Der Biergarten

One should only go to Der Biergarten to drink and not to eat. We had been there only once before, when the German restaurant was newly opened, and our experience was not as bad then as it was last night.

I ordered the Gegrillte Forelle mit Senfsauce (grilled trout), which was over-cooked and so charred outside that it was inedible, even after removing all of the skin from the fish (I was starving and desperate for a meal). Wasted my money on that dish. MonsterMustDie ordered the Wiener Schitzel (veal) and left more than half of it on his plate. Later, he told me that half of it was too dry to eat and had the texture of cardboard. This tells me they probably prepare everything in advance and reheat it in a microwave or on the grill. Awful food. The only thing I liked was the smoked salmon that sat on top of the hard-as-rock potato pancake. This makes the $72 price tag on the meal for two - where all we enjoyed were his beers and a few slices of lox - especially heartbreaking.

As the cherry on top, the parking lot across the street was supposed to accept validated tickets from the restaurant. It did not. And apparently the credit card reader was not working for anyone either, so we had to dig for every spare bit of change we had to pay for "free" parking between $5 to $10 for everyone.

go on

Not being as successful as I would like to be with keeping busy or spending time with friends. Seems like everyone else is too busy for me lately. Clark phoned yesterday. He's too busy to hang out yet too, but we did promise to meet for lunch at Java Monkey in the future. He enjoys our odd conversations. It made me happy to hear from him.

Murray, a.k.a. Baby Maurice is supposedly going through divorce proceedings again. He is strangely a bit more cheerful than usual these days when he phones to complain about his life. My favorite malcontent, his consistency is reassuring.

Tomorrow is Vinophiles, which I am looking forward to participating in. Haven't decided what to make as my food item yet. I could go with my mushroom bourguignon or try something newer and simpler/faster to make. What I really want to have with red wines of Bordeaux is pomme frites but I'm not so good at fried foods. I know, that's unbelievable considering that I am a Southern woman, but I don't trust myself to make something light and crisp on the first try so that rules out making it myself for a companion food. Since I have all day to cook, time really is not a consideration anyway. I can always try something more daring early in the day and, if it fails, I'd still have time for another grocery run an cooking session.

The highlight of today was receiving the shipment of organic blood oranges that I had agreed to split with a couple of neighbors. I'm looking forward to splitting up the box of fresh oranges and getting repaid for my part of the investment.

Foggy Day

The murky drive home from Debra's memorial service.

Not at my best.

I'm having one of those days when I need to just shut up because I can't say anything right. I feel like I am a prisoner in my own life these days. Trying to be a better ghost.

downed pine tree

This is apparently the cause of the power failure on Monday night. A neighbor’s pine tree was blown down across the street. Usually, it is 1. sweetgum or 2. poplar trees that fall here. The pines, ugly and common as they are, stay put most of the time.

cold night

Last night was the coldest night of this season so far, with lows in the 20s. It was also horribly windy as the cold air collided with the very warm air Atlanta has been enjoying. Trees and branches fell and our power went out around 8:00 p.m. so we spent the coldest night without electricity or heat. And I had just started a load of clothes in the washer.

The best part of the night, other than turning off the TV, was having the first fire of the season and being able to enjoy sitting by the fire because the downstairs area was still cleared out from the Winter Solstice party. Unfortunately, Ellie has no fear of fire just like she has no fear of water so we could not leave cat or fire unattended for a second. Eventually, with some protest, she calmed down and settled onto the sheepskin of self-comfort.

Power and heat is back on this morning. The clothes that were stuck in the washer are now being washed again. The old Dutch man is horribly grumpy this morning. He was throwing out his gloves because they had a tiny hole in them - that he caused by petting the cat belly while wearing them - so he was raging about no gloves to wear and no scarf because he had already thrown away all of his scarves for having moth/ carpet beetle holes in them. My mother had given him a scarf for Christmas which he will not wear (so I've taken it) because it is acrylic and not Merino wool. I started to suggest some of my old scarves or looking for tattered-but-large gloves that might have somehow escaped the dumpster but he said he did not want look like a hillbilly.

Now he's out in the world, sleep deprived, with cold hands and throat, an his mood is not getting any better. Watch out world!

cold night

Last night was the coldest night of this season so far, with lows in the 20s. It was also horribly windy as the cold air collided with the very warm air Atlanta has been enjoying. Trees and branches fell and our power went out around 8:00 p.m. so we got to spend the coldest night without electricity or heat. And I had just started a load of clothes in the washer.

The best part of the night, other than turning off the TV, was having the first fire of the season and being able to enjoy sitting by the fire because the downstairs area was still cleared out from the Winter Solstice party. Unfortunately, Ellie has no fear of fire just like she has no fear of water so we could not leave cat or fire unattended for a second.

Power and heat is back on this morning. The clothes that were stuck in the washer are now being washed again. The old Dutch man is horribly grumpy this morning. Watch out, world!

reconnect or death

As if these last two years have not been bad enough, there is a strong statement made when someone you were once close to dies weeks ago and none of your mutual friends bother to let you know about it. I just realized I am out of a group that I thought I was still a member of. Considering that I hardly participate in anything these days like I used to, I don't blame anyone. There is no doubt that I appear not to care or have gone my own way somewhere else. The truth is, I've gone nowhere, done nothing, been terribly lonely and bored on top of dealing with low self esteem issues from lack of work, play, and sex. The work thing, I have no control over but I am still working at it as best I can think of what to do. I need to pursue relationships with the people the people I hold dear more in earnest this year despite what goes on anywhere else.

I suppose this is my New Years Resolution: Stop moping. Make things happen with other human beings. Try to follow up on every thing.

I am open to more suggestions on what I could be missing. Perhaps someone else can see the things flying over my head.

leaking roof. wet bedroom.

There's a new leak in our roof this morning. I had wanted to sleep in today but woke up as soon as I heard it starting around 5:30 a.m. this morning. Thankfully, it is over the foot of the bed and in an empty corner of the room and not over something more easily damaged by water. It seems to be traveling a line down one of the beams in the center of the room. I also found a small drip in a back corner. They put a new roof on last December. Last, some guys were walking on the roof, blowing off leaves and cleaning gutters. My guess is that something was stepped on and pushed through the membrane. MonsterMustDie has already fired off an email to our landlord.

Christmas 2011 at the Perry house

Yesterday was mostly spent making a trip to Alabama to visit MonsterMustDie's mother. We left in the morning and visited with her at the Stephens house for a while before going to the traditional lunch at Cracker Barrel. MonsterMustDie had his standard choice of chicken & dumplings. His mother had the holiday special beef stew. I had the vegetable plate, which is by no means a vegetarian meal. There is enough ham in everything to amount to a full serving of meat.

By the time we got home in the early evening, I had an awful headache and my back and legs were worn out from sitting so long in the car. Friends in the neighborhood had invited us over for eats and drinks but he went without me while I drank lots of water and laid down in a dark soft place for a while. After loosening garments and relaxing for a while, I felt well enough to walk up the street to join everyone for what turned out to be a very nice visit and chat. It was just what I needed to do after the day's ordeal.

We exchanged gifts while watching Sunday Morning and had toast made with the Cuisinart toaster I gave MonsterMustDie for Xmas. It seems like not much of a gift but this is a man who loves toast, checks out toasters nearly every time we are shopping together, and has not had a toaster the entire time we have lived together. He did not like my old chrome toaster, which I left at the condo for tenants to use. Now, he finally has his own toaster.

It's raining all day today and I've already got cabin fever. Dying to get out and do something but there is nowhere for me to go and nobody to do anything with. Puttering around the office while MonsterMustDie watches Christmas Story and other animated movies.

Tonight, it's dinner with my family at my brother's house. Photos to come of his family's new English Bulldog.

Otis

The newest family member is Otis, Brenda and Andy's new English Bulldog pup.

Tomorrow, back to my job search and finishing a couple of small projects, probably after going by Binders or Sam Flax.

The problem with QR codes

The Living Bridge

An ongoing project, completed and maintained by several generations.

still searching

Last weekend was fun because I had so much to do with good friends. I've also been given tips on my job hunt - all of which I've used or looked into. Fingers crossed.

I had a reasonably good interview this morning but still no job. They say that I should hear something by the end of the day tomorrow. The rest of today, however, is disappointing. It is raining and cold outside and I am stuck at home without gas or cash.

Several interviews I have gone to recently have turned around from my expectations of employment to the would-be employers asking me for business. The only thing everyone wants is a successful sales person. I am, quite unfortunately, not a salesman or a retailer.

So today I sit at home with no gas or cash. It's not so bad, but the weather today prevents me from doing anything outdoors and the job search has gone cold today. My friends are all working or stuck at home themselves today.

cold and damp

Okay, the weather outside is cold and damp but it's pretty warm, dry, and comfortable at el Rancho de WereMonster. My biggest problem is I am feeling extremely poor today - too poor to buy art supplies or groceries to cook dinner with tonight. It's one of those days where there only person to talk to other than the clerk at the Post Office is my cat and, really, she has no news for me today. I made the rounds of emails to prospective employers and follow-up calls and notes. I read just a bit on Monster.com about the most common interview questions and how easily I can screw up any chance I have to work for a business with just the wrong choice of words and started putting myself to sleep at my desk. I also sent out prospective emails to other unemployed friends to get together for lunch during the week so maybe I will have more going on in the next few days. Companionship and conversation are good for the mind and soul in a lot of ways.