Okay, this isn't what I wanted to post but it seems I am getting carried away with it and I need to edit it and delete some things. I know if things get too long in a blog it will get to be tedious and then people give up on reading it. Besides that I have been very busy this past week with getting things done around here in order to move to my new place. You never really realize how much you have until you start packing boxes and I am bewildered to say the least. Between this and my storage unit I could honestly stock a small thrift store and not have to replenish the shelves for a year.
I also found myself getting side tracked and my attention easily diverted, not to mention the usual interruptions that seem to inadvertently break up the monotony during the course of my evening. Anyway, during one of these lulls I noticed someone come online that it had been a while since we had last talked. So using that as an excuse to stop what I was doing I sent them a message, I should have stuck to writing my post, because what I got back from just saying "hi, haven't seen you online in while." set off a tirade beyond description. I was starting to feel as if I was the source, the root of everything that ever went wrong in their life. I was admonished in ways I never thought I could be before. How a simple hi went awry I will never know.
If I am the cause of what they are feeling, I would like to know what it is that I have done. But I am not going to lose any sleep over it, nor will I pour over archives reading late into the night trying to figure out what it is that I could possibly have done. So pfft...they really need to get over it. One thing I noticed though, they seemed to get even more upset because I was not asking what it was they were upset about or if it was even directed at me. Damned if I do and damned if I don't.
Well I finally started moving, of course working by the hour the movers showed up late, but they came ready to work, I could tell that by the donuts and soft drinks that they were scarfing down. I offered them a napkin to wipe their hands with and one guy said, "Hell, its only furniture." So I answered, "Yes it is, but it is not your furniture." Things went pretty good, so about half way into the job I decided to give the driver the check. I handed over to him $800.00 and you would have thought I just handed him his time card, cause they started going slower. Before that, they were moving pretty fast, but it seemed what I was doing was much more interesting to them than doing what they were just paid for. So about 3:30pm they had finally finished unloading the boxes and furniture at the new house when the excuses started coming. "If I had known you had so much stuff I would have drove a bigger truck, but it looks like we going to have to make another load out of it." I said "You think? You didn't even move a complete room, you can't set up my bed because you left the foot board behind, can't use my couch because you left the cushions behind. Now I have to lug this ice chest full of food back to the old place because you couldn't get the refrigerator." "Well I didn't realize you had so much." was his reply. I asked him what part of my conversation over the phones had he not understood when we went through the physical inventory of the house? He said he understood all of it, just didn't realize it was so much.
Then came the insult to the injury, it was then he informed me that he would have to come back Monday to finish up the job and that it may cost more than the agreed upon price of the $800.00 he quoted. I reminded him that he told me 6 hours maximum at $100.00 per hour and that with $800.00 everything would be moved in one day. He then informed me that they had got a late start because they had got lost. I asked him how he had managed to get lost using a gps. "I dunno, I just did, it must have been when we turned at the wrong water tower." he informed me. This coming from someone who's ad stated that they having been moving people through out this area for over 25 years. I asked him if he expected me to pay for him getting lost and he said no, I then reminded him that they did not show up until 10am that morning and did not start to move any furniture until 30 minutes later and now you want to stop at 3:30pm. I let him know he still had $300.00 of mine to finish the move, how did he figure that it would cost me more? He then stated to me that our appointment time was for 9am that morning, I could not stop laughing and he looked at me as if I had been stricken with some sort of hysterical fit. I asked him what time he showed up again and he said 10 this morning. I said so you were late then and failed to inform me that you were late due to you getting lost, but you do not expect me to pay you for getting lost and then want to charge me from 9am to 3:30pm. I told him that he had breached our agreement when he failed to show at the appointed time without informing me. Anyway, he said daddy would call me first thing Monday morning and I then told him to be sure and tell daddy my attorney was going to read to him the Theft of Services law in this state.
So, I think the first day went pretty smooth, even thought I had to sleep in a recliner that evening and this evening will be the same. I am thinking about adding emotional distress, mental anguish and liability to my next conversation with daddy.
As I lay in my recliner that evening it dawned on me why the company had chosen such a name, not easy for the public to remember, but I guess when you sign your name with an X, using the first letter of the alphabet and the first number, they can always make sure the check is made out correctly.
Later...
P.S. This will be my last post for a while, they won't physically hook up my internet until I am in the house nor send me my router until then. Take care and I hope to see you soon.
I was going through old papers in my files, cleaning them out and came across some things I had forgotten all about. Before I would express what I was thinking in blogs I would write them down on paper, index cards and napkins, shove them in a file someplace and forget about them. I don't know what possessed me to want to clean them out today and it amazed me to see so much I had forgotten about and further amazes me to think I kept a lot of it. Here is one I came across and would like to share.
Voices November 1994
As I walk alone in silence I notice the trees laid bare by the season's rapid change. And in the quiet stillness I can hear the voices of memories past reminding me how much I miss the companionship and guidance I depended so much on. What path have I taken in life that has led to this desolate time of my existence? I can hear the voice so clear and it beckons me to join it. What is it I hear? I have listened to it so many times in the past in the guise of friendship, only to to be left to stand alone when the tides of doubt lap at the ever changing sands at my feet. I reach out to grasp the hand given in friendship , only to find the shadow left behind by the voice I trusted.
As I see the trees in their nakedness, I am reminded of how vulnerable I am. For like the trees that shed their leaves and have faith in the seasons for their renewal, I also shed my doubts and mistrust and listen to the voice that calls me to believe in it and its unwavering steadfastness, then to find that the change it offered, the comfort it promised was only a false vision of hope that left me standing alone.
I am like any man, I seek those with whom I can relate to, those who I can confide and trust in and still I listen to the voice, it seems to always say the same things, to trust it and it will always be there when I need it. But yet again the seeds of deceit have produced their poisoned fruit and again darkness and solitude are all that surround me. Where is this voice now?
I claim to be nothing more than who I am and give of myself all that I can. Why is it that I, like the trees, trust in life's inevitable change in hopes of a new beginning but unlike the new cloak of foliage that envelopes the naked tree, I am still standing, listening for the voice, waiting, hoping that I won't be misled by the next voice that beckons me to believe.
Later...
The question I am asked the most is if I do my own cooking or do I eat out a lot. My answer has always been that I do my own cooking. I do it for several reasons, first is because I am not dating and I hate eating alone, eating out to me is something you share and I like a good conversation with my meal. Not saying I couldn't hold down a very deep discussion on current events with myself, just that I would get tired changing chairs in the process and the stares would be unbearable after a while. Conversation compliments a meal like a good beer, wine or after dinner martini. Second is that restaurants are starting to specialize in what they serve or as I call it, limiting their menu and I like a variety to choose from.
A lot seem flabbergasted to know that I can even boil water much less cook a meal, but in fact I am a very accomplished cook and I can whip up a meal to rival even some of the finer cooks you may find in any of the better restaurants. Seems I have always had a knack for cooking, something I taught myself.
I cook many types of cuisine, as I said I like variety in my diet. I cook standard fair, or home cooking like I was raised with, but I also cook Mexican, Italian, Chinese, some Thai, Caribbean and German.
I am not one who eats beef or pork, I stay with poultry, shellfish and fish, but beef and pork will compliment most anything I cook or can be used a substitution. I do eat a lot of vegetables and fruit and try to incorporate both in my meals together to create layers of taste. If you like the following recipe, then hopefully in the future I will post more.
My Ragu
This is a very quick meal to prepare and very filling.
6 slices bacon (I prefer pancetta, but bacon is common)
1 medium sweet onion diced (preferably Mayan or 1015)
4 cloves of garlic crushed them minced (crushing releases the oils in the garlic)
1 small carrot jullianed (also known as matchstick)
½ large bell pepper diced
2 cups coarsely chopped mushrooms (type is your preference)
½ cup quartered black olives
2 medium tomatoes medium diced
2 medium or 3 small zucchini medium diced
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup white wine, if using portabello mushrooms I like using a good Marsala reduced to ¼ cup.
1 stick or ½ cup butter, keep in refrigerator until ready.
16 oz of cooked pasta (fettuccine, linguine or spaghetti pasta)
In a large skillet brown and render bacon, remove bacon and crumble when cool. Do not drain fat, saute onions until translucent and slightly tender, add bell peppers and carrots and saute until crisp tender. Add mushrooms cook until moisture is released and mixture is reduced, then add zucchini and cook until it is crisp tender. Salt and pepper to taste. Add crushed minced garlic at this point. Add the wine and reduce by ½ then add butter slowly by spoon fulls until incorporated, it is important not to let the butter break or separate. Add the black olives and diced tomato to heat only, do not let them cook. Stir in crumbled bacon and serve over pasta.
If you like you can serve steamed citrus infused shrimp, sauteed scallops in butter and garlic, grilled chicken, crab meat or fresh clams. If using clams, add to liquid before adding butter, tomatoes and black olives.
Citrus Infused Shrimp
1 dozen shelled and deviened shrimp
½ cup white wine
½ cup water
1 Tbsp of orange zest
1 Tbsp of lemon zest
½ Tbsp of lime zest
Salt and pepper to taste
Add wine, water and zests to bottom of steamer pot and bring to boil. In steamer basket place the seasoned shrimp and steam until it has lost its translucency. If you want a more citrus flavor to shrimp you can sprinkle some of the zest on the shrimp prior to adding to steamer basket. Add to ragu mixture.
Scallops Sauteed in Butter and Garlic
1 Dozen bay scallops rinsed and patted dry
4 Tbsp of butter
1 Tbsp olive oil (virgin)
4 cloves crushed minced garlic
Sea salt and crushed black pepper to taste
In a skillet melt butter with 1 tbsp of olive oil when heated add seasoned scallops and saute until lightly browned on both sides, place on plate and cut each into quarters and mix with ragu mixture.
Grilled Chicken
2 Chicken breasts with skin on
¼ cup of butter melted in small sauce pan
6 cloves garlic crushed & diced
2 Tsp fresh chopped rosemary
2 Tsp fresh chopped thyme
Add garlic and herbs to melted butter and brush on skin side of chicken.
On medium coals places chicken that has been salted and peppered skin side down over indirect heat, not directly over coals and baste with butter mixture. Turn chicken every 15 minutes and baste each time until juices run clear and skin has turned to a golden brown. Remove chicken and let rest and cool. Remove and discard skin, chop chicken coarsely and add to ragu mixture.
Boiled Crab
4 large crabs (blue, leopard or box crab)
2 cups water
2 cups white wine
2 Tbsp salt
1 Tsp pepper
2 Tsp Liquid Cayenne pepper
Add water, wine and seasonings to a large pot and bring to boil. Add crab and cook 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and cool, shell the crab meat and add to ragu mixture.
A good white wine like a Pinot goes well or a good Italian beer served ice cold in frosted pilsner glasses.
If you try, I hope you enjoy. Thank you for letting me share this with you.
Later...
An Echo....
When you find you are lost, always go back to where you started...
