Well Saturday rolled around and it felt like a weekday with Bekah off to work. What a bummer. I look forward to our time together on the weekends and it felt like I got cheated a day. I hate to say it, but I found myself a bit lonely. Loneliness is a thing when you see no one the majority of your waking hours. Who knew! At least I have my dogs and my obnoxious cat to keep me company. They are usually great company. I’m sure they are sick of me at this point. BTW, anyone want a cat?
While it felt like a weekday, I decided to not treat myself to the usual weekday lunch. I’ll be the first to admit that they are generally pretty pathetic. Awful might be a better description. Blah. So 1 o’clock rolled around and I finally decided on what to make. I would make a story of bun-less chicken sandwich. Grilled onion and jalapeño as topper and then some pepper jack cheese. Little bed of lettuce served with grilled lime, avocado & tomatoes. It was missing something. Hmmmmmm? Why not make a little Serrano mayo. F*** yeah! High five!!! Some gourmet s*** right there.
What to do with myself for the remainder of the day? Thought I’d switch it up and play an old video game. Super Nintendo. Super Mario World. Anyone remember this one? August 1991. I was 2 months past 10 when this one hit the streets. I still remember how blown away I was upon fist playing. The graphics were out of this world. I immediately fell in love with Yoshi. It was nice to return to something that I so fondly cherished as a child. Took me away to a different time. I also realize I have lost a skill in my old age. I’m just not as good as I use to be? I think I’ll continue this stroll down memory lane and see if I remember all the secrets. Never one to quit.
Dinner was a experiment. Loaded spud? Sure. Sweet potato covered w/ broccoli, chopped BBQ brisket, and jalapeño. Idea came from a post I say on Facebook. It was fun and very delicious. Something I would have never thought to make myself. Always enjoy a new idea.
Another Saturday, another FaceTime. I’m talking hours. First with family followed again with the Slovak. Almost 3 hours. It was brutal. Tequila. Why do we have 3 bottles.? I don’t understand. Either way, it was fun. Entertainment. It seems I might soon have clean shaven legs. This was a topic that was discussed. Exciting, right? No wax please!!!!
Sunday was a lazy morning. Bekah was worse for wear. But she is a real trooper and made us some brunch. Biscuits & gravy. I fried a sunny side and grilled some jalapeño. It was a really good meal. Not anything we would usually have. Nothing I’ve made. Happy camper.
The rest of the day we lounged around. Watched whatever we could find on TV, which wasn’t much. I ventured out once for Big Red. Wanted to try this margarita my friend kept talking about. It was hot so frozen was in order. What a tasty beverage. Who came up with I’m this? So many questions. I would not have thought the flavors would blend so well but they did. And I needed it. I overestimated how much insulin I needed for the brunch and had a low. And excellent excuse to drink, right?
Pizza pizza!!! I cheated. I didn’t make my own crust. Toppings. PINEAPPLE!!!! Such a divided topping. I’m sorry, I love it. Throw some pepperoni, Canadian bacon & jalapeño. What a treat. I can’t believe I once hated pineapple on pizza. What a fool I was.
Well, that’s another weekend blog. Hope all are safe & sound. Cheers!!!
My kitchen. It’s were I spend most of my time these days. Well, that and walking. I’ve broken the 200 mile mark since March 19th. Lost a few pounds and inches. This week I don’t really have anything to write about. Pretty lame, I know. Hey, all weeks are the same now, right? I’ll try and get creative again. Figured I’d just post some pictures that I’d taken throughout the week. Enjoy!
Jalapeño
Brisket. On a Monday. A benefit of working from home. A meal generally reserved for weekends. Bekah made potato salad to accompany. I don’t know what I did differently but this was one of my best yet.
Steak and scalloped potatoes. From a f***ing box. It was fantastic. Reminds me of my college days.
Fish f***ing tacos. I have been making these for years. Recently without tortilla. The raw ones from HEB are the best. Cook them to your liking. This worked tonight.
Ahi tuna poke. I’ve never made this and it turned out to be a hit. First, the imitation crab salad. This stuff is so gross to work with. It’s like the Spam of the seafood world. So I chopped it, added mayo & sriracha, and you got the basic fillings of a California roll. You know what? It was actually pretty good. It tasted authentic. Seaweed salad next. Sticky rice. Seared tuna and other toppings. I made a sauce with rice vinegar, mirin, soy & brown sugar. All in all a delicious meal.
Fajita chicken. Picture didn’t happen. You’ve seen it before.
Well it’s the weekend. Saturday. I slept in. Woke to find Bekah gone. She went to her sisters. Opened the fridge. The potato salad I was going to serve with brisket Monday had been demolished. Looks like eggs and hash browns had been made. Wasn’t sure what to make of the scene in the kitchen? Cleaning products everywhere. Furniture off the floor. Was it clean or abandoned in the process? It was nice outside. I grabbed the leftover eggs & a beer. Breakfast of champions on the patio. I stayed up past 3…
After my unexpected breakfast I drove out to my mothers. I had spare mask and she was in need. She got a little flack from my brother over a expedition she made to the local store without wearing one. We visited briefly and I made my departure. Bekah had placed carry out for me to grab of the way home.
A familiar face greeted me in the parking lot. I was set up. My wife wanted me iced. The treachery of it all. Fortunately for me, I was connected and off the hook. The incident wouldn’t be forgotten.
Back home with lunch and a little package of unexpected booze. Lunch was phenomenal. Spicy chicken lettuce wraps. I had been missing these. Extra spicy because they know me. I don’t know if it had been the time away from this meal or if the kitchen stepped up their game, but this was about as good as it gets. It felt good giving to a local establishment. The booze mix was sweet. I stuck with beer.
Guess what? We drank with the Slavak. This is getting out of hand. S***! I think we might be killing each other at this point. Even so, good company. At this point it would be weird if we didn’t see each other via FaceTime on a weekend. I’m having fun. What will I do when this ends? It sort of seems like I’ve become ever more social on weekends be it from home.
Hoisin wings w/!sriracha corn. So good. Not hungry. I ate. I ate. I’ll have to make this again. Pretty much fell right off the bone.
Sunday funday. Lazy day. Woke up exhausted. Cheap whisky. Not wasting the good stuff on FaceTime drinks. Maybe that’s a bad idea? Normally this is the day I go shopping for the week. No really happening anymore. Make a menu with what we have at home. I will say I stocked up nicely during the week.
Chicken & waffles for brunch. Never made this. Never eaten this. No precedent set. Bekah & I worked as a team in the kitchen. It was fun and experimental. Having both never tried this meal before, we went in with curiosity. It was delicious. Odd, but delicious. Splash some syrup, hot sauce & powder sugar on top. Talk about a cheap meal. I bet restaurants make a killing in this.
That meal really kicked my diabetic a**. I needed both insulin and some exercise to get it down to a safe level. After that was accomplished I sat on the couch and watched High Plains Drifter. A movie I’ve likely seen 100+ times. It’s like comfort food. One of my fathers favorite. I know it by heart. A classic in my book. I’m a sucker for Clint Eastwood movies, and this ranks towards the top of the list. I recognize that it isn’t his best by a long shot but I have great memories with is film. Nostalgia. It’s a powerful drug. “The Stranger” is the epitome of “anti-hero”. This movie probably hasn’t aged well with today’s political viewpoints. I’m sure it’s a little offensive to some. Defiantly would be passed on by today’s studio standards.
Dinner. What to make. Chicken curry? Sure. But I wanted to grill! So I worked out how to make it on the grill. My goodness. Might just make it this way from here on out.
Time to relax and get ready for the work week. What a joke. Hope you all had a fantastic weekend. Until next time. Stay safe. Cheers!!!!
Well, another week. Nothing really exciting. I mowed the lawn? I walked? Painted the door from the garage to the kitchen? Saw a couple people from work during walks & needed office visits. To be honest, it was a good week. Much improved over the blues that had settled over me the week before.
I have been reading a lot. Found a good book to settle into. Blood Standard by Laird Barron. I’ve read his works before. They tend to fall into the “weird fiction” genre. Creepy dark stuff. This one is a completely different style. Picture a Humphrey Bogart film, but a reformed hard hitting mafia enforcer. Now, throw in a boot full of dark comedy. I’ve been laughing out loud. I also reached a moment that made me a bit misty eyed. I’m not all that big on crime thrillers but this surprised me. The protagonist isn’t really a “good” guy. I kind of like a story about a character that is morally compromised. It seems this is a series so I have more to consume once I conclude this first book.
Thirsty Thursday. What a day!!! Boy howdy was I ever thirsty when 5 rolled around. Bekah took a “mental health day”. Originally that meant working from bed. Later she invaded my office (kitchen). My quiet morning of self reflection went kaput. Hard to think when someone is playing drums on the cookie jar. Might as well throw in the towel and admit to myself this work day is spent.
We had a cookie delivery! Sad I missed the deliverers, I was indisposed. How lovely to have cookies waiting on your doorstep. Real treat! Out of the blue Jamie bakes oatmeal cookies. My f***ing favorite! Sooooooo good. I’d ask her for the recipe but I’m sure it’s a secret and besides, I know I lack the skills when it comes to baking. It’s been an eternity since I’ve had homemade oatmeal cookies. The struggle will be not eating them all in one setting & keeping Bekah’s hand out of the cookie jar. Lol.
Yum!!!
Since Bekah was taking a “mental health day” I figure I had no choice but do the same. I went on my afternoon walk and ran into a familiar happy face on campus. Let’s call her Miss E. Always a pleasure. Always a mood enhancer. I was all grins and at that moment I realized the day was going to be pretty good. Nice little chat behind us I made my way home. My meager little lunches were not going to cut it for Bekah on her day off. It was decided to order carry out. It was also decided margaritas were needed. Oh boy. This really is a vacation day. The Rita’s were strong and I felt a little tipsy. The first time I have had a drink on a work week before 5. Is my wife a bad influence? We had a nice time. It was great to have company for a full day.
So strong.
After Bekah went to bed I made myself a stiff drink. I was finally able to have that self reflection. The evening was rather lovely so I meandered myself outside. Town was silent except for the distance cries of an engine roaring. The crickets chirping. The wind chime gently singing with a breath that soothed my soul. Temperature was how you’d expect heaven on any given night. I gazed upon my various solar lights. Many of which don’t seem to stay lit this late. I looked upon the sky. I wondered how all my friends were feeling? I wondered if they were all safe. I hoped at that moment they were as relaxed as I. I hoped they had a good day. I was lulled into peace. I was lulled into sleep. It was a good day.
Friday and we made it another week, 5 to be exact. I agree with My friend Jody, it feels longer. Nothing so special about Friday. Just another day. I guess what’s worth mentioning is my lunch. I had a hankering for some cheese bread. I did that. Carbs. Probably gained 5 pounds. Soooooo worth it though. Hope all of you had a good week as well. BTW, the beard is partially back, to Bekah’s relief. Cheers!!!
Whoa!!!
Jalapeño
Cilantro lime chicken over cilantro lime rice. This was really delicious and will be made again. Lime juice makes such a great marinade. I made a quick avocado mash that kind of worked and a sauce. Perfect summer time dish.
I’m missing some local Asian food. I made my own again. Some spicy chicken. I had leftovers the next day for lunch.
Italian pork tenderloin. I started marinading the pork a day in advance with Italian seasoning, pepper & Italian dressing. Green beans sounded like a good side. Cooked with in more dressing. Used a raspberry chipotle sauce as a finish glaze.
No idea what to name this. Ground beef, red bell, onion, jalapeño, squash. Added some Velveeta. Just salvaging the fridge. Made a hell of a dish over some sticky sushi rice.
Sweet & sour pork tenderloin with broccoli & crab rangoon. What a cow I was Friday. Just look At the carbs in this blog! 3 meals with rice!!!! Whoa!!!! Kill me now!!!!! It was amazing. When was the last time I had crab rangoon? And I’ve never made sweet & sour pork. What a treat. Great way to top off a great week.
Cocktail of the week: jalapeño margarita by Bekah.
I’m rather happy with the weekend blogs. They have turned out to be a lot of fun. Lord knows I need something to do. Saturday’s we had a guest. I’m sorry. We broke protocol. She had not left the house in weeks. My sister-in-law. We still kept the distance. It was nice. All 3 of us had a good time. To be the first person someone has seen in 3 weeks is weird. It would have been a month ago. Love her. For all of you that are alone right now just know you are doing the right thing. Too many people are treating this like a joke. It won’t end if we don’t act.
Piñata Day!!
Lunch. Some dry rubbed BBQ chicken legs and grilled okra. I did end up using a baste. I couldn’t help myself. The flavors were excellent. Trying to keep lunch fun and fresh. I like the weekend company. My beautiful Bekah. We have fun. After 4 weeks of week days spent mostly alone, I’ve grown to really REALLY appreciate our 2 days together. Not that I didn’t before, but you get what I’m saying.
Battered Cod with asparagus. What can I say, it was okay. A meal on the menu for a while that kept being pushed back. Maybe I need to give this a little more love next time . F***. Asparagus wasn’t a good side. Saturday. I’m working with what I have. No more running to the store on a daily basis.
SkipBo. We be playing games. I kicked my wife’s a** two times in a row. I thought she was the expert here. It seems my “defense” isn’t any fun. Sore loser. Taking FaceTime shots with the Slovak again. How many weekends is this now? Four? Anyhow, lots of mixing. I watched with anxious amusement as the intoxication level quickly increased. Fun times.
Sunday brunch. I needed to use the rest of the chorizo that I had so I whipped together some chorizo egg tacos. The fresh tortillas were key here. This meal was needed for Bekah. Hangover cure. She took a nap on the couch afterwards (3 hours). Didn’t even budge when I offered her a “hair of the dog”. Good for her.
The day was lazy. The only time I left the house was to wash my car. When did I last drive? Friday? Sometime in between the birds decided my vehicle was the perfect shooting range for them to target their s*** on. It looked like I had a new paint job. Terrible unfortunate mess. Wash away. On my way back I stopped to look at some Lily’s. Park closed, screw it. No one was around and I was quick. They are finally starting to bloom.
Sunday marks a month. It has been a long, very long, one. If they lift restrictions too soon it will be all for nothing, I fear. As badly as I want to go back to work I want this to work even more. Some people really think this is all a joke? I… don’t… understand how.
Sun in an empty room.
BBQ chicken thigh w/ street corn. I was told I eat a lot of jalapeño today. Duh! This chicken is the same as Saturday. Just thighs. Corn was a f***ing masterpiece. Woot woot!!
Now it’s time to inform you of the real tragedy of the weekend. A mistake was made. I drunkenly ate my last Lemonade Girl Scouts cookie!!! What a dumb blunder!! I had been hoarding what was left for a special occasion!!! Not a 3 AM snake which I don’t even remember!!! I’m a fool!!! Until next year, delicious cookies. I shed a tear for you.
Left myself a f***ing post it note reminder so I’d know my mistake the next morning.
That’s it for another weekend blog. Cheers folks!! We got this!!!
The cold returned. It’s not uncommon for us to see temps dip back down to the 30’s this time of year and that’s exactly what happened. I wasn’t feeling it. It was putting a damper on my morning walks. I don’t like my face to freeze and that’s exactly what it felt like with the wind. Of course our weather is bipolar and will change at the flip of a dime.
Hump day rolled around & I got to see some work faces. Although we are all keeping in contact it was very welcoming having person to person contact, social distanced. Jamie needed a scanner so I met her at the office. It totally gave me an excuse to visit. I don’t want to be like Jimmy and just show up sad everyday to talk & talk about his only hobby being “The Drink”. My boss and coworker also seemed bubbly over our visit. Boss was soooooo chatty. I was there for almost an hour and I was fine with that. One thing I’ve taken from this is that I need more contact with people than I thought I did. Monday & Tuesday I was in a bit of a funk. Seeing the faces that I’m normally seeing on a work week was rather nice. Highlight of my week? Maybe!
Thursday I got bored. I thought I’d drastically alter my appearance. Not like I’m seeing any people so who cares. Well, Bekah did. I took a razor to my face for the first time in 7-8 years. I looked into the mirror and didn’t quite recognize the youthful face looking back at me. Where had this person been all these years? Hidden behind a mask of facial hair. It was bizarre. It felt refreshing. Bekah was in for a surprise. When she did arrive home the look on her face was priceless. And she wasn’t too thrilled. You see, she likes the beard. I wasn’t aloud to shave during this pandemic. It had been 4 weeks since I last trimmed the beard. Pretty drastic change of appearance. She said it was like coming home to find a different man occupying the house. She might be sharing a bed with a stranger. It’s going to take a little while but it will grow back.
Friday rolls around and we’ve all made it 4 weeks. Or however many depending on where you might live. Uneventful day spent reading more than walking. Hope everyone is safe and sound. Cheers!!!
Cat
Jalapeño
Sweet chili chicken. This is a HEB seasoned meal packet. Great stuff.
Teriyaki steak. Fantastic.
Chicken on a stick. Some thighs. The asparagus. My lord. I used sesame oil, soy & brown sugar. A real treat.
Friday I think might be our takeout night. Lily’s Pizza. Bekah won the coin toss. Mushrooms, black olives, pepperoni, jalapeño. It was fantastic. They were busy.
A long weekend. 3 days. I honestly had forgotten that Friday was even a holiday until I got an email saying how I was to report my time. Jeez. Bekah has the day off, which was really the only difference from every other day. Originally she had big plans for this weekend. It’s her sisters 40th and they were going to travel to Alpine to celebrate. Of course, things changed. The world changed.
I had the most frustrating venture to the grocery store. I attempted both the HEB’s in town but lines had at least 50 people. Probably more. Nothing on my list was worth that. Went to Market Street. They have been reliable. I had to wait maybe 2 min to get in. What I didn’t account for was because it being a holiday everyone was out. The store was full. And dip s***’s were not following directions and practicing social distancing. What should have taken me 5-10 min took me 30. Because I was being vigilant. Yes, I could have easily grabbed that broth I needed while this lady vacantly stared at the shelf’s oblivious to me waiting for her to move. But I was keeping my 6 feet. Other people, were not….😡 I needed to strip out of my cloths in the garage and promptly make myself a drink. Bekah heard the sailor in me come out.
Did people follow the instructions? NO!!!!
I went and saw my mother. I needed that. We kept our distance. So weird. I hate it. We enjoyed beverages & conversation on the patio. It was rather nice. I miss my people. My family. It felt good to see the face of someone that I care about. We might be on lockdown soon… probably need to be seeing as how many people just don’t care.
Friday lunch I wasn’t prepared for because I didn’t know it was a holiday. I had leftover chicken from meal prepping I was originally just going to eat like usual. With the spouse home I needed to come up with a lunch idea. On my walk I decided I could make some chicken tostadas. Chopped up some onion & red jalapeño and began to sauté. Diced a chicken breast and added it to the veggies. Poured some beer over to keep it moist. Smashed and avocado and added lemon juice, salt & pepper. Baked the corn tortillas. Whala!!! Not a bad meal made from leftovers.
No dinner Friday night. Just drinks. Not for the best. Arguments ensued. Let this be a lesson. Don’t piss of the one person you can be around. It doesn’t work for the best. I imagine this is happening worldwide. Lots of built up frustrations. Don’t take it out on those closest to you. We need each other. I said some foolish s*** and so did she. But I’ll take the blame for not just letting things die down. Had to get that last word in.
Saturday. What a nice day. For lunch I made some cheese enchiladas, black beans & grilled jalapeño. Bekah came out of retirement and made her amazing Spanish rice. She put her Hozona swing on it. It was more food than we needed.
So we decided to day drink. Why the hell not! It was beautiful out. Until it wasn’t. About 6 o’clock a righteous storm came a callin. Winds picked up, hail stones were thrown. It was exciting, but f*** if it didn’t leave a bloody mess. I thought I was done raking leaves. Guess not!
For the evening I just made chicken fajita without the tortilla. Leftover beans and rice. Bekah didn’t remember eating this meal. Yikes!!!
It seems the tradition is holding strong. FaceTime drinks with the Slovak. 3 weeks now. Bekah crashed after the storms went their way (until 3 AM when they returned). I stayed up and took shots. Too many. I didn’t know that we were going to be chugging from the bottle but we sure did. How the heck did we talk for over an hour? This is going to be the end of me. This new tradition. But I guess it beats drinking alone?
Easter Sunday brunch. Pulled pork hash. A rather spectacular meal. I needed it after the night with the Slovak.
Weird having Easter without family. It’s a big holiday for us. We always get together to feast & drink. Although it sucks, at least we are practicing social distancing. people up the street from me can’t say the same. Party time!!
For Easter dinner I slow cooked some pork tenderloin on the grill. Little chipotle raspberry sauce. Made Brussels sprouts like I always do on This holiday. No on to tell me that they are not supposed to be spicy. Also, deviled eggs. I have had the misfortune of making these for near 20 years on this holiday now. Don’t want to break tradition because of a pandemic.
That’s it. I’m done. Hope all of you had a great weekend. Cheers!!!
Monday made it day 13. I actually went into work for the first time since life turned crazy. I had an expense report to finish up and a few other little task to knock out. I probably spent the majority of my time chatting with my boss. I could see that he was as eager for a familiar face as I. Chatty Cathy. A little catching up on how everyone else I work with is handling things, but mostly about personal stuff outside of work. Home schooling, panicked mother-in-law, depressed wife, and whiskey sampling via Zoom meetings. I tried to drag out my time in the office because it’s impossible to say when I will be back. I did have a first though. I’d always wanted to go to work in shorts & flip flops. Boy did it feel great!!! I could get used to that.
I’ve been walking a lot. That’s an understatement. My average daily is between 7-9 miles. It’s been nice, as I’ve said before. Out with nature. There is such an abundance of beauty in this word. It’s the perfect pick me up. The little things move me. Be it’s a patch of wild flowers growing on the side of the road, or some ducks quacking for whatever reasons ducks quack. It’s just everywhere you look. It’s not hard to find. Just open yourself up to it. I think that is very important right now. Things changed quick and we were all caught a little off guard. When the stress/sadness/fear exceeds what you can take, I implore you to take a walk if you can. Maybe just go outside. If you can do either because of your circumstances, maybe just open a window. Take in the beauty which surrounds you. Open your eyes & ears to the things around you. Let it wash away the burdens. It might just make you smile. I hope it does.
Hump Day arrived and it was bloody hot! Nasty walk. This is going to be a problem when summer arrives. I still had more leaves to bag. I HATE leaves. I need a goat. Someone I won’t mention by name keeps ridding it in my face that they have one and how it really takes the burden of bagging away. 🙄 Knocked that out early, than watched a few episodes of Fleabag. I was just going to finish it but decided I should save the last two episodes for thirsty Thursday. I have learned that it’s best to space out activities during these times.
HATE!
I had some insulin waiting for me at the pharmacy. I also had a small list. Should I do drive-thru or just knock out both and go into the store. I chose to go in. This was my first venture in a store w/ a mask on my face. My first venture to the store in 5 days. It was a little weird at first. And some people still have me looks, but I’d say the mask to no mask was about 50/50. Grocery store shopping is kind of scary these days. It’s stressful, and that makes me sad. Trying to keep a distance from people that clearly are not trying. And all the mask. Good for people practicing safety first, but it’s also alarming to see. It feels like I’m living within one of those horror movies I’ve watched all my life.
After the shopping I needed fresh air. I went out to one of our lakes and hiked the hills for a bit. This was a place I spent very much time when I was much younger. I know the roads and trails like the back of my hand. I started out w/ an odd bit of anxiety with me while I traveled familiar land. I can’t explain where it derived from. It was a dreadful type of anxiety. Each turn in the path had my heart pounding. Thankfully it passed. It turned out I really need to get out there. It had been years since I’d seen the land. And NO ONE was anywhere around. I can’t say the same for the boat ramp when I was leaving. On my drive back I saw someone gets chased down by police, drawn on, tackled & slammed against the hood of a car. Cops Live!!!
The Llama’s dwellings?
Thirsty Thursday. Pretty uneventful. It was a rainy day, thank the lord. So relaxing. I wanted to finish Fleabag but my internet provider, SuddenLink, s*** out on me. I hate paying them as much as I do for terrible unreliable service. So I went to the office and printed Easter eggs to color and place in the windows. Simple fun. Afterwards I waked the trails. Since they are closing I had to get a walk in. Whose to say they reopen. I went to the convenience store by campus to refill propane. This knuckle dragging dumbf*** comes in and totally doesn’t social distance herself. She got completely called out on it to. I asked the clerk if that’s how it’s been and she said totally. So many morons. They make it hard for me to want go out.
This blog wouldn’t be complete with me not mentioning my near brush with death. On one of my daily walks I was attacked! Completely unaware I was being profiled from a distance. I suppose that’s how any attack is. If you are prepared you have an advantage. And these f***’s surprised me. I turned a corner and their they were. It was a stand off. I could immediately tell something was amiss. I paused. Shrugged and carried on with my walk. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the gang leader make his move. With a swiftness I wasn’t expecting he attacked. A blood curdling roar ensued. I fled like a little b****! I was embarrassed for myself how quickly I turned tail. No longer in imminent danger, I was faced with an unbearable amount of shame. At least I lived to see another day. Yet, forever branded a coward.
Monday we ordered delivery from one of our favorite places. I feel bad for those in the service industry that are struggling. We had a familiar face drop off the food on our porch while we waved from inside. Ginger soy wings and some cheese fries. With a 6pk and growler of beer.
Salmon burgers with some spicy peas. Nothing to see here.
Bibigo Korean BBQ chicken with some steamed broccoli. The sauce is pretty amazing on steak too. Honestly, probably better on steak. Really caramelizes well with the fats. And what’s that other thing on the plate? Red jalapeño. I found some again. Cheers!!!
So another weekend at the house. This was the first weekend I didn’t really leave home. I’m not someone that can sit still long. I must admit to boredom. A cold front sure did blow in. It got freaking chilly outside. I’d already put away my winter cloths so they were dug back out and put into action. All week The Weather Channel had been teasing rain. Like 7 days of it. Where the f*** is it!!!! I’ve been waiting & waiting & waiting!! Drizzle is not a fair substitute, Mother Nature.
Saturday Bekah decided to dress up. She did her hair and make up for the first time in over a week. Pandemic mode was broken. I’m happy she did this because it put her in a better mood. It brought a little of the old normal back to her life.
Saturday lunch. Not really the best grilling weather but oh well. Bacon wrapped chicken breast topped with green chilis and served with a refreshing salad. I order this from a local restaurant which is usually served on a bun. Bekah said it was amazing. Which I guess it was. Preparing, cooking & consuming took up a 2 hour block of my day. I had a couple beers. I still was left with a lot of time on my hands before dinner. Being that it’s misty outside my daily walk was put on hold. So what did I do until the time to make dinner arrived? I twiddled my thumbs for a few hours while blankly gazing out the kitchen window hoping for some excitement in the neighborhood. Never happened. Neighbors are taking this quarantine thing very seriously. I did happen to see the neighbor up the streets old German Sheppard that’s always let free to roam take a crap in my yard. That was exciting!
Well, that was fun. Twiddling thumbs. Also lots of FaceTime. Seems to be the new normal. From 2-10. Some drinks were taken. It was nice seeing family members. I miss them. I do. Slovak got another time in. She found TP at HEB!! She is going crazy. That’s normal these days. We took shots. I should have walked away. Peer pressure. To be honest, what else would I be doing. By the end 3 people were pretty drunk. I sat on the couch and opened my eyes 2 hours later not even knowing time had elapsed. This liquor stockpile isn’t going to last if we keep this up. I feel like we are actually being more social in these social distancing times. I’ve FaceTimed more than ever in my life. I hate seeing my face on the phone, tbh.
Yikes.
It was my lost brothers birthday. How I miss him. He would have been 32 Saturday. We talked a little. I don’t think he would have liked the times. But, one of his favorite bands released a single. I’m sure he is loving that. I miss the little f***er. I do. He would make me laugh right now.
So it’s a Fritos pie kind of night. Gloomy great day. Waiting on the rain. It didn’t come. Booooooo. This was the smallest batch of chili I think I’ve ever made. I made it a bit differently. It was fantastic. I never knew I was craving a Fritos pie. That’s was a LOT of food. Hit the spot.
Sunday rolls around and Bekah has to go into work. Probably not in the best condition. Bummer that she even had to go. Made the day feel like a Monday. Still gloomy out. Still waiting on the rain. I woke with absolutely zero drive to do anything. I figure I’d watch something. I was recommended Fleabag. The first season was hilarious and pretty darn sad. I was surprised how easily I was drawn into the show. The lead actress does a great job. She has some fantastic facial expressions. Monday I might just veg out and watch season 2.
Sunday brunch. I’m enjoying this. Originally I was to make biscuits & gravy. That would be cruel without Bekah. It’s one of her favorites. It would be my first time making it and to do it while she was away… mean. So I looked at what I had. Leftover chorizo. I could make chorizo egg tostadas. Had a moment of indecision on how to go at it. Scrambled eggs or sunny side. By brother said sunny so that’s what happened. What a f***ing masterpiece. I wasn’t expecting what I got from just winging it. Usually I place tooooooo much though into a meal. A little adult vitamin C & I was a satisfied man.
Chopped. Bekah’s round. I was to pick from the house hold ingredients. I had to keep reminding myself that I will have to eat whatever she makes. This made it a little less fun. I couldn’t be cruel. Funny, the broccoli was throwing me off. The enchilada sauce was her trouble. Not at all what I would have done, but it was really good. Enchilada burger with some pasta. She had a blast. She cussed. Flipped me off. This might be a regular thing while we are stuck at home. Gotta keep things interesting.
I thought dinner would be trash. I was pleasantly surprised.
That’s it for this weekend blog. I never really saw it rain. What a bummer. I’m exhausted. Hope all of you have a nice Monday. Cheers to you all! We got this, friends!!
Something pretty on my walk. Something pretty on my walk # 2
After my morning walk on Monday I realized how important the bird songs were to starting my day off. They just put me in a good mood. Mother natures music. I thought I might do something a little different this time around. I’m going to share with you some of the songs that hold a place in my heart from my past. My musical upbringing. Music is a thing that brings us all together in a positive way. I can’t think of anything that is as universal as music. It’s medicine for the soul. I also figure you all might grow tired of me writing about my exciting days working (NOT) from home. These are the times to do things differently. Everything else in life is different.
I’m going to start with two tunes by REM. I couldn’t decide which to post. Both songs hold deep meaning to my younger life. I was at the ripe old age of 11 when “Automatic For The People” came out. I was already a fan of REM. “Out of Time” being one of the first 3 albums I owned. I never got a copy of AftP until years later. I guess my allowance went to other albums. Or maybe Jurassic Park toys? Who can say. Great album. I recall “Man on the Moon” at 8 Wheels while skating. Requesting it. Oh what a day. I remember that day on the skates every time I hear the song. A childhood joy. “Everybody Hurts” is a song I mainly recall from the video being stuck at home sick. (I guess that’s kind of like now) The old days when MTV & VH1 were important to all us kids. It has so much emotion. Love these songs. I must confess they are not my favorite on the album. They just had an impact on my life. I’ve been going back to older material.
Enya. What better artist to bring a little joy into your life. With so many songs to choose from I went with “Anywhere Is”. It’s one I’m always drawn back too. This song still gives me goosebumps when I hear it. I always feel a very emotional impact when this song comes on. It’s brought me to tears, no joke. I will never tire of this tune. It’s a part of me. I was 13 when this song was released. I don’t think many 13 year olds listen to Enya, but thanks to my father’s wide range of music I was introduced at a young age. If you are feeling a little blue from all that going on in the world, I implore you to give this song a listen. It will be an enjoyable experience.
I’ve been going back to songs that I remember from good days of the past. The Sting song “If I Ever Lose My Faith In You” reminds me of a family road trip to Durango, Colorado. I was 12 years old. Road trips were a big part of my upbringing. My dad liked to take scenic routes and we would make frequent stops to various historical sites. Lots of hiking. I remember this song specifically because on this particular road trip, the driving was the only part I got to enjoy. When we got to Durango I managed to catch one of the worst cases of the stomach flu, to this day, I’ve ever had. It was miserable. I was sad that I could not have fun with my parents and brothers. But at least I had the days in the car and the hikes to the various historical sites to enjoy. Over all, that vacation ranks as one of the best ever. I might have been in hell, but the memories are so much clearer because of that. And this song reminds me of that joyous journey. Also, what a video.
Pearl Jam was one of my earliest favorite bands, again, thanks to my father. He would play the albums VS & Vitology very often on our trips to & from the ranch near Rocksprings. Those two album are important corner stones to my musical taste. Oddly, I am not posting a song from either those albums. The song “MFC” from the 1998 album Yield has been with me these last few days. I was 16 going on 17. Teenage years in high school with little to no worries in the world. Well, maybe worried that my crush at the time had no interest in me or that we couldn’t find a place to sneak a few beer, but those are not worries considering the current times. This song reminds me of sunny days and young love. Hanging out with friends around Twin Buttes. The independence that comes with being 16 and having a car. It reminds me of the innocence of youth. Sometimes we want to go back to those days. I still can’t believe this song was released over 20 years ago… I smile when that opening guitar riff begins to play from my speakers. They just released a new album last Friday that is actually rather good.
I grew up in a house that played lots of instrumental music. Classical orchestra. Mozart, Beethoven, etc… Instrumental music is still a big part of my life. How to pick an artist… How about Yanni! The album “In My Time” was played very often. The talent of this guy is unreal. I also don’t think it hurt that my mother was in love with him. I suppose he was a handsome man. His music just relaxes me in a way not much else can. Had a bad day? Throw some Yanni on to remedy that right quick. I couldn’t pick just one song, and I tried. Figured that would be an injustice to the man so I picked two of my favorite from the album mentioned above.
While we are talking about instrumental music I should also bring up my love for movie scores. Some of the best compositions come from movies, IMO. There are many I hold close to my heart. One of the first 3 albums I purchased with my own allowance just so happened to be the Jurassic Park soundtrack. I’m still in love. I recall how in awe I was leaving the theater after seeing the movie & I had to have the soundtrack. Mind you, I was 12 at the time. I might have begged my parents to swing by Hastings(miss them dearly) to pick it up. The theme is just pure bliss. Another movie soundtrack that’s part of me is The Last Of The Mohicans. The entire thing is a listen one must experience. I am reminded of many evenings sitting on the patio at the ranch with my family taking in nature, watching the deer feed, and listening to that movie score. I guess the song “Promontory” sums up the excellence of this album. I spent hours one night learning this on the guitar. I pulled it off, but have since lost the skills to perform it. Legends of the Fall. Are you familiar with the movie? If you are than you know the music. “The Ludlows” is one of the prettiest compositions I have ever heard. I dare you say otherwise. It feels like this soundtrack has been with me for much longer than 26 years, but I did the math. It hits the emotions much harder today than it ever did the 12 year old boy I was. I feel my father presence when I play this score. I’d like to think that he is listening to it with me.
My earliest memory of music is of Neil Young. My father played a lot of his albums when I was a toddler. I remember being in our living room, my dad was reading on the couch and the album Harvest was playing. I couldn’t tell you what I was doing. I just associate the album with that image of my father and our ugly old couch. Stye was something else in the 80’s. Those songs are in my bones. That’s how deep within me they are. Over the year I made it a point to fully immerse myself in the catalogue that is Neil. He just last year released a new album which is pretty rockin. The song I picked for this list, from Harvest, is “Old Man”. Love you, Dad! Thanks for all the music you introduced me too.
How could I make this list without a little James Taylor! Whenever I hear a song by him I can’t help think about my dad. I choke up a little when I hear his songs pop up on the radio. So many masterpieces by this guy. I think the reason I enjoy folk music stems from good ole James. The song that I pick is one of his mid-career songs from 1991 called “Copperline”. This song evokes memories of a Christmas vacation in Austin, Tx at my aunt & uncles & cousins house. This house was grand in scale. It was beautiful. I loved going for a visit. The little 10 year old I was could not believe a place could be any more majestic. It was such a big house. And my aunt really went all out with Christmas decorations. Oh the smells. She knew her candles. My Meeme & Pop were with us that year. It was everyone on my mothers side of the family. They had a golden retriever named Dusty. Boy was I in love with that dog. He was such a sweet boy. Had two cat’s, Libby & Mittens, that I tried to stay away from. One didn’t like boys and I found that out the hard way. Anyhow, the album New Moon Shine was played a lot on that trip and the song that has stuck with me over the years is “Copperline”. It’s a beautiful song and it fills my belly with butterflies. That was one magical Christmas. I miss those times and this song brings me back to that trip.
My mother listened to a lot of Phil Collins & Genesis when I was growing up. Needless to say, I was a fan. This song reminds me, strangely, of being on the swing set we had in our backyard. It was a fresh spring afternoon and I was home from school. I don’t remember why. I think maybe that morning I wasn’t feeling well. Might have been playing hooky. I was swinging back and forth watching our two Lhasa Apso enjoying a nap on the cool green grass. I was an 8 year old with his head in the clouds pretending the swing was a airplane. I remember there being a lot of butterflies in the yard that day. I remember the bird songs. I remember my mom had pots and pots on the patio full of colorful flowers. This song was playing from inside the house. The doors were open because the weather was beautiful. I guess in that moment I was in paradise. The actual meaning of the lyrics didn’t impact me until I grew older.
This one is a little more recent in my life, but no less impactful. The year was 2005. I was working on getting my bachelors degree in English. I happened to stumble upon an artist that I had heard of but didn’t particularly like. Thought he was overrated and at the time wasn’t really into country music one bit. Even though it’s a stretch to call what he was doing at the time country. I think it falls into the genre alternative-country? Who knows. Anyways, a friend on AIM (do you remember that?) sent me a song called “Mockingbird” by Ryan Adams & The Cardinals. He said I might dig the new band. Boy how he couldn’t have been more right. I became somewhat obsessed with his music. That year alone he released 3 albums. What a time to become a fan. To my surprise, he also has a bit of a James Taylor vibe to his guitar playing. Of course this was right up my alley. The lyrics:
“Mockingbirds sing Sing me what the Lord was singing On the day He made the water The color of the blues Sing me that song Sing me till the heavens rising On the day He made the water The color of my baby’s eyes”
Some good stuff right their. This opened the doors to many more artist that I had avoided listening to because the might be a little tooooo country for me. It also led me to an online community that allowed me to make friends all over the world. And I do mean all over the world. New Zealand, Australia, Ireland. These people have been a part of my life for 15 years all because of this song.
This list would be incomplete if I didn’t post some songs from one the most important genres of music in my life: Punk/EMO. In high school I was in a music scene. All my friends were in various punk/EMO bands and we went to punk/EMO shows on the weekends. I also played, but never had the though to actually be in the bands. I had fun just tagging along, hauling instruments to shows, getting to play with the equipment. We thought we were pretty cool. Anyhow, Sunny Day Real Estate, Jimmy Eat world, Propagandhi, Lagwagon, Blink 182, NOFX, Texas is the Reason. All those bands & many more were a major part of my adolescence. It was a time in my life were I was somewhat of a music snob. Anyone see the movie High Fidelity? The guys that work the record store? We were kind of like that. Popular music was all trash. We searched for underground less known bands. If you knew who The Get Up Kids or Good Riddance were, you were automatically cool. Punk Rock attitude. If you listened to popular music you must suck. Well, that a little extreme but you get the point. I still listen to a lot of very obscure music to this day, but I also listen to a lot of popular stuff. So here are a few songs I listened to back in the day with my punk friends.
I guess I’ll finish this off with a new song that was just released this year by a band called Wild Noting. The song “Foyer” has already worked it’s way into my soul. I’m a sucker for a good bass line. Always loved playing a bass guitar. It’s kind of a throwback to that 80’s sound which I use to despise. I now realize how ridiculous that was and I am happy to say I was wrong. So these guys have probably become my new favorite band. This is where I have been musically in the recent months. Funny how my younger self would have been rolling his eyes at this tune.
Jalapeño!!!!
Asian salad with some marinated teriyaki chicken. You really can’t go wrong with this meal.
Hoisin steak w/ sriracha broccoli. Meals are becoming a little less experimental. It’s hard when you can find what you need. I’m basically down to simple dishes during the weeks. This was great though.
Caribbean jerk pork tenderloin. Once again!! I don’t mind this meal. It’s easy and it’s Bekah’s favorite. I had to marinade a little differently because of a soy shortage in stores.
Mojito lime chicken with and avocado “white” corn salad. White corn because that was all that was left in the store. In plenty. I guess people don’t know that’s it’s pretty much the same damn thing. Bekah says this was great. It was pretty good.
I wanted food from some place I couldn’t get it. I tried to make my own. It was good. It’s wasn’t the same.
En Fuego 