Guess what I forgot to buy?

Ricotta. I was going to make a ricotta and peas omelet for dinner tonight, but without ricotta, it doesn't work. So I made beef stroganoff Hamburger Helper instead. The hospice volunteer called and is coming Sunday for a couple hours so I'll add ricotta to my shopping list and get it when I do my weekly food shopping.

Now, where did I put the pad for a shopping list? Aw, never mind, I'll remember.

You'll never guess

I actually cooked tonight. I know, I know, it's been awhile, but I actually cooked. It was pretty simple really and nothing special, but it counts as cooking as far as I'm concerned.

I sauted a few pork chops and large onion in a little peanut oil for 10 minutes, then deglazed the pan with a little white wine. While that was cooking, I diced some celery and added it to 2 cups of Stove Top Stuffing mix, 2 table spoons of butter and a cup of water. I nuked that for, I forget how long but it was for however long the package said to nuke it. I took the pork chops out of the pan and put them on a dish. Then I poured about 3/4 cup of Jack Daniels BBQ sauce over the onions and finished cooking them, which was for about 5 more minutes, I think. I had to do that because I forgot to put the onions in with the pork chops. Once the onions were done, I put them back in the pan and scooped the onion and BBQ sauce mixture over the the top. Next I spooned the stuffing around the pork chops. I covered the pan and turned down the heat to low and finished cooking them for however long it took me to finish my gin and tonic and nuke a package of frozen peas.

Barbara hadn't eaten since breakfast so I shared the pork chops with her, we had two of them. When Brian came home, which wasn't too long ago actually, about 12:45, he ate the leftover pork chop and stuffing. He doesn't eat peas so they are still in the refrigerator. I think I'll make a rigotta omelet with them tomorrow night if I remember to stop and buy the rigotta.

For the last few months I can count on one hand, how many times I've actually cooked. But what's the point? Brian works six days a week, usually from 2:00 till 10:30, so he's almost never home when I eat. You never know when Barbara's going to eat. Her caregivers have been feeding her when she's hungry, and you never know when that will be. Most of the time she eats lunch late in the day before I get home from work. Lately it's been 3:00 or 4:00.

So who feels like cooking for one? Not me, that's for sure. That's why I don't cook.

So what do I eat you ask? It's either anything I can get delivered, frozen somethings or one-step packaged meals like tuna helper, but mostly frozen. But that is all in the past because tonight I actually cooked.

Any suggetions for a pork loin? I thawed it out and need to cook it before it goes bad. I was thinking something with a large can of cling peaches. What do you think?

HALLELUJAH!!!

Guess who finally showed up today? Barbara's sister Kathy. I told you about her before. She's Barbara's next youngest sister, she has three. The last time she showed her face over here for a visit was Easter. Fucking Easter!

But maybe I'm being too hard on her. She does live a whole 1/4 mile away and maybe that's too far for her to travel and she has stopped by a few times since Easter, but Barbara was always asleep so just turned around and left.

Today Kathy came while I was at work, and I hope it's the same way if, and when she shows up the next time. I'm not very happy about her not visiting, and it would show. I'm figuring at the rate Kathy visits, her next one will be for Barbara's birthday in September.

My AC Broke, Part 6

I'm so excited. A second contractor finally showed up this evening to give me an estimate. Just one problem is he is $300 higher than the first guy. One more guy is scheduled to come so, with any luck, I'll stop sweating pretty soon.

I didn't know this.....

A study conducted by UCLA's Department of Psychiatry has revealed that the kind of face a woman finds attractive on a man can differ depending on where she is in her menstrual cycle.

For instance, if she is ovulating she is attracted to men with rugged and masculine features.

However, if she is menstruating, or menopausal, she is more prone to be attracted to a man with scissors lodged in his temple and a bat jammed up his ass while he is on fire.

Further studies are expected.


Wow, I learn something new every day.

I had to make a very tough decision this morning...

..., I'm going to sell my boat. It's the one in the picture at the top of my blog.

It's not like I want to or anything, but I haven't used it since October 2002. That's the month I had it hauled and put up on blocks, for what I expected was just going to be for the winter.

In the spring of 2003, I spent quite a bit of time working on it to get ready to put back in the water in time for Memorial Day weekend. That's the Unofficial start of summer up here in New York. I had it already to go the week before and had the launch scheduled for Tuesday, May 28th. But it wasn't to be. The day before, May 27th was the day my wife was diagnosed with malignant brain cancer.

I called the marina and canceled the launch. BT Express has sat up on blocks ever since.

I received a letter from the marina a few months ago asking me to contact them and let them know what I was going to do with the boat, but I didn't call. I just didn't want to make the decision I knew I had to make.

Then this morning the marina called.

"Hello?" (I recognized Deb's voice as soon as she said hello, even though I hadn't heard her talk in about a year. My heart dropped.)

"Hi, this is Deb from Leeward Cove. Is this Tony?"

"Speaking."

"We need to know what your going to do with the boat. You going to put it in the water, sell it or abandon it?. What are you going to do?"

Well, that was the question I had been dreading for about 1 1/2 years. It's been about that long since we all knew Barbara wouldn't be able to get on the boat anymore. I don't want to use it anymore if she can't be with me.

I told Deb Barbara's was under the care of hospice and I hadn't been thinking about the boat very much. That's really isn't true. I've thought about it a lot ever since the cold weather left us in the spring. Each year since we've had the boat, we bought it in 1994, that's when I started getting her ready to put it back in the water.

"I'm sorry Tony."

"Thanks, I appreciate it."

"But I need to know what your going to do."

"I guess I'll have to sell it."

"We have a broker that does work for us here. Would you like me to contact him or are you going to sell it on your own?"

Now I there's no way I can take the time to sell it on my own. I have nobody to stay with Barbara on short notice if I had to go show it to someone.

"Sure, contact him." (My heart sank a little further.)

"Okay, his name is (I missed it). I'll call him and have him contact you."

"That will be fine."

"I'm sorry it has to be like this."

"I know Deb, thanks."

"My prayers are with you both. Take care of yourself."

"Thanks, I will."

I said good bye and hung up the phone. Now I wait for the call from the broker or if you know anyone interested in buying a 39 foot, 1986 Sea Ray Express Cruiser, let me know.

My AC Broke, Part 5

Doesn't anyone want to make a few bucks putting AC in my house? WTF is wrong with people? I can't get anyone else to give me an estimate.

Hello!

If you install AC central air and you can beat $3,200, give me a call.