DDD: Garlic Burger, Wildflowers and Wizards

On Pioneer Day, Tracie, Angel, Amy and I decided to check out a local dive/bar, the Cotton Bottom.

When we arrived around 12:30, the tables on the patio were already packed with patrons and had to go inside to find a table. The bar is run down and dark, but clean enough as far as I can tell. The bartender came over to serve us and we told him that we were there for what makes them famous. "Four garlic cheeseburgers coming up! Anything to drink?" Our Cokes came in red plastic cups and as far as I can tell, free refills.

The presentation was simple, just the burger, a bag of chips and a pepper. It wasn't too garlic-y (which I am grateful for) and the burger is on what looks like a nice soft french bread. It was delicious! The burger was large enough that I should have stopped at eating just half of it, but it was so good I didn't want to waste it.

After that big of a meal, we had to somehow work off the calories, so we went for a little nature walk at the nearby Albion Basin.

Due to the large amount of snow we got this year, I think we might have been a little early for the flowers, but the few we saw were pretty.

As I just got done listening to "A Room With A View", this is my impersonation of Miss Honeychurch ... without the white linen dress or the field of violets, but good enough to remind me of the novel.

Although the skies were overcast, it was plenty hot and we finished the day by cooling off with a frogurt (frozen yogurt) and into a movie theater and saw the last installment of the Harry Potter movie franchise.

A good day's outing with good friends, good food, some exercise and a little bit of nature and some good entertainment.

I shall name it ... "Hugh"

No, I didn't get a pet, but I am now a proud owner of a TheraCane I've named "Hugh".

I've not had a massage since earlier this year and when I saw my massage therapist today, I was really tight. Since I can't afford to get a massage as often as I'd like (at least monthly), she recommended this gadget, the TheraCane. It is a massager that looks like a shepherd's crook with various knobs that you hold as shown in the picture. Complete control of the pressure and on the spot that really need the work ... Ahhh! It looks strange, but it is a wonderful device.

A few years ago, someone at the office had one of these massagers at her desk and people were constantly borrowing it. We fondly referred to it as "Fabio". Without fail, when stressed coworkers use it to loosen sore muscles, the first words said would be, "Ahhh ... that's the spot, Fabio." We were really sad when the owner of Fabio left the firm at took it with her.

Needless to say, I found a store that carried it and got my very own today ... and those who know me, know why I'm calling it "Hugh". Oh yeah ... that's the spot, Hugh.

Journey/Foreigner/Night Ranger

Oh yeah, did I mention? I went to the Journey, Foreigner and Night Ranger concert at the Rio Tinto Stadium this past week. I met up with a couple friends at Crown burger (which was a bit further from the stadium, but beats paying $20 or $10 to park closer) for dinner and still had to spend so much money on food in order to be able to park at the restaurant's parking lot legally. They (Rio Tinto) made me dump out the water in my bottle upon entering the stadium only to be gauged by paying $4 for a small bottle of Fiji water or opt for the warm water from the drinking fountain. Not a good start. The narrow and uncomfortable seats made me feel rather claustrophobic and with the weather being so hot, it made Rio Tinto one of my least favorite venues. It was amazing how much cooler it was the minute the sun went down in comparison. While nothing happened with drunken fellow attendees at the concert worth writing about (unlike the 2008 concert at USANA), the group of 7 in front of us must have had at least 5-6 beers each and they were at times a lot more entertaining than the bands on stage.

Night Ranger performed first and since I only recognized a couple of songs, I could take them or leave them. Foreigner was better and Journey was great (one guess as to which group I came to see). They performed a few songs from their latest album, Eclipse, as well as the classics that would disappoint fans if they didn't sing them. Comparing this concert to the previous one I attended in 2008 where Journey headlined with Cheap Trick and Heart, I prefer the 2008 concert. Not just because I prefer Cheap Trick and Heart to Foreigner and Night Ranger, but the song list was just a lot better. Was it a good concert? It was decent. Would go to it again and pay the money I did to see Journey at Rio Tinto? No, I think I'd rather stay home and listen to the CD.

Walking back to the car, I felt like cattle being herded. Again feeling a bit claustrophobic and hoping not too touch anyone around me ... There were a group of people handing out flyers for midget wrestling, starring Mr. Big. Seriously?

Aqua Zumba

In our attempt to be more active and have a buddy to be accountable to, Julie and I went to an aqua zumba class at the local community rec center. The class KICKED BUTTS!

I wasn’t thrilled about having to get into a bathing suit, but there were 59 people in attendance in all shapes, sizes and activity level and that made me feel a ton better. The music was loud, the water cool, the muscles worked … It was a lot of fun and I came home sore, but feeling good. I’m looking forward to making this a regular routine. Anyone want to join us?

Sticks and stones ...

There is a paralegal at the office who doesn’t like me. I don’t know what I ever did to get on her bad side, but needless to say, she hates me. No, really … she hates me. She doesn’t ever give me the time of day and when she does talk to me, it is in as few words as possible. She has been out the last few months due to illness. However, she was well enough to come in to see the firm president yesterday (I’m guessing to discuss her future employment with the firm).

My friend of about a decade, KLM, is the firm president’s new secretrary and said paralegal took the time to talk to her before she left. I received the following email from KLM yesterday:

I told her I learned about the job here from you, but it didn’t stop her from trashing on you for a second. It made me uncomfortable!!

She made a fuss over how quiet it is in my area, and how much I must love that, and how much she would love that. Then she said the area where she worked wasn’t quiet at all. “Well, that is, it would’ve been quiet except for Inge. She talks loud and she never stops talking.” Apparently that was the main thing you supposedly did that bugged her – I think maybe she was just jealous that you’re friends with everyone here and that you have fun joking around with everyone here and everyone likes you and thinks highly of you.

I really didn’t think that this would bug me, but apparently talking about it shows that it does bug me.

FYI -- I am no louder than her (especially when she screams because she doesn’t hear someone coming towards her cubicle, which unfortunately happens quite often and makes me wonder what she is up to in her cubicle that makes her so jumpy). I don’t talk incessantly. What am I supposed to do if someone comes up to me and talks to me? Tell them to go away? I am a very social person and I am friendly towards my co-workers and I have very social bosses who enjoy chatting around my cubicle (even when it’s not chatting with me) … yet, I am blamed for all the noise in this corner of the office.

I must say that I have enjoyed not having her around to throw my print jobs away. The no blood curling screams is also welcomed. Not to mention, now that her return to full employment is in question, the extra cubicle she had commandeered for the last few years to dump all her "old" work in (which she refused to give to other paralegals to do) is now organized and sent off to their proper storage.

Oh, did I mention? She had also complained that I whistled too much while I work … apparently, that too, bugs her. I can do no right ...

HoJo Concert

Yeah, I know ... I'm stuck in the 80s. Went to a concert tonight featuring Howard Jones (aka "HoJo") with my friend, Dave. HoJo performed songs from his "Human's Lib" and "Dream Into Action" albums. Still a great voice and performer. It was as sold out concert and the fullest I've seen the amphitheater. The local chapter of the HoJo fan club was definitely there. I had to smile hearing the people around me sing along. I thought I knew most of his songs from listening to his greatest hits album, but I think I may have listen to the songs on the two albums performed. We felt a couple of raindrops, but never amounted to anything. Great evening, good concert.