The Second Happiest Day Of The Work Year

Today is the second happiest day of the year here at ZCO: it is the day that we hear what our profit sharing "check" will be.  We still refer to it as profit sharing check, even though they are direct-deposited.  But I digress.  It is still the second happiest day of the work year.  The happiest day will be in a week and a half when the money is deposited in our checking accounts. 

Stay tuned.   

Soup-er Sunday

The kitchen smells soupish right now.  The Old Man and I did some chopping and we have a big pot of vegetable soup on the stove.  

As a kid, I never would eat Grandma's vegetable soup.  She would give me mostly the broth with a few potato and meat chunks.  But with the recipe we use now, I do everything except lick the bowl.  One of our former pastor's wife gave us the recipe years and years ago when my Sweet Mother found out she was diabetic.  The recipe was endorsed by the American Diabetes Association, too.  And best of all with this recipe is the fact that other than potatoes and celery, the vegetables are all canned.  Yes, I know that they're of sodium, but the recipe doesn't call for any salt, and in stead calls for a couple of spoons of chicken base. 

 

Where Hsve All The Good Men Gone?

What ever happened to being nice and helping people?  Evidently, some of my coworkers have forgotten all about those character traits. 

 

I didn’t pay attention this morning when I got out of the Odyessy in the parking lot and left the lights on.  When I went out at lunch to run an errand, I made this discovery.  But I digress. I limped back into the Engineering department (yes, my left knee is still hurting) and asked my friend AK if I could use the company’s jumper box.  He got it for me, and offered to come out and hook it up, but I told him I’d done it so many times on my old cars, I could do it with my eyes closed.  But the point I want to make there is that he offered to help.

 

Fast forward to a few minutes later when I was out there with the hood up on the van and connecting the cables to the battery.  Not one, not two, but four of my male coworkers all passed me by and did not help, or even ask if I needed help.  One of them was even parked right next to me in the parking lot.  It really pissed me off, but then I thought that they all will probably get bad karma from that. 

 

I told this to two of my best friends here, who in my opinion are two of the best guys I have ever been friends with, and both of them were pissed off.  One of them even asked if I would mind if he confronted those four.  I told him I appreciated his kind gesture, but I felt pretty confidant that all would get payback for being unkind.

 

 

 

Update From The Compound

 The kitchen smells awesome this morning - the Old Man and I made one of favorites: Margarita Cake.  I just took it out of the oven and I would like to just crawl into the middle of the bundt pan and eat my way out.  But I will use restraint, and let it cool and bit and then pour the awesome icing over it (which contains tequila, triple sec and lime juice).  

Large Marge is doing good.  Giving us an egg every other day or so - just enough for the Old Man's breakfasts. 

My knee is killing me today, but I'm not letting it keep me down.  I walk a bit every hour to keep from getting all tightened up.  I'm not going to lie - I'm dreading my trip to the grocery store this afternoon, but I just took some extra strength Tylenol and before I go I will put some Aspercreme on it. 

The Old Man is still doing pretty good.  His itching has eased up quite a bit, and for that we are thankful.

And speaking of thankful - we're glad it has quit raining. 

I Want To Live Mas

I apologize if I have already mentioned this; I'm getting old and forgetful.  But I am thrilled to death because they are building a Taco Bell about a mile from work.  Last Monday, they put up temporary fencing around the lot, and on Friday I saw where they had put a Port-A-Potty up by the fencing.  Then yesterday on my way home, I saw where they started to clear and level the lot and had spread some gravel.   

I just hope it's open before I retire so I can go there for lunch.  And the timing is perfect - some time in March, Taco Bell is re-releasing the ever popular Mexican Pizza. 

Update From The Compound

 I hope my Tuesday is better than my Monday.  

The Monday started out shitty.  I was coming out of my bedroom after getting dressed, and stupidly tripped over my own two feet and fell in the hallway.  Unfortunately, I landed hard on my bad knee.  And my face hit my cellphone I had in my hand, giving me a black eye.  Thanks to some concealer, it wasn't very noticable. 

After work, I had to go to my friend and former boss' house and feed the fish in his big pond in the middle of a monsoon.

Then, when I got back home, I did my part and went to the back field to pay my last respects to Maya, one of Neighbor Nick's German Shephards. I went out in my rain gear and boots to help him dig a fitting grave for her.  She was a great neighbor dog.  She loved my Sweet Mother and the Old Man.  When he would bring her and her brother Hunter over, she would always gravitate to my parents.  

Rest in peace, Maya.  

Scallop Sunday Review

 The Old Man and I were very pleased with my baked scallops and Bruschetta.  The scallops were tender and not rubbery, and the Bruschetta was straight up just like we get at our favorite Italian restaurant.  The Old Man said I scored a home run. 

As the weeks and months go on, I get more confidence in my cooking. I love it when someone says "that sure was good."