AGOL Takes UK: Foodgasm

Today's goal seemed for us to work an appetite by wandering around Brighton for the English feast Anton was preparing for us this evening. This dear man had set himself a goal to prepare a proper English meal for me to experience weeks before I came over.

We had a light lunch in Kemptown at this restaurant called The Saint where the atmosphere was warm yet simple chic and the food was a feast for the eyes and the tummy. Here Yummy had the Fried Squid as seen below on top of a green salad with basil oil and a cream sauce and I had the Beetroot Risotto topped with Parmesan cheese. Holy Moly!

His was followed by a Fin of Skate (fish) with mashed potatoes and veg which was delicious and I had Smoked Salmon on top of a green salad and small potatoes (akin to the fingerling variety). We chose seafood for lunch so it wouldn't compete with Anton's roast beef. We decided to go for it and split their Apple Tart Tartin served with vanilla ice cream. Very nice.





Brighton is full of small to medium shops. I am used to the "big box" store mentality in the US. Flitting in and out of these shops was a joy. There is no big commitment to spend some quality time in the stores to see everything even though some of them have multiple levels.

One of the shops I tortured Yummy with was the UK version of Pier 1 called Pier. The packaging and item selections were too similar not to mention I found my Ginger Peach incense and candles on the shelves. Yummy has been probably dreading my forays into these shops with good reason.

Today he learned and didn't know he needed tablerunners, but no none made it home. He did buy stone tea light holders from Habitat at Churchill Mall as well as a chic white ceramic canister style uplight from a lighting store. Poor honey, he's that much closer to creating a candlescape (a manly one of course).

We visited my first official British grocery store, Waitrose as opposed to the Marks and Spencer location just a stone's throw from Yummy's home. He calls M&S his larder because it is so accessible for light shopping. The produce seemed more vibrant at Waitrose and the variety was incredible. Several items I've never heard of or seen. I totally dig that. The aisles were wider than American grocery stores. I didn't get the sense of urgency for marketing in a US grocery store where every inch is precious real estate for product placement. It was a very pleasant experience...

And now for the pièce de résistance -

Yummy's best friend, Anton, is a foodie extraordinaire. We have almost the same amount of cooking tools which I can respect and his seven-burner stove made me green with envy. It was obvious when Yummy and I arrived that he was hustling. He was like a bee buzzing around the kitchen and delicious smells were wafting everywhere. This man was cooking everything from scratch and it was fun to watch. Yummy teased me that the whole thing was like porn for me. He may have the slightest point. I didn't care because I was too busy enjoying my version of adult entertainment and getting turned on.

Yummy took mischievious delight in informing Anton of where we had our lunch. Oh, great. I get to follow that! was Anton's response. More digs were dispensed by Yummy to our host while he began to perspire from working diligently in his kitchen. I thought he was going to wait until after dinner to let him know. Devilish thing.

Anton's Main Menu
Roast Beef (from a special butcher)
Yorkshire Pudding and Beef Gravy
Roasted Potatoes Finished in Goose Fat
Peas and Organic Carrots
...followed by
Wine with Cheeses and Water Crackers
Roquefort (Yummy's favorite cheese), Tellagio ("what Brie wished it was"), Goat Cheese, and White Cheddar
...and for dessert
Steamed Spongecake with Treacle topped with sinfully rich English Custard

I took as many pictures as I could without getting too embarrassed. For me it was an event I wanted to capture. The following are my food porn pics for your enjoyment. Anton's lovely wife Anna came home from her pilates session and helped finish cooking and plating everything.

Master Chef Anton at the helm.


I used horseradish cream on my roast beef and tasted heaven. This is the best roast beef I have ever had in my life. It melted in your mouth it was so tender!


Anna is so pretty and a lot of fun.


Goose fat on the potatoes rocked and the beef gravy on the Yorkshire pudding was delish!


Veggies were still steaming in this picture.


Let me say a little goes a long way with this spongecake. The portion that Anna is seen slicing here was more than enough. It was so sweet I could almost feel my teeth crack from the Lyle's Golden Syrup used. The grated lemon zest cooked in cut a bit of the sweet taste and the English custard did, too. This was food for the gods.


All four of us were as full as ticks. More wine was still being passed around even after the coffee was served...Anton has an impressive record collection which he let us sample on his pimped out stereo system. Old school turntable. It brought me back. Music played while we ate, but now we were really listening to punk beginnings and some old London sounds as well as 80s tunes. I loved it. Yummy and Anton took turns giving some background history on the music.

It was a very impressive evening at Anton and Anna's and I was very appreciative of the effort and generosity in making the meal happen. Tonight's meal was definitely one for the AGOL annals of food. Great food with great people. It doesn't get better than that!

AGOL Takes UK: Foodgasm

AGOL Takes UK: Dragons and Tea with Turtles

The famed English weather finally revealed itself today! Grey clouds and a light rain greeted the morning. I cooked a big breakfast -- poor Yummy was not used to the farmer boy size portions that early, but it was all good. Armed with breakfast, walking shoes and he with a dark rain jacket with hood and me with creme jean jacket and umbrella, we set out for the Royal Pavilion in Brighton.

I didn't get to take any pictures outside the Pavilion because of the weather and pictures inside were prohibited. Just as well because there were so many rooms in this uber opulent home built by George IV. The outside reminds of India with the onion top architecture and inside was wall to wall Chinoiserie. There were so many things to note and gawk at that I was thankful for the little audio guides Yummy and I carried from room to room, giving us a good historical narrative.

It's last royal owner, Queen Victoria, sold it to the city of Brighton; it didn't meet her needs for a proper family home for she and her husband Albert and their children. Brighton was definitely the winner in that transaction...

Yummy took me to his famed Mock Turtle in The Lanes to enjoy his favorite cream teas and the best damn scones I've ever had. This tea room was rather cozy and the main floor full so we descended the stairs to the lower level. Our teas came with scones served with butter, cream (soft fluffy butter) and some killer strawberry jam. The first mouthful was heavenly. The scones do NOT look like the ones I've ordered in Starbucks at all. Those are like hockey pucks compared to these delicious morsels. All I can say is wow!

From The Lanes, we made our way to Brighton's Sea Life Centre for the local aquaria built in Victorian times. Yummy was a little worried about the fish. I kept asking them if they preferred garlic or onion. Wot? We saw gigantic sea turtles swimming among sharks in their largest tank. Experienced a submarine dive/show that cracked us both up with the agitating benches to simulate movement that coincided with the "movie".

Every minute is beer-thirty so we trudged back up The Lanes to visit The Druid's Head pub where we enjoyed -- what else but beer. This is bloody Britain and they drink by God! We also worked ourselves up to eat Mexican food. Tried to call Anton to get directions, ended up back home to get the address and took a cab. Our cab broke down and was called another one. Something about power steering fluid or was that catalytic converter? Never a dull moment.

Okay...........not a lot of Mexicans cross the pond let's just say. The Mexican food at Los Amigos (Mexican/Italian restaurant) was not like Vallarta's in Trampa. The salsa and guacamole were divine, but the rest was okay. The two beers with lime made it better. Yes, it was beer-thirty there, too.

AGOL Takes UK: Dragons and Tea with Turtles

AGOL Takes UK: Taking it Easy

On the Fifth Day, AGOL rested. My energy level is generally pretty high, but today even I had to beg off any activity. We had light breakfast and each did our own thing. Yummy tuned his guitar, played along a CD and worked on some writing. I wrote notes for my blog and dozed, essentially vegging.

Our easy day turned into an easier evening that included pizza and beer during a movie. Yummy had ordered a DVD set by Guillermo del Toro and we watched the latest release called Pan's Labyrinth which I've been wanting to see and had been highly recommended by a movie critic friend in Trampa. Not a children's movie, the creep and scare factors are too high. Enjoyed its fantasy theme immensely. Can't wait to see the other two movies in the set!

AGOL Takes UK: Taking it Easy

English Sun

NOTE: This has been sitting waiting to be posted for a couple of months now, but I didn't want Yummy to read it or the world since it was very personal. The relationship has ended as of this insert, but I have decided to publish it. He won't be reading it that I know of and it doesn't matter if he does. It was a true thing and I want to live in the beauty of truth.


Sitting on a gold sofa, I listen to my lover's voice as he is working out his poem. There are other sounds like the dryer upstairs spinning and desiccating damp clothes to hang and fold. A jack hammer vibrating on the road digging pits to reveal old pipes that need replacing. Seagulls squawk overhead like mini pterodactyls looking for a feed.

The sound I hear above all is the sound of my own mind finding solace in this land I am visiting. The quiet my mind has been chasing a lifetime has arrived. A large warm cloak of comfort swirls around me like a matador’s cape teasing my demons away. Tears drop as I realize the implication. I may have found home.

For now, I keep the truth to myself like the English sun shining through the window next to me. I say English sun because it is cloudy and gray, typical of English weather or so I’m told.

My mind focuses back on my lover’s voice, the source of my solace.

English Sun

AGOL Takes UK: Arundel Castle

The train took us to the mystic town of Arundel where the famed Arundel Castle has stood and been added onto for centuries. Very English indeed! Before our castle explorations, we stopped for a few mini adventures.

We were able to stand on a bridge over the River Arun when we arrived. I just loved the setting. You can see the castle on a hill as you entered the town of Arundel.



We walked near an entrance to Arundel castle but realized it was not the main entrance for our explorations. Since we were up the hill, we decided to walk around and see what else was nearby. Our first stop was The Cathedral Church of Our Lady & St. Philip Howard built in the late 1800s which is not very old considering this is England.

The cathedral's beauty was reflected both inside and outside. My eyes feasted on as much architecture I could see. Churches no matter what denomination have always held a special place in my heart. The only other church this big I've ever seen was Holy Name Cathedral when I lived in Chicago.

I lit three candles while Yummy explored inside and I sat down in one of the front pews and prayed silently until he joined me. We also stopped at the much smaller Parish Church of St. Nicholas. Yummy pointed to the floor where old grave stones were used to pave the floor. How creepily resourceful of them!




One thing you can count on in England is the scattering of funny road signs in the least likely places like the one below. The next picture is of a nice road, but please let me point out the Chinese restaurant at the right corner. Is it me or can you always find Chinese food even in the most remote places in the world? It's almost up there with Starbucks and McDonald's. Personally, I would choose the Chinese restaurant, but not this day.



We ended up at a very quaint tea room called Belinda's 16th Century Tea Rooms where I had my first official Fish and Chips and Yummy ate Steak and Kidney Pie. I wasn't brave enough to try his even though the presentation was beautiful with an array of colorful vegetables surrounding the pie. The skin was still on my fish which is unusual in the States, but it was just more flavor for me!

Bolstered by our lunch, we set our internal compasses for the castle. We somewhat followed the map given and just let ourselves loose. We were everywhere that was not cordoned off: spiraling up and down mini stone staircases, exploring the Keep and Dungeon, marveling at the furniture and the decor in the rooms, asking guides questions who were happy to answer and say to you "Pleasure" after giving them thanks. I was in Castle Heaven.

I've noticed a significant amount of walls (not just in the Castle or Arundel) these flint stones embedded in the walls which fascinated me to no end.


The next set is but a few examples of this magnificent castle. The lion flanking the entrance by the bridge/moat reminded Yummy of the Narnia movie. I just loved the grass that reminded me for some reason of Disney films with their sprinkling of daisies everywhere. Yummy was taking nature shots for a project of his.






The last big room we explored was the library. The entrance enticed you to come inside and swoon with ecstasy at its contents. It was my favorite room among all the dozens we passed through.

This incredible library was two stories of rich burgundy red fabric curtains, glossy dark wood staircases and spindles, and rows and rows of antique spines encased behind glass with crisscross metal lines on them. If the leather and fabric seating could talk, it would invite you to come stay a while. It is what a proper library should look like.

There were more of the castle grounds to explore but the day was already giving into the evening. I was getting fatigued and maybe feeling jet lag finally. We got home from our castle-full day and ate a light pasta meal that Yummy quickly put together which prepared us for warm apple pie with warm English custard for dessert. I am sure they never ate so richly in the 11th century when the original castle was first built!

AGOL Takes UK: Arundel Castle

AGOL Takes UK: Spanish Theme

Nothing like getting your flamenco on during breakfast by listening to a CD by Ojos de Brujo (Wizard's Eyes) . They produce a very modern version of flamenco. I totally dig it...so does Yummy since it is his CD.

We enjoyed Curse of the Golden Flower at the cinema in the afternoon. It was visual candy. I love watching Chow Yun-Fat (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; I have 3 Honk Kong produced films with him as lead, too) and Gong Li (Miami Vice, Memoirs of a Geisha) act in new films. They bring intensity and quality to the screen.

We were early for our dinner reservations so Yummy took me to my first "boozer" and I had 1/2 pint of bitter. Can't just jump into these things you know. Will work myself to a pint soon. Ha! Yummy is an exceptional guide. He gives historical info on places and people which I enjoy immensely. Pubs are tinier than their American counterparts. It is a place to drink (no real meals) and meet your pals, very to the point.

Thankfully, we ate at Casa Don Carlos (off Union Street) early in the week; it is hoppin' on weekends. Yummy asked me to order our food in Spanish so we could get hooked up muy rapido with tapas and cervezas. Each dish was a delight to share and the variety was great with our beverage.

Topped off the evening by watching Carmen, a modern Spanish version, on the widescreen. (I must admit his TV is way cooler than mine.) Loved the flamenco dancing and the guitar playing. Yummy informed me that a famous guitar player was in the film, Paco de Lucia. A great day that began and ended with flamenco. Me encanta.

The pics below are from Yummy's upstairs study where my suitcase exploded upon opening and where I sat and gazed as I made myself up before we went out.

AGOL Takes UK: Spanish Theme

AGOL Takes UK: Roaming Brighton

Before we trekked to The Lanes in Brighton, I had to try another English breakfast. I had requested to have beans on toast which was actually not bad. Yummy had some, too, but had the most vile spread of Marmite sandwiched between his bread and beans. It tasted harmless enough until he spread a smidgen on a crumpet and urged me to try it. Oh...my...gosh...! EW! Multiple gulps of coffee couldn't even get rid of the yeasty taste. Yummy laughed and kept chomping happily on his Marmite laden crumpet.

Everything is within walking distance in Brighton. Of course, saying that and actually doing it are two different things. Thank God there were many things to note on the way to detract from the fact I am so out of shape other than round. Here are pictures of parts of this cosmohemian (cosmopolitan and bohemian) town. Was very pleased to see Yummy in front of a shop called Yummies. It brought a few laughs.




Moving closer to the shoreline are more visual treasures like Brighton Pier. Two children's carousels and a donut sculpture can be found on the way. The pier has a dome section and ends with an small amusement park. Very touristy, but the views of the water and shoreline are the trade-offs.

On one part of the pier you can stand and look down at a small patch of pebble beach and listen to the water recede, making sounds of rain. It made me smile. Last picture on next set is taken from a coffee shop at the pier where we rested for a bit on our roam around Brighton.



We got back early enough for Yummy to bake a garlicky chicken that we had with some rice stir-fried with veggie goodies. We wound down by watching some programs on his new widescreen.

AGOL Takes UK: Roaming Brighton

AGOL Takes UK: Meeting Yummy

The AGOL has landed...

Seeing the sun on the horizon while flying was a weird feeling, but only because I wasn't expecting it when I woke up from a short snooze. Very soon I was seeing English coast and spans of green land with bright gold patches of canola fields as I landed into Gatwick Airport. The scenery reminded me of Wisconsin, but it was definitely English with the pastoral theme. I could see clusters of buildings where little towns were located, other similar clusters peppering the countryside. British Airways provided a smooth landing to a very smooth flight...

Like rats in a maze, we passengers shuffled along the walkway to Immigration. I filled out my forms and shuffled again this time in a Disney-type queue weaving us around each other while waiting to be called upon by Immigration. The lady who called me interrogated me in a too intimate manner that was not to my liking. I played along because my bladder urged me to and I needed her to stamp my passport so I could empty said bladder.

Trying to locate my luggage was just another part of the game. I finally hustled to the BA counter and was told it would be on Carousel 5, but I only heard crickets when I arrived at that carousel. It looks like it had never been turned on. How lovely. I turned around to be greeted halfway by a BA employee who asked me if the suitcase he was toting was mine. He answered for me, "I can tell it is yours. You have a big smile on your face." Thankful, relieved and anxious not to be any later, I made my way to real air.

Peter/Yummy knows that I have crowd blindness that befalls me sometimes and I made it clear that I may not see him, but he had assured me that all I needed to do was put one foot in front of the other and he would get me on the way out. I didn't even have to concentrate that much; I picked him out right away.

It was like opening a present seeing him for the first time in person after months of e-mails, IMs, skype conversations, text messages and phone calls. We had sent enough pictures of each other, but seeing the real person was a treat. It turned out that he was late too since he went to the wrong terminal first, but thanks to immigration chickie, I was still later than Yummy for our meeting.

What seemed like a flash, I found myself riding the train to Brighton next to Yummy. I couldn't decide whether to talk to Yummy more in my nervousness or gaze outside and feast my eyes on the land passing by. I managed to do both, I think. Too nervous to commit everything to memory apparently. The surprise in gazing outside how the land reminded me of drives in Wisconsin.

We arrived at the Brighton train station and hiked it up the street where his home is tucked in. I was caught by the big lily display near left of the door. Long stems rose in the front garden not to be outdone by the fuchsia blooms by the gate. Pictures of the lily blooms below.

Yummy opened a bottle of champagne and we made mimosas with orange juice. We laughed much and later he made us a hearty breakfast which was a nice first meal on English land. Time flew and we found ourselves gathering our gifts for his godson's Oskar's first birthday being held at a park.

Children & Chinese...
My recent forays into children's parks in the Trampa Bay area couldn't even hold a candle to this park. My God. The grass undulating around the sloping park and around the trees was absolutely beautiful. The children's slides and swings were not surrounded by rubber floors or ground rubber tires. It looked normal instead of an industrial accident for kids.

Meeting Yummy's friends after hearing about them and talking to them a bit on the phone was great. They were a happy bunch and were very active with their own kids on the equipment. I liked that part a lot. Below are pics of Oskar's big sister Klaudia (Yummy's goddaughter) with her paternal grandmother and another pic with Yummy's best friend Anton and his son Oskar. I was intrigued by his new ride.



The party disbanded and we walked with the birthday boy to his house and shared more champagne with the family. By this time, the day was starting to get to me a bit and Yummy took mercy on me and we went home and ordered Chinese. Let's just say Chinese food is not the same on every continent, but it was still good. Day One in England with Yummy receives five smooch marks out of five.

AGOL Takes UK: Meeting Yummy

An Act of Tawnyia

It wasn't an act of God that got me on the plane this evening, but an act of Tawnyia. I found myself having a meltdown after two o'clock this afternoon. Things that hadn't received my proper attention were not done and now it was too late. I had spent too much of the morning and part of the early afternoon driving around Tampa for some last minute items.

My bag was not yet properly packed and I hadn't even taken a shower yet to get ready for my uncle to pick me up around 2:45pm. The sand was rapidly falling through the hourglass and I had no way of putting the grains back in. I did the only thing an AGOL could do at the time...call Tawnyia. Thankfully, she was off today and used warp speed to get herself to my apartment and help me pack while I showered. Everything was available to pack, they just hadn't made a nest inside the big suitcase nor the carrying case.

My uncle arrived on time and had to wait while I got dressed and checked off items with Tawnyia. He wasn't surprised he had to wait since the same MO (modus operandi) is always employed by his wife when going to the Philippines...still packing to the end.

I gave Cabal a quick hug, Tawnyia a bigger hug and the keys to my apartment where she will be making her home for two weeks. I wanted to better express my thanks to her, but she knows how I feel and how much I treasure her generosity. I like the no need for exact words all the time about our friendship, a rarity for sure.

Uncle Dave and I sat down and drank some Coke and noshed on fries after I checked in my one BIG and HEAVY suitcase at British Airways. He's a good man and I always enjoy his company. He and my aunt Maria are a riot together. We discussed my trip for a bit, but got interrupted by a call from Yummy for some last minute news that made me howl with laughter. Let's just say neither one of us ever have a dull moment in life especially today.

An elderly Englishman sat next to me at the gate while we waited for our plane to board. We had a lovely chat; I just considered our conversation a practice for me develop an ear for English accents. Ha!

Flying British Airways nonstop was the best idea ever! Trampa to Gatwick in eight hours and landing at 8:10am in the UK was the second best idea, too. The seats were comfortable, the food very edible, the staff top and ascent of the plane smooth. I have to keep reminding myself that I need some sleep in order to get through a big day tomorrow after I land...

An Act of Tawnyia

Almost There

Things are settling at work now with the new buyer in place which pushes everything else that I have put on the back burner front and center. Holy heck! Nothing like scrambling to get things done and trying to retain your sanity at the same time...

On Monday, I spent the day training and setting up more accesses for Bridget to have while I am out of the country. At night, I gallivanted around town with Tawny shopping after a laughing dinner. Two heads are better than one especially when one of them is a bit scatterbrained. Yes, that would be me.

The next day began with a sprint with me training about half dozen people in the executive conference room and via conference call for two solid hours. I felt winded talking that much which would be a complete surprise to people who know me. It wasn't exactly a fun gab session with the girlies that's for sure.

Tawny and I enjoyed dinner again before more shopping. T-bird, as Yummy as taken to calling her now, is such a great friend to me. She has agreed to watch Cabal for the weeks I am gone with her hubby since Myrna is too sick to stay over a week. Better for Myrna to recover in her own surroundings. Poor thing. I've already been warned that Cabal will be spoiled especially since his caregiver will not be distracted with talking to Yummy. I resemble that remark!

Now, Wednesday (yikes!), T-bird and I had dinner again. Good thing her husband is in Orlando training or he would have something to say about my hogging her time. She let me drag her to two more stores. She's bordering on sainthood now.

I received a call from Yummy before we shopped tonight. He sounded wonderful and had just gotten home from a night out with some old buddies. I tried to get T-bird to talk to him, but she was paralyzed with shyness, but had no qualms about making comments from the peanut gallery.

Later in the yummy/agol conversation:
yummy: Where are you?
agol: I am parking.
yummy: You're not shopping again are you?
agol: No, I am not. (Wincing)
yummy: Are you shopping?
agol: I am not -- I am just trying to find a parking spot.
yummy: Does this parking spot have a shop near it?
agol: (Hesitating) Why, yes, it does! What a coincidence. There is a shop near the parking spot!
T-bird: (Yelling from peanut gallery) There's lots of shops everywhere!
agol: Shaddap
yummy: (Laughing in the background)
agol: (Contrite)

Finally made it home, took care of Cabal and began the bleaching action in the apartment including my teefers. I thought I was home free on the tooth sensitivity until I ran my tongue along the gum line after the second session. It was like chewing on aluminum foil. Not good. Spent more minutes rinsing any remnants of the bleach gel. Why am I obsessed? I dunno. Just consider it a part of my infinite charm.

Just one more day of work tomorrow before flying out on Friday. I feel very excited. Printed out my e-ticket today so I can have it with my passport. This will be the second ocean I will have crossed in my life. Both crossings having a large impact. The basic feeling of the unknown will be the same, I think.

Almost There

Gathering Marbles

Had to buckle down today and really begin getting things in order for my UK trip. First order of business (and most important): skype conversation with Yummy which didn't last long because he received an offer for a ride to get a new TV. He called me back later when he got back home. We're very excited about next weekend. (Sarah nail biting...)

You'd think after working in retail for years in my 20s, I would still enjoy going to the mall. I do and I don't. Maybe it is the kind of malls here? Carbon copies of each other. Maybe it is the ugly prospect of going to Brandon to shop because maneuvering in traffic could give a five-year old a heart attack? Sounds right.

The traffic gods were smiling upon me today. I was able to find a great parking spot immediately and stopped at three different departments at one store effortlessly. Drove across the main thoroughfare and shopped at another store. Found another spot to park in with ease and was able to get back on the highway with no impatient rants. (Ever heard me curse? It borders on poetic. Ha!)

Stopped at the grocery store for a few items before hurrying home to be timely for skype date with Yummy. He reminds me that the England is not the third world and that I if I miss something on my list (is he kidding?), I could buy it there. I reminded him that I like to be very prepared. Cute thing is going to find out how I can pack a suitcase. He doesn't understand that I am the OCD freak. Besides, England is an island. They only get shipments once a month unless the pirates stop by to trade, right?

Tawny and I ended up shopping tonight for sundry items. If you would've seen our cart where about 65% of the contents were mine, you would say to yourself, You're not taking all that crap on the plane are you? No, of course not...no...maybe...mostly..we'll see. Have to check the weight limit for suitcase on British Airways site. They still have that grace period under the new rules.

Talked to Angie in LA for a few minutes to give her update on shopping expedition. She recommended a brand of walking shoes which I bought this afternoon. The rest of the weeknights are going to be crammed with preparations I would've been making sooner but you know this little thing called my friggin' job. Sigh. I'd better get to sleep.

Gathering Marbles

Around Town

First order of business today was getting my hair colored and trimmed. I needed to feel more like AGOL again. When I arrived at the salon, the energy had changed considerably. The furniture had moved and she was offering more services. Some kind of good feng shui occurred here and I was very pleased. My hairdresser Michelle was in fine spirits, too!

Michelle just went through a much needed divorce; found out later today from Kristey that she was trying to get back with him. I don't get smart women sometimes. Her aunt had stopped down and administered a 10-day treatment of acupuncture -- a treatment I had been begging Michelle to get since allopathic medicine hadn't helped her get better. A lot of it was her negative emotions manifesting in her body.

My hair had been nicely touched up and Michelle cutting it when I received a surprise call from His Royal Yummy. I feel like an idiot during these surprise calls because I get all googly and marshmallowy. What a sap! I usually walk around with brass ones. I instantly turn into mush with Yummy. We were making a skype date today. I had afternoon plans and he had evening plans so were trying to sort it out. We agreed on 6pm AGOLtime/11pm Yummytime.

I was a bit unnerved for it seemed the salon had quieted down and began listening to my end of the conversation. Even worse, I got all teary-eyed after the call and I looked at Michelle and said to her, "He's so nice to me." She replied, "But you're nice to him." To which I iterated, "Yes, I am always nice, but he's so nice to me." She knew what I meant. It is difficult to find a man who is genuinely nice and who treats you nice, too. I was on a marshmallow cloud the rest of the afternoon.

From the salon I had to rush home and freshen up for my lunch date with the girlies at this tiki bar by the beach about 35 miles from my apartment. It was a quick drive on the weekend and most of it was highway driving. I met Kristey, her neighbor Traci and Myrna, who will be staying with Cabal for week one while I am with Yummy.

Tawnyia had been text messaging me while I made my way around this beach bar. She also reminded me that her husband wanted me to sing his birthday song to him. I called Jeff on his cell and sang Maligayang Bati in the car just before I entered the bar. He was happy that I continued this tradition that has been going on for years. Other people have requested the same tradition of having their birthday song sung in Tagalog...

When did it turn so hot? The sun was reflecting horribly from the pavement and the gulf waters just several yards away from us. We sat under an umbrella outside enjoying some breeze, but it was still warm. Even the margarita drink didn't cool me off so I switched to cola.

The girls were subdued maybe because of the heat. We talked about my upcoming UK trip with Kristey grilling me on what the emergency number was for 911 there. I must be the only one not worried. Usually I am freakish about these things, but they've taken over. It's not like I am going to Mexico or Morocco. I still love them for caring though.

My timing home was sooner than anticipated so I texted Yummy to let him know I was home since he wasn't online yet. He called me from the pub he and his friends were in. I was treated to another talk with lively Anton and this time with Anton's wife, Anna, too. I enjoyed the way she spoke, very English-y. Yummy teased me that I should start hearing different English people speak now so I would get used to it. Hmmm.

We talked for a short bit later right before Jeff and Tawnyia picked me up to go their studio space downstairs at the art (old cigar) factory in downtown Trampa . There was an art show and live performance art going on upstairs which we investigated and only became mildly interested in before returning to our own fun. Here are some pics I took tonight.


(Jeff & Tawnyia's Studio Name. Dig it.)


(Art happens here! Loved playing with paint tonight. Second room behind for kilns, equipment and supplies.)


(Very pretty. Tawnyia made this tonight. It was a custom order for a gal at work.)

Didn't get home until 12:30am. I wasn't feeling tired until I started sending these images from cell phone to my e-mail address for uploading on my bloggie. It was a good day spent.

Around Town

Freakless Friday

Happy Friday the 13th and hope you do not suffer from Triskaidekaphobia (Fear of the number 13) !


Made my trek to across the bridge to Clearwater to take Cabal for an unscheduled veterinarian appointment thanks to last evening's hysterics. Gladly, I remembered to spray the car with Comfort Zone which makes the 45-minute drive bearable for both of us.

Cabal will always be a puppy to me. Seeing him sitting in the front seat staring ahead reminds me of how old he is because he gets this old wisedog look about him. Here is a picture from three Christmases go which I absolutely adore. We were living in a rented house in Clearwater then.

Moved my cubicle contents to my new cube across on the other side of the 3rd floor. Still near a window and overlooking the entrance of our building. I made quick work in putting finding homes for everything. Pretty soon I looked like a permanent resident there. I encouraged Bridget to do the same and pimp her cube out.

Spent the morning training Bridget and setting her up for all the access to things so she could do our job. I welcomed the distraction until I received a phone call from the vet's office.

The doctor confirmed that I had cut him but only on the epidermal layer, no sutures were needed. (I think I would've been in the vet hospital nearby had it that been severe...Grrr.) They also informed me of a staph infection he had which wasn't just allergies as it had started out to be. I could pick him up later along with some pills and an ointment tube for the next couple of weeks. I was very relieved...

Scouser came around again...He's so subtle...This time with Galaxy chocolates from the UK. I left him alone with Bridget for a bit. He may have found out about her live-in boyfriend and five year old son from a previous marriage. I didn't confirm because to him the live-in is a challenge. I'd say he has gumption, but let's say he just has something.

Five o'clock couldn't come quickly enough. I picked up Cabal who is always happy to see me -- he was being sprung from jail which he calls the vet's office, I'm sure. My poor little pukka shell. Bought take-out dinner on the way home and spent the evening in quiet. All was well again. We were very lucky indeed.

Freakless Friday

Serving Bittersweet

Gratefully, a light at the end of the tunnel arrived today in the manner of a newly hired buyer named Bridget. She is to start working with me full-time which will take a load of pressure off of me and our department. The only catch for her is that she has six days to catch on before I leave on my vacation.

She has proved to be a quick learner and has had some experience with our accounting application. The only challenge is that we've been interrupted by Scouser (yes, he's from Liverpool) sniffing around already at fresh meat. Bridget is petite, endowed and blonde. The very thing that drives me crazy about Scouser is the very thing I find charming. He's a good friend so I had to nicely beg him to rein it in. I just didn't have the luxury of time in talking him up. It was Bridget's first day after all.

By day's end, I was talked out. I filled a cart with my cube contents so I could move things with ease in the morning. Makes me realize how colorful my cube is when now it is just a dull gray.

I felt remarkably happy. I decided to groom Cabal which involved brushing and trimming his long hairs. Sheltie's shed a lot and have long hair which can be matted if not properly seen to regularly. In the middle of trimming the hair behind his right ear, I accidentally cut Cabal. He showed no outward signs of discomfort. I only noticed when I went to trim some more. I had cut through skin so I immediately retrieved special pet first aid meds to clean the area.

Immense guilt set in and thoughts about being a bad mother to my pretty boy dog. I could only attribute the accident to exhaustion. An exhaustion that has lasted a year if one were to really chronicle my job. The only constant in my department has been me and it has taken its toll. My impending UK trip and not being already prepared with items to take and being nervous at meeting Yummy properly took its toll, too.

My cousin Angie in California found herself consoling me for an hour and a half over the phone. I had to call her back at some point because I couldn't breathe from working myself up so much. She helped me sort it out and realize the more important things happening in my life. I took a nighttime formula decongestant for some breathing relief and much needed sleep.

Serving Bittersweet

Yippeee!!

An e-mail blipped on the bottom of my screen that caused me instant joy. My boss had e-mailed me to say that our new hire would start tomorrow instead of Monday. This was great news indeed!

Another bit of morning good news was that the rented satellite phones I had called on yesterday afternoon for three executives came. They wanted some accessibility while they attended a sales conference in the US Virgin Islands. Michelle and I hand-delivered them by 11am. These things weighed almost 13 ounces each. We teased that these could also be used as a weapon; it was like carrying brick. Compared to my pink Motorola Razr, these phones looked like old school phones from the 80s.

Almost forgot about the swivel antennae that looked suspiciously phallic. Even our high level exec was taken aback when he swiveled the antennae around to the proper position. He laughed, but resisted the urge to comment since we were not in an HR-free zone...

My two-day temp was loved by all. She was so efficient, friendly and just cute as in a little sister kind of way. The ladies she sat by tried to find her a permanent position within our company. She liked us, too, and thought we were so easy going and fun. She even gave me a quick hug goodbye after I thanked her for her hard work. Hope we really do see her again -- she needs to enjoy more of the hot chocolate in our break rooms!

I get to play musical cubicles on Friday. My new home will be on the other side of the building. We are short on real estate at the moment and no one is giving up their empty seats for fear of losing the headcount they are trying to fill.

The new hire needs to sit next to me so off we go to the other side where it is quieter. Little do they know that "Love" is about to explode in their area. Have they seen my current cube? I must take a picture for you once I am set back up. It is not as bad as you might think. The down side of changing locale is that I will be away from my buddies, but we have IM. Our printer will be housed at my desk, too. This is going to take some feng shui cures. Hmmm...

I was able to go home on time which cheered me considerably and hoped Yummy would be on IM since he hadn't logged in while I was at work. He was on by the time I finished taking care of Cabal. That man is always surprising me. I wasn't expecting to skype briefly, but it was great to hear his voice before he said beddy byes. It was way past his bedtime; he just wanted to say hello.

He is infinitely beautiful like the flowers he sent me last Wednesday which are still in full bloom. I had removed several stems that had given up their beauty. Now the stargazer buds are rioting amid the carnation, asters, roses and snapdragons to show their inner treasures, smiling at me as bold as can be!

Yippeee!!

An Improvement

On my way to my desk toting my laptop wheelie bag, I was quickly greeted by my long-time contractor accompanying our two-day temp to the 4th floor. That meant that the results of our previous week's hard work would soon be taken care of right away. The massive deliveries would be opened, shelved and accounted while the paperwork mounding my desk would magically disappear, too.

For lunch, I was the recipient of a very nice meal of roasted lamb, mash potatoes with beef/lamb and mushroom gravy, greenie beanies, a roll and cupcakes for dessert from Jill.

I was giving lamb meat another try and I was not disappointed. The slices from the leg were very tender, moist and seasoned well. I gave kudos to the chef who was nervous about me not liking anything she made. She was very pleased. A few worker bees had come in to heat food and were jealous that someone had brought me a very nice lunch and wondered how they could get the same gig. Ha!

While minding the temp's workload and mine, the day raced by passing each hour effortlessly... Had a relaxing IM with Yummy who returned to the world of work after several days off. We were watching the countdown on my blog for how many days until I see him. It is just 11 days away. Trying not to panic at how much work at home I still have to do before my trip. Eek!! I must review my list again...

An Improvement

Loose Reins

Last day of being spoiled talking to Yummy at 5am during a weekday. He was still on Easter holiday. The UK has more time off than we do. We still work longer hours in general and yet they are happier...Hmm..a theme is forming just don't know what yet. Maybe I will think on it as hurry off to face traffic. Sigh.

My reins at work were loosened. There was less pressure to gallop along ravines at breakneck speed. Still felt the occasional yank to get my attention...

The day had a mellow quality about it. Our backlog slowly disappearing so we could enjoy our work more. More laughing but steadily working.

Had lunch with Tawny, Jeff and Jeff's co-worker John downstairs at the cafe. We exchanged updates on our work and generally laughed at life. Even lunch tasted delicious. I had cut ham, greenie beanies, macaroni and cheese and a roll. Not exactly the Asian food I was craving, but they never have anything remotely close.

IMed with Yummy throughout the day. He always makes me feel great and provides a good diversion to the office blahs. I pushed myself in the afternoon and still stayed late. A vendor came through with some pricing and I ordered the downloadable software for a director and her team. Mentally reminded myself that we had another temp coming in to do clerical duties in the morning and to help organize bits upstairs in the 4th floor, and left for the day.

Remembered to call Jill from work on my cell on the drive home. She was having a Maalox moment with her daughter who was contributing her portion to teenage angst and anger. Give me a break. She's lucky I am not her mother. Life is not fair kid, so what? Put your big girl panties on, get over it and get moving. I am nice -- really I am!

Jill roasted a big leg of lamb the other evening. I mentioned that I didn't eat lamb, but she cajoled me into trying hers. She promised to bring me a lunch plate with all the fixins'. Jill is a good cook and I am trying to be open-minded about it.

It was raining tonight and made a damp chill in the air. I snuggled with a quilt on the sofa, fell asleep early and later got up for a proper bed.

Loose Reins

Afternoon Delight

Chasing sleep was easier today. Sleep found me instead dozing for a few hours. My eyes didn't care that bright sunlight flooded my bedroom. I set my alarm clock just in case I slept the afternoon away...

Today's technology makes it easier to communicate in a long distance relationship. Using a microphone on skype is a great way to talk to your boyfriend (or anyone overseas). You can talk for hours and also utilize the Internet, instant messaging and e-mail to share links, pictures and information you would normally share in person. It makes the unconventional relationship more conventional somehow.

Yummy learned to speak some Tagalog from the youtube link found in the entry earlier today. I also taught him two words that are not polite to repeat in company or in a blog. Sent him links on businesses that have interested me. I've dabbled in the idea of starting a cupcake bakery and also starting a home based business of Lil' Princess Tea Parties. Being an event planner has always held high appeal, too. Things of this nature are as easy to me as breathing.

I also shared the pics of yesterday's Easter festivities and he in turn sent a pic of his grandma Gwen's second wedding taken in 1959. I love the 50s. She wore white two-button gloves which charmed me the most.

After hearing Yummy recite to me several of his exquisite poems, I am convinced his voice needs to be recorded properly in a studio, etc. I could listen to him for hours and have, but wouldn't mind him reading an unabridged book while I drove. Getting all melty as I think on it more.

Ate delicious leftovers from last night and talked to Tawny for a bit to see how the Easter Bunny treated her. Her mother-in-law asked her to make lasagna to augment the meal she was serving the family. Not traditional Easter fixins', but it is all good.

Afternoon Delight

Sweepy Happens

Rolled out of bed at 5am and talked to Yummy for about three hours. He was my Easter Bunny and makes sense that he is playing in his garden today. (Bunnies love gardens, ya know!)

I came across these this morning. The featured group today on youtube was Filipino. You can Learn Tagalog or have fun in this office bit dedicated to my cousin Angie. This is the kind of humor I grew up with which might explain many many things. Both of these are from greenpinoy.

Let's see how the rest of my day goes...

Sweepy Happens

Holy Incense, AGOL!

Oh, Sweet Saturday -- how you've teased me all week! So happy you're here, my friend!

Enjoyed a talk with Yummy before he met a friend who was visiting him for the day. I was so delighted to talk to him in less stressful tones...

Caught up on my blog and forced myself to take a nap for an hour before I prepared to leave for an evening of Easter festivities. I managed to squeeze in almost another hour of talk time with Yummy (30 minutes turned into 45 minutes - so addicted to this man!). Afraid I was going to be late since I still had to stop at the gas station, but I was more than on time.

My cousin Ida's kids received their first communion and were confirmed into the Catholic church tonight. I agreed to become their sponsor since I am the only one my cousin knows who has been through the same thing and can be there for them as they receive their sacraments.

I am not a practicing Catholic for I have found my own peace with my worship of God especially having spent years being an active member of the church. I am a spiritual person, but I do not subscribe to religion as a whole nor the ideologies of The Church. Yummy and I have discussed this and he teased me that the crosses in the church would start turning once I entered it or the water fountains filled with holy water would start bubbling (a la Devil's Advocate with Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves). I half wondered myself, but they didn't move a smidge!

The twins looked great in their sea green dresses and their older brother Will looked grown-up in his white dress shirt under a black suit. It seemed only yesterday I had an infant William laying on my chest sleeping while I reclined on my uncle's chair.

This evening I helped Will put on his black silky tie. It had been a while since I had tied a man's tie, but it's like riding a bike, I guess. The psychological leap from an infant William to a 16-year old Will was throat constricting. I could feel pinpricks of tears come on.

Thankfully, I was diverted by a funny story of Cristina receiving unconsecrated wafer during rehearsal this morning. She received the wafer, got it stuck on the roof of her mouth and held her finger up to the priest as if to say hang on and then proceeded to dislodge the wafer with her finger while she was still in front of the priest. I pointed out that it was a faux pas and she cringed, covered her eyes and said her favorite curse word: Oh, biscuits!

We ate a good dinner before the long Easter service at a small family restaurant across from St. Anne's in Ruskin. Having a hearty meal beforehand really helped make the experience more bearable. The service started at 8:30pm and continued until 11:00pm with the acrid and the long-time familiar scent of incense woven throughout the service. We sat in the front and it was all I could do not to succumb to a coughing fit. All in all, it was beautiful and quite pleasant to watch the kids receive their sacraments.

My aunt ended up making the service which made the evening more special for all of us. I didn't even know she was going to try to make it. Afterwards I drove my aunt's vehicle to Ida's house so I could get my car and for us to enjoy some cheesecake and coffee with the family.

I finally made it home at 1am with Angie in California talking to me on the way home so she could make sure I got home safely. Home sweet home. Took care of Cabal, jumped online to wind down reading blog bits before making quick headway to bed for sleep well-earned.

Holy Incense, AGOL!

Miss America

Talking to Yummy for at least an hour each morning during his time off has been my saving grace. He's a positive sounding board. I like sharing even if it is not all roses. My name would be Stepford then.

My SVP was off today which meant that the pressure my group had been drowning in was lessened, but it didn't stop some crazy behavior from my users. I had gotten up to buy my lunch downstairs when I received a call letting me know I had 15 minutes to pay several thousand dollars to our local newspaper for an advertisement we were running. Did sanity simply run away? Oh my gosh. I am very sure there had been a quote involved somewhere since proofs had been signed off. Crisis was averted. My boss loved this bit.

The parking garage was empty today since it was Good Friday and several companies had the day off. We didn't. My boss left early and invited me to do the same. It wasn't urgent for me so I used the time to clean-up items left on the fringe. Sent several e-mails and generally used the quiet time to catch-up at my leisure. IMing Yummy was very nice, too.

I took my flowers home so I could continue enjoying them. I held them like Miss America holding her bouquet of flowers as she sashays down the runway during her victory walk. In my case, it was the hall followed by the elevator and a quick trip outside and up the parking elevators. I couldn't do the Miss America wave since the other hand was dragging my laptop wheelie bag.

Yummy had mentioned smelling fuel from someone cooking barbecue near his home. That sent off triggers. I stopped at Sonny's BBQ near my home and declared nirvana had arrived. One of things I love the most is barbecue....better yet -- barbecue and jasmine rice. Oh yeah, the AGOL was rocking her dinner with some reheated rice from the fridge. Not only did I get my victory walk, I also had my victory dinner.

And now, I would like to express my thanks to my Yummy for putting up with my freak show this past week. I would also like to make the cause of giving away sprinkles to everyone in the world to enjoy. That is my plan as Miss America to bring world peace. Everything is better with sprinkles! Thank you. (Applause...)

Miss America

Under the Gun

Never knew that the words bleak and ugly could be a mantra. There must be worse words to use, right?

Being under the gun more so than any other day of recent time has taken its toll on me. I decided to empower myself by writing a letter to HR to express my frustration. I didn't point fingers or anything. I blind-copied Tawny who said that it was a good move.

I received a response from that later in the afternoon from an HR generalist. I was invited to her office to discuss my note. She asked me what my thoughts were and I gave them to her. She said that the SVP and HR director had tried to come up with some solutions or changes in processes. I vehemently expressed that it wasn't the process but the lack of bodies to accomplish tasks. Including my boss, we were three individuals doing the job of seven.

Ever since the cutoff from our previous company after the buyout, things have snowballed because of the lack of additional personnel. My SVP doesn't really understand the process and how much effort is expended to accomplish things even working double-time. I have the feeling she is starting to though.

The pressure lessened a bit in the afternoon, but I was still miserable. My smile quotient for the day was closer to nil. Other people began to notice my less than sunshine demeanor. For them it was a sign that things were really bad. Some expressed their want to help, but didn't have the authority or training to do so. I can usually crack a self-pitying joke in the face of adversity, but I have none at the moment.

My bright moments were my morning skype session with Yummy and our IMs during the day. Stargazer lilies in my floral arrangement were beginning to smile and show off their blooms. I received many compliments on the flowers especially when their fragrance wafted a few cube aisles away.

Tomorrow is Friday. Whether it will be good or not is another matter.

Under the Gun

Hemlock Anyone?

Four a.m. is not a good time to wake up when you're an insomniac or are stressed, but there I was getting the dog to share my joy as we walked around the apartment complex. Yesterday's justification meeting weighed heavily on my mind. The thoughts were tinged with frustration and anger.

Yummy asked me how I was doing when we began skyping at 5am. I told him that I had already been drinking hemlock and chewing on penny nails. He didn't like that and expressed his concern. (Boy, am I glad he is off this week so I can get some Yummy therapy sessions!)

He received his Easter card today which plays "Yummy Yummy Yummy (I've Got Love in My Tummy)" by Ohio Express. Here you can listen to the Monty Python video version of it. I was giggling hard at the store when I first heard it and knew it would be perfect for him. It made him smile and he played it over skype.

Work consisted of mini emergency meetings (read as micro management) as a spillover from yesterday. My temp did not have the whole story so she didn't understand our urgency in getting our things clamped down since it was somewhat getting out of control. Trained my boss on my basic process which he took over the simple items while I tackled the more involved items. The pressure was astounding.

My day brightened in the early afternoon when I was the recipient of another breathtaking vase of flowers from Yummy. It couldn't have come at a better time. I was very grateful for the gift which proved an appropriate diversion. Yummy was taking a nap when I called him quickly to thank him. I also followed up with an e-mail containing these photos. I am the luckiest AGOL ever!





Overtime became mandatory this evening which aggravated my carpal tunnel. My elbow to fingertips really ached. By 6:30pm, my weeks of pent-up frustration spilled over causing me to call my boss in a tearful fashion expressing the unfairness of it all. I even used curse words which I never do with my bosses unless I am backed against the wall. The conversation was going well until my boss said something that caused me to lose a lot of respect for him. Not a smart move on his part.

Tawnyia came to my rescue and support. She was frustrated, too. (There is a bigger picture here but it is too complicated to explain. Let's just say her work issues and mine are interrelated.) At 7:40pm, I made my way home, but not before really studying my flowers and marveling at their beauty.

I received a call from Tawnyia around 10:30pm and we hashed out the office politics. We were loud in our rants, but we felt better...Tomorrow is another day closer to Saturday.

Hemlock Anyone?

Train Envy

Okay, so this morning I was thankful that Yummy was five hours ahead of me. We began our skype conversation at 5am my time/10am his time. He heard my morning voice again which I tried to clear up by drinking some tea. What a great way to start the day - a generous serving of Yummy to go with tea!

The news today included the French breaking railway speed records. Who knew the French were trying to set records? I always thought the Japanese had the cornered the market on that one. The French TGV Train reached 356mph travelling from Paris to Strasbourg. That just shows my ignorance; there is more to France than wine and cheese...

My work is being slowed down by our Accounts Payable department. I'm beginning to really detest researching stuff for them.

Had a surprise this afternoon. An e-mail that wasn't quite complete with information made its way to my SVP thus causing a chain of cluster **** reactions. She forwarded that to my boss who in turn requested in terse tones a meeting with me in his office. The raw data compiled was never meant to be seen by our department, but you know how that goes.

For almost twenty minutes, I found myself sitting behind my boss' desk "driving" the computer screens to illustrate the reality behind the raw data which did not make our department look good. My boss was relieved to find out that the information was not real in the sense of impending doom. I helped him break down and enumerate the data which he used in his reply to his boss, our SVP. My neck was so tight and crampy after that meeting that my back seized up momentarily during my walk back to my cubicle. Nothing like a charged meeting...

Dinner consisted of me boiling some dried tortellini filled with ricotta and spinach. Doctored a jar of tomato and basil sauce with fresh garlic and simmered to evaporate some of the water for a deeper flavor. Tossed the pasta and sauce together before sprinkling some Parmesan cheese on top.

It's only Tuesday and I am feeling weary already. I could use some of speed from the French train. Do you think they can bottle that up for me?

Train Envy

Inflation

My back left tire was so low that I could only drive it safely to the next station about one minute from my home. It had been getting low, but I chose to ignore and deny it's emptying state. I couldn't ignore it this morning if I was going to make it to work safely while driving on the interstate. Gasoline level was low, too. Sigh.

I managed to located the air machine that cost $0.75 per three minutes of usage. I hoped that it would be enough time for me to figure out how to work the darned thing. Was valiantly trying to avoid a scene that was a cross between The Keystone Cops and Benny Hill. I am embarrassed to say I am so inept at these things.

Dressed in full diva regalia, I took a deep breath, inserted the coins and uncoiled the hose with a metal contraption on the end that is supposed to help me inflate my tire. Oh good God, I thought. This thing looks complicated. Worse yet, it looks like a sex toy with a trigger. No time to think on that for I had to hurry and get the tire inflated in under three minutes.

I squatted down by the tire and managed to connect the air gun to the tire. I wasn't sure if air was getting in or out. Soon the tire began to rise which tickled me so much I would've danced a jig. An internal warning within me soon sobered the jig into disconnecting the air gun. Didn't want the tire to be overinflated or worse, explode from too much air. That would be just lovely.

If I could avoid the whole car thing, I would. I don't mind driving it, but taking care of it just makes my head spin. I do it anyway. Before I left the station, I filled up with gasoline and then noticed dark grease marks on my manicured fingers, a souvenir from my inflating the tire expedition. Grrr...

The day matched the morning which consisted of inflating my boss' e-mail box with dozens of my approval requests. He was pleased since it meant I was actually working my job instead of the invoice research from Accounts Payable. Still did the research and answered their questions though. How did I become their go-to girl?

IM'ed with Yummy who has the whole week off for vacation. Lucky duck. I still have to wait just under three weeks to have mine with him in England. I am filled with much anticipation, but hopefully not too deflated from work's pressure cooker to enjoy it.

Inflation

Marmite? No Joke

Happy April Fool's Day!

No, Sarah, it's not a joke. Something that sounds vile can taste good, Marmite, according to Yummy who smeared it on his toast this morning. The jury is still out in the UK and the company has cleverly designed a website with a Love-Hate theme. What is more vile than reading about it is this: Marmite Viral Video . I was never more glad not have had breakfast yet. Double Ew!

On a better note, I did have a wonderful late lunch/early dinner of the dubiously titled recipe from Real Simple called Pasta with Smashed Peas. I had all the ingredients like a proper AGOL. Because it didn't have a complex flavor, I ground up more black pepper for some zing. I also cut down on the pasta amount by half. You can have a heavy hand with salt in the pasta water, but don't add anymore to the finished dish. Oh, I reserved a bunch of the peas for texture and incorporated them just before serving plus they look nice mingling with the noodles. I also love feeling the peas bursting between my teeth when I eat them! There are a few more servings to enjoy.

Talked to Yummy a bunch today which warmed my AGOL self. Don't know if I mentioned it, but the counter on my blog displays how many days left until I am visiting him. It is a little intimidating, but I wouldn't miss seeing him for the world.

Yummy wants to try some Filipino food so I am perusing one of my cookbooks for recipes that are very Filipino, but not too Anglicized. Definitely have to make him some lumpia or Filipino egg roll with some homemade sweet and sour sauce. For him, we will have to cut some chili peppers to garnish the sauce. He has an adventurous palate and loves spicy food. Lucky AGOL!

Posting early today in case I get too tired to write after logging into work later. Anything to get ahead of tomorrow. Too bad that part is not a joke.

Marmite? No Joke

Up, Up and Away

Beautiful balloons were flying over me around 7:30am this morning as I made my way to my car for a quick errand. The airshow is this weekend in Tampa and the Brandon Balloon Classic, too. I forget how much I love hot air balloons until I see them again. Merci, Montgolfier!

Up, Up and Away