caliente

Did nothing today but have a good meal of food stuffs already in the fridge (new potatoes, salad, veggie riblets) followed by a cosmopolitan mixed by Monster. Now I'm just doing laundry and waiting for the new episode of No Reservations to air later tonight.

Diem Good Eats

I had the best scallops ever last night at Diem as the dinner special. Huge. Fresh. Sweet. Cooked - seared perfectly without being over-done. So incredibly tender, on a bed of artichoke hearts, fresh baby green beans and risoto.

watching Some Like It Hot tonight

Tony Curtis is the proto-William Shatner.

Mother's Day

We ate at Blue Ridge Grill for Mother's Day - My mother, Monster, and Moi.

The service is still extraordinary but the food has kinda lost it. It's overpriced for what you get and not as good as it used to be. Mother's fried oysters were not quite done - raw on the inside and not yet crisp on the outside. My tuna was lost in a sauce that was so strong all I could taste was sugar and licorice.

Last time we'll be there unless it's just for desert and the wait staff or the Grey Goose martinis.

new spring coat

Gorilla at the car wash on Piedmont Avenue has a new suit.

recurring loops

recurring loops happen. Thoughts you can't get out of your head, worries that won't leave you alone.

I've found that recently, what seems to help is stepping out of the normal habits with a mental and physical activity. For me, that has been as simple as working in the garden and yard for a while at the end of each day. Somehow that clears things out all the way down to the dream level in me. I don't know if something like that would work for anyone else, but maybe it would. After doing the same things in the same places redundantly, even my dreams can become frustrating loops. I actually dream better after gardening.

Pretty good day

Yesterday was not as busy as I would like but a couple of jobs came in near the end that made the last hour pass at an acceptable level. I balance the lulls with busy work clearing out old files and stripping film to go into recycle bins.

When I got home, Monster was clean-shaven and grinning. All of the dead wood in the side yard had been moved and stackeed neatly against the side of the house. The misplaced hosta had been transplanted to a better place on one side of the house and the rhododendron had been tranplanted to the other side in a better, roomier space. New pinestraw was spread evenly across all of the area he had worked in.

I told him it looked great and he said "You like it when I bust my ass."
Yes. I do like it when he works around the house an actually finishes a job that he starts.
He looked a lot better too after shaving.

The only complaint (I can't help it - there's always one) was that he dug up the one purple flower I'd saved from the front. When I asked what he was planning to do with it, he started singing "Seasons in the Sun". I've never seen anyone who hates flowers as much as he does. I am planning to rescue it next time he's not home - after it stops raining. I'll either try potting it or planting it in back next to the patio.

Estrogen

Five of us had met for a polite southern ladies tea at the Faded Rose. I think it is the most feminine place I've seen in recent years in that traditional, southern, rather mature style. The weather didn't cooperate with me earlier. There was a downpour just minutes earlier but the clouds parted just as everyone made it there. Lots of tea. Several pots of various infusions were consumed. Scones/biscuits served with preserves, lemon curd and clotted cream.

Mrs. Cloun, being the supporting friend that she is, helped me look for the elusive perfect dress to wear to my cousin's wedding in June. I'm hard to please this week. Everything seemed like it was the wrong color, too casual for an evening wedding, or too matronly - too many gathers, too fluffy, etc. etc. But I think I have a lot better idea now for what I might wear. I could wear my black suit, but this would be my one good excuse this year to buy myself something wonderful and feminine, despite the fact that I'm not a girlie skirt-wearing type. I would love something simple, classic, slender in jewel colors like red or purple. Or polka dots - there are so many nice black & white polka dot dresses that were either too flimsy at the top, too low in the back or too fluffy and bunched up (whatever that's called).

I will continue the search another day.

Just what I needed

My day was frustrating. Nothing to work on and I finally gave up the ghost and went home at 3PM. No work - no pay.

Then we went to East Atlanta and met Sandy at the cantina to satisfy my margarita carving. Nick was working and came out of the kitchen to visit for a moment. I had a good margarita with a full, oaky underlying flavor and complimenary quesadilla from Nick. Then we headed to the Gravity Pub to check out Bingo night with Chaz. We stayed for three rounds before leaving.
We came home, where Monster urinated for an age that rivaled Austin Powers.

Good company and tequila and music and escape from the norm were just what I needed to calm my anxiety and raise my spirits. Thank you.

Where did my job go?

Got to work yesterday and found out Boss #1 has taken another week-long vacation. I am left alone in the front with The Irritant. Needless to say, there was no work to do yesterday except for a few previously unfinished projects drizzling in bits and pieces from last week. This morning I got to my office and there is NOTHING in it to work on. I finished yesterday archiving and filing so that's one less thing I can do to entertain myself with today. I also changed out all the chemistry in the plate maker yesterday, so that job is done as well.

UURRRGGHHH!

What is the price of boredom and entropy?