It’s just one minute after high noon on a Monday and I’m already on my second Bloody Mary. Now before you look up AA in the phone book (It’s toward the front) to forward me the number..or start planning for a Lund intervention..chill.
I’m retired, it’s below zero outside, and I don’t plan on leaving our cozy little house today unless I run out of tomato juice. Besides, a BM just appealed to me this morning. Wait a sec, that doesn’t sound right. I’m talking about a Bloody Mary..not the other BM. Although, at my age, I find that either is pretty good any time the urge presents itself.
For years, whenever Linda and I were in Watertown, we’d make it a point to stop in to see Jack the bartender at the Zoom Zoom Room who made the best BM’s we’d ever tasted. Eventually, I was able to talk him into giving me his recipe which is pretty basic (vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, lemon juice, celery salt and three gianormous olives on a plastic skewer) but the proper proportions are critical to achieving the flavor we always enjoyed..at least for the first couple..then it doesn’t matter if you leave out everything but the vodka.
Steve Hemmingsen stopped over for a visit on Saturday. We didn’t drink BM’s..preferring, instead, to throw back a couple “diet” Cokes..which, if you were to see either of us in person, would clearly expose us for the hypocrites we are. I mean, if we were serious about cutting calories, we should be passing on those second helpings of pasta primavera or roast beef platters smothered in brown gravy. Anyway, we both laughed about our enormity and then lied on how how we definitely planned on doing something about it before we tip over in our soup.
Always good to see Steve, though, and he tells me he’s writing again. Well, it’s more like a daily e-mail dealing mostly with people and events in and around his new hometown of Hendricks, Minnesota. Of course, Steve isn’t afraid to offer up comments and personal opinions as part of his reports which the locals have long since come to expect, appreciate and occasionally blush over since they’re often included in the town gossip which he’s more than willing to pass along. Anyway, to read Steve’s daily offerings, just send him a note that you’d like to be included on his e-mail list. Here’s his address: anchor1@itctel.com
Let’s see, what else? Hang on..need to freshen my beverage. (note: out of lemon juice)
Since we’re going to have a house full of family again this year, Linda is in full Christmas preparation mode and following through on projects we’ve been talking about for years; namely turning our basically un-used front room into a full fledged dining room. Daughter, Patty was more than happy to take the couch and love seat from the front room. They were like new since nobody had planted a butt on the cushions in years. Now, we’ve moved my parents’ dining table, chairs, buffet and the tall clock, that my dad built, in there.
We had my brother, cousin and their wives over for a soup supper the other night and the décor met with everybody’s approval; bringing back fond memories of dining experiences at 525 Marvin Avenue, Volga, South Dakota.
We’ve also found a perfect spot for the Library table that came from Linda’s childhood home in Alcester. The only problem was there were no chairs to go with it. So, we spent Friday afternoon on a quest of antique and furniture stores looking for a set of 4 matching chairs that would fill the bill which we found at I-29 antique and collectables store just a quarter mile west of the Tea exit.
We were surprised at all the cars in the parking lot not realizing that I-29 Antiques is well known and been in business for about 30 years. It’s filled to the rafters with all kinds of neat stuff..including just what we wanted and at a ridiculously low price ($75).
We have some oak veneer damage to repair and will be recovering the mauve chair seats but love the match.
I was so motivated that when we got home I strung up both strands of LED Christmas lights to their assigned positions on little nails strategically located around the front deck. I was pleasantly surprised to find that all the lights lit up. I love LED. They’re not as bright as the other kind but they don’t burn out so fast either.
Hmmm, I can’t help but notice a personal parallel here; when I get lit up during the holidays, I tend to not be as bright either.
That’s it; time to put on a pot of coffee.
Irish Coffee??
Nah..better not.
