Weekend round two. What a world. Saw kindness and hate in a single day. It’s amazing how differently people react to fear & stress. Dignity, people… So our routines have become alien to even ourselves. A morning walk? That’s unheard of on weekends. WTF!!! Apparently not the easiest thing to do when your loved one was taking shots while FaceTiming friends all night. I’m guilty of also partaking. Technically she wasn’t drinking alone but… she kind of was? A gray area for sure. No one should drink alone.
We stayed up together later than the norm. We danced to music on the patio and had a great evening. So the morning walk was pushed back to a later time. When it did happen we were met with much resistance. The wind was blowing like a f***ing hurricane. While walking by the COVID-19 test site one of the tents literally blew away. To the shocked disbelief of the sole attendant. Who stood their taking pictures of its demise. I assume to send to coworkers signifying that they needed a little help. Bekah asked if we should help. No. That tent is beyond the point of help. The walk was accomplished. Bekah was able to keep pace. I am trying to get used to walking with actual shoes rather than flip-flops. To appease my wife, I will wear shoes when walking with her.
Anywho, it was decided lunch would be pizza. I woke up early to start the dough before our delayed walk. Flour & yeast are high commodities these days. Lucky for me I had some. I kneaded and kneaded. 2 hours later it was alive & double the size. At first I was planing on just making a Hawaiian pizza. Bekah brought up we had leftover chorizo from last weekend and I could make half Hawaiian and half Mexican chorizo. One of our favorite places has this pizza and for some absurd reason that’s the sole pizza that isn’t being offered during this carry out/delivery only time. Makes no sense. I have to say her idea was superb. I’ve never made that pizza and it was fun trying something different. I’m hard pressed to say which half I liked the most. The beer was also pretty good.
Coconut shrimp. I’ve never made this. Honestly, shrimp I generally prefer cold. Cocktail. I make a few exceptions. Why the heck not try something different during these different times. So I jammed out to music. Some oddly 80’s like music. I hated the 80’s music for the longest time. I guess I was too cool for it and just never tried. I’ve gone back to some and realized their is a decade of tunes that I can catch up on. What a gift.
Oh yeah, this is about shrimp. And booze??? Sure!! The shrimp was f***ing good. I apologize, I’m cussing a lot more. That’s what I do when s*** hits the fan. Back to the shrimp. It was f***ing good. I’m not sure the grilled asparagus was the appropriate side. What do you all suggest?
After dinner it was time for FaceTime drinks with our slumber party partner, The Slovak. I actually just happened to run into her earlier during the day at HEB. It was fun talking to and seeing her. Slovak is good fun. She is a good friend. I think FaceTime drinks was the medicine we 3 needed. It’s a communication technique I don’t ever utilize and it’s good to try and find new means of social interaction. I can’t tell you how many shots were taken. Much more and for a longer duration of time than I was expecting. The bottle wept when we were done with it. Crazy girls. Some things you just need not hear or see. I’ll leave it at that. It seems when this is all said and done we will being having an epic slumber party. I’m sure you will hear all about it. No shortage of blog material on those weekends.
That’s the last bottle I’m buying her. Not rationing the booze very well.
Sunday fun-day! It’s brunch again. I had a hankering for some eggs Benedict. Funny how such a staple brunch item isn’t served anywhere in town. Someone needs to work on that. I’ve never made them before. Could be cool, I thought. I’ve never really been the best a poaching eggs. If I did it more I’m sure it would get easy. This attempt wasn’t perfect, but better than some past tries. The hollandaise sauce was great. We both decided that we need to do this again. Their are a lot variations that can be made. Mimosa to wash it all down. I think Sunday brunch is going to a a thing during these times. I’ve really enjoyed it the last 2 times. I don’t make brunch and my breakfast have been called “pretty terrible” so it’s nice really getting into it. Cooking is therapy. It’s a way to harness some positive energy. We all need that right now.
So Sunday it was Chopped round 2. I was fairly shocked to see the ingredients Bekah picked considering her condition was fragile for the drink. Snapper, mango habanero salsa, butternut squash & coconut turmeric rice. WTF? I hate mango!! I guess I have to give it a go. I made some fish tacos. Grilling the fish like it’s Cod. Roasted the squash w/ jalapeño & onion. The salsa is gross. To take away from its taste I mixed it with avocado and cilantro. That’s marginally better. The rice I decide to mix with the roasted veggies. I cook up some tortillas and bam! It all trine sour rather good. The fish surprised me. I wasn’t sure what it would taste like. Just a good white fish. Veggies worked and adding the cilantro really helped take away from all the mango. I hate mango. Bekah seemed to enjoy, despite all her pains. That’s says something. I think it’s time for her to do this.
This conclude another weekend blog. I just found out that they are extending our isolation till the end of April. I think I’ll play bartender, pour myself a drink & find something to watch on TV. I have not watched much TV. Until next week. Love to you all. Be safe!!!
Being unable to go to work during this time, I was worried what I would to do find structure. How would I keep myself from going stir crazy and loosing my mind. It would be too easy to just pour myself a drink at noon. I will not being doing that. I have found a better way to distract and focus my thoughts. A way of treating my anxiety. Working out throughout the day and spending most of my free time outside. Going for walks has always been good for my mental health. It’s just you and your thoughts. I must say that it decided to get warm on this first week of virus vacation. (Thanks, Leroy. I needed a name for this sabbatical.) A little hot during the afternoons but I can cope. 3 walks a day. I’ve been keeping up with my steps and the distance I journey on foot throughout the day. It’s been kind of motivating. Maybe when this all blows over I will be in better shape than I’ve been in a long time. Gotta set some kind of goal during moments of uncertainty. I want to remain as positive as I can. It’s out of my hands, like I said before. Roll with the punches. We can do this. Falling into despair might be easy, I get that. When you are hearing bad news everywhere you turn the spirit can sink. So look within yourself and find something that is bright that you cherish. A memory, person, song, or feeling. Whatever! If you start to sink, grab onto that and let it lift your spirit back up. I fully recommend going outside and taking a moment to admire nature. Look at some flowers. Listen to the bird songs. Their is so much beauty to admire if you look.
On another note, wearing shorts outside everyday had me realize just how pale my legs are. Good lord, how many people have I blinded this week? By the end of week….
Unmarked grave.Sat with the ducks for a little while. They are fine. Worried we will not be bringing them bread when quarantine begins. I assured them some of us would still look out for them and that they would be better off eating corn..
It was only a matter of time before a case of COVID-19 showed up in our little city and Tuesday was that day. It was confirmed. Now that it is here will we have another surge of panic shopping? Even if that were to happen the grocery stores are still pretty cleaned from the last round. All these people shopping like it is the end of the word. It’s disgusting. Toilet paper still hasn’t been available whenever I’ve gone, and I go daily. Often to multiple stores. If I can be the eyes in the store to help someone find something that they need, well, I play a positive part in this. I want to help however I can. A friend needed flour and I found her flour. They were just putting it on the shelf. And since I have only actually put in 2 hours of work in 4 days I figure I can be on the front line when it comes to braving the stores. I’m even okay with the one in one out system that they implemented. The shopping is so much more relaxed once you gain entry. Before it was a frantic mess. And don’t worry, I’m being safe. I practice safe social distancing, and I have used more sanitizer than probably ever in my life. I don’t touch anything unless I need it and I don’t ever touch my face until my hands have been washed. This is the most germaphobe days of my life.
Many people don’t look down it seems.State of the art testing center.Strange times.
What else to do with the free time? :/ Reorganize my sock drawer? Inventory my underwear? How about alphabetize the spice rack? How about call the plumber? Ive had a sink that was slow to drain and a minor toilet problem he could also looked at. He fixed the toilet issue without problem. The sink… f***. Seems that’s a bigger issue. What did he pull out of the drain? F***ing roots.. ROOTS!!! Great to hear. Well, that’s not supposed to be there! No amount of Drain-O is going to take care of this. Houston, we have a problem!! It’s a deal he can’t fix because he is reaching there in age. Family plumber is getting old. At least it’s just localized to one sink and not pressing. But still.
Wednesday, day 5, I was feeling a it. The word from the plumber was kind of the gut punch I needed to send me into the blues. I was f***ing sulking. I don’t sulk. I miss the normalcy. I miss my campus friends. I’m keeping in touch through multiple text but it’s not the same as seeing them and engaging in first hand conversation. I’ve let the day steal my joy. It’s like the world wanted me to be a downer Wednesday. I’m trying to keep positive but man… Sometimes its hard. Also, F*** Suddenlink. Of course my service is “interrupted” at this time. I could not even watch the movies I needed to catch up on. Also, those f***ing roots. D*** them.
The rest of the week I felt fine. Everyone has their bad days, right? Friday rolled around. I was tired of going out to find beauty so I bought plants for the patio. If I was eventually going to be on forced quarantine I wanted a nice place to sit outside. My grandmother and my mom gave me a high appreciation for flowers at a very young age. They are mother nature’s art.
Once bekah was off work we went for a walk. She struggled to keep pace. Said that I have long legs. For a person that runs I’m confused by the struggle. I’m just happy she came with me and didn’t want “happy hour” at the house. She has had a rough week. Some people are so cruel & rude during these times. I get that you are scared. That life as we knew it has changed. But that includes most of us. Leave the people trying to help that are still working alone. They deserve your admiration.
New Pearl Jam album came out Friday. It was like hearing a soothing voice from the past. My first favorite band. I felt like I was hearing from a family friend for the first time in years. The album is surprisingly good. It’s cliche to say this when a new album is released, but this might be the best they have done in years. It was a nice cap off for the week.
SunsetSunrise
Here is a song that has been on my mind a lot lately. I mentioned Stephen Kings The Stand. Well this song is featured in the movie. Not to mention, it’s kind of a good tune.
A little song played in the movie “The Stand”.
Don’t forget that I’m doing a weekend food blog until this is over. Try not to be afraid and anxious during these uncertain times. Keep on with the positive. Until next week, cheers!!!!
Jalapeño
Monday night it was baby back ribs. This is a weekend meal at our house due to the time it takes to properly cook. Well, as you guys all know, I’m not working. So I light the grill and have it set for 275. Season the ribs with a dry rub that can be found at HEB. They go on for 4 1/2 hours. You want them to fall off the bone. When they come off the grill I begin to prepare my side dish: Jalapeño slaw. Easy fix & always delicious. The ribs were perfect. They might actually be some of the best that I’ve made. Yay me!!!
Bibigo. Spicy. Hot. Burn my tongue. Hurt me please. This is the most normal meal we have made I a little while I think. Garnish with the green onion and carrots we had. Oh, don’t forget the jalapeño.
So Bekah wanted to do Chopped, a show that we both enjoy. We’ve been watching it since we first began dating over a decade ago. If you are not familiar with the rules, the contestant is presented with a basket. With in that basket are 4 key ingredients that must be used to cook a meal. They can go to the pantry and use other ingredients. They have a short time to throw everything together for the judges to vote a contestant out if they didn’t use or correctly incorporate said ingredients. That’s what we did Wednesday. Trying to keep things fun during these strange days. I made two sauces: a chipotle sour cream sauce &avocado & lemon sauce. The chicken was seasoned in chipotle and served over a bed of lettuce and garnished with thinly sliced radish to give a sweet crunch to the meal. Of course jalapeño. The squash was portly executed. It was tasty, but did not fit well with the rest. I had fun and this might become something normal.
More chipotle chicken. The stand out tonight would be the baby now-tie pasta salad. It had peas, corn, carrots, red bell, jalapeño. Added salsa, ranch & chili powder. Such a nice summer dish that I probably have not made in about 4 years. It got hot today. It hit the spot.
Broccoli cheese and chicken. Guess what I added to the velvetta? Heavy f***ing cream. Scream that fat free milk that I can’t find in the store anymore. This turned out super tasty. A nice easy comfort meal for the end of an interesting week.
So this is new. Well guess what, I’ve got very little to do and I need to keep busy to insure I don’t be deprived of my sanity. And maybe you just might also need a distraction. If I’m able to help during these strange days I want to do my part. I’ll try and make a post every Sunday. This will primarily be a food blog since I am officially preparing lunch & dinner during the weekend with everything closed. You didn’t think I’d just be eating ham and cheese sandwiches if I couldn’t go out and have lunch did you? Nope. I’m going to be trying to make lunch different than our usual dinner meals. I mean, it’s a different meal? I don’t do dinner for lunch. These meals will likely be much smaller. I don’t like being bloated all day. Sooooo… This is a food blog through and through. Wait a second! I think that’s what I said when I first started blogging didn’t I? My blogs are far from just food. Oh well. Let’s see how long I’m able to keep this grounded. How long this seems like a good idea. How long this is the new normal…
Saturday lunch. What to make…🤔. Well, I have corn tortillas, tuna & avocado. Get cabbage and that sounds like a pretty damn good tostada. Squirt a little sriracha on it for good measure and we have ourselves a nice fancy lunch. Bekah utilizes her bartending skills long kept dormant (lol) and made me a jalapeño margarita that was warm & fantastic. I think we are off to a good start. Happy Saturday everyone!!!
Saturday we were going to cook but a desire to support our good friends that are getting hit by this bulls*** filled our hearts. We ordered delivery. Nachos & beer to the door. Yes, I can now get booze at the door. If things get back to normal I hope booze at the door remains normal. What a treat!! I’m sure you know which side is mine. The nachos were amazing as usual. It was also very nice to see a familiar face. Two of our friends made the drop off and visited for a sec. In this time, if you can, support the service industries. Local restaurants. Anyone in a bind from this mess. Think about others and not yourselves. We are in this together.
I was able to find a potato. I s*** you not, potato’s were one of the first things to fly of the grocery store shelf’s. Some friends keep taking about papas con chorizo so I’ve had it on my mind. Something I don’t often make. Come to think of it, this might have been my first time? 🤔. So Sunday was brunch at our casa. I made the meal and Bekah made some mimosas. I out did myself. Just look at that egg. Hard to find these days. This was perfectly made. I’m kind of enjoying making lunch on weekends. When this blows over maybe I’ll continue this. I keep saying the new normal. 🤷♂️
Sunday night verde chicken breast with another egg! A f***ing egg!!! I have f***ing eggs!!! These things are a high commodity right now. I might as well be eating some wagyu tenderloin. I’m not only going to post this picture in my blog, but all social media just to show off that I have eggs. 🙄. Eggs… People, why??? An item I had on a good week once everyday. Not now. Thanks to you bunch of hoarding a** hats. Oops, I lost my train of though. This is about food, right? Well the meal was good. Cold Miller Lite to wash it down.
So I guess that’s my weekend food blog. I have no idea how my structure will be from on out. I’ve liked doing this. 2 days of structure. Love you all that are reading. Stay safe my friends. Until next time….
Spring break part 2 kicked off with a nice foggy morning. Some people did not seem to care for this. Worldwide panic mixed with some gloom just wasn’t a cocktail many could swallow. I guess depression has settled over many of the populace. I wish I could help these people find a little bit of joy but for some it’s just not happening. Curmudgeons, like Jimmy. All I can do is share some of mine & hope that’s enough. I understand it. The weekend grocery store trip was enough to drive the joy out of me. Nothing on the shelves. I went to 3 grocery stores to cover my small list of 7 items. I wasn’t a happy camper. Why people? No eggs, milk, chicken, potatoes, green beans, etc. How annoying. One think that I have learned through all of this is that Jimmy is a f***ing epidemiologist.
F***ers!!!!
St. Patrick’s Day. Did you wear green? I’ll pinch you if you didn’t!! I got it covered with a green clover pin. Later, I was given some beads by Jamie. She also made cupcakes for everyone that wanted. I’m not sure her intention, but cupcakes were a good idea considering the current state of things. In a looney world we still need to have a little fun in life. I say bring out all the good you can get. Be it cupcakes, silly glasses & beads. I did my part with cookies. My friend Elicia in purchasing forgot to wear green. I told her to be careful, someone will pinch you. But in the end we hooked her up with some beads. She was protected from pinches. I did find it rather interesting that St. Patrick’s Day went over so many people’s heads this year. A lot of people were only reminded because of the beads and pin I had on. Everyone’s head is somewhere else these days…
Not even the threat of COVID-19 could abate my wife’s thirst for booze. She said: “Do you want to get a drink?” So I said sure, I’ll meet you there. It wasn’t just because it was Patty’s Day. It was because she had an awful day at work. You see, she works in a nursing home and during these troubling times things have gotten very weird for nursing homes. They are on lock down. No visitors, which means no family. This does not go over well for everyone. Getting cussed at by resident’s family members. Have them burst into tears because they can’t spend time with loved ones. They are also taking away so much from the residents themselves. No more group activities. No more communal dining. They are basically prisoners in their own rooms. This isn’t easy and they are not staffed to be wardens. She has a big heart and this mandate is breaking it. Not to mention coworkers don’t seem to give a s***. Oh yeah, and she could easily be placed in quarantine. She would have to live at the home if a confirmed case does show up. That’s a lot of stress.
Irish drinks
So the bar was a sad place. There were people trying to have fun but there was an eeriness that was so unfamiliar. No handshakes. Sing on door saying capacity of 50. Please stay 3 feet apart. An impending doom was in the air. For the people working, it was palpable. They might not have a job in the immediate future because bars & restaurants are closing all over the country. It is very likely that our trip on Tuesday will be our last for who knows how long. The foreseeable future…
Wednesday was so weird. Everyone heard different rumors. They are shutting down the university. Everyone goes home. It was giving me a headache. Leroy really wants his “virus vacation”. I feel if he doesn’t get it he is going to be really upset. The amount of calls coming though asking if we will be open. I don’t know. I have no answer for you. Maybe? Maybe not? I don’t really want to be sent home. I like the structure. I might complain some about the place but I still like being able to come. Most of my socializing is on the campus. Outside of work it’s really only Bekah and I for most of the time. Also, if everything is closed I sure hope I can maintain my sanity at the house. I’m not the type that sits still. I’m on the move constantly. ADHD.
Void of life
And at the end of the day the death blow was landed. If you are over 60 or have a preexisting condition you are to go home “until further notice.” Great. I felt kind of sick. I needed a drink. How long exactly is that? Who can say? I kind of felt like I was getting kicked out. Is this going to be the new normal? Looks like we are treating this like it’s the Christmas holiday. Only on call personal working and pretty much everything else on lock-down. I’m on “pandemic leave.”
Day one of “pandemic leave” was not so bad. I picked up beetos (burritos). I went to work at 7:30 to finish up projects & discuss what’s next with my boss. Yes, I am to stay home. If they need me he will call because I am close and I really don’t want to be off work. I get set up to work from home if needed. I probably won’t ever NEED to work from home. But just in case I can. Have to call IT because my computer wouldn’t recognize me. They were on the ball. I’m good to go. Turns out the IT guy that helped me was also working from home. What next… I clean the house. I go to Hobby Lobby and pick out stuff to make a mosaic. I think I made a coaster? I go by Lowe’s for a house plant. I run to HEB to make my daily shopping update to my campus family. Saw a man with a cart full of Cheetos…. Wish I had taken a picture. I get a call from the office. They need my help with a device my boss has never used. I saved the day. We talked a little more about how operations would run. Sounds really boring. Maybe not being able to go to work isn’t so bad? I went for a 3.6 mile walk. It was kind of hot. It was also therapeutic. The dogs are going to love this because what else am I going to do but walk. Oh, I guess lift weights. I did that off and on throughout the day. Maybe this will get my doctor off my back. Tired of him telling me my workout routine is that of a 80 year old. I don’t think he understands how many flights of stairs I climb, but oh well. I need to start making list of projects and try to space them out. I can’t remember the last time I took the time to see the sun set… I also did not have a drink until after 5. You should all be proud of me. Left to my own devices, and such. Bars & restaurants are going to close, it turns out. Friday at midnight. My poor service industry friends left in turmoil. I guess I’ll be making some fun lunches. I will also not go broke during this strange time. Oh wait, they deliver booze now…
Day two of “pandemic leave”. I set my alarm an hour later. Why get up so early. 8 is a reasonable time to get out of bed when you don’t need to be anywhere. Also, half my living room has turned into a home gym since all gyms have closed. I don’t need that in the morning so I am best sleeping though it. First thing I did after finishing my coffee was head to HEB. I needed one thing but I was mainly going out of morbid curiosity. It was a real s*** show. These people were shopping with a frenzy that I have never seen. Like, I might get my arm bitten off reaching for the eggs that were flying off the shelf. Utter insanity. It was kind of f***ing scary. Ravioli day. No ravioli. No plain Cheetos either. Only flamin & jalapeño. Guess Cheeto man didn’t like the heat. Went to the bank, they are changing their hours. Went to get my oil change. They wouldn’t let me out of the car. Communication through a crack window. Bizarre, but I get it. Hit the liquor store. Lots of people shopping for it only being 10 o’clock. Employee said once the Governor announced the closure of bars yesterday they got hit hard. Made as many sales on Thursday as they make an entire weekend. Called my mom and she said she had 10 rolls of paper towels. I was down to 1 so I made a trip for 4 rolls. We visited for a while. Got home and had an hour to burn before Owens vet appointment. I decided to do something I am never allowed to do: mow the grass! That’s a big no-no. That is how Bekah wins her fit-bit challenges. I think I’ve maybe mowed the front lawn 5 times in the almost 2 years we have lived here. Insane, right? Owen was overly excited about his trip to the vet. Strange how different our dogs are. Hazel hates the vet while Owen just wags his tail. After the vet trip we take a little walk along the river. On the way to drop him off I realize I have not planned for lunch. I make another trip to HEB. It’s not a nightmare. Funny how things have changed. The mornings used to be easy shopping and now it’s the afternoons. Anyway, I run into some campus friends, Miss Needy and her dear daughter. I get my goods and get the hell out of there. They actually had potatoes. What to do now? I decided another walk couldn’t hurt. Another mile down and it’s 5 o’clock. I guess I’ll make a drink. It’s f***ing Friday! We made it! Cheers!!! I am finding positive ways to pass the time. No reason to be in the negatives. This is out of my hands. We are hear on a daily basis so live it that way. I recommend fresh air. It’s doing me wonders.
BTW, spring flowers are in bloom. My favorite Lily park is beautiful right now. Not with Lily’s, but all sorts of plants in bloom. At least if my mood ever sinks I know where I can go to find some beauty to bring me back. I know, I tend to enjoy the simple things. I suppose that’s a blessing.
I’ve decided Coronavirus is the pangolin’s revenge. I’ve always been partial to the pangolins. I donate money to their cause. I own 3 pangolin t-shirts which I wear proudly on World Pangolin Day every 3rd Saturday in the month of February (If anyone wants one, I’ll hook you up). I feel sorry for the little guys. They need a voice. Some are saying that’s were COVID-19 derived from. The number 1 animal on the black market. They are just too docile which makes them easy prey to poachers. Believed by some Chinese to help with male impotency. They are butchered for their scales by the 100’s a day just to give some rich Chinese man an erection. The scales are made up of keratin. You know what is also made up of keratin? Human fingernails!!! If they want to fight flaccid genitalia so badly maybe someone should tell them to start eating their own f***ing fingernails! One positive thing to come out of this, other than the meme’s, is that pangolin scales are not such a hot commodity. Poor little guys are fighting back.
I’m cute, I snuggle and I don’t help with flaccid genitalia.
Jalapeno…
The same chicken I made last week with the McCormick Grill mates. Made some green beans with Italian dressing to go alone with it.
St. Patrick’s Day would not be the same without some Irish cuisine. I was almost going grill some shrimp but it was brought up that I usually make a meal to coincide with the holiday. I could not get that out of my mind the rest of the afternoon. I know, that’s how busy I have been at work. Ashamed of myself, I decided I would brave the stores and see if I couldn’t find what I needed for Shepard’s Pie. I usually use a pea, corn & carrot frozen mix but guess what? No frozen veggies at the store. All gone but the lima beans. A little defeated I too the chance of looking for fresh veggies. I was in luck, they had what I needed. Such a simple meal. Steam the veggies, add meat. Cook till done. Add tomato paste, beef broth, Worcestershire & a dry red wine. Cook down. Season with some herbs, salt, & pepper. Blend some flour with water and stir into beef mixture to thicken. I did not have real potatoes or pie crust because I could not find any… I found powdered potatoes so I heated them and poured beef mixture on top. This was quite possibly the best Shepard’s Pie I have ever made. The fresh veggies made a world of difference.
Island style shrimp. Another flavor packet. Grilled to perfection.
Chicken breast bacon jalapeno stuffed kabobs . I made an corn avocado salad to go with it. The kabobs were good, the salad was next level. Haha!
Queso burgers. Decided to add some avocado. Something simple and always good.
What a time to be alive. Spring break is here and the university is free of the majority of children. What is usually a relaxing time for those of us on campus has been disrupted by talks of COVID-19, AKA “The Coronavirus”. I did not want to write about this but here I am. Life during a pandemic… It’s the conversation piece when I walk into the office. I hear it all across campus. I hear about it all day. I walk into it in the mornings. Heck, people are asking me if I’m concerned because of my compromised immune system. (I’m not, btw.) It’s like we are living in a quagmire of fear right now. Being on a campus the main worry is where have the kids traveled for spring break and what will they be bringing back with them. I get it. Campus is already a cesspool of germs. It’s no big stretch to think that they could bring this new threat back to campus. It’s good to take the necessary precautions. But the panic is driving me out of my mind! I have an anxious energy about me because of it. It’s that kind of feeling I have before a thunderstorm comes rolling in. All the uncertainty. Not fear of infection, but how is this going to disrupt my everyday life. I was laughing at my youngest brother when he started stockpiling beans & rice. He has been on panic mode since this all began. It was fun feeding into those fears. Now he is saying “I told you so”. The University already extended spring break one extra week in order to “assess the evolving situation”. With Texas Tech and many others going online courses only, I think it’s only a matter of time before we do to. (UPDATE: We did! Remainder of the semester all courses online and students encouraged to stay home and not return.) I have no idea what that means for my job and many others across campus. Who knows how long this will last. No precedent for it. It’s just eerie. And it is giving me a f***ing headache. So many stupid people!
All the event cancelations. Music festivals, the NBA, movie releases. Disneyland & Disneyworld… My beloved March Madness!!! It’s just crazy. I don’t know what to think about all of this. If you look at the facts, it’s not yet the end of the world. I have seen no sign that the apocalypse is upon us. I just don’t understand it. I’m baffled & confused. Do we really fear the unknown so much? Something new comes around and mass panic ensues? But this isn’t the first time and the reaction was never this drastic. Social media and THE media have people going crazy with fear. “The sky is falling!!! The sky is falling!!!!!!” And it’s having a real life effect on things. Stocks are down, jobs are dropping, everyone is afraid. People believe everything they read or hear without a second thought. I see it getting worse before it gets better. It’s spiraling out of control so quickly. Italy basically shut everything down for quarantine. Sometimes I even ask myself if I’m not downplaying this a little much. Thankfully I have friends that are not yet in panic mode either. It’s nice to have a little reassurance from time to time. I am reminded of one of my favorite lines from the first Men in Black movie. It seems fairly relevant right now. “A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals and you know it!” Why am I surprised? One of my favorite novels is The Stand by Stephen King. The book is about a manmade virus that gets out of containment and decimates the world population. Lots of human stupidity in that book. Sadly, some of the stuff in that book people are doing now in reality. I had always just hoped that people were not as stupid as they are depicted in works of fiction. Thanks for proving me wrong, humanity.
Stores have sold out of toilet paper. This is a respiratory virus, not dysentery!!! What does that say about society? Having a clean a** is top priority? I said the one thing that I did not want to come out of this was for it to interfere with my shopping experience. I love my shopping experience and now it’s starting to piss me off. The stores is crazy. I could care less about hand sanitizer. I don’t need toilet paper at the moment, but eventually I will. I will admit that once I saw what was happening in Australia & Japan I made a point to buy a little if I was at the store and I thought about it. I thought maybe that could happen here, but hopefully not. Can’t hurt to grab a package of 6 just in case. But I never bought in bulk! Panic purchasing toilet paper is going to put some people in a real bind. A friend desperately needed some and had zero luck finding any Thursday night. She had a sick child, a house of 5, and 2 rolls. To the son-of-a-b**** that bought 8 cases w/ 40 rolls each, you sir, deserve a good kick in the balls. You are part of the problem. Stop being part of the problem. The only thing that I did find pretty humorous was that all the hand soap was gone… but the dish soap was aplenty. People… people… people… It’s all soap. So dumb. I have been overwhelmed with stupidity. My brain has hurt for 3 days straight. The only thing good to come from the “toilet paper crisis” would be the meme’s. I wonder what the history books will have to say about the year 2020. Will it be the year of the “Coronavirus” and a decimated global population? Or rather the year of the great toilet paper shortage and mass hysteria? Only time will tell.
Thanks, everyone. I might have needed some of that TP….Secret stashLol
It’s only fitting that this crazy week ends on Friday the 13th. It would. A day that is synonymous with bad luck. What a cherry on top. At least the weekend is almost here. I can’t wait to get out of this office. I hate to sound like a total drunkard, but I really am looking forward to pouring myself some peach crown, getting comfortable, and sitting back for a little while with some soothing music to ease my weary mind. It’s not that the day itself has been very taxing. In truth, I have done very little. I f***ed off more than I did any actual work. It’s just that I have had enough of people for the day. I like people, but I’m done. Done with the Coronavirus. I don’t even want to turn on the Weather Channel when I get home because I am afraid they will be talking about the f***ing virus. See, it’s even making me cuss like a f***ing sailor. So you all have a nice weekend. Try not to live in fear. Follow the necessary precautions. I’m out. My mind is mush. Happy f***ing Friday the 13th!!! See you next week for Spring Break 2020 Part 2.
Jalapeño…
Sunday was black eyed peas with grilled chicken. Throw some avocado & pico.
So this week we tried to keep things pretty healthy and basic. Just grilled meats and either grilled or steamed veggies for the most part. Caribbean jerk pork tenderloin. That has been in the blog a good few times because it is Bekah’s favorite.
Pretty basic steak w/ lemon pepper asparagus.
Teriyaki salmon w/ broccolini.
I found this new McCormicks grill mate at the store I wanted to try. Garlic herb & wine marinade. Lea & Perrins had a white wine Worcestershire sauce that they discontinued a few years ago. It was one of my favorite things to use with chicken. To my surprise, this taste very close to that. I am so happy that I tried something new.
Grilled tuna & seaweed. Another very common entry in my blog because it’s my favorite. I could eat this once a week.
Thunderstorms. I’m ready for a nice spring storm to come rolling through the neighborhood. It’s a real rush that I know most people probably don’t share. While I should be hiding in a safe place you will likely find me by an open door looking out into the storm. Like father like son. Weather geek or village idiot? You tell me. We got some really good rain on Wednesday. Not the thunderstorm I was wanting, but a good drenching. I was ecstatic. Couldn’t have been happier. I wanted to sing and dance in the rain. Lots of students apparently felt the same way because they were dripping drowned rats. They looked so happy & I was just waiting for them to burst out into song. Lucky lucky ducks. I was VERY jealous. Kids get to have all the fun.
Darkness on the horizon…
The gloom was followed by too very sunny days without a single cloud in the f***ing sky. Everyone on campus: “Oh it’s so nice outside. Oh, finally the sun is shining. Oh, the first half of the week was so miserable. Oh, everything was so wet and gloomy and now it’s just beautiful.” I say to you all: SHUT UP! Summer is right around the corner and it’s going to be like that just about every single day and you will be b****ing about it in not too long a time. Like the sun doesn’t shine enough in this state!!! When summer rolls around & you are complaining that it’s hot & we need rain just know that I am showing restraint because what I will be wanting to do is kick you right square in the a**. Learn to enjoy a little rain & gloom.
The weekend arrived and we for once didn’t really have anything going on. This pleased me, for I was looking forward to a lack of obligations. Saturday I was somehow allowed to sleep in. I woke to find 2 dogs and a cat snuggling with me. When Bekah came home from her morning workout she was a Chatty Cathy. I was groggy from over sleeping and I hate to admit, not really paying much attention. No fault to her, I just couldn’t find my focus. I’m just not a morning person. I need a little more time than most to get engaged. Especially without coffee and I try not to drink the black gold on the weekends. That’s just for my work weeks.
Once I had my wits about me I was ready to start the day. I wanted some Easter décor. I was on a mission. I found a few bunnies. Back home the question was posed “What’s for lunch?” For unknown reasons the 2 suggested locations ended up being establishments where the wait staff are half naked. Twin Peaks or Hooters? Bekah chose Hooters because apparently the service is much better. Is this true, I don’t know. I can get nachos. They have good nachos. They use fresh jalapeños. It was a nice lunch. Ran into some other people from the campus sitting at the bar.
The rest of the day we just fiddle around the house. Bekah worked on her puzzle. I read my book. We talked about possibly going to a birthday party up the street but we both really just wanted to chill. Maybe we should do the yard? No, let’s put that off and just be lazy. Sometimes just doing nothing is nice, right? We talked about what’s for dinner and could not make up our minds. I made a trip to HEB to maybe get inspired to cook something. I ended up agitated by my trip. The place was a mad house. Maybe that’s how Bekah feels every trip? If so I understand why she hates shopping. I would too if every trip left me in that condition. The place was a mad house. I went home defeated.
On a whim we decide to have a date night. We both realize that on weekends we just don’t ever go out at night like we once did. We got dressed up and headed to The Wharf. I said I would not order my usual. Guess what people, I ordered the same thing I have ordered for years & boy was it good. Dinner finished we decided to stop for a night cap before heading home. I had an Old Fashion. For reasons unclear, Irish Car Bomb shots fell into the picture. A truly fool hearted thing to go with after an Old Fashion. Actually, a pretty stupid drink any time. That’s a college drink. That’s a “let’s get wasted” drink. It’s not Saint Patty’s Day yet. Sheeesh. Once back at the casa Bekah is determined to finish her puzzle. I make another strong drink. Poor choice. It hit me like a punch in the face. I was tipsy. No sense in fighting it, I was not long for this world. I went to bed. Bekah finished her puzzle. We had a nice evening together.
Sunday was a very productive morning. It was also gloomy!!! I seem more inclined to show productivity when the weather outside is overcast. Don’t ask me why. Bekah took advantage of the gloom and slept in past 12. The bloody time change. I hate it. My eternal clock was out of whack. It will take me a little while to adjust. Once Bekah woke up it was once again what is for lunch. Well, Twin Peaks here we come. She was right about the service… yikes. I was tempted to throw a napkin at the server to get her attention after sitting about 10 min trying to close out. The Thai ribs were good so I won’t write it off as a total dud. The rest of the day we binge watched a show called “The Outsider” and enjoyed the sound of the rain. Yes, unexpectedly we got more rain. I was in a happy place. The weekend with no plans might have not been exciting but it was just what I needed. I think what we both needed.
Dead Telephone.
One last thing before I wrap this blog up. I currently cannot get enough of orange flavored tic-tacs. I don’t know where these have been all my life. Like, I am eating a ridicules amount. My teeth will probably fall out from the amount of sugar that I’m consuming. All my life I’ve been proud to say that I’ve never had a cavity. Now that orange tic-tacs have entered my life…
Jalapeño
Grilled salmon with Best seasoning & lemon juice served with steamed broccoli drizzled with velveta cheese. The salmon was good, the broccoli was better.
Jalapeño sesame chicken. So very good & warm. I cooked this for myself.
It was a good day for some chili!!
Chili hotdog monstrosity or carb free chili dogs? You tell me. This was by far one of the most disgusting things I have ever put together. I’m not all that big on hot dogs. Maybe I’ll have one on the 4th of July. Maybe. This was just a mess. Look at that plate will you? Is it something you would gobble down? It won’t hurt my feelings if you say “NO WAY!” To make it even more disgusting why not squirt some mustard on top.
Monday was a Monday. Made worse by the fact I had to see the eye doctor. I’ve been putting it off for a couple years & my PCP had finally had enough of me saying I would get right on that. Guess what, 6 months later I still hadn’t gotten on that. It would be 4 months before my eye doctor could see me, but at least I finally was on the books. The reason I prolonged seeing them is because they dilate my eyes. For some that is 1-2 hours of inconvenience. For me it’s 6-12 hours. That’s a fun way to spend the day, let me tell you. So I went to get my eyes checked. I wait in the waiting room for 30 min. They check my eyes. Shocker, my vision has declined. This I knew. I was squinting often. Time for some new lens. Time for the dreaded drops. Dilate me please. Lucky me. Another 30min wait for that to kick in. Oh the joys. In a dark room my doctors says: “All is fine. No diabetic retinopathy. Maybe think about LASIK. See you next year.” Sure thing, buddy. I can’t wait to do this over again. They supply me with some shades and send me on my way. Next time I promise I will have someone drive me but I’m stubborn and hate taking up other people’s time. If you’ve never had your eyes dilated it’s kind of hard to explain. Every light had been cranked up to 10, blind and painful. Vision goes from blurry to fine and back again. I look like I’m on serious drugs. I get bad headaches. So I sat in the dark waiting for my eyes to get right. I eventually pour a drink hoping it will remedy my headache. Monday, Monday… oh how I love thee.
Cripple
Bekah’s birthday week! She is not feeling it this year. “Birthdays use to mean something to me”, she said. I say: “Once you reach a certain age it’s just another day.” That’s not entirely true. I still treat myself very well on my birthday, usually far away from work. So what is different for here this year? Is the age 35 the age where she finally feels defeated by time? Is her mortality catching up with her? Is it because it falls on a Wednesday? Not much fun can be had in the middle of the week? Could it be all the slumber parties that she has been having that she is all partied out? Or is it that she caught the cold that I had the week before? Who knows? Her birthday just so happens to be “Inconvenience Yourself Day”. I wonder if she know this? I wonder if her mother knows this.
To show her just how special she is to me I decided to do something I have never in my life attempted. I decided to bake a cake. It might sound ludicrous that I have never made a cake. Not even cupcakes. But it is true. Outside my comfort zone I was. Would it be an epic failure? A disastrous blunder. Rubbish? Filth? The terror was next level. The anxiety through the roof. What if I was a failure? I mean, could I be that guy that can’t bake boxed cake? Kind of like the guy that can’t boil noodles to save his life. Or the guy that consistently overcooks any and all meats? A title like that would shame me for the rest of my existence. How brazen of me to even attempt something of this magnitude so late in life. Fool heartedly, I make the decision to go forward with my plan, the outcome be damned. The things you do for love.
So the day before her birthday I set out to make the cake during my lunch break. Frantically moving through the kitchen, I gather my arsenal and start the oven to 350. Time is of the essence, and this mother***er better preheat. Cracking the eggs was never such a disaster. I got shell in the mix!! Was I already doomed before I had even began? Say it isn’t so! Please god, give me a chance to prove my worth! Carefully removing the egg shell and very aware that the clock is ticking, I manage to overcome my first blow and move on to the next phase: mixing. Oh lord, where is the bloody mixer!!! Clearly I planned this poorly. I give up my search and settle on a miniature egg beater. It will have to do. After a ferocious beating the mix finally surrendered and resembled the cake batter I recall my mother making thought the years of my youth. Feeling a bit triumphant, I begin to think I’ve got this. But then I realize in my frenzy to get the batter together I never actually hit the start button on the unholy oven. This blasphemous beast still has to preheat!!! All my earlier fears resurface and I utter some explicit words to myself. My dogs look on with what can only be described as amusement. I pace and pace. It seems to be taking a lifetime to preheat. I curse myself and the oven. If I am lucky, I can get this done before I have to go back to work but it’s going to be so close. Finally I hear the alert that I’s reached 350. I was jubilant. Maybe this was my break. The batter was in the oven and now all I had to do was pray that the cook time was accurate for my oven. I wait. I wait. I need to be at work in 10 min. I wait. 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1!!!! Now the true test. Will the toothpick come away clean. I was a nervous wreck. The moment of truth. And it came out clean!! I successfully baked my first cake!!! All my fears were for nothing! Now let’s just hope it is edible.
Red velvet cake. Isn’t that just a fancy chocolate cake? I mean seriously? Aside from the food coloring, what the world is the difference? It’s just a pretty chocolate cake with cream cheese icing, right? I’m not even going to pretend that I have any sort of knowledge when it comes to cakes, but it seems if you wanted chocolate you would just get a chocolate cake. It’s unnerving to me how red it is. Blatantly unnatural. Something that would appeal to a vampire. Blood red. I mean, this s*** stains. Is it dyed red to make it a “sexy” looking cake? “Sexy” chocolate cake… I guess we tend to eat with our eyes first and our mouths second. If the same cake was “pea soup” green would it be just as appetizing? Would it evoke the same amount of desire? I tend to think not.
I managed to disguise the fact that I had baked a cake in our house that evening by cooking ground beef with onions, garlic and cumin. I didn’t want the surprise to be ruined with baking smells. Cake was stored away in my closet for the morning. While she was working out I made my set up in the kitchen. When I hear the garage open I lit the sparklers and in she came. It was quit the surprise. She was in disbelief that I baked a cake. Bekah: “Who baked this for you?” “Wait, you don’t bake?” “How?” “When?” It was a hit. Of course, she can’t really eat it so it’s off to the office for her coworkers to enjoy. What do I care what happens to it afterwards. They seemed to have enjoyed it because it was all consumed by noon. I’m just glad my mission was a success. Happy Birthday, Bekah!
Thursday morning was humorous. Someone across campus needed a box. One of my dear friends. Quite the character, this woman. Miss Needy is what I’m now calling her. So Needy needs something shipped out. “We can pick it up.” “NO!!! Please bring me a box.” Turns out she needs a really BIG f***ing box. 36x52x28, that’s a big box. You could fit my entire office staff in that box. You could ship us to China! (Not that I want to be in China right now… but you get the point.) What is Needy shipping out that she needs that big a box, we wonder. I’m thinking that a box that big won’t fit in the building. The doors are not wide enough. I mention my concern, but my boss is in the zone and already constructing this big box… “No, it will fit.” Okay. Sure. Build your box. Box is built, dimensions even bigger than needed. Leroy wasn’t about to bring that box. He said it was “bulls***.” So boss & another guy took it. Boredom is a thing. You find ways to escape the office. In less than 10 min later they returned with the box. Guess what, it didn’t fit. I got a good laugh. “Told you so!” Curious what needed such a big box he asked Needy. Well it turns out it was personal, not work related. That was why Needy didn’t want us to pick up. Needy is sneaky. She didn’t want us to know that she needed to ship off a kids riding toy for repair. To be exact, a Mercedes. Got to give her credit, it would have worked on a smaller item. Later that afternoon the Mercedes was dropped off. Oh, did I mention Needy also needed 30 boxes of facial tissue? 🙄
The weekend was just a weekend. I was alone again on Friday while Bekah stayed at her sisters again. Once again, I made spicy orange chicken. I also watched a new H.P. Lovecraft adaptation called “Color out of Space”. The short story it was based on was always a favorite of mine. Ummmm, the movie was dark. I was surprised how far they took the source material. Visually remarkable. Richard Stanley has not directed a film since the 90’s. He jumped back in with both feet & some. I’ve heard he is in the talks to direct some more Lovecraft stories and after seeing this I can only hope. Lovecraft is lacking in cinema. I basically did the exact same thing I did a few weeks back. Had drinks, screwed around on my phone & listened to music. Nothing to write home about.
Saturday Bekah had birthday lunch with friends and I was invited to accompany. It was a 4 hour lunch. It was an expensive tab. Someone was annoying. Best taken in small doses. Not stuck at a table with for hours. I did my best and made a good time out of it. I laughed. Birthday shots a plenty. I kind of felt sorry for her. It was an onslaught. When it was time to go, it was clearly time to go. Someone had had tooooo much. The night concluded with another slumber party. Someone told me this was to happen and I didn’t believe it. Birthday parties. It was fun. I think I’m now officially partied out. I’m waving my white flag. I’m done. I call it quits. Hasta la proxima ves.
I wanted to die.
Jalaps… seemingly absent from most meals.
Teriyaki salmon. I use to make this all the time before meeting Bekah. When we first met she did not care for fish. Never had it properly cooked I suppose. In the subsequent years I guess I just never made teriyaki salmon again. It wasn’t until someone else recently made this that it even crossed my radar. It turned out really tasty and Bekah liked it enough to want to have again.
I needed to mask the kitchen of all baking smells and what better way to do it than make some Mexican beef & squash. The smells of garlic, cumin, chilies & onions overwhelming the kitchen. Just throw what’s in the kitchen together. The squash was cooked al dente and couldn’t have been better.
The birthday meal, stuffed chicken. This isn’t the easiest one to make and it’s sort of messy. I have to butterfly the breast & then beat it thin with a mallet in order to wrap it around asparagus, ham, and spinach & Gouda cheese. Then I have to bread it with panko crumbs. THAN I have to make a sauce. It’s such a great meal though and I’m happy to make it once a year.
Avocado chicken salad. This is a recipe that came from Jamie. Her husband thinks it’s a hit and I’m looking for new dinner ideas that are healthy so no brainer I try this. I marinated the chicken with chipotle and beer at lunch. Little McCormick gill mate packet. Red onion, corn, cilantro. I added some mixed greens and jalapeño. Grilled the chicken. She just used lemon juice & olive oil. I thought I’d make a quick lemon vinaigrette to lightly toss the mixed greens in. The meal was a success. I can see this being a regular on the menu during the hot summer months.
I’m kind of stuck on making orange chicken when I have the house to myself. It’s easy. It’s good. It’s spicy.
Cocktail of the Week: Beer. Specifically, Miller Lite.
Cold symptoms, oh so lovely. Waking up in the middle of the night with a raw throat. The anguish that comes with swallowing. One of the more irritating things in life. Next comes the congestion. Mornings feel like I’ve had brick to the nasal region. Steaming showers trying to loosen everything up. Don’t you know that I love being all snotty nosed. Dripping like a leaky faucet. One of the finer joys in life, let me tell you. The alternative is stuffing tissue up my nose and looking like some uncomfortable fool. Persistent tickle in the back of the throat. Like a feather gently caressing, it’s a challenge to not give into the urge to scratch the itch. For that will only make it worse. What about violent sneezing outburst? Got that going on to. I’m so lucky. I lost track of how many times that I’ve been blessed the last couple of days. Everyone is so kind to me. Why would I want to get well?
Did I mention all the wonderful drugs I was taking? Nothing quite as enjoyable as squirting fluids up the nostrils. I should be doing this when I feel 100%. Why deprive myself the feeling when I could be doing this on a regular basis. It makes no sense at all. The Dayquil that makes me zone out on nothing at all. That makes ordinary mental though an act of God. It’s as if my processor has fried. So many vitamin and immune system boosters. They are like candy and I am the kid crunching down on them. Mixing these so called “fruit flavored” packets in a glass of water. I question myself why I only use them when I am sick? Such a fantastic refreshment. Chloraseptic & lozenges for by troubled throat. The taste alone is reason to take these. Artificial f***ing cherry medicine, oh how I love thee. My mind is boggled that they don’t make cherry candy taste so good. What are these whacky candy companies thinking?
As a last-ditch effort to fight this irritable little sonofab****, I go with an age old remedy: The Hot Totty. A secret weapon developed in the days of old, this has been a century’s long weapon against the common cold. A mixture of whiskey, honey & lemon juice heated up, a true medicinal marvel. If so inclined, one can add a bit of butter and cinnamon. Modern medicine pales in comparison to this concoction. This magical elixir. The warm whisky and honey soothe the throat while the lemon breaks up mucus & gives you a bit of needed vitamin. It also has the welcomed side effect of being able to relax you and possibly lull you into a much needed sleep. Sleep is a key to overcoming this little devil. And it can be hard to find when you cannot breathe or swallow properly. Top if off with a little Nyquil… Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…
Truth be told, I very rarely come down with a cold. I should count my blessings. It’s an annoying way to spend the week. And since I’m foggy brained from the virus & all the medication, I really couldn’t think of anything else to write about. I’ve done all I can to combat this filthy beast. May time be on my side?
More rain!!The new meat substitute!! Go get this immediately!!! Hazel on alert!!Saint Patrick’s Day is near!!
Jalapeño
Grilled chicken Caesar salad. I mean, it reached 84 degrees on Monday. What the heck! It’s February. It should feel like February. But whatever… The high temps made it a nice evening to cook outside and enjoy a lite meal like a salad.
Baked cod tostadas. This was, simply put, amazing. Thanks to my work BFF, we now have a new meal. Aside from the baked corn tortilla and guacamole, the ingredients were the same as my fish taco salad. Another one of our favorite meals. So why not oil up some corn tacos and sprinkle a little salt and bake to make a shell. So much better than buying the ones from the store and honestly just as simple to make. They don’t crumble apart on you either.
Skillet king ranch chicken. Can of cream of chicken & rotel. Chop onion. Simple simple.
Ram-Don. This is a meal featured on the film “Parasite”. It’s a Korean dish that blends wealth and poor foods together as one. Two cheap ramen noodle meal kits: Neoguri & Chapagetti. Kobe steak. I did not use Kobe steak. I’m not rich. If I was going to cook Kobe steak I sure as heck would not be throwing it in cheap ramen. I used a nice New York strip. Worked well for me. Any who, the meal was nice. I followed the directions the movies director & writers released. No work here. It was a reminder how much you can do with ramen when using it as a simple starter.
Grilled chicken with some Julio’s green sauce & some squash, onion & red bell. I wish I could master the green sauce. I.. just… can’t… What is it I am missing? What is it that eludes me?
Cocktail of the Week: Happy National Margarita Day!! Pineapple Habanero Margarita
I’m bored senseless this morning. Productivity is at an all-time low. My boss is absent. My “want-to-be” boss fainted and went to the ER. It’s certainly a Monday. I have foggy brains. I left my keys at my house and couldn’t get in my desk. I went to pay a ticket and went to the wrong store. Is this how my friend was feeling? I don’t know. MAJOR ADD going on today. I’m all over the place. I’m going to do things a little differently today since I can’t concentrate.
Random thought.
Aliens invaded the moon on July 29th, 1969.
I mostly use my driver’s license to buy stuff that impairs my ability to drive.
It’s “Random Acts of Kindness” Day!!! What kind act have you committed?
Is a hot dog a sandwich?
My weekend didn’t feel like a weekend.
I want sweetheart’s candy and I didn’t get any for Valentines.
Why is my left little piggy throbbing?
Is a kick in the a** justifiable when the same stupid question is asked of you again?
Furthermore, does it make me a bad person that the act of violence of kicking said person in the a** would be a satisfying solution of todays problems?
Which letter is silent in the word “scent”? The s or the c?
Tall people are expected to use their reach to help shorter people, but if a tall person were to ask a short person to hand them something they dropped on the floor it’d be insulting.
I’ve counted and my coworker Leroy has said “bulls***” 9 times that I have been in the room with him. How many times has he said it when I’ve been out of the office?
I HATE Suddenlink.
The person that would proof read Hitler’s speeches was the first grammar Nazi.
Pet Peeve # 47: People that come to a complete stop to make a right turn. I’m not talking stop signs. I’m talking free flowing traffic and coming to a dead stop, and then turning right. You can have a little forward f***ing momentum when you make a turn.
Pet Peeve # 23: People that try and turn left out of a parking lot into heavy traffic holding up everyone else trying to exit the lot.
I have a lot of pet peeve that are driving related, I just realized. 🙄
Being original is an impossible ambition.
Jalapeño!
Orange chicken again. Bekah didn’t get it last week because she was at her sisters.
Chicken in a pot. This time around I used chicken thigh rather than legs. I honestly couldn’t taste a difference.
Quiche. Crustless. Does that make it a frittata? No it does not. A frittata is more like an open faced omelet.
Grilled snow crab & cream of jalapeño soup for Valentine’s Day. The crab was excellent. The soup, which I winged, did not taste like the Wharf version but more like the Reata in Alpine. Either way, it was a good thing.
The weekend arrived quickly when you only work 3 days of the week, thanks to well-timed vacation & snow day. Bekah was staying at her sisters Friday night so I had the casa to myself. What first comes to mind when I hear I have the night to myself is that I can make dinner as hot as I want it. So I took advantage and made myself an extra spicy meal. I do mean “extra” when I say it. I could feel the burn. Orange chicken that would likely be unbearable to the average Joe. I might be insane, I know. It’s just that I’ve had to tone down the heat as of late unless I want to start cooking for myself. I took full advantage of it being that I was all alone.
Caution to the wind.
What kind of movie should I watch was the next question? With the spouse gone why not watch a foreign film. There was one that my brother kept raving about, Parasite. I have seen most the other films by Boog Joon-Oh and he is a visionary. My first experience with his films was the Host. A pretty good monster movie and a warning message about pollution. It wasn’t until the movie Snowpiercer that he became a filmmaker I would keep my eyes open for. His first English language film. A thought provoking metaphor on classism. And then there is Okja… That movie… hurt. I remember Bekah, through sobs, saying “We are never going to watch this movie again.” She literally cried herself to sleep that night. I don’t really care to watch it again. The message wounded my heart. The love between a person and an animal. Are animals more self-aware than most of us give them credit for? Films like this pull at the heart strings. In the case of Okja, it pulls those strings REALLY f***ing hard. I will admit to also sobbing like a little kid all teary eyed and snotty nosed. Not often does a movie have that kind of effect on me. Anyone that is an animal lover might be best advised to stay away from Okja. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an excellent film. Thought provoking. Had me questioning my own life. The damn movie made me question eating meat for about 2 weeks. I felt guilty craving hamburger. I felt shame.
Knowing how his last film hit me I was going into Parasite w/ trepidation. I quickly found out this was a whole other beast. I don’t wish to spoil anything so I will tread lightly. I loved the way the movie made so many sudden tonal shifts too – it starts as a sort of black comedy and ends up in a bloodbath. Sometimes that sort of rapid change in mood can be detrimental to a film, but here it’s just another big dip on the rollercoaster. The ambiguity of all the characters is another plus for me – it could easily have been a cookie cutter “poor but nice” family vs “rich but horrible” family scenario. But its more intricate than that – everyone in the film has flaws and strengths, just like in real life. I know it being in subtitles will likely turn many viewers away from it, but after about 5-10 min you don’t even notice anymore. Also, I find subtitles make you pay full attention which makes the movie leave a longer last impression upon you. Let me tell you how pleasantly surprised I was Monday morning to discover that it basically swept the Oscar awards. Best picture, best director, best foreign film & best original screen play. That’s a big win for Korean film.
For most the remainder of the night I spent listening to music in my kitchen, playing on my phone & chatting in text messages all the while enjoying some adult beverages. At some point a Quentin Tarantino marathon caught my eye so I moved to the couch. A risk, considering how often it claims people. Real exciting night alone. Pretty much on par with any other Friday night due to Bekah’s narcolepsy. I did manage to stay up a little past 1AM. Party animal, right? Actually that just comes with being a night owl. I can stay up all night with ease, but try and get me out of bed… An early bird this guy is not. So that sums up my night alone. Fun times!
Jalapeño
Bison steak w/ asparagus. I have never cooked bison before, let alone had bison steak. Bison burgers, sure, but steak, no. The only reason I even purchased the steaks was because the butcher at HEB pointed out to me that they were on sale for half off. Sold. I’m open for out of the ordinary. So what to do with these? Exactly what I would do with beef steak. It’s a very lean meat so I kind of treated them like tenderloins. Nice sear followed by a broil. They turned out to be really great. I am not a person to use A1 sauce but for some reason I had a craving for it and it went well with the steak.
HEB crab stuffed salmon. Usually I really dig this meal but for some reason this batch just doesn’t have the same quality. I did everything on my side the same. Same season, same cooking time. I don’t know what they did differently. At least the broccoli was good. Seamed with cheese.
So it was a snow day. It was cold outside and perfect soup weather. Tortilla soup! This was a nice warm batch to the body temperature up. I have been making this recipe for so long I don’t even measure or look at ingredients. Soups are probably one of my favorite things to make.
Still had enough tortilla soup for another night. To keep the meal fresh I added a can of cream of chicken to the mix. This makes it a cream of chicken tortilla soup. It’s a nice variation.
All alone to my own devices I got to make whatever I want and that turned out to be VERY spicy orange chicken. I have a couple different orange chicken recipes that I cook so I went with the Panda Express imitation. Only big difference is that the chicken I do not bread. Bekah would have b****ed about this being too hot. I was satisfied.
Sunday was imitation bunless animal style In-N-Out Burger. What a pain in the butt this is to make. It took me at least an hour to caramelize the onions to how I needed them. Constantly stirring, charring, adding beer, stirring and repeat. If you have not had an animal style burger its caramelized onion, a sauce that is basically Thousand Islands, and a burger patty coated with mustard before grilled. Although time consuming it’s still a very good burger. I now recall why I probably only ever make it once a year or less often.
En Fuego 