Tuesday, August 31, 2010

It's In The Details

Look at this florette detail on my pretty new shoes!

It's one of my recent finds at Nordstrom Rack - who happen to have a very lovely, very well-stocked Sasquatch section! I got two pairs of flats and one pair of Cole Haan leather flip-flops. Which I actually found in the men's department, but they fit like a dream and are super-comfy. They also have Nike designed bottoms - so they're kinda rugged.

I think I'm going to ask Ed to clear out one of the side boxes (he doesn't need all those tools, right?) so I can have room for all my shoes!!

C'mon - who's with me on that idea??


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO:
Plenty Of Places To Roam, No Place To Park It
2 YEARS AGO:
E Vac You A She Own!!
3 YEARS AGO:
Eddie Steals A Bite Friday
4 YEARS AGO:
Steal-A-Meme
5 YEARS AGO:
The Day In Pictures

Monday, August 30, 2010

Let's Go Shopping!!!

After lunch today, Eddie and I hit the only mall in town. Since they had a Bon-Ton, I thought I might find a few things I could use. The first thing we saw was luggage, a 4-piece set that was originally $150.00 but was on sale for under $45 each; we bought two.

When Ed got to the checkout counter, the girl gave him an additional discount, which brought the total with tax to $86.89! We need luggage for the Italy trip, so this was a real deal. Even if we don't bring a lot of stuff there, I want to have room to bring stuff home. Also in the picture you'll see two beige money belts and some neon luggage grips which I bought last week at a Brookstone store. And that black and white thing in the background? It's a cute little terry cloth mini-dress thing (to get into after a shower, not to actually wear) and it's totally great.

After the luggage store, Ed and I split up - I went to get a manicure and pedicure and he went...well, I don't know where he went. When my mani/pedi was done, I hit Payless to check out the shoe selection. I've been shopping the high-end stores for weeks and didn't find anything I liked or that fit, so I figured I'd see what Payless had to offer - anything at this point would work. Well, I found a pair of flats that I liked and since they were having a buy one, get one half off sale, I got a second pair. At that point, before I was able to stock up on more, Ed caught up with me and ushered me down the hall to the Geek Shack to "show me something".

What he wanted to show me turned out to be the pièce de résistance, right there in the middle of my haul...a
Gateway Netbook! I've been wanting one of these for the Italy trip and we've been looking at them for months. The biggest issue for me has been the size of the keyboard. I have hands that can palm a Volkswagon Bug so the keys are always too small for me, but this has a full size keyboard which is super easy to type on! It also has a bigger screen than most, a long battery life, 250 GB of storage and only weighs three pounds. There's a whole bunch of other geeky stats on it but mainly all I care about is that while in Italy, I can email, organize my photos, Skype and do my blog and I don't have to lug around my hunkin' regular sized laptop.

I told Ed he could give it to me as my birthday present (next month) but he said, "Eh...we'll see." So that means I might be getting another present!! How great is that?? Oh...and he also bought me these
Sony Earbuds for my cellphone (it doesn't say it in this particular ad, but it does have a microphone). I have the exact pair for my iPod and the sound on them is fantastic...now I'll be able to hear everyone on the phone too!

There's still some shopping left to do before the trip and we're heading to California this week so I'm going to try to hit Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack while I'm there. I'm desperate to pull together some sort of cohesive look for this trip and although the Italians won't give a rat's ass about what I'm wearing, as I've said before, I can't tour Italy in flip-flops and capri pants!


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO:
A Magnificent Place To Wait For A Train
2 YEARS AGO:
Old Blue Eyes Was Right When He Said It Was A Very Good Year
3 YEARS AGO:
The Hills Are Alive…Or Are They?
4 YEARS AGO:
Nostalgia
5 YEARS AGO:
37 Going On 20

Sunday, August 29, 2010

It's Getting So Much Easier These Days To Spot The Idiots

''I could give a flying crap about the political process...we're an entertainment company.''
~ FOX News Channel's Glen Beck, Forbes interview; April, 2010

''I think there is a handful of people who hate America. Unfortunately for them, a lot of them are losing their homes in a forest fire today.''
~ Glenn Beck, on why people who lost their homes in forest fires in California had it coming, Oct. 22, 2007

''I'm thinking about killing Michael Moore, and I'm wondering if I could kill him myself, or if I would need to hire somebody to do it. ... No, I think I could. I think he could be looking me in the eye, you know, and I could just be choking the life out.''
~ Glenn Beck, May 17, 2005

''If you log onto this (Cars.gov) at your home, everything in your home is now theirs.''
~ Glenn Beck, arguing that the Cash for Clunkers program was nothing more than a secret government plot to gain access over your computer, July 2009

''When I see a 9/11 victim family on television, or whatever, I'm just like, 'Oh shut up' I'm so sick of them because they're always complaining.''
~ Glenn Beck, Sept. 9, 2005

''I have been nervous about this interview with you because what I feel like saying is, 'Sir, prove to me that you are not working with our enemies. ... And I know you're not. I'm not accusing you of being an enemy, but that's the way I feel, and I think a lot of Americans will feel that way.''
~ Glenn Beck, interviewing Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), the first Muslim U.S. congressman, Glen Beck's show on CNN's Headline News, Nov. 14, 2006

''O-L-I-G-A-R-H-Y.''
~ Glenn Beck, misspelling 'oligarchy' on his chalk board while claiming he had deciphered a secret code that he said was proof President Obama was trying to create an 'Oligarhy,''' Glenn Beck show on FOX News Channel, Aug. 27, 2009

''The only [Katrina victims] we're seeing on television are the scumbags.''
~ Glenn Beck on his radio show, Sept. 9, 2005

''This president I think has exposed himself over and over again as a guy who has a deep-seated hatred for white people or the white culture....I'm not saying he doesn't like white people, I'm saying he has a problem. This guy is, I believe, a racist.''
~ Glenn Beck, on President Obama, sparking an advertiser exodus from his FOX News show, July 28, 2009

''I haven't seen Jesus and what he would do on a talk show on Fox, but I'm going to try.''
~ Glenn Beck, FOX News Channel's Glenn Beck show, April 21, 2010

''Every night I get down on my knees and pray that Dennis Kucinich will burst into flames.''
~ Glenn Beck, in 2003

''The plan that He would have me articulate, I think, to you, is get behind Me -- and I don't mean 'me,' I mean Him. Get behind Me. Stand behind Me.''
~ Glenn Beck, speaking on behalf of God on his radio program, April 20, 2010

And last, but not least:

''I say on the air all the time, if you take what I say as gospel, you're an idiot.''
~ Glenn Beck, New York Times, March 29, 2009


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO:
Scenes From Motor City
2 YEARS AGO:
Eddie Mad Hatter Friday
3 YEARS AGO:
What A Grape Idea!
4 YEARS AGO:
You Couldn’t Pay Me Enough
5 YEARS AGO:
Due Amici Designs

Saturday, August 28, 2010

A Little River On A Big Lake In The Middle Of A Floating Stage

When we have down time, I always like to go out and explore. It's my way of "getting out of the house" for a few hours. I finally talked Ed into going for a drive. We ventured out after lunch for a drive around Lake Chautauqua, looking at the cute lakeside cottages, checking out the small towns lining the shores and envying the people in boats cruising the waters (well, Ed was envying them, I was just looking). About ten miles from where we had parked for the weekend, we stumbled across the small town of Bemus Point, New York.
Once we got there, we noticed quite a few people heading down toward the waterfront, so we parked and went to investigate. We perused some of the shops, had some ice cream and then noticed a stage area with roped off seats and another area where people were setting up their own chairs on the grass. We approaced a guy who was sitting by the entrance and asked him what was going on. He told us about the Bemus Bay Pop Series and that tonight, the Little River Band was playing at 7:30 and if we were around, we should come back. So we did.

The floating stage was set up when we got there, with the preferred seating right in front of it. But the seats there were $50 each. The ones we had, which were right behind the fence and with a good enough view, were free. The guy we talked to earlier saw us sitting behind him on the grass and offered us two of his lawn chairs. We greatfully took them and sat through the entire concert, enjoying the cool weather and the music.

If you think you don't know any Little River Band songs, take a listen to Reminiscing, Lonesone Loser and Lady. Now do you know who they are??

After the concert, we returned the chairs and went for a bite to eat at a place called The Surf Club and listened to a live country band while we dined. We ended the night walking hand in hand (gag, but true!) back to the truck and then made our way back to our secret little parking spot among the trees.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO:
Eddie The Cicada Whisperer Friday
2 YEARS AGO:
Maybe We Should Sell Our Truck And Buy An Airboat
3 YEARS AGO:
Me And My Man
4 YEARS AGO:
If You’re Going To Rescue Me, Bring Sandwiches
5 YEARS AGO:
Hurricane Equality

Friday, August 27, 2010

The $7 Date Night


After a full day of looking for loads and not finding any, Eddie and I have come to the realization that we're spending the weekend in Jamestown, New York. I couldn't ask for a better place after spending a week in Augusta, Georgia.

The weather is delightfully cool up here, the trees are lush with some of the leaves turning slightly toward fall colors and the farm produce is abundant. At the local
Wegmans, which is a deliciously beautiful store by the way, we found fresh locally grown produce; corn, gorgeous deep purple eggplants and green peppers that were the size of cantaloupes. Seriously.

They had a phenomenal cheese section where I went a little crazy buying, and in the frozen section I found butternut squash ravioli that I'll make later in the week with a sage brown butter sauce. But what Ed and I were in the mood for tonight was a kickback to childhood for me, something we rarely had because my parents never did the frozen food thing; chicken pot pies. We bought two, Marie Callender's, for $1.99 each. Can't beat that price.

Then, on the way out of the store, we spied a
Red Box, truly one of the greatest ideas yet. Fairly current movies for $1.00 each, to be returned in 24 hours. We bought three.

So essentially, for seven dollars, we had a date night to rival any night out at the movies. And we get to sit around in our comfy clothes, in the air conditioned comfort of our truck, watching movies and eating pot pies.

Perfection.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO:
Them’s Fighting Words!
2 YEARS AGO:
Skulls And Hot Chocolate In The French Quarter
3 YEARS AGO:
Once As High As An Elephant’s Eye
4 YEARS AGO:
Trouser Snakes On A Plane
5 YEARS AGO:
Big Honkin’ Truck Makeover

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Filler And Fluff

These are all listed in my sidebar, but since I'm short on post ideas this week and some people don't read the sidebars, I'm listing them again here. Some of my favorite quotes:

"Earth's crammed with heaven." ~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." ~ Helen Keller

"A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving." ~ Lao Tzu

"The world is a book, and those who do not travel, read only a page." ~ St. Augustine

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." ~ Henry David Thoreau

"Experience, travel - these are an education in themselves." ~ Euripedes

"If you can't annoy someone, there's little point in writing."~ Kingsley Amis

"Only when the last tree has died & the last river has been poisoned & the last fish has been caught will we realize that we cannot eat money." ~ Cree Indian Prophecy

"Everyone sees what you appear to be, few touch what you are." ~ Machiavelli, The Prince

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world." ~ Albert Einstein

"I need this wild life, this freedom." ~ Zane Grey

"Keep not standing fixed and rooted. Briskly venture, briskly roam." ~ Goethe

"Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living." ~ Miriam Beard

"The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see." ~ G.K. Chesterton

"A mountain keeps an echo deep inside itself. That's how I hold your voice." ~ Mawlana Jalal-al-Din Rumi

"The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live." ~ Flora Whittemore

"Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road. Healthy, free, the world before me. The long brown path before me - leading wherever I choose." ~ Walt Whitman

"Lovers don't finally meet somewhere. They're in each other all along." ~ Mawlana Jalal-al-Din Rumi

"To know what you prefer, instead of humbly saying "Amen" to what this world tells you you ought to prefer, is to keep your soul alive." ~ Henri Matisse

"If you are irritated by every rub, how will your mirror be polished?" ~ Mawlana Jalal-al-Din Rumi

"When love is not madness, it is not love." ~ Pedro Calderon de la Barca

"Only the dead fish swim with the stream all of the time." ~ Linda Ellerbee


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO:
Ghost Town
2 YEARS AGO:
Second Only To Feet
3 YEARS AGO:
I’ve Been Everywhere Sunday
4 YEARS AGO:
Heading South With One Wayward Goose
5 YEARS AGO:
Red Texas Sunrise

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Be Italian

From the movie, NINE:

So you little Italian devils, you want to know about love? Saraghina will tell you. If you want to make a woman happy, you rely on what you are born with, because it is in your blood.

Be Italian
Be Italian
Take a chance and try to steal a fiery kiss
Be Italian
Be Italian
When you hold me don’t just hold me but hold this
Please be gentle, sentimental
Go ahead and try to give my cheek a pat
But be daring and uncaring
When you pinch me try to pinch me where there’s fat
HA!
Be a singer(be a singer)
Be a lover (be a lover)
Pick the flower now before the chance is past(before it’s past)
Be Italian (be Italian)
Be Italian (be Italian)
Live today as if it may become your last!
Hey!
Be a singer(be a singer)
Be a lover (be a lover)
Pick the flower now before the chance is past(before it's past)
Be Italian (be Italian)
Be Italian (be Italian)
Live today as if it may become your last!


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO:
I’m Not Just In The Granny Lane Anymore
2 YEARS AGO:
Where Pretty Resides
3 YEARS AGO:
The Sweet Sight Of Summer
4 YEARS AGO:
You Oughta Be In Pictures
5 YEARS AGO:
Oh, Brother!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

The Summer Of 1947

I've been going through old pictures as I do more research on the family tree. While doing so, I found this one of my mother and her sister, my godmother. This photo was taken by my grandfather on the sidewalk in front of their house in the Bronx. My mother is on the left, four years old and my aunt is on the right, two and a half years old.

I love my mother's overalls, I love her haircut and I love the look on her face.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO:
From Pablo Neruda To Mother Goose
2 YEARS AGO:
Almost Too Beautiful To Eat On
3 YEARS AGO:
Sweatin’ Eddie Friday
4 YEARS AGO:
Steel City Glow
5 YEARS AGO:
Bravo, Bravo

Monday, August 23, 2010

Licking Our Chops

Twice now, since we've been in Augusta, we've eaten at The Chop House - a local steak house.

The first night, we went for dinner. We started with the Crispy Fried Asparagus, then salads, then T-bones for our meal. Oh. My. God. It was so delish! Flavorful, juicy and way too much food - we had enough left over to make another dinner for both of us!

Today we had lunch there. We started with the Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes; topped with avocado, diced tomatoes, cilantro and a chipotle ranch dressing. They were really good and I think I'm going to try to re-create this dish:


For the entree, I had the Angus Chop Steak topped with mushrooms & onions and served with a baked sweet potato and parmesan creamed spinach. I didn't take a picture of it though because I was busy getting a picture of Ed's burger.

He had The Steak Burger, 8 oz. of Angus chuck with bacon, cheese and musrooms served with sweet potato fries on the side. The lighting wasn't the best in our cozy little booth, but here's a shot of his lunch.


We've hit the mall twice already, Dunkin' Donuts two mornings in a row, Barnes & Noble the last three days, Walmart once and tomorrow I think I might get my hair cut in addition to a mani/pedi.

It's pretty humid but not as bad as you'd think. In fact, I like this kind of heat so much better than that horribly arid, breath stealing air of the desert that I don't think I've even complained once.

Go ahead, ask Ed if you don't believe me. I'll be planning tomorrow's dining schedule while you do.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO:
I’ll Start Working On That Sarcasm Font Right Away
2 YEARS AGO:
False Security
3 YEARS AGO:
Protecting The Posies
4 YEARS AGO:
Asking Too Much
5 YEARS AGO:
Slotsa Money

Sunday, August 22, 2010

This Is How We Do It

Today I got an email from the Plum Trucker. In addition to all the great stuff she had to say, now that she and Kendall have their own truck and are on the road, she had one important thing she needed to find out before she signed off. She said, "Oh but I do have a question, how in the hell do you get your truck into all of these Barnes and Nobles? Please share the secret, because me and Kendall would love to go into Barnes and Nobles and we don't know how the heck you are doing it :)"

I never really thought about it, I guess. I'm so used to going that it doesn't even occur to me that there's a parking lot with a Barnes & Noble (or Starbucks, or Dunkin' Donuts, or...) that I wouldn't consider pulling into. Well, I might consider not pulling into it, but I have Eddie (the master) by my side and as I've mentioned before, he can pull into a thimble if he had to. But that's not the point, so I'll leave that out for now. Since she needed an answer, I told her pretty much the following.

This is how we do it...

First I want to mention that our wheelbase is bigger than a lot of standard trucks out there; 316" as opposed to say, 245" which makes it harder for us to navigate some areas.

Second, we have a flatbed with a spread axle which makes pivoting on that axle grouping a little challenging when trying to get around tight corners. Granted, Ed could get in anywhere, but we're leaving that out, remember? They drive a van trailer with tandem axles, so they'll be able to navigate parking lots a lot easier than we could (on average) with much better pivoting ability.

That said, what we usually do when I pick out the lucky Barnes & Noble that will be graced with my presence, is to check it out before we go. If it's in a mall, we usually have no problem navigating the parking lot, but some malls don't let trucks park in their lots so we look for those signs right away. They're not hard to spot since they're typically like little beacons on every light pole. It's pretty much a message telling you they don't like you or your kind.

We try not to park in those places, but it's mostly a judgement call; sometimes we'll drive around the mall to see if there is a place that doesn't have any signs. Like an adjacent lot that has a store that's gone out of business or something; those places don't seem to care who parks in their lots.

We also usually look at the address on Google Maps, which is really an invaluable tool. Most Barnes & Nobles are in big shopping plazas...it's rare that we come across one with a small lot, although in cities like L.A. or NY/NJ they are sometimes tighter. You can often get a good idea of the turning area in the lot by looking at the satellite image. In those pictures, we can see where the cars are parked. Most parking spaces are 10' wide by 20' long, so knowing that, we're able to determine how much turning room we'll have or where we'd be able to park the truck once we get there; it takes about eight parking spots to park a truck, so we can judge that in advance.

If you're new to the trucking game, and you want to go to a bookstore (or any store, for that matter) you'll want to pick places at malls until you get better at navigating small parking lots. You'll notice that many parking lots will put big, decorative rocks at the end of each row of cars or at the entrances. These are meant to keep trucks out, because we often can't make the turns without hitting the rocks. I never realized it, but you look at parking lots in a whole new light when you drive a truck!

OK, so once we find a place we can get into, we just go ahead and park. If it's in a mall, we usually pick spots at the end of the lot, or far away, where the regular shoppers aren't parking. Sometimes a mall security guard will drive around or stop to see what we're doing. I find that if I talk to them, we have better luck - I think it's something about being a girl trucker.

Their main concern is usually if we plan on staying overnight; they don't typically like that (thank you very much to all those truckers who throw pee bottles out the windows). I usually say something like, "Oh, we're just planning to go to dinner and then hit Barnes and Noble for a little while...we'll be out of here when the mall closes." or whatever. I make sure they know I plan on SPENDING MY MONEY in their mall and that I won't be staying there overnight. That usually seems to work.

Sometimes, we go around the back of the building and find a spot there. Most of these places need trucks to get in there to deliver stuff, so we look for the "Truck Route" signs. A lot of it is just common sense. We don't park blocking anyone in and we don't take up spots for cars. You don't want someone complaining because a truck is parked in a spot THEY could have had.

I also mentioned one VERY important thing, something I would have never considered until Ed told me: ALWAYS park in a manner that allows you to get out.

If you have to turn around and point the nose of your truck towards the entrance, do it. Make sure no one will block you in and make sure you have enough room to navigate the exit. Ed always makes sure he can get out - even if he has to back in from the road. No one knows you're going you're Barnes & Noble to drink lattes and read magazines - they'll just watch you back in because they think you're delivering something. Pretend you BELONG there!

This advice is good for wherever you want to take your pretty little truck; restaurants, malls, movie theaters, etc. With movie theaters, take into consideration the time and day you're there. It's a lot easier to find parking during a matinee than during Friday date night.

One other note - don't always rely on your GPS. It's great, yes, but sometimes it'll take you down roads you're not supposed to be on. Checking things out before you go is always the wisest choice.

I hope this helps Michelle and Kendall, or whoever else might be new to the Barnes-And-Noble-Latte-Drinking-Magazine-Reading circuit. Also, and this isn't a trucking tip, make sure to buy your Barnes and Noble membership card. It's good for great discounts on merchandise and you even get a discount in the cafe - at $25 a year, it pays for itself every time!

Happy motoring and latte drinking!


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO:
Storage In The Storm
2 YEARS AGO:
Devil Horse In The Louisiana Wetlands
3 YEARS AGO:
Not Sloppy. No Joe. Just Bob And His Loosemeats Residing In The Ice Cream Capital Of The World.
4 YEARS AGO:
Playing With Your Money But Not Really SPENDING It
5 YEARS AGO:
Glamour Puss

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Monkey Pod Treasure

Look at this beautiful hand carved Monkey Pod wood bowl made by Blair's of Hawaii. It seems Blair's was a store in Waikiki in the 1960s and these bowls were big sellers. This one is signed on the bottom; etched in the wood it says "Blair Hawaii Monkey Pod".

Where did I find this you ask? At the grand opening of a Goodwill store in Augusta, Georgia. Ed and I went to find some foam for our truck seats and while in the shopping plaza, met up with some local Sheriffs who were admiring our truck. Ed invited them in and we wound up talking with them for about thirty minutes. They told us of the grand opening of the store and off we went.

This great find now sits on our kitchen counter. One man's trash is another man's treasure.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Eddie Embraces The Rules Friday
2 YEARS AGO: They Have A MAGAZINE???
3 YEARS AGO: Planting The Sun
4 YEARS AGO: Training Day
5 YEARS AGO: Cannonball Run

Friday, August 20, 2010

Time Travel

Since researching and planning for the Italy trip, I've become interested in starting research on my family tree. I started this many years ago but got sidetracked and discouraged with the challenge of finding information. Today, the internet makes some of the searching much easier.

What really made me think about doing it more seriously was the possibility of getting Italian citizenship. With the proper documents and the proof of my family blood line, I would be able to apply for citizenship in Italy, giving me dual citizenship between my ancestors' home country and mine.

Seeing the handwriting of my great-grandparents (like on this draft registration card), their names on census documents (with addresses and family member names) and seeing their names on the passenger lists of ships that came in through Ellis Island is really exciting. So far, I've been able to go back six generations on one side and five generations on the other.

I can't wait to find out more!


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO:
One More Reason I Love The Highway Hags
2 YEARS AGO:
Boathouse On The Gulf
3 YEARS AGO:
Canada Is Bubblicious
4 YEARS AGO:
You Know You’re In A Hotel That Doesn’t Have A Star Rating…
5 YEARS AGO:
It’s A Dry Heat

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Pork And Parking Served Up With Southern Charm


After dropping off our load today in Blackville, South Carolina, Ed and I headed to Augusta, Georgia for a little Southern BBQ.

After taking several back country roads and passing trailer after trailer and church after church, we finally made our way to
Sconyer’s BBQ; a place that's been around since 1956. It had to be good, right?

The ordering was easy; Sweet Tea (unsweet for Eddie) and two Plantation Platters, the house specialty. The platter consisted of a quarter chicken (breast/wing), two meaty pork ribs, an undetermined amount of sliced brisket, and a heaping pile of chopped pork. On the side we chose coleslaw and potato salad and both platters came with hash served over rice. We told the waitress it was our first time there and she explained that the platters were huge, but we ordered them anyway knowing we'd just bring the leftovers back to the truck.

Boy, she wasn't wrong when she said they were huge. Half the plate was filled with the hash, but the rest was piled high with the other stuff. I wasn't even sure what hash was since I've never eaten it, but I read online that it was a dish of chopped pork or beef combined with various chopped up vegetables and seasonings, which didn't really sound appealing to me, but I tried it anyway. I did not like it. At all.

The chicken was good (although there were feathers still unplucked in the wing!), the ribs tasty (but could have been a little less fatty), the chopped pork (which isn't made from the tenderloin, like pulled pork) wasn't terribly bad and the brisket, was surprisingly my favorite. The coleslaw and potato salad was marginal and the half loaf of white bread they served with the meal was, well, white bread.

I ate my entire piece of chicken, the two ribs, a few forkfuls of the pork and meat and then couldn't finish another bite. I have enough leftover for probably two more meals. Ed left about as much on his plate. So we took it all home, minus the hash. The BBQ was the vinegary style, not the sweet, barbeque-ey type I'm used to, so I wasn't entirely in love with it but I did enjoy it, and Ed will have lunch for the next three days from the leftovers which I'll doctor up a little with some Sweet Baby Ray's.

We're not sure if we'll go back again because there are too many BBQ joints to cover in our lifetime, but the people at the place were so overwhelmingly friendly, it was definitely a pleasant dining experience and certainly worth a second shot if we're in the area. I called before we went to see if they had truck parking and although they didn't have a lot specifically for trucks, the woman asked me to hold a minute while she checked where we could park. When she came back on the line, she said they wouldn't mind at all if we parked right out front and if we couldn't fit there, we were more than welcome to park at Mr. Larry's house, which was right next door. "Mr. Larry" is the owner of the restaurant; his parents were the ones who founded it.
As truck drivers, we're always told where we can't park and have been told to leave more parking lots than I can count, so their response has definitely been the nicest we've ever gotten regarding truck parking. These people were actually willing to make room for us just so we could enjoy their restaurant.

Talk about Southern hospitality!


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO:
They Should Put This Scent In A Candle. I’d Have One Lit In My House Every Night!
2 YEARS AGO:
After All
3 YEARS AGO:
I’ve Been Everywhere Sunday
4 YEARS AGO:
Who My Baby Daddy?
5 YEARS AGO:
South Siiiide Education

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Cristo Velato

As I was doing more research for our Italy trip, I found information on Museo Cappella Sansevero. This place is going to be a definite must see. That statue in the photo (which you can see larger if you click on it), the Veiled Christ, looks so real, yet it's carved entirely out of one piece of marble.

Any time I see sculptures like this in museums, I marvel at the fact that the people who created these did them without any of the gadgets or technology we have today. Which obviously is the reason they're so fabulous. But still, I envision someone just chipping away with their chisel and working their magic to make something like this. In this case, to make it look as if the fabric is actually draping.


I can't wait to see it in person; I'm ready to be awestruck.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO:
Flash Dancing Through Summer
2 YEARS AGO:
Another Day, Another 32 Things About Me
3 YEARS AGO:
A Bottle And A Nap Would Be Nice
4 YEARS AGO:
Because You Never Know When You’re Going To Need A Roman Candle
5 YEARS AGO:
Thank A Trucker

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Hot Dogs Are The New Coitus

My mother babysat my nephews today - Middle J and Youngest J - they were home sick and my sister-in-law had to work. As usual, they always come out with the best stuff. While there, Middle J told her about my brother taking the two oldest ones to the skateboard park over the weekend.

They told her how much fun they had but that there were some older kids there too. Then Middle J said, "And Nana, we cut him off by mistake and he called us the eff word!!"

"He called you the eff word??" my mother said, shocked.

"Yes!!" they said in unison. "And it was really loud!" Middle J added.

"What did your father say?" my mother wanted to know.

"Well, Daddy didn't hear him say it. But we got him back." Middle J said.

"What do you mean you 'got him back'?" my mother said.

"We called him a big fat hot dog in a bun!" Middle J said. "That's our way of calling HIM the eff word. He just doesn't know it!"

Who needs "what the French, toast?!" and "who are you calling a cootie queen, you lintlicker??" when you have "big fat hot dog in a bun!" in your arsenal.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO:
Better Than A Five Dollar Foot Long
2 YEARS AGO:
Isn’t This Grate??
3 YEARS AGO:
Eddie Gives Me That Smoldering Look Friday
4 YEARS AGO:
Bringing The Good Stuff
5 YEARS AGO:
The Road To Sin City

Monday, August 16, 2010

Better Than A Leg Press Machine. Or How To Get A Good Looking Left Gam.

See that little stretch of road? The one highlighted in blue? That's I-95 in New Jersey approaching the George Washington Bridge (over the body of water) into New York. The highlighted portion, from Exit 68 to the toll booth, which is right around Exit 73 is just about four miles.

Well, last night, it tooks me four hours to travel those four miles. FOUR HOURS. To go four miles. FOUR HOURS!

I am not even kidding you, people. I have to tell you, in all the years I've lived in New York (born and raised) and in the six years I've been on the road as a truck driver (having been to 49 states and 11 of the 13 Canadian Provinces and Territories), I have never SEEN or BEEN STUCK IN traffic as bad as last night. Never. EVER. Not once, since I first got behind the wheel of a car at fifteen and a half years old, to this very day.

Most of the time was spent sitting with the brake pulled. Not moving an inch. At one point, I even popped into the sleeper to get a bit to eat to bring back up to the driver's seat. I spent some time on the CB, which I never do, just talking to the other guys stuck in traffic. They were suprisingly nice....shocker.

Once we did start moving (and by moving, I mean inches), I thought my left leg was going to spaz out on me because keeping it poised on the clutch was making my muscles tremble. From the local guys on the radio, it seems this is a typical occurence on Sunday nights in the summer; everyone going home from the shore. Since we don't pick the night to be on the GWB, it didn't even occur to us to consider what day it was. Oh sure, you think about where you'll be at morning or evening rush hours and try to stay away if you can, but who gave any thought to the bridge on a Sunday night? I mean, it's not a work day or anything. And it was LATE. Ugh.

We were going to go another way but Ed decided against it. I could blame him, but really it wasn't his fault. Although I know I said at least once, "See? If we had just gone the way I wanted to go..." But really, neither one of us thought twice about it since we'd been through here many, many times. I know in the future, we'll be checking Google Maps to see the traffic; when we've used it in the past, it's been pretty accurate.

The worst thing about sitting in that traffic is that as the minutes tick by, you're less and less inclined to want to pay the toll. I'm surprised people don't complain more. I know the guys on the CB were thinking of not paying (joking, of course), but with cameras everywhere these days they'd likely find you and send you a bill anyway. Not really worth the additional aggravation.

Today Ed and I watched all of the video footage of us sitting in traffic. We got through it in about twenty minutes.

And my leg didn't hurt at all.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO:
How Can I Tread On You When I Can’t Even Turn Around?
2 YEARS AGO:
Popping Good Time
3 YEARS AGO:
Touching Down For A Quick Rest Break
4 YEARS AGO:
Follow Your Heart
5 YEARS AGO:
All About The Benjamins

Sunday, August 15, 2010

X Marks The Imaginary Spot

Another fantastic and completely Original Palm Sketch by Salena. I dug this one out because Ed's newfound hypocondria has him convinced that because I'm coughing all over the truck, he now has a sore throat.

Oh. My. God. Can you BE more of a drama queen? Granted, I'm feeling a little sneezy, but I think it's just something in the air. I'm the one who feels a little on the shitty side and he's the one crying for the slippery elm.

He's even got my mother, who is two thousand seven hundred thirty nine miles away, convinced that he needs a cup of hot tea with honey and lemon. She always takes his side though; I could be hacking up a hairball on the floor and she'd step over me to bring "Sweet Eddie" a cup of hot tea.

My response to Ed's drama?

Breathing all over his cell phone.


Friday, August 13, 2010

Knee Deep In Training

This is a picture of Michelle, The Plum Trucker, with the trainer that helped ease her into the trucking world. His name is Knee Deep - no, I don't know and I didn't ask - but I have to say I just love his look. He's so big and cuddly and has such a pleasant face.

She is now done with her training period and her and Kendall (her fiance) have gotten their own truck assigned to them and are waiting for their first load. I'm very excited for them and proud of them getting through the training period (which you can read a little bit about on her blog).

Now we'll just have to keep our eyes peeled for Lone Wolf and Snake!!


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO:
She Sells Seashells By The Seashore
2 YEARS AGO:
Shopping At Walmart Is The Closest Some Of Us Will Ever Get To China
3 YEARS AGO:
Giving Indians A Bad Name
4 YEARS AGO:
Six Flags Of Horror Fly Over Texas
5 YEARS AGO:
Snake River

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Smalltopia And Rowdy Kittens

Ed found this site after seeing the couple in a TV interview. After reading through quite a bit of their website, I thought I'd share it here. I like the concept. Don't know if I would be able to have as austere a lifestyle as they've created, but I like it. And it's inadvertently kinda how we live.

To learn more about them, read their
downsizing story. And check out her products page too - she's got some really cool stuff.

** Photo stolen from Rowdy Kittens website! :)


Wednesday, August 11, 2010

A Peek At A Working Team

About two months ago, I wrote about meeting with Linda Sands, the author of a new book about modern truck drivers. She's in the research and writing stage right now but I really hope to one day see it on store shelves.

The photo above was taken by Avital Aronowitz, the photographer who is responsible for capturing the "essence" of the drivers that will be included in this book. Taken from the back door of the sleeper, it captures Eddie and I as we normally look - me with my stern, direct gaze (my friend said I look like a mob wife, the calm before the storm) and Eddie with his warm, friendly smile.

Guess who is who when we have to play good cop/bad cop? Hey, whatever works, right?


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO:
Alligators Are Not A Girl’s Best Friend
2 YEARS AGO:
Forget Your Cholesterol. Get A Hearing Aid.
3 YEARS AGO:
Sizzling Good Time
4 YEARS AGO:
Amarillo May Smell Like Cow Shit, But They Have Some Pretty Tasty Steaks
5 YEARS AGO:
List Of Fives

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

The Serious Bather

Today my mother is sixty-four years older than she was in this photo; but...she still acts like a four-year old. And I mean that in a good way.

My grandfather took this picture - he had hundreds of pictures of his four girls - and I just love some of the poses he caught them in.

But this picture not only makes me smile because it's of my mother, but because it reminds me of my grandfather, it reminds me of myself (my mother and I looked very similar as children) and it reminds me of my grandmother because of that coffee pot.

So, Happy Birthday Mommy...party like a four-year old in a bubble bath!!


Monday, August 09, 2010

Sandía On The Wall

Today we spent the day hanging out at Otay Ranch Town Center in Chula Vista, California. Last night we had lunch at Frida (photo above) and today we hit Best Buy, went to lunch, shopped at Sephora and spent the afternoon at Barnes & Noble.

We scored a sweet parking spot at the top of the hill, facing the west side so we even caught a sunset. Tonight we'll watch a movie (or two) and then look for a load tomorrow that hopefully takes us back across the country.

Right now, a lot more relaxing and a little bit of writing are on the agenda for me...I'm behind on my posts at Big Truck TV and Life On The Road. Actually, behind doesn't even begin to cover how seriously slacking I am.



Sunday, August 08, 2010

Opulence. I Hyaz It.

While in San Diego, crossing the bridge over to Coronado Island, Ed spied this super yacht. I don't know how he does it, but he'll see a boat before he'd see a flaming fireball coming out of the sky, aimed right at him. I was taking pictures in that direction and didn't really notice the yacht. To me, it was just another boat.

But apparently, this is not just another boat. This $300 million dollar yacht is owned by Russian billionaire businessman,
Andrey Melnichenko.

The
yacht, named after his wife Aleksandra, is 390-feet long and has two swimming pools. I can only imagine what the inside looks like.

Opulence is certainly something he has.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO:
Flipping It At The Bird
2 YEARS AGO:
Eddie Flippin’ Friday
3 YEARS AGO:
Hope Collapses
4 YEARS AGO:
You Do The Math
5 YEARS AGO:
14,410 Feet Of Beauty

Saturday, August 07, 2010

Just A Glimpse

We didn't have any time to visit, there wasn't any parking nearby for the truck and this was the closest I could get to the Hotel del Coronado - a drive-by photo via the passenger side window.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO:
Eddie Mails A Package In His Dorfman Friday
2 YEARS AGO:
Shower Jam
3 YEARS AGO:
Golden Arches
4 YEARS AGO:
The Land Of Fruits, Nuts And Flakes
5 YEARS AGO:
Why Did The Chicken Cross The Road?

Friday, August 06, 2010

Yo, Vin!

This is the aircraft carrier at the Naval Air Station North Island on Coronado Island in San Diego that we delivered the F-18 fuel tanks to - the USS Carl Vinson.

Of course, it's muuuuch bigger than what you see in this picture. Up close, it's daunting. Oh, and full of sailors.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO:
Sweeter Words Have Never Been Spoken
2 YEARS AGO:
More Proof I Ate At A Sushi Place
3 YEARS AGO:
North Sally Port
4 YEARS AGO:
Holy Cow!
5 YEARS AGO:
Wishing

Thursday, August 05, 2010

Imperial Sand

A view from Interstate-8 in California of the Imperial Sand Dunes. I wouldn't want to be stuck out there on a hot summer day!


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO:
How Many Twenty Year Olds Have A Seventy Pound Head?
2 YEARS AGO:
My First Time
3 YEARS AGO:
I’ve Been Everywhere Sunday
4 YEARS AGO:
Text Me
5 YEARS AGO:
Eddie Dines Out Friday

Wednesday, August 04, 2010

Miles Of Smiles, Hours Of Laughs

Today I got to have lunch with my favorite people in Nashville! (L-R) My best friend Vicki, her daughter Mina (in front of her), Kim, Nikki and Vicki's son Michael down in front. I didn't know Kim and Nikki were coming, so it was a great surprise. We had the BEST time!

One of these days, I will once again be their neighbors. I love Nashville, I love Tennessee, I love my friends and I love my Eddie for finding some time for us to stop!


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO:
I’m Dreaming of Blue Skies, Key Lime Pie And Pink Flamingos*
2 YEARS AGO:
Stop Beyond The Palm
3 YEARS AGO:
Kittery Dittery Doo
4 YEARS AGO:
Crab Infested Thoughts
5 YEARS AGO:
Bi The Way