it wasn’t me

i kind of want this hat.

oh wow, you can even tell i’d been crying all morning in this picture. i was sad because i am leaving some people to whom i am rather attached, now that i am moving. it is for a good cause, though.

omg this is the kind of stuff i eat when i have had too much wine and am really tired and stressed. linguica with lots of mustard, goat cheese, and grilled with butter.

breakfast yesterday. so delish. well, the hollandaise was great. to be honest, the rest of it was just ‘okay’.

only two more days of working at my ‘old’ job. then i am flying to missouri for a whirlwind trip to see my grandson being born.

trick or treat

i thought this vest would hide my fatness and distorted shape. nope. it doesn’t hide anything.

this is a child’s hat. i’m a dork, of course. we’ve already established this.

after the army surplus store we went to scheels. i’d never been. i got the grand tour. that place is insane!

it’s like disneyland in there. sort of. it’s pretty cool. we even rode the ferris wheel. didn’t get any photos of that, tho. the guy made me leave my purse in a cubby hole while we were on the ride. boo.

we putted some golf balls, shot some pretend guns…

looked at taxidermed animals. i don’t know what’s going on with the guy on the upper right there. haha

this mountain is pretty tall. the ferris wheel is taller, though.

had some really good lunch. tongue tacos. ew! but actually they are quite good. when i ordered them i go “two tongue tacos” and he goes “what kind?” and i go “TONGUE” haha. embarrassing. sort of. not really.

ended the day sitting at the river with a beverage. then watched three scary movies on netflix! i love scary movies! getting ready for halloween!

and tonight: Fleet Foxes.

perhaps, perhaps, perhaps

i had so many plans and intentions for yesterday.
only a few materialized as i’d envisioned.
it’s hard to navigate life by yourself. for me, anyway.
i don’t like being in charge.
i also don’t like being bossed around… so.

rye bread in a milk carton.
hm.
interesting.

spaghetti candy.

i think i pretty much fail at being a grown-up.

this is not IKEA food.
i had sort of planned to eat at IKEA, because I still never have… but it didn’t work out that way.

driving is not fun for me.
i don’t like it. it is scary and stressful.
taking the bus is also not fun, but in a different way.
travel and transportation are a pain in the ass, to me.
complain complain complain.

uuggghhhhh

i’m hearing a lot of chatter on the message boards

mmm. georgia mustard was my favorite.

i was told to get the drunken apples as dessert.
i am not that interested in sharing stomach space with dessert.

everyone will think this is weird, but the other day, i let the guy who works at the mini mart place rub my back. only for a second. he offered to help and i figured i should accept an offer of healing, human compassion, generosity, right? nothing weird happened.

watching due date right now.

this place is new in town so it’s all the rage.
there may have been one before or something, but whatever.
they give you, like, three chips to taste the sauces with.

i fashioned this bracelet this evening.

should have brought home all the bones so i could eat the marrow.

tasted like a popsicle.

shouldn’t be eating corn, or much any of this really, but it was fun!

gnawing meat off of bones in a public setting.
what fun.

our waitress was sweet and cute but a little too friendly, in the sense that i felt like she owed me money after sitting there listening intently to her life story. i mean, yeah, it was interesting, sure.

omg, my neighbor made me so mad last night. she kept knocking on my door at the crack of dawn, i ignored her, so she came back an hour later just to make sure i didn’t get a wink of sleep last night.
yeah, thanks, ‘bunny’

eat more plants

a local restaurant was recommended to me by someone whose opinion i thought i could rely on. 775 gastropub, it’s called. i was surprised to hear that there was a cool restaurant at the mall, of all places. they have 200 beers on tap and a bunch of infused spirits. supposed to be an interesting menu. unfortunately, our experience was not exactly impressive.

these lamb lollipops (an appetizer) were seared (pretty much uncooked beyond that and really not even very warm, maybe that’s the cool way for lamb lollipops to be? idk) i think they were a little undercooked.
and not hot enough. did i already say those two things? yes. yes, i did. and those flakey things are some sort of sweet potato chip.

they had eggs benedict listed under sandwiches on their dinner menu. i was curious. the waiter recommended i go with the chorizo (you could get that or steak *or spinach. should’a went with the spinach). it too wasn’t particularly hot, the english muffins were soggy and had no crispiness to them (had not been toasted perhaps?) and chorizo patties were undercooked and not remarkably spicy. the eggs were obviously effed up. where are the whites? has this chef ever poached an egg before? the waiter had asked me how i wanted the eggs. i’m thinking “poached” but he goes, “do you want them hard?” and i was like, ‘no, soft’
well, at least the yolks were perfect.
the fingerling potatoes were described as fries on the menu, as i recall.
there could have been more hollandaise sauce, too.

picture taken too quickly. this was the venison chili. my date said it was good. i should have had a bite, but didn’t think of it at the time.

all in all the experience left much to be desired and was somewhat disappointing. i should have said something to somebody at the time, but i didn’t want to stress.

actually, i felt like a lame-o for choosing the restaurant. but, such is life, eh? and it wasn’t particularly cheap.

also, the place was totally dead (it was a monday night) but they seated us as close as possible to the kitchen door/bathrooms (which were both in the same little hallway, weird)

after that we went bowling.

it was fun. i just happen to look grumpy or something.

okay.

fun times

yeah. we probably shouldn’t eat so much meat.
i mean we as in america?

but i had never been to texas roadhouse, so it was a novel experience for me.

especially when a ufo landed in the parking lot.
just kidding.

i was trying to get a picture of the texas roadhouse sign while my mom was driving and she was like, “do you want me to stop?” and i said, “no, i don’t like it when people accommodate my picture taking.” because it was a stupid photo idea anyway. also ‘accommodate’ is a tough one to spell. sheesh.

my daughter was very excited about throwing peanut shells on the floor. she would eat one peanut, put the shells in the bucket, then dump the bucket out and start again. (they give you two buckets… one empty one for the shells…)

it took me, like, two hours to drink this. it kept freezing my brain and my esophagus. it was a chore to finish it. seemed like no matter how much i drank, it never seemed like there was any less of it in the glass. i wanted to ask for a to-go cup, but i don’t think they can do that. if i’d've had a little water bottle of some sort i’d've tried to put it in that.

these rolls were very yeasty. you could smell the yeast from outside the building. the aroma reminds me of beer. they give you a slightly sweet cinnamon butter and the rolls are already sweet as it is. we asked for plain butter. a lot of their stuff was on the sweet side, i noticed. just an observation. it’s that whole texas barbeque thing, i guess.

even the (homemade, they say) italian dressing was sweet. tasty, nonetheless.
sorry my pics are blurry.

those green beans were even a little sweet. they tasted really good because of the bits of bacon in there. yum. the chili was on the spicy side. it was good.

i kind of put together my own dish. it was called the veggie platter, you get to order four sides and that is your meal. i ordered a baked potato, chili, green beans and a salad. put the chili on the potato, threw the salad on the side et voila.

all i really ate was the salad and the green beans because i had that margarita to contend with. (with which to contend?) saved the potato concoction for dinner the next day.

texas roadhouse was fun. you know. it has a lively atmosphere, family style and lighthearted. periodically the waitstaff (and any willing guests) get up and line dance. i was too shy to get a picture of it. i was getting up to take a picture and my mom thought i was going to go participate in the actual dancing. sheeyeah, righht, mom. i don’t think so. i am so sure! i said, “i wouldn’t be caught dead doing that” but idk. it’s just not my thing. that’s all. i get shy.

my mom got the ribs and they were very tasty. falling off the bone, just like they claim. the waitress comes to your table to ask you if your ribs are falling off the bone all right like they’re supposed to.

my daughter is way into that restaurant. she said she wishes we could live there. wishes it was her home. she showed us how to do the hand moves like you’re swinging a lasso. and something where you make a motion like you are grinding pepper. cute.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

this was what i wore yesterday. got lots of compliments.

yes, i was so thrilled. this was on my way home after work.

lavender and shea infused socks.

non-toxic and safe

my friend Pete got a gift card to Macaroni Grill/Chili’s/whatever other restaurants are all part of that grouping. i’d never eaten there, so we went last night after i got off work. i just wanted to try it. i like trying new (to me) restaurants.

i like that the kitchen is open. whaddya call that?
on display?
in view of the ‘guest’
there was a lot more going on in a different segment of the kitchen, but i only snuck this one photo.

they poured the wine, put the bread and olive oil on the table, and left us to our menus. i wanted to try the bread but having just got off work, i knew my hands must be dirty from touching a bunch of products which have been groped by every tom, dick and harry. HAHAHAHAHAHAH. sorry. just kidding. but anyway, since i caught this cold (which is on its way out) a new awareness of germ spreading has come upon me.

and of course, requisite bathroom shot. (with weird mirror-pose face)
in the bathroom they play recordings which teach you how to speak italiano. how quaint. well, it can’t hurt to be exposed to other languages on whatever level, i suppose.

so, i guess there are germs all over menus, from people touching them before they wash their hands? i wonder if the menus get wiped down/sanitized between customers. nah. i doubt it. maybe once a day they get wiped down with sanitizer. i never used to think about this that much because i always figured, i don’t get sick. but i still thought about it because think about buffets or salad bars…. all sorts of people touch the utensils without washing or sanitizing their hands, i am sure… even when sanitizing wipes are provided. *shrug* i mean, we are all exposed to germs. more important is possibly building up the immune system and then being careful around compromised immune systems. hi. and then you know my camera isn’t sterile or sanitary. i should wipe that guy down, once in a while, too. gross. haha.

anyway, i wanted to wait to place my order and then go wash my hands so i could tear into that ciabatta roll or whatever it was. (such an appetizing prologue, eh?)

peter is nice to me. maybe too nice. i am not used to guys being too nice. it makes me feel uncomfortable, to be honest, when a guy is all about doing everything for me. overboard? gung ho? i am used to being treated like crap, honestly. oh yeah, he went to home depot and bought me some concentrated concrete cleaner so i can hopefully get rid of the stains on my sidewalk/porch.

hm. i just realized i think he wore his hat at the dinner table. that used to be a big no-no a long time ago, back when etiquette was all the rage. but pete has pretty crazy hair, so it’s prudent to leave the hat on. the hat is almost like ‘normal hair’, i guess. and also, people wear hats indoors all the time now, which i think is weird. i can NOT do that. my body temperature is usually really high or something. i am not very tolerant of heat. makes me feel nauseous. and i don’t believe in dressing warm inside. that’s all. i don’t like heaters, either.

may not look very appetizing, but it was really good. i ordered the warm spinach salad with prosciutto, roasted garlic and goat cheese. the dressing was a lemony olive oil, i think. and peter ordered mushroom ravioli. so we mixed them.

after the fact, he told me he hates spinach, haha, but i ‘got him to eat it’. i love spinach. it was just the right amount of food and quite delicious. there wasn’t a lot on the menu that intrigued me, except maybe the skewers. it’s not that much different than olive garden really… but it was okay for mainstream, i guess.

time to start getting ready for another day at work.
ta ta.

you can do magic

mm-mm-mmmmm. i ordered this because i’ve been kinda craving more vegetables lately. it feels good to add spinach to everything. oh and the one day i decide to go to Peg’s (where they actually SERVE hash browns) they are OUT of hashbrowns! what!? psh. at least their ‘home fries’ were small.

their hollandaise is tdf. next time, i’m ordering a side of hollandaise.

our waitress had on a cute headband. and she drew a snowflake on our receipt. i ate half my breakfast and then had the rest for lunch.

dying my hair made it super shiny. you can’t tell in this photo, though, because it’s blurry.

here’s the shiny flash version.

some girl got a little too into the holidays and she puked what looked like a bucket of KFC gravy all over my front porch. the door, the window, stained the sidewalk. i’ve been trying to clean it up for days. looks like a crime scene. gonna have to get a welcome mat to cover up the stain, it won’t come out.

some little old lady gave me these at work yesterday.
aw.

and she gave me a hug.

my recent obsession with maca led me to purchase and eat this chocolate bar. it’s not the same as the maca powder, though. i really love the powder mixed into a drink!

everywhere you go

hotel pizza. pretty much blew. i think ‘extra cheese’ was ordered, which personally, i don’t think ever helps matters. pizza needs more than just cheese, otherwise it’s just melted cheese on top of bread, which is alright, but not really my idea of pizza. but to each his/her own.

i think hotels purposely make their food as bland and hum-drum as possible because that pleases the wider segment of society who stays at middle of the road hotels?
probably that’s it.

the curtains on all the windows of this building fascinated me. they seemed mysterious.

i really feel the need to improve my physical health.
i know that it is going to happen.
i feel the transition impending.
going to start eating more vegetables again.
drinking more green tea.
i would like to find a gym that i will actually go to.
i think i know which one.
just have to figure out how best to fit it into my lifestyle.
it’s pretty much right across the street from my work, (maybe a five minute walk) so i could incorporate it into my work day, sort of.

i just want to feel healthier.

my hawaiian friend, peter, likes to go to places which remind him of hawaii. his favorite restaurant is cheeseburger island style.

i only ordered two of these pork sliders (which were okay, but that cole slaw gave me massive gas! i’m sure you’re pleased to know this) but they gave me three.

i really love when hamburger buns are grilled like these are. so yum. adds just the perfect amount of flavorful crunch.

i took one home for later.

the coconut shrimp are seriously amazing! so meaty!

that mango sauce is also delightful. i could live without the fries. too many potatoes all the time. and whatever happened to hashbrowns by the way? (tangent) everyone is all about the country potatoes which to me are never good.

that’s pete.

hangnails are awesome. (not!) (ew, gross)

oh yeah, i bought a canvas yesterday.

i think i want to get some christmas lights and decorate up a little around here today maybe?

tell her i said ‘hi’

my week’s vacation has been a fun-filled adventure!
i don’t know when i’m going to find the time to blog it all.

i only have one day left. that day is probably best used for chores and the like. responsible stuffs.

this crazy elaborate mythology fountain is inside one of the casinos downtown. silver legacy, i think. i walk by the casinos all the time but never go inside. i don’t gamble.

this time, i did go inside, and was shown this amazing fountain! i’m surprised it was there all this time.

but, i’m pretty much over it, now.

i’d been wanting to check this place out.

the menu could use some expanding.

figured i’d give the artichoke dip a try.
it was aight.
very fattening, i’m sure.
it reminded me of sour cream with butter and cream cheese and mayonaisse with a little bit of onion and artichoke thrown in and then heated up. and the ‘crostini’ was just white bread.

riding on the bus.

eating on the bus.

at my mom’s

this is inside the silver legacy, too. kinda cool.