not unreasonably so for what we got. It was certainly an enjoyable meal and we’d both gladly go back.

The show was great, but the venue was crowded and incredibly warm, even for me, so we left at intermission.

The following afternoon my mother threw a surprise party for my step-father’s 75th birthday. We picked up the cakes that morning, both white cakes with whipped cream, one with cherries, one with chocolate pudding. Both were very tasty, at least for most people. She had it catered, it was lovely. And we got to bring leftovers home for dinner that night! The first of two weekends of family time…

M-i-L’s birthday weekend

  • Posted on November 1, 2009 at 11:15 pm

This is probably the easiest way to catch up on the big things. Work doesn’t change much- it continues to be crazy and I don’t particularly like it, but that’s what it is for right now. There’s potential for me to be able to get at least get my feet wet with a small project soon that would be a nice change of pace in the direction I want to be going in so we’ll see what happens. I’m not holding my breath for anything.

Mom-in-law’s birthday was a week ago today, so last Sunday. We went over to their house for brunch to celebrate with her and had a lovely afternoon. We brought some salads from Harolds and some black and white cookies for dessert. She brought out her just incredible collection of jewelry and we went through most every piece and she told us the history of it, the story behind it. She was kind and generous  enough to bestow upon me the most incredible gift of his grandmother’s favorite pendant. Even in the short time I was lucky enough to know her, I knew how much that meant to her so to be gifted with this was almost overwhelming, for both of us.

All in all, it was a lovely day of family time.

I still have at least one more weekend to catch up on, but I’ve got to get off to bed now. This change of the clocks in just awfully hard for me to adjust to. This year with the weather already being so cold, it’s not going to make it easier. I need to make it out of the office at least a couple of days a week for lunch, just to get a few minutes of sunshine.

Halloween weekend

  • Posted on November 1, 2009 at 10:33 pm

The short story is that work is hell and doesn’t leave me time or brainpower for anything else during the week and the weekends have been busy too. I’m going to try and do this in reverse order to catch up.

This past weekend was Halloween, one of my favorite holidays. We didn’t decorate the house this year, I’m not sure why other than neither of us was really is a state to fuss with it. Plus time is moving too quickly. I can’t believe it’s November already, and that we’ve changed the clocks. It was dark by like 6 tonight. Ugh. Today we drove up to Woodstock to see a friend and enjoy the drive of watching the leaves change. Next time we have to plan for something to eat along the way. On the way out of town we passed a caviar store, of all things, so this time we had to stop and have a look around. I bought the Husband some salmon caviar and some gravlox. I’m sure he’ll have some of that for brunch tomorrow with fresh bagels from the bagel store that opened up down the road. By the time they got there today they were out of bagels and already really closed. Yesterday we drove all over Long Island before going to Jason’s Halloween party. We got to drive through the old neighborhood and see the house he grew up in, the places he traveled. We also  drove over the bridge to the beach and got to see the moon over the water which was pretty cool. Before the party we had some Japanese food delivered for dinner with Jason and Dawn. It was rather tasty and we were rather hungry, having not eaten much of anything all day. We left fairly early as the apartment was warm and it was starting to rain so we figured to try and beat the storm. But that’s why we had gotten there early, so we’d have time to hang with Jas before every one else showed up. Need to get him out here to visit.

Lots of time in the car this weekend. It’s a very comfortable ride, and I truly appreciate that, but it was still a lot of hours.

weekend update

  • Posted on October 12, 2009 at 9:36 pm

It’s been another one of those busy weeks, and the upcoming one doesn’t look too different.

Work is still a lot of hours and a lot of work. I don’t like it any better this week than last. I was talking to the girls at PMG today when I was home and had IM access, and realized how much I miss them personally, as well as just working with folks on a daily basis to chat and catch up with, to break up the day, to sympathize with the specific insanities of the job. I don’t have that where I am now. And as anti-social as I am now I miss it.

Saturday was a very long busy day. We started the day taking a drive up to Woodstock to take care of a bit of business with a friend. It was a lovely drive, the trees are all changing up there, but it was almost two hours up, and then two hours back. We stopped at the Plucky for lunch on the way home. I had a yummy tomato soup and a crab cake with tempura green beans. The Husband had the butter lettuce salad which he said was spicy this time, so much so it made him flushed. He also had the baked ham and brie sandwich with an egg on top. He was so exhausted that he asked me to drive home. I certainly didn’t mind, it was just home from the Plucky which I’d done countless times before.

We get home and he’s just exhausted. Under normal circumstances it wouldn’t be a big deal but Saturday we also had a second Rocky Horror Reunion to go to. And I have to admit, I -really- wanted to go. Some of the same people from July were there but there were several folks including Sal who hadn’t been there. So we both just try to chill out and finally he goes to take a nap. Before he does we talk and he’s ok with me going in, so I put him to bed and go shower and get ready. I realize that I can’t wear the outfit I had planned because it laces up the back, so I find something else and head out into the city. I stop at Starbucks at the rest area on my way in for a needed fix and managed to get myself into the city and parked without too much angst. Always a plus to starting the evening. I hate driving into Manhattan.

Parking in the city is always fun. This time at least I knew exactly where I was parking, it just took $10 to convince the guy to find a spot when he said the lot was full. Got to the theater and got my ticket, definitely a good thing since the show sold out. Then met up with Jeremy; it was funny- I texted him to see if he needed a ticket and a minute later he came walking up the block. He didn’t actually notice my text till much later. I’m so glad the two of them are working together, and that this can work out to be something good. It’s so rare for either of them to have someone at their own level.  We then ran into Angela and the three of us headed over to the diner. Holy Hades was it hot in there! They had us in way too small a space and there were a lot of us and it was really freaking hot. In a way it was good that the Husband wasn’t there, he would have been incredibly uncomfortable and outside for much of the dinner. It took us FOREVER to order, but I think that was just my table, which I ended up sharing with Greg who played Rocky before my time (and that night) and his wife Laura and their daughter Violet. When we finally got it, they made a decent burger, medium rare as asked for. I figured they couldn’t screw that up too badly. Eventually we headed out to the theater. Met up with Jason and a couple of his friends for a smoke before the show.

Thanks to MMM I was once again able to get in with the cast and company before the general audience. It was a really good preshow. The kind of preshow I remember back from the Playhouse days. It’s good to be able to think back to those days and remember the good times and the friendship. I think it was MMM who in the tribute to Sal said that he created a place where all of the misfits and outcast could come together and be themselves and have each other. And we really did. It’s kind of amazing how 20 years later those are still some of the friendships and memories I treasure the most. I stayed till after Time Warp, said some goodbyes and headed home. I wish I had stayed till the end of the show. But it was late and I needed to be sure I could drive myself home safely.

I kept texting and emailing with the Husband all night which was really cool. Poor thing; I missed him so! But he was in no shape to be out and about that night and I’m glad he had the sense to let himself rest. Sunday we did just about nothing. He went out to pick up some awesome sushi for dinner and I think that was the extent of it. Today was Columbus Day so I had off from work but was still up by 9. Ugh! Even with the lunesta, I can’t get a decent night’s sleep. I’ve been trying to rest and do as little as possible for the last few days. I haven’t had much of a choice- the Husband has insisted on taking care of me and everything else and I’ve been trying to let him. Especially since he’s been fighting his own issues at the moment and slept for 13 hours last night.

I’m still fighting the headache, though for a brief moment it seemed like it was loosening its grip somewhat, so we’ll see what happens this week. I’m trying to stay optimistic but it’s hard sometimes. Though I have to say, I didn’t get as sick as I expected from being in the city Saturday night. I hadn’t been feeling well for a day or two before and was sure I was going to be knocked out on Sunday but it wasn’t as bad as I thought. I’m trying to be grateful for the little things. I still need to make a neuro appt. Ugh.

Next weekend we’re supposed to go see Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull down in Red Bank. Tomorrow I must remember to make the dinner reservations. Then Sunday my mother is throwing a surprise party for my stepfather’s 75th birthday.  Always something to do. Fortunately, the Husband is dealing with the cake for which I’m grateful. I was feeling a little overwhelmed having to deal with that too.

Must make plans with Rocky friends. I don’t want to lose touch again. The Husband and Phillykins need to play some chess, maybe get Mutie to come around, see who else we can wrangle up. Dang it. Need to get Ed and Joey to come home too, at least to visit. When things were good, hanging out with them were some of the best times of my life.

Bed. Rest. Sleep. Wake up. work. travel to office. work. travel home. work. bed. sleep. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

update

  • Posted on October 7, 2009 at 7:32 am

I’ve been meaning to write this post since Sunday. Damn work is taking it all out of me.

We went to elements for brunch on Sunday and they had challah french toast. Oh, yum! Of all the breads this is hands down my favorite. Unfortunately most breakfast/brunch menus have limited options for me since I don’t eat eggs. I’ll eat them if they’re in something but not an egg or an omlette. Most of the time if I want breakfast food it’s french toast. I think next time I’ll ask them to hold one of the ice cream scoops. It’s a little too dessert for breakfast for me and is just as good with just the Blis maple syrup. After running into Alex and Aki of Ideas in Food at the Newtown Amish Market on Saturday, I caught up on reading their blog as well as the elements blog. In the elements blog Joe talks about his current take on apple pie, with an apple pie gel so I asked him about it and he was kind enough to make us a tasting plating. Oh was it good! Right up my alley as the Husband said, with cinnamon merangue and toasted merangue and….drool. It was good. I wanted to lick the plate. I’d order that again in a heartbeat.

After brunch it was off to visit a new client with the Husband. First visits can be awkward especially for me but he was a very nice guy and there is potential for all sorts of different opportunities here. Only time will tell, though, and that’s what really counts, not what can happen but what does happen.

This has been another one of those busy weeks for me and it’s only Tuesday. I’m still having a hard time adjusting to the pace. It feels like a constant juggling act and I keep waiting for something to come crashing down on my head. Sigh.

The headache has been a mixed bag. Monday was a headache free day, the first complete one in I don’t know how long. Maybe three weeks at this point. Today has made up for that and we’re back to a level that makes me slowly lose my sanity. Or not so slowly. It’s maddening, really, and I want to crawl into bed, or stay in bed and just hide in the quiet and the dark for a while but can’t. We tried changing the medications to use the secondary abortive fioricet as the primary medication and that worked well for a day and a half. But I took 2 today and it hasn’t helped. Oh, and I have to be careful how much of my other pain meds I can take when I take this. Great.

Mom’s throwing a surprise party for my stepfather for his birthday. I need to deal with the cake. I need to get her to set a budget. ‘Cause I have ever-so-much free time on my hands to deal with this. And today we realize we need two cakes because my cousin’s birthday is the same day.

This weekend is another RHPS reunion which should be a lot of fun, but exhausts the hell out of me especially since we don’t meet up for dinner till 9. Still, I want to go and see some old friends again. I really do need to make time to have some semblance of a social life.