The End of '09, Short Flights, and Tequila Flights

Personally, I take issue with the idea that this is the end of the decade, of the aughts, as they say. We usually refer to counting from 1 to 10, not 0 to 9, after all. But, that's just me. Anyhoo...

Yesterday was busy at the restaurant - it has been all week - we were hard pressed even with 4 servers, but we managed. As usual most everyone was in great spirits. Then an amazing experience fell into our lap.

At about 12:30 pm, I answered the phone to hear a woman's voice asking for directions to the town and the restaurant, in particular. When asked where she was calling from, she replied the local airport. I was a bit confused by that, but since the airport is a private one only, I asked if she had flown in. Yes, she said. This meant they flew in by private plane. How's that, Watson?

So I gave directions for the most complicated first leg of the journey instructing her to call me back when she arrived at the first landmark. Sure enough, half hour later she's on the phone again and I guide her in the rest of the way. An hour later the door opens on two smiling faces - male and female - and with a twinkle in her eye asks if I was the one guiding them all the way into town. I said yes. She clapped her hands like a little kid almost squealing with delight.

Turns out this was a spur of the moment flight to visit the DE shore (their first!) and when they found a card for the restaurant at the airport touting a few menu items, they decided to spend time with us. We all had a great time. The manager gave them tee shirts and as they relaxed after their fajita lunch, they asked many questions about the town and area. They fell in love with the place and, since they were from New Jersey, surprised by the openness, generosity, and friendliness of the locals. Other diners visited their table, introduced themselves and offered ideas of places and shops to visit. This was one day-trip none of us will ever forget. They will probably be back in early Spring before the Season begins to spend a weekend and really get to know the area. I know the restaurant has two more fans after all is said and done.

On The Job Hunting Front: Last evening I arrived after a fun day at what will now be called Job #1, (the other job having ended on Monday) to find voicemail from the Manager of the Men's Clothing store, you know, the one who asked me to apply because there were only women on the sales floor, yes that manager. She asked that I return her call ASAP.

It was after 5 pm, but I gave it a shot and caught her just before she was to leave. She told me that the District Manager liked what she saw on the application (yes, another SHE in the men's clothing store business, go fig!) and would be willing to take me on for a "trial run" - at a very low hourly wage - with a promise of a 25 Cent per-hour raise after the 30 day trial period.

The hourly wage offered was an insult - to anyone - not only myself. Let's just say that I could earn more flipping burgers at a fast food joint - without the 30 day trial period. The salary wouldn't pay for gasoline, makeup, or work attire. The manager seemed sincerely surprised when I declined the less-than-generous offer, reminding me of the rough economy, a 25% discount on all store merchandise,and few job opportunities. I guess I was to be 'grateful' for the offer. When I declined again, she became miffed and abruptly ended the conversation, essentially hanging up on me. Oh well...

That's It! The End!
But We'll Get Over It.
My Friends.

The jewelry store formally closes today at 6 pm. The three other bauble peddlers want to meet me for a drink after closing and then get the hell out of town before the Blue Moon New Year's Eve craziness gets into full swing. I think I can do that. ONE DRINK ONLY... OK, maybe a few tequila flights, but that's all!!!

I have to work tomorrow.

And so it goes.
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Love My Blog-buddies

This was my last day of employment at the jewelry store so I was pretty down. This awaited me and cheered up my otherwise depressing day.

In a previous post I mentioned using a dutch oven to cook a pork roast to make pulled pork and wondered (in parentheses, like these!) if there really was a Dutch connection.

Well, it turns out, there is a connection and my favourite Dutchman, Peter, read the post and sent the following as a comment. I thought it would serve much better as a post, so here is the history of the Dutch Oven. Says Peter:

"Of course there's a connection..."

Early European history
During the late 1600s the Dutch system of producing these cast metal cooking vessels was more advanced than the English system. The Dutch used dry sand to make their molds, giving their pots a smoother surface. Consequently, metal cooking vessels produced in the Netherlands were imported into Britain. In 1704, an Englishman named Abraham Darby decided to go to the Netherlands to observe the Dutch system for making these cooking vessels. Four years later, back in England, Darby patented a casting procedure similar to the Dutch process and began to produce cast metal cooking vessels for Britain and her new American Colonies. It is possible that because Darby’s patent was based upon his research into the Dutch foundry system that the cooking vessels he produced came to be referred to as “Dutch” ovens. Other researchers believe that this term may have come from the itinerant Dutch traders who sold cooking vessels out of their wagons as they traveled from town to town and door to door. Maybe both accounts are true. In any event, the term “Dutch oven” has endured for over 300 years.

American history
Over time the Dutch oven used in the American Colonies began to change. The pot became shallower and legs were added to hold the oven above the coals. A flange was added to the lid to keep the coals on the lid and out of the food.
The cast-iron cookware was loved by colonists and settlers because of its versatility and durability. It could be used for boiling, baking, stews, frying, roasting, and just about any other use. The ovens were so valuable that wills in the 18th and 19th centuries frequently spelled out the desired inheritor of the cast iron cookware. For example, Mary Ball Washington (mother of President George Washington) specified in her will, dated 20 May 1788, that one-half of her "iron kitchen furniture" should go to her grandson, Fielding Lewis, and the other half to Betty Carter, a granddaughter. Several Dutch ovens were among Mary's "iron kitchen furniture."
When the young American country began to spread westward across the North American continent, so did the Dutch oven. A Dutch oven was among the gear Lewis and Clark carried when they explored the great American Northwest in 1804-1806. The pioneers who settled the American West also took along their Dutch ovens. In fact, a statue raised to honor the Mormon handcart companies who entered Utah’s Salt Lake Valley in the 1850s proudly displays a Dutch oven hanging from the front of the handcart. The Dutch oven is also the official state cooking pot of Utah.
Mountain men exploring the great American frontier used Dutch ovens into the late 1800s. Dutch oven cooking was also prominent among those who took part in the western cattle drives that lasted from the mid-1800s into the early 1900s.

I suppose I could have looked it up, but I like the fact that a proud Dutchman did that for us all.
Better take notes, there may be a quiz sometime next year.

If you like good food and have an interest in Dutch history, check out Peter's site. He posts some great recipes. If you comment, tell him the cajun sent you.

Big hugs to you, Peter. I hope we get to meet in person, preferably in your country, sometime in the future.

Now we all know something we didn't know before. Doesn't that feel good?

And so it goes.
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It's Not Where You Start, It's Where You Finish!

H/T to Tommy Tune and the Musical "Seesaw".
This was my second-to-last day at the jewelry store. Tomorrow will be the end of a 12-year run and by the total of holiday sales the decision to close the store on the 31st. was the right one. Granted, sales were down all over the area this year, but the luxury items took the biggest hit. My sales have been the lowest in all my years with the company and there will be no New Year's bonus to look forward to, either.

I want to get through tomorrow without breaking down or blubbering like an old fool, but at this point all bets are off. I don't know how I'm going to feel. We have conflicting emotions about the way the situation was handled by the owner and his wife. We're all feeling kind of used and abused as details of the larger picture come into view. No matter, once I punch out for the last time tomorrow I will not be looking back.

The 3 people I've worked with over those years helped me through the most difficult times of my life - the break-up, surgeries, homelessness, and the side effects of the drugs I was on for over a year - I owe them a lot. I'm sure we will stay in touch but it will be different, even a bit alien at times. The tie that bound us will be gone. We'll move on to the important things in our own lives.

There is rent to pay, hospital bills to continue paying off, living expenses and other obligations to meet, so the focus is shifting back to me, as it should.

Having time off Christmas day and yesterday I used the time to rest and work at getting rid of this damned cold. I slept when I wanted to, ate when I felt hungry, knocked back copious amounts of water, tea and juices, read, and watched a concert on DVD. The only sort of 'work' I did was cooking. (Well ain't that a surprise!) I've had this interesting recipe for pulled pork for a while and last week found a Boston Butt on sale at a very low price. The 3+ pound roast cost under $3.00! So I cooked it up, let it rest a few hours on a platter trimming off the remaining fat, as I made the vinegar barbecue sauce. Returned the roast to the pot (we call it a Dutch Oven - sorry Peter! Or is there a connection?) and let it simmer to absorb the sauce and additional spices. After shredding the meat I made a sandwich on a baguette with lettuce and tomatoes. It was tender, spicy, juicy, and close to heaven. There will be more of those in the future as well as baked potatoes stuffed with the pork, drizzled with the sauce and served with a salad over the next month or so.

Health wise, I'm feeling better, less stuffy, but still have the nagging cough. Most annoying. Hopefully, the worst is over and I'm on the road to recovery. Must be careful though, folks who've had this crud say one can easily experience a relapse. I don't want that to happen. I can't afford any more down time.

Time for a festive cocktail and a bit of supper - in that order.

And so it goes.
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Fine Dining Caturday

More later.
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Poor Sales and Unemployment

Christmas in Delaware this year must have broken some kind of record in low sales. The parking lots were half full and those 'shopping' weren't carrying many bags. Christmas eve is usually our best day of the season with all the guys doing their last minute bauble shopping, not so this year. Ours was a dismal sales day. No spiked eggnog this year to celebrate the great holiday sales, because there were few.

The grocery stores and restaurants were empty, too. After work I drove into town to check the mail and the streets were practically empty. The drive home was strange because there were few cars on the road - not good signs that the economy is turning around, and on January 1, 2010 there will be four more people out of work here. The jewelry store closes for good at 6 pm on New Year's Eve with no other possibilities on the horizon for any of us. Two of us have other PT jobs to help get us through, but the other two have nothing to look forward to any time soon.

Normally, Thursday the 31st. would find me at the store but I can't face it and will end my employment on Monday, December 28 - and move on. Too sad after a dozen years working together there will be many tears and I don't want to be a part of that. Don't mean to be a downer because, truth be known, I am ready for a new challenge and positive change in my life - again. I feel really sad for the others I've worked so well with all these years. It's going to be a scary road, but a new door will open for us, I am sure. Which reminds me of this song from a Sondheim Show many years ago sung by one of his favourite leading ladies:

We're expecting heavy rains beginning tonight (at least it isn't snow!) and temps have been rising steadily since last evening. The snow and ice are finally melting so the roadway should be less dangerous tomorrow. All in all, a very gray Christmas day. There is a pork roast simmering on the stove which should be done by early afternoon to be enjoyed with baked sweet potato, and salad. Then maybe a movie to round out the day.

Meanwhile the cold lingers, as does the coughing jag. Nothing seems to have any long-term effect on this bug. Still, I'm better than I was last week, so that's something.

Here's hoping for a better life in 2010 for us all.

More later.

"Feed the World" - Live Aid

Fifteen years ago it was Bob Geldorf who spearheaded the effort to help the starving in Africa. Today, he's all but forgotten replaced by Bono.

I always think of this song at Christmastime.

Merry Christmas to all.

Coughs, Clean Clothes, and Southern Comfort (food)

Three days before Christmas and I continue to hack until my eyes run water. The throat doesn't hurt, but every so often there's a stabbing tickle setting off a series of coughs that rattles the old body.

Interestingly enough, I feel better during daylight hours, especially when the sun is out as it is today, but as soon as night falls all that changes. The head begins to feel like it's stuffed with gelatin and the sinus pressure increases. I have no idea why, but there it is.

I dragged myself out this morning before dawn to do laundry. It had to be done; it's been three weeks, I work the next two days, and the place is closed on Christmas. It's very cold (20*F.) and the snow/ice is still everywhere, so I avoided back roads as much as possible. The place was clean as usual and I enjoyed another chat with the kinda hunky owner who arrives every morning to clean the machines, vacuum, and mop the place. He had the back-up heater cranked up making the place toasty and welcoming. No one arrived to disturb my concentration and serenity, so everything was washed, dried, folded (or on hangers) and back in the car in about 90 minutes.

Already out and about, I thought it best to get the other errands out of the way rather than wait until next week. So...fueled up the car, delivered a check to the auto insurance company to cover the next 6 months, ran items to the recycle center, checked the post office, picked up a few things at the grocery store, and stopped by the thrift shop to drop off a few boxes of household items I'll never use again. And there are more where these came from.

With the extra energy I decided to cook some southern, comfort food. (No Southern Comfort was involved!) I've just finished making a chicken and Andouille sausage etouffee with onions, green peppers, garlic, and white wine. As usual, with most NOLA cooking - "first you make the roux" - and I was pleased that I haven't lost my touch. This one had to be a golden colour and lighter flavour to set off the chicken and colourful vegetables, rather than the dark, heavier nutty ones used in crawfish etouffee. It will be served on a bed of parsleyed rice and a salad topped with artichoke hearts.

I am going to prepare containers of the dishes for my landlady this evening. Last week she arrived at my door with a huge plate of Hanukkah brisket, vegetables, borscht, and amazingly delicious sweet pastries. It's the least I can do to return the favour.

It's cocktail time and though I would love a bit of cognac, (not in the budget) I'll settle for a Sazerac as I enjoy my festive Etouffee. My grandmother would be proud.

And so it goes.
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Flashback: Only When You're Drunk!

About two months ago I received an anonymous gift of a Pet Shop Boys CD and was told in the accompanying note to listen specifically to the lyrics of a few songs listed in the note. Here's the original post for some background.

Well, here is a "just found" video of one of those songs. It's scary how the lyrics are so accurate describing my previous life. Sharing is a good thing - sometimes.

No more later, I need some sleep. Going to try a home remedy suggested by a reader and hopefully I'll zonk out and sleep peacefully.

And so it goes.
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Dream or Hallucination?

Smacked down with a miserable cold I was awakened during the night by a cough attack. I sat groggy with head spinning and throat sore as the dream returned to memory.

I am alone
The land is tree-less and rocky
I am walking toward a hillside with boulders jutting out at strange angles
I am quite high up and wisps of cloud pass around me
I reach for the end of a cloud and it takes hold of me
I am no longer on the hill but floating along with the cloud
I feel no wind but am moving nonetheless.
Suddenly, there are many colourful birds of all sizes all around me
They seem happy to see me but are also concerned
I don't know why
The cloud decides to release my hand and I begin to fall
Slowly, at first
The birds are frantic and chatter something at me getting right in my face at times
Immediately they are gone and I begin to fall a little faster
I am not afraid
I look up rather than down, nothing but high white clouds receding as I fall
I feel something cool and damp on my wrists and ankles
The birds are back with long strips of cloud and attaching them to my limbs
Clasping the strips with their feet they fly and slow my descent
It's not enough
More birds help out - still no good
I am more concerned for the birds than myself
My midsection is enveloped in a wide swath of the same thin wispy cloud matter
Held firmly by many larger birds
All is quiet except for the flapping of many wings
I glide slowly to the ground and try to stand upright on the jagged rocks
I am alone
Suddenly it's very painful to walk
*Cough*

Somehow I think I was awakened too soon, that there was more. Maybe not. And that's all I remember, but it was beautiful.

People say I analyze things too much. I wonder what they mean by that?

If the cough persists today I may stop by the emergency care clinic nearby to get checked out.

More later, maybe.
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Snow Caturday

Me, too.

More later.

Guidelines for LGBT Political Contributions in 2010 and Beyond

From David Mixner:

1. Do not contribute to Democratic party committees like the DNC, DSCC and DCCC. They will use the funds to not only elect our allies but also Blue Dog Democrats. Even if they set up a 'special committee' for us that will enable them to loosen funds for candidates who are opposed to our freedom.
2. Contribute directly to only those candidates who have proven by either by vote or sponsorships of legislation their commitment to our issues.
3. Contribute to LGBT candidates who most often know how to fight like hell for us. The Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund is one of the most effective groups in Washington,DC.
4. Contribute to our own community and its battles for freedom especially as our young resort to more traditional civil rights tactics.
5. Contribute to defeating our enemies at the local level which is a very powerful message to send those that oppose us.

Finally, do not be charmed by fancy appeals, hot parties, invites to special places and personal attention. Hold strong and let them know your five guidelines for giving. For nearly two decades we have poured money into the political process only to be ignored or betrayed time and time again.

Read his whole appeal HERE.

More later.
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Video: Coming Out at Christmas

With the London Gay Men's Chorus. Yes, it's from a while back, but it's still jolly good.

There. That's better.

And so it goes.
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