Lookie what I saw on my home last night...

I took this at Baker Beach so they must be towing the crabby boat to the shipyards.

Alright, some weeks ago, the house across the street was rented out. I still haven't figured out who lives there, other than this young blonde surfer-looking guy. I did see two women with a U-Haul in early June unload a few things. Then I saw two other young gals playing beer pong one night in the kitchen, but that's it. This is what I saw last night:



Young-Blonde-Surfer-Guy was huffing the garbage cans over all the furniture and out to the curb. Then he swept the driveway too. I was kind of impressed by that. Anyhoo, he drives a minivan with a license plate frame that says "Antarctica". Trust fund baby?

Okay, back to business...I'm driving up to the house and I notice these two guys sitting in a car and I immediately think "Oh great, Young Blonde-Surfer-Guy is going to have a rager. As I'm getting out of the truck, I look in the mirror and see those two guys walking towards my truck...it's Nephew-Lucas and his roommate! Huh? What? I'm so confused.

He came buy to give me a pressy cause I had my surgery! How thoughtful is that?? I told him it was just a little procedure...not like open heart surgery or anything. I still feel all warm and fuzzy that he came to see me. Even more warm and fuzzy...guess what was in the gift bag??





Nephew make Auntie very happy!!

The kid cracks me up...whenever you get card from him, he always signs his whole name.

Speaking of neighbors, my next door neighbor doesn't have a lid for his garbage can so those flying rat-crow-bird-things like to get into his garbage. I hate those birds as much as I hate the minkey...in fact, they're like those flying minkies in the Wizard of Oz! I saw two of them fly by the front window and then I saw this:



Why wouldn't you get a new can with a lid?? You know what happens to the garbage if Neighbor-Chan doesn't pick it up? Yeah, it blow into our front yard and I get to clean it up. I've also noticed Neighbor-Chan and his family have a pretty crappy diet!

Man, I had a busy night last night!

Moving on to the dinnah. I had a little leftover ribeye from the soup I made a few nights ago. Also had leftover greens and some mushrooms.



I sauteed the mushrooms and when I removed them from the heat I added a little of Kecky's homemade blue cheese dressing. The veggies were braised in a wee bit of my soup broth and the green onions were marinaded in oil, a little balsamic reduction and herb salt then grilled along with Mr. Ribeye. It may not look appetizing, but it was freakin NOM!!

Here's an update on my hand:



I know you're thinking "That scar reminds me of something...what is it?" It's the pooh-pooh vein on a shrimp! Yeah, nailed that one!

Bye bye!

Lookie what I saw this morning...

Here's the go-with:

Coast Guard rescues 3 men when crab boat capsizes near Cliff House
By: Bay City News | 06/29/11 7:11 AM

Three men were rescued off the coast of San Francisco this morning after their crab boat capsized, a Coast Guard spokeswoman said.

The Coast Guard received a mayday call over the radio at around 12:40 a.m., Petty Officer Laura Alcon said.

A crab boat capsized near the Cliff House and three people fell into the water before climbing into a life raft, Alcon said.

Coast Guard crews rescued the stranded boaters and no serious injuries were reported.

There were about 270 crab pots on the deck and when the pots shifted the vessel’s stability was disrupted, Alcon said.

I've been filling in at the front desk for FMM-Laurie while she's on vacation melting in Arizona. My routine when I get to the desk is to unlock the door, prop the door open cause I'm sweating, unlock the gubament vehicle keys and get my notebook out. When I got my notebook out this morning and started flipping through the pages, I found this:



Someone is messing with me and I think it's Seester! I know that "put" is spelled "putt", but Seester's German and was writing it with an accent.

How about an episode of A Day In The Life Of Dad? I know, it's been a while. It's really not a day, either, but an evening. Seester and Bro-N-Law-D-Man had a date night last night so I went over and whisked Dad away for dinner at Val's. We likey Val's! I had the prime rib w/creamed spinach and Dad had the 20oz Porterhouse and a baked potato. Not sure if you know this, but Dad only likes to eat at places where he can get steak and a baked potato. Oh, and just butter on that baked potato...don't even think of putting sour cream on it! Val's is just this kind of place. You want a hunk of meat for $20, go to Val's.

Dad has recently grown a Go-T. He asked me if it looked okay. I said it looked very good and that he looked like Errol Flynn. He liked that.

After Val's we went back home to see about finding and watching a movie. I found one called "Flesh + Blood". The movie was made in 1985 and stars Rutger Hauer and Jeniffer Jason-Leigh. It's your basic rape and pillage the land movie with lots of boobies and full-frontal nudity...in fact, it was bordering on hard-core porn.

About a half-hour into the movie I was staring to squirm cause you know, all Dad wants is a little somthin' somthin'. talk about uncomfortable. I asked if he liked the movie; he said "Yeah, it's okay." Great! So there I sat for another two hours enduring horrible acting and looking at boobies. Not that I mind looking at boobies and other parts-n-pieces, but with your Dad? Ew. Funny, though how he says he can't see, but has no trouble seeing the boobies!

Look who just emailed me...and what's on her shoulder!!! Why, why, why must she torture me so?



Later.

I'm not a doctor and I didn't play one on T.V.

So here's the thing, today was the day I get my stitches out. But things are busy at work, it's sort of raining and I don't feel like dealing with finding parking. I emailed my doc and asked if I could take the stitches out myself. Not only did he say I could, but he said I could stop by and get a stitches removal kit. Why bother doing that when I can use my rusty old tweezers. Okay, so here's how it went...

I boiled my scissors and tweezers (they're not really rusty), then set it all up.





Note my fabulous aseptic technique!!

Don't look at this if stuff like this creeps you out...the finished product:



Last night I decided I wanted some soup. I stopped at Sunset Sooper (where everything is like a dollar) and got the goods. I put mushrooms, baby bok choy, pea tendrils, tofu, Shirataki noodles (those are the carb-less noodles), lemon grass, green onion and very thinly sliced beef. NOMMY!!



Oh, and when I went to the cupboard for the soy sauce, look what tried to scratch my eyes out!!!



I think Primate-Poppy was pretty proud of herself on that one.

Yay, I had an email from Pint-O-Poppy this morning. Here are a few excerpts and pics:

"It's 1:30 pm and I've just plunked myself down to a pint o Guinness in a 1700s-era pub called "Kelly's Cellars" (!) in downtown belfast. VERY COOL. Folks are friendly. Just left the Linen Library exhibits about political posters from the "troubles" era, and also how Belfast got blasted during wwII by the nazis. Taking in as much as I can to understand Ireland's many-centuries history..."

"Oh, and Van Morrison is GOD here. Favored son. On the sound system here as i type.
OMG I heard the funniest thing last night in the crown bar:
A 50-something lady walks up ti the bar where i'm sitting, says to the bartender:
"Pint o Guinness please"
A minute later a man (apparently a friend) walks up and she offers, would you like a Guinness ir a beer?
He says, a beer please.
She says, "which kind? I'm sorry, but i'm not a beer drinker"

Guinness is GOD here too.and don't call it no stinkin beer! :-)"

"Just ordered another pint. Since it takes about 4 minutes to pour a proper pint, you have to order your next one before you're done with your first if you don't want an interruption! So I looked up from my nook here and caught the bartender's eye and she said, another? I said yup! They'll let me know when it's ready and I... in fact, please hold... the BT just brought it over and I paid her 3.20 sterling. About $5 USD. Foamy goodness!"

"Man, soon as we crossed the border into northern island the speed limit was posted in MPH rather than KPH, the currency went from euros to British sterling (pounds and such), still drive in the left side if the road but the car we rented in Dublin is in clicks and doing all the mental math is tough!

Brown-eyed girl just came on...
Now moondance"





Chow!

Happy Sunday!

I spent a good part of the weekend at Seester's. We decided to make the Sunday Gravy recipe from the Soprano's cookbook. Well, I read the steps of the recipe to Seester and she did all the work. There were pork chops, ribs, ground beef, pork sausage and MEATBALLS in the sauce. I even ate full-carb pasta. Haven't had full carb pasta since sometime last year! The sauce was NOM! The after effect of the pasta...not so much.

Seester also took Fatass to Kohls. Spend-Thrifty-Poppy gave Fatass $20 in Kohls Cash. Fatass bought some Levi's 501's. Fatass refused to get 36's so she got 35's. A little tight, but Fatass has been eating very well lately. Fatass will be sporting those 501's in a few weeks.

I made one-handed bunless burgers on Friday night. The patties were from ground ribeye I'd ground up last weekend and froze. Decided to grill those burgers on my little piggy street grill. Not bad for one hand.



Pal-Crin brought us a housewarming pressy...a Himalayan Salt Plate! Check it out:



I'm going to do some shrimpies on it sometime this week.

Haven't heard much from Adventure-Poppy. I received an invite from her to join Google Latitude so I can follow her, I guess. I tried to get logged on to it, but it proved to complicated for my non-technogeek head.

Seester sent me home with some of that Sunday Gravy so I'm going to make one-handed Chicken Cacciatore.

My hand is coming along, I think. Still hurts and tingles quite a bit. I find the more I use it, the more it tingles. Hasn't bothered me at night though and that's the most important thing.

Have a good week!

The healing power of family...

Seester has been taking such good care of me. She stayed overnight with me Tuesday, then left Wednesday morning to take Dad to the doc and then they came back, picked me up and whisked me off to Trailer-Trash Turnpike. Sat around and watched T.V. and took Ibuprofen. If you have the BBC channel, check out "Dine With Me." So fun! Then Seester made the dinner...



Note my bunless burger. She also had a side of chili and oven-baked steak fried and salad. Very NOM!!!

Also, Seester has thrown out her back, but was able to bring me back home today. What a pair! She's a saint!!

Protector-Poppy is sad she's not here to take care of me, but I feel the love from afar!

And now, I'm on my own.

Today I got to take the cast off. I'd love to gross you out with the picture, but I won't. Here's how it looks after a shower and an adhesive bandage:



Pretty colorful bruises. I like bruises when they're blue and purple but not once they go brown.

Now I get to spend the rest of my days doing hand exercises:



I tried to do them today, but when I got to "D" it hurt so I gave up. My hand is still tingling, but I think that's cause it's swollen.

Pal-Crin came to see me today. She wanted to make some seasoned salts so I guided her in making my herb salt, a dill/lemon salt-n-pepper and a Mediterranean salt, which we recreated from a jar she had. All turned out good.

When she was leaving, I was walking her to her truck and heard Jax close the gate to the front of the house. The front door was wide open, but the gate was now locked...Yeah, my keys are in the house. So Crin pulls her truck up to the house and pulls out a fishing pole. We figure if we can get it through the gate, we can hit the buzzer on the inside of the door frame and buzz the gate open...No luck.

Then I see the neighbor kids coming out of their house so I ask if I can go through their house to their backyard and hop the fence to our back stairs. Keep in mind, I've got a bum hand. After a lot of pain, Fatass was able to huff herself onto something that felt like lava rock on her knees (yes, there was blood) and over the fence into our backyard. Got that damn gate open. Felt like an episode of I Love Lucy!

Got an email from Adventure-Poppy, they were to fly to Ireland, but there was a big-rig accident on the highway (or whatever it's called) and they missed their flight so now they're staying the night at the airport. So not fun!

Here's MomJean...she's looking tired and none too happy!



Optimist-Poppy is hopeful that this is the only hiccup in their trip. I hope so too.

Okay, time to go find some one-handed dinner.

i survived!

and man, does this hurt! I didn't even faint either...okay, almost. by the end of the 9 minute procedure, my BP was 104/60. Olga said "how you feeling? i laughed and said i was fine. Bro-n-law-d-man wanted a pic, so this is what i sent:



i know, i know...

tomorrow, maybe I'll be able to type with both hands...now, if i can just figure out how to get my over-the-shoulder-boulder-holder on...

The beer was flat...

But Poppy enjoyed her English dinner. Smoked haddock and green onion cakes. See, there's even a little salad on the plate. Salad cream...NOM (not really)!



Here's more bowling art from Niece-Ashley:





So remember how I had to have the bowling shoes?



Oh yeah!!

Hmmm, might not be a good idea that Adventure-Poppy abandoned me cause I'm spending all her money!! Why spend mine when I can spend hers? Besides, I need a treat for having surgery...Which is in a matter of hours! Too bad I won't be able to tie the laces.

Jax-The-Cheese-Connesewer misses her Poppy very much. So much so, she needs a nap.



Well, off to the store to stock up on things I can eat and drink with one hand. Hmmm, getting that cork out of my cava bottle won't be easy. Pliers and a vice. I'm all over it!

Bye bye!

It's Father's Day...Let's go bowling!

So that's what we did!







And of course, Boozy-Kelly:



I asked for a bourbon neat with a soda back. I don't think the gal is really a bartender cause she didn't know what "neat" meant and gave me a cokiecola instead of soda water.

Niece-Ashley took that picture with her phone. It's got some really neat features for manipulating the pics. Very cool stuff.

But more importantly...check out these shoes!!!



I MUST HAVE THEM!!

Well, Pooped-Poppy made it to London. The flights were uneventful. She and Trevor went for a hike earlier:



Pretty. She said they're going to a pub tonight so she's looking forward to that full-carb European beer!

Later!

Whew!

I'm still here. I seem to have slipped by Big Bro and a vacation at Club Fed. I guess it helps that one of my buds in the I.T. Department also writes a blog.

So today is the day that Expedition-Poppy leaves on that jet plane. Sad! When she came home last night, she gave me these:





She sure is thoughtful...even though she's abandoning me for a month!

Oh, it's a Dad weekend for me too. Cinematography-Poppy rented us a movie, Roan something, that takes place in the parts of Ireland she'll be hitting. She thought it would be fun for us to see where she would be traveling. Here's what Dad had to say "It's all water, where's the land? There's no scenery!" He stayed up for the whole movie so we think he liked it...maybe.

His usual response to most questions "Why would I want to do that?" Here's a snippet:

Seester: "Dad, we're going to go see the finance guy. Do you want to go with us and then after we'll go to the San Mateo County Fair? They've got lots of farm animals and 4-H things to look at."

Dad: "Why would I want to do that?"

Seester's never-ending efforts to get Dad involved: "Dad, want to go play BINGO?"

Dad: "Why the hell would I want to do that?"

Corned beef and cabbage for St. Paddy's day...

Bro-N-Law-D-Man: "Jerry, do you want corned beef and cabbage for dinner?"

Dad: "Why the hell would I want to eat that?"

So far, other than my driving skills, I've been unscathed this weekend. However, the weekend is young! Yeah, he hates it when you let people cross the street in front of you. "Aw, Jesus-Christ, run him over!" "Oh for Christ-sakes, we'll be here all day waiting for him to cross the street!" He also likes to tell you the minute second the light turns green. "It's not going to get any greener!" I really enjoy the way he grabs on to door handle for dear life when you take a turn...as if I'm going to careen of the side of a mountain or something.

Well, time for our walk on the beach.

Now he's busy sawing logs!



So, Fizzy-Poppy bought me a SodaStream carbonated water makerthingy. I LOVE IT!! The other night we were sitting there having our wine and Invention-Poppy came up with a scathingly brilliant idea of making our own sparkling wine. It works!!

So for pennies on the dollar, I can make our version of the cava.

I bought a cheap box of wine:



Added the fizz and VOILA!



So we had a little headache this morning...but we're saving money and for Depression-Era-Poppy, that's all that matters!

Let's talk about what's in our fridge. Now I know most people have stuff in their fridge that might be less than fresh. Say, last weeks leftovers. I know you know what I'm talking about. Well everyone except FMM-Laurie cause I've seen her fridge and it's scary clean and organized. About a week ago, I made this rib dish. It was good. Now, I consider it Pork Art!



I will leave you with this. FMM-Laurie had some blood work done at Kaiser yesterday and sent me this:



Have a nice weekend!

TGIF and stuff...

It would appear I can no longer access my blog at work. I think Big Bro is on to me. Wonder if they'll give me a computer when I go to Club Fed? Hope I get Martha Stewart's former cell. That would be a good thing.

Typing this from my BooBerry. Must go, Fatass' fingers are to fat to hit the righkeys. Tu@id flap Flinglers!

Another day, another dollar...

Not much to talk about today. Took Senior-Alley-Cat-Roger to the vet today. It seems she's in mostly perfect health for an old girl. My co-worker has a solution to my outdoor cat box garden problem. She suffered from the same problem, only it was every cat in the hood coming to visit her raised bed garden. Her once-in-awhile-gardener suggested putting down smooth rock on the bed of the garden. Kitties hate stepping on things they can't get a grip on. I'm going to try it.

I heard the best quote ever on the Real Housewives of Orange County..."Is your ass jealous of the sh_t that comes out of your mouth?"

If my BooBerry wasn't a gov't phone, I'd so make that my tag line!

Well, in 3 days Adventure-Poppy will be leaving me. As the time gets closer, the more unsettled I'm feeling. I'm sure the time will whiz by, but I'm one of those worrying types. Oh well.

Tonight we're having sushi!!!

That's it.

Anticipation...

Another sleepless night with my right hand buzzing and feeling like it was dipped in white hot coals or dry ice. This is getting really old. One week for tomorrow I hope to sleep through the night.

How can such a small thing cause so much trouble?



After a night of no sleep I decided to stay home. Didn't get out of bed until after 11:00am. I'm contemplating a nap. If the sun would come out, I'd go do that outside.

I got my water colors out today too.





Yeah, I know, I wouldn't think of quitting my day job. Well, once in a while I think about quitting my day job and doing something foody. But can't imagine that will ever happen. Although, I've got this great idea about a sports drink made with pickle juice. Need someone to help me market it. I think it would be big in Germany and Minnesota! Kecky's Pickle Power Juice! I like it!

Made Sunday breakfast yesterday...Huevos y Kecky's Rootin-Tootin-Chili:



What is it about a cat with any small opening? The term "curiosity killed the cat" is starting to have some real meaning for me. Between this kind of stuff and her using my garden as her personal cat box, she's driving me nuts!



Yeah, yeah, it's cute alright but now I have to wash all the towels!

Later.

Well it's Sunday...

I'm sitting here with my coffee and Jax-The-Cheese-Connesewer (who wants to go for a walk on the beach real bad) and wondering what to write. I've been thinking about why I've been writing this blog.

Seester has told me twice over the months that my writing isn't as free as it used to be and that I'm holding back. So now I'm thinking, am I writing this blog for me or for my loyal followers? I think I'm writing it for you and I think that's why it's changed from when I first started writing. Now, I feel a pressure to entertain you. When I start to feel pressure about something that ain't good cause then I don't want to do it. So, time to change things up! Not exactly sure what that looks like but guess I'll find out.

I made a big giant vat of Kecky's Rootin-Tootin Chili. Jax wants some...



Since this is all about me and not you, would I like to see our new wine decanter and glasses? Of course I would!

Science-Project-Poppy cleaned out her office a while back and came home with these bottles. We started using it as a wine decanter so we could see how much we drink. Not hard to figure out since a bottle of wine is 750ml. Then she thought she could find some matching glasses.

So here's the set. The glass with the handle is for wine and the tall one if for my Cava. Mama luvs her Cava! Makes drinking fun!



Well, cheers to me. Hope I have a great Sunday!!