Last Business Day 2007

I had to work today and it was the last business day of 2007 and I had to work on this day to ensure that purchase orders faxed to our office were placed before Dec. 31. Bob drove Buddy and me to the office and I got started. We had some breakfast burritos from the Millenia Cafe in the Quorum Center office park and then he left to run his errands for the day.

There were ALOT of orders! The phones were only moderately busy, but I was continuously busy checking and faxing orders. By the end of the day I had faxed over $500k in new orders to the factories. I did not even get all of the orders faxed! Nobody will die if a few orders have to wait until Wednesday.

Bob returned shortly before 5 pm to pick us up. I locked the office up and we went back to Bob's house. We reached the point where we trusted Buddy enough to leave him in the apartment alone while we went out (we just shut the bedroom door to keep him from chewing shoes), and we think he naps while we are out.

We worked out in the evening and then enjoyed the pool and hot tub. The pool was frigid, but I eased into it a step at a time and was eventually swimming! That is my Polar Bear Swim for 2007!

Dinner was a half sandwich from Subway and then we curled up on the sofa to watch another movie. We were up until midnight watching TV.

Orlando, FL

Yesterday I came home and walked Buddy first thing. Then I made oatmeal and smoked porkchops for breakfast. I folded laundry and ran the vacuum cleaner.

In the afternoon I went to the garage and continued working on my wood jewelry box project. I carefully measured and practiced each cut on scrap as I cut dados to hold the top and bottom panels of the box and dados to hold the drawer slides. Then I sanded the inside surfaces and glued the drawer slides in place. I also glued the wenge stretchers to the bottoms of the panels and clamped them to dry overnight (see picture).

There was a little bit of glue squeeze out that will have to be sanded away today.

After setting the panels aside to dry I went to the rental office to get the UPS package waiting for me. I expected a can of cashews from Casa De Fruta sent by Craig, but it turned out that it was a Cinnamon/Almond Coffee Cake sent by Dan Wood!

I continued with miscellaneous domestic stuff - washing my tennis shoes, showering, shaving, reading, and ended up listening to the Trends magazine CD's that Craig left for me.

Around 5:30 Bob called. We talked while I walked Buddy and agreed to go for a walk and then watch a movie. We were outside walking downtown for about two hours and then we watched the movie, Core, until after midnight!

Bob had to go to work this morning, but he is only working half a day. On my way back home this morning I drove past FER and looked at the parking lot. As of 9 am Debbie had not been to the office. I wonder if she is even going to bother going in.

Will probably hang out with Bob again this afternoon. He is going to phone after work. He is putting a turkey breast into the crock pot for dinner and we are going to workout. Today will be a back and bi's day for me.

Christmas Cards

The following people sent Christmas cards to me this year in response to cards I sent out:

1. Barbara and Gary Gardner
2. Tom Dickie
3. Dan and Kris Wood
4. Elizabeth Shirer
5. Nancy Baranet
6. Rick Mullis
7. Fay Lewis
8. Kevin and Marrissia Batson
9. Becky and Bill Caldwell
10. William and Suzie Trabazo
11. Edie Petrich
12. Debbie Owings
13. Bob, Etta, and Clayton Caldwell
14. Jeff and Prudy Grossenbacher
15. Chuck Baran
16. Kim and Joe Pickering
17. Gabe and Sheri Puerto
18. Barbara and James Hacker
19. Rose Kline
20. Carolina Porta-Reyna
21. Patricia Petrich and Family
22. John and Amy Lien
23. Mike and Pam Foreman
24. Doug and Annie Wall and Family
25. Mylez Edward Andrews
26. The Hodges Family
27. John Thigpen
28. Mary Summers

Not too bad I guess. I sent 40 cards out, but a few came back as undeliverable. I think Louise Smith died or has moved in with her son now. Was told Bob and Jeanne Smith are in poor shape too.

Christmas Day

When we got up Christmas Day we went out to find a place open for breakfast but everything was closed in the immediate downtown area. We had to walk to Highway 50 to the IHOP on Summerlin. I had a very big breakfast of two eggs over medium, bacon, hashbrowns, and stuffed French toast.

Bob asked me what I wanted to do for the day. I requested that whatever we do that we include Buddy. He suggested we drive to Blue Spring State Park and see the manatees in the natural spring there.

The park is near Orange City and is about a 30 minute drive from Orlando. It cost $5 to get in. We walked down to the spring run to look. The water was sooo clear! We could see all kinds of fish in the water - needlenose (pictured left), gar, catfish, and then a few manatees. The manatees inhabit the spring in the winter because the water is 73F year-round. Buddy was very excited and his claws made alot of noise on the aluminum dock!

After making our way to the end of the spring run we walked one of the wooded trails. The trail was signed as 4.5 miles long. I suspect it was longer than that but the measurements conflicted. I think we walked back more than five miles and we still did not reach the end of it, but the sun was getting low and I decided it was time to turn back.

We saw several deer in the woods and areas where either a controller burn occurred or where the growth was leveled as a firestop. I saw lichen on trees that had a strange, Christmassy green and RED color to it!

It was after sundown when we reached the beginning of the trail. There was a park ranger parked at the end of the trail. He asked us if we were camping and then scolded us for being on the trail after the park closed. He said "It's Christmas Day and me and the other people here looking for you want to go home to be with their families!!" I saw that arguing with him was useless and just started saying "Yes Sir!".

What I wanted to say was, "Yeah? Some fucking manhunt you have going on here! You found us alright -- 60 feet from our car!" Lazy bastard never got out of his truck to look for us and the entire time we were on the trail we only passed two other people. After we were were in the car we laughed about it.

Bob agreed to let Buddy spend the night at his house and we went back there. We put Buddy in the spare bedroom while we went to look for dinner. Most every place was closed but we found a bar that had a limited menu. We got sandwiches and went back to the building. We stopped on the 5 floor and went to the Sundries Shop to get milk and a can of tuna for Buddy to eat.

We layed on the soft and watched movies again, but we were both pretty tired from the day of walking!

Orlando, FL

When we got up Sunday morning we drove to my apartment to walk Buddy. Bob decided that we could take him back with us. So we went back downtown and took Buddy up to the apartment and left him on the balcony while we went out for breakfast.

We went to The Breakfast Club on Pine Street. The Breakfast Club specializes in breakfast. I had a gigantic breakfast burrito. When we finished up we got a piece of foil and put our leftovers in it to take back to Buddy.

Bob had to go to Daytona Beach to get things from his parents house and take over to his parents in the nursing home. We rode up I-4 and stopped at the house, then Bob dropped us off at a park while he went to the nursing home. He picked us up about 45 minutes later and we drove back to Orlando.

We took Buddy back home and then went back down town. We walked to the Subway restaurant on Orange Avenue and got 6" subs and came back to watch a couple movies on DVD. I took the attached picture of the Moon and Mars in the eastern sky around 10 pm.

We got to sleep around midnight.

Orlando, FL

On Saturday morning I came back to the house to walk Buddy and feed him. I took laundry out of the dryer and folded it. I read a little bit of my book and I took an afternoon nap. I wanted to work on my wood project, but decided that I was still tired from the night before and did not want to risk cutting fingers off or ruining project.

In the evening I dressed up and met at Bob's apartment. We drove out to Lake Buena Vista and met his boss and bosses partner at Epcot. We watched the Candlelight Processional (narrated by Edward James Olmos) and walked the World Showcase. There was an awesome fireworks show at the end!

We stopped at my apartment on the way back home so that Buddy could go outside for a quick walk. Then I went home with Bob.

Orlando, FL

Got out of work an hour early - 4 PM - yahoo!! I took my Christmas cards (pictured here) home with me. At home I started laundry and vacuumed.

I called Bob, like I said I would, and asked what he was doing. He wanted to know if I had dinner plans and I agreed to meet him. I had to shower and dress first. I told him I would call again when I left.

I took a chilled bottle of Ray's Station 2002 Merlot with me as I headed out. When I was about two minutes from his apartment building I phoned again so he could come down to the street to open the garage up. We drove up to the fourth level and parked my truck in his spare parking space. Bob has a nice two-bedroom, two-bath condo on the fourth floor of the Waverly. His unit faces east - mostly upon a construction site as the neighboring Paramount Building is still under construction.

We walked over to Summerlin and ate dinner at Wildside - a barbecue place. Then we went back to his place for wine. I spent the night.

Orlando, FL

I meant to blog last night but I guess I had too much on my plate. Then I meant to update my blog during spare moments today at work, but that did not happen either.

FER got its annual maple syrup shipment started yesterday. UPS supplies arrived and Debbie came in and packed syrup with fry pans in boxes. I had already printed out the UPS shipping labels. I think we shipped to 14 consultants yesterday and I sent 12 bottles to Neil and 12 bottles to Greg.

At lunch I pre-measured all of the ingredients for another try at spritz-type cookies. When I got home in the evening I tried again. This time I was successful at getting 13 (one bakers' dozen) extruded onto the pan with the new electric cookie press Fay gave me. I baked those. Huge mess. Huge frustration.

I just keep telling Fay that I will eventually get the recipe right, but really, the press is just too weak for the job. I might have to buy a heavy-duty cookie press on Chefs.com and make cookies and then just tell her I made them with her Christmas present to make her feel good. It's the thought that counts and her gift was very very thoughtful!

After Buddy got his walk I showered and dressed for the gym. I took Buddy with me in the truck, but we had to go to The Sports Authority first. It fell to me to get some kind of golfing gift for our UPS deliveryman, James. I found an electric putting cup for $12 and a box of balls on clearance for $6. That satisfied that requirement.

Next I went to the gym and did my 5-minute run and then shoulders, chest, and tri's, but I did them abs, chest, shoulders, and tri's order.

When I returned home I saw that my new friend, Bob, called and left a voice message on my phone. So I called him back and we talked until around 11 pm.

Today was another busy day for me. God, just get me through this week! At lunch I had to go clear across town to deposit the check Mom sent me before I ended up overdrawn on checking! I stopped at Chik-Fil-A for lunch and used the free Chik-Fil-A sandwich coupon to get lunch. I was gone for two hours at lunch and Buddy didn't even get walked!

The rest of the afternoon stayed continuously busy with service issues and a couple of large orders. I am glad the week will be over tomorrow and a loooooong weekend will begin!

I phoned Mom shortly before 5 pm to make sure she got her Christmas cactus (pictured here). She said it came around 3:30 pm and that she was surprised how big it was. She said it is about 8 times larger than the one Dawndee gave her last year! Pat said that she had never seen a Zygo Cactus with as many flowers on it as the one I sent.

Yup, Proflowers.com came through for me again!

Mars

After I returned from the gym lastnight I put the telescope out on the balcony to cool off. I decied that I would try to take a look at Mars. Around 9:30 I picked up the scope and lens, threw the tripod legs over my shoulder and walked down to the golf course and set my telescope up and in a few minutes had Mars in the focus.

Clear and cold. The best nights for seeing are clear and they are usually the coldest nights too.

There was a very chilly breeze that made my eyes water and every time I would touch the scope to focus or track I would have to wait for the vibrations to settle down again. I got the planet focused into a small (smaller than pea-sized) rusty disc. I think it was my imagination, but you could just make out the ice-covered north pole of the planet (on the bottom because objects are inverted in astronomical telescopes).

I got back inside around 11 pm and went straight to bed. I left the doors slightly open to keep the house cool all night.

I told Fay about my observing last night. She was surprisingly familiar with reflector telescopes and the fact that objects appear upside-down in them! Her father was an astronomy buff. She told me that as a little girl she had been to Palomar Mountain to see the giant 200-inch telescope there!

We are getting boxes ordered and making UPS mailing labels for the FER annual maple syrup mailing. We are sending an 8-inch fry pan along with each bottle of syrup. Debbie is supposed to handle the entire thing, but Fay and I both know that we will end up doing most of the work.

This evening I tried to make shortbread cookies in the new cookie press. Unsuccessful. The dough was too firm. The directions say to add an egg if it is too stiff and add flour if it is too wet. Well, maybe next time.

USAA wants me to log onto their website to tell them how to give me my shareholder distribution. Why can't they just take it off of my insurance premium?

I got a few things at Walmart for Fay's dog and cat. Some toys, treats, etc. I am sure she will appreciate that. There is a ton of shit at Walmart waiting for eager shoppers that aren't showing up. Rumor has it that the clearance sale may actually start THIS weekend!

Orlando, FL

On Saturday I walked Buddy first thing, then I had coffee. I had laundry to fold and was lamenting to my friends online that I gave my maid "Mercedes" the weekend off! LOL!! Eventually the laundry was folded and I got some reading done. I made a big pot of vegetable soup with stew beef, onions, canned lima beans, canned black beans, canned okra, canned tomato juice and a bag of frozen veggies about a year old. Then in the afternoon I took a nap.

In the evening I got a shower and got cleaned up to go to John Camp's Christmas Party at The Waverly. I had to drive around for awhile to find a parking space. I ended up about two blocks away. That would not be so bad, but I had to carry a giant poinsettia and a Tupperware box full of chocolately sweet dessert.

This time his apartment was cool enough -- the AC gave out in the hallway! He sets up tables in the hallway and lays all the food out there. He had coolers full of all kinds of alcoholic beverages. He doesn't have to worry about gate crashers because the elevator needs a security code to come to his floor (he owns both condos on the 22d floor).

The party was kind of weakly attended. John estimated that out of all the people who said they were coming, about 30 did not show up! I was there until around 2 am and helped get the food brought in, tables taken down and everything cleaned up. We left him with 150 Million Calories in foods!! He is flying to London on Monday for another tour of Europe.

As I was driving home it began raining. During the night it really stormed - I heard thunder and I heard the rain beating on my window! The next morning I saw that the oak tree next to the back gate snapped. Evidently a tornado took the roof off of the Pasco County Jail too!

On Sunday I took Buddy downtown and we walked a few laps around Lake Eola. Then I had to come home and sand the bevel on the back of my project lid. Also, I promised myself that I would plant these pear seeds I saved. So, I quickly got some potting soil and planted pear trees in little plastic applesauce cups.

The temperature dropped Sunday night. I left the doors to the balcony open during the night. This morning the temperature was in the 40's! Chilly!

I went to work early to un-fuck the fax machine (Evelyn deleted all of the phone numbers out of it on Friday). Fortunately there is a computer utility to uploading them again and I was able to put 95 phone numbers back in about 45 minutes!

When Fay arrived she had a Christmas gift bag for me! She got a motorized cookie press for me!! It has 20 patterned inserts and 4 icing tips too! She remembered that I wanted a cookie press or icing kit to put yoke mixture into devilled eggs! That was a very thoughtful gift!

Sunny and cool all day today. I think it is going to be very cool again tonight. Back and bi's in the gym tonite - I sure hope I don't catch pnuemonia! This is the last full week we have to work this year!

Weekend

Another busy day at work. Evelyn came in the afternoon to "fix" the print feature on my fax machine. All she succeeded in doing was erasing the phone directory on the fax! That took me a week to put in last time!!

After lunch I took in the nearly finished lid to my box project to show Fay and Craig. Both of them just gushed about how good it looks. I guess I will have the whole box done around late Feb or early Mar.

FER-Orlando finished the week around $232k. We do not know how Hollywood did because Barbara Hacker has been out all week on vacation. Evidently Barbara is the only one who knows how to log orders down there.

In the evening I made the Reese's Cup and Almond Joy no-bake bars I am taking to John's Christmas Party this evening. I ran the vacuum, watered the plants, and did laundry.

Today I need to fold the laundry, clean glass in bathroom, clean kitchen and bath floors, and be sure to get a nap before going to the party.

Orlando, FL

This evening I got Christmas cards from Carolina (FER-Hollywood), my buddy Rick, Aunt Edie, and Patty Petrich.

During lunch I cut notches in the fingerpull on the lid of my wood project using the jigsaw. Then I ground them square with the Dremel tool. This evening I need to hand sand all of the wenge pieces and then start gluing the lid together. It looks nice and I am encouraged. I will have a picture soon.

I browned short ribs in peanut oil this evening after walking Buddy and then I put them into the crockery kettle with a sauce made with honey, water, soy sauce, anise flower (I used crushed anise seeds), chopped scallions, sliced ginger, Sichuan pepper corns (I used ground black pepper), and a stick of cinnamon. That is going to cook all night long. I found the recipe in Men's Health magazine.

I am glad this week is almost over. Tomorrow night I have to do laundry, clean floors, and start making a dessert for the party on Saturday night.

Orlando, FL

Today was sunny and warm.

Evelyn came in to help us with our computer problems. She mostly succeeded in keeping me from working for 45 minutes and left without my problem solved.

Lunch today was a Lean Cuisine meal. Then a quick walk for Buddy. I was conscientiously back two minutes early. Then Fay went out for her two-hour-long lunch.

Cut my hair back to the scalp in the shower this morning. Going to put more color in my goatee and moustache this evening before I go to the gym. I want to look nice for the party this weekend!

Orlando, FL

Today was a beautiful day in Central Florida. I think the high was 84F, it was sunny, and there was a breeze.

I phoned Jason at work to let him know about Velma and Paul. He said they did not know about it, but he would tell Dad. He said that Rosie is still alive, but a little senile, and he re-iterated that Bob Crocker, Thereasa's husband, is still among the living. He said that Bob and Jeanne Smith are in poor condition. He doesn't think Jeanne will make it through the winter.

Debbie came in and used our Test Kitchen to make cookies, breads, and Christmassy crap. I sampled one oatmeal cookie and that was all. Fay was just glad that she cleaned up her mess after herself.

Fay was very pleased with the birthday card we got for her. When you open it it plays conga music! She took a very looooong lunch today to watch the baby while her daughter Francella went grocery shopping.

Today in the mail my card to Louise Smith was returned with a "No Such Name" label on it. I wonder if she's gone too?

Velma and Paul Grossenbacher

This evening when I checked my mail I found a small envelope in the box with a return address to Sunset Farm, Jeff & Prudy Grossenbacher, 7536 Giddings Road, Rootstown, OH 44272.

I figured it wouldn't be good news. Velma and Paul stopped returning Christmas cards years ago when their health started to decline.

Inside there was a note on a 5x8 lined sheet:

Dear Vince,

We got your nice Christmas card & want to write you to tell you both Velma & Paul have passed to a better place this past year. Velma died in Feb. & Paul in May, both peacefully. They talked about you and I'm sure are watching over all of us with a smile.

Thank you for remembering,

Jeff Grossenbacher

That made me sad. They were nice people.

I am glad Jeff wrote back so that I wouldn't continue to send Christmas cards forever not knowing.

Weekend

Friday night was spent washing laundry and cleaning floors. I watered all of the plants and swept off the balcony too.

On Saturday morning I went to Home Depot to look for hinges for my wood project. The smallest brass hinge they had was was too big. So, I decided I would have to order them online from Lee Valley.

Next stop was BJ's Wholesale Warehouse where I got six cases of flavored carbonated water, a small corned beef brisket for my New Years meal, five pounds of hamburger, a large package of stew beef, and a case of yogurt.

On the way home I passed a wreck at John Young Parkway and McLeod - a semi truck transporting garbage for the city turned over in the intersection and there was trash all over the place!

When I got home I stacked all of the water in the garage and put the cold items away. Then I folded laundry from the night before.

I do no remember what I ate for dinner on Saturday, but I opened a bottle of Ray's Station 2002 Merlot. I am glad I can buy that wine locally now.

On Sunday I made coffee and took Buddy for his walk. When I went out later I found a police car in the parking lot with lights flashing and people standing around. A Croatian girl who lives in Building 11 came in at 2:30 am Saturday night and hit two cars (while she was drunk we suspect). Thank God she didn't hit my truck - I left it outside because I was planning on doing wood work.

For about three hours Sunday afternoon I worked on my wood project. I practiced each cut with scrap before moving on to the work piece. I cut the dado on the front of the lid that receives the handle or fingerpull, with the 1/4-inch dado blade still in the saw I cut the dados on the wenge breadboard next.

I had to change the dado blade to 3/8-inch wide, then I cut the rabbets on the left and right side of the lid. These ended up a hair too thick, but after quickly sanding them the breadboard slid right over them! I just have to notch the fingerpull and use the router to cut a 45 degree chamfer along the back and I will be ready to glue up the lid!

Next I just quickly sanded all of the rest of the pieces. This maple really has some beautiful grain! It is going to be gorgeous when I finish it.

I cleaned up after myself - so much fine dust!

After a quick shower I took Buddy in the truck and went to Subway for a sandwich. We came right back here, but he likes to go out. I pinched off part of my sandwich and dropped it into his bowl.

I took a two hour nap in the afternoon, and then read for awhile. Soon it was time for Buddy's evening walk.

Today was a busy day working on Betsy's Capital Equipment Quote. This quote ended up being 56 pages long! Quote value is $1.6 Million. Over the next couple of weeks Betsy will negotiate the pricing down, but it will still be a sizeable project.

Orlando, FL

I felt tired and sore all day today despite the fact that I took lastnight off from the gym. I don't know, maybe I am coming down with something.

Continued to work on the big quote for Disney. I have over half of it done now.

I think today's high was 71F. It was cool and dry today.

In my mail this evening there was a letter from US District Court Settlement Administrator. Evidently I was involved in a class-action lawsuit against Visa for overseas ATM/Debit card withdrawals between February 1996 and November 2006. I have a $25 refund coming!

Tonite I am working on back and bi's in the gym.

Ultrasound

Today I made a little bit of progress on Betsy's capital project, but only a little. I have 20% of it done now.

Craig was in this morning and he put a prime rib into the ConvoTherm oven. It turned out "okay". It was seared on the outside, just light pink on the inside, and the juice running out was clear, but it was very tough. The recipe called for almost 4 hours at 140 F, but we took it out after 20 minutes.

I went to Sand Lake Imaging today for ultrasound pictures of my liver. While waiting in the lobby I read the back of the prescription and it said I should not have eaten 6 hours before the scan! Well, the PA never told me that!

During the photo session the technician asked me if I had eaten. "Yes, I had soft cheese and some crackers around 11:30 am". He said he could tell because my gall bladder was contracted. He said it does that when you eat fatty foods (like the cheese). If I felt pain after eating fatty food it would be an indication of a gallstone, but because we were not looking at the gall bladder, it did not matter.

When I returned to the office Fay said, "I have to leave early. Francella needs me! The other grandma is sick today!" I could not believe what I was hearing. "She needs you for WHAT?!! She'd better get used to this, she has 18 more years of this ahead of her." And just like that, Fay was gone. This part-time shit is getting VERY STALE. Needless to say, very little of my work got done after that.

I am very tired today. The neighbors did laundry between 2 am and 3 am. Their washing machine is on the otherside of the wall from the head of my bed.

Orlando, FL

The people upstairs came home around 9:30 pm and immediately turned their rap music up on high. It was so loud my recessed ceiling lamps were vibrating and I thought they were going to come down! Somebody on the first floor walked up there, knocked on the door, and told them to cool it.

When I renewed my lease today at lunch I told Gladys and Thereasa about it. They put a 7-day Eviction Notice on their door this afternoon. I am sure that will make them happy.

It was cool outside when we went out for our walk. I think it was 48F.

Today was very hectic in the office. The phones were very very busy. I started working on Betsy's 2008 Capital Equipment Bid today. It is 15 pages long and has 156 items on it. I got one page done. She wants it back Monday.

I am tired, but I still intend to go to the gym tonight. Shoulders, chest, and tri's tonight.

Orlando, FL

Well, that was another Monday.

It started out easy enough with only one order on the fax machine. I was about 40 minutes ahead of schedule by 8:30 am! But Customer Service issues and quote requests quickly wiped out my head start.

The UPS man delivered our Varimixer 5-quart Bearcub mixer today.

At lunch I went out and got chef's salads and brought them back to the office. Fay took her's and one for Francella and went to see her grandson. She was gone almost two hours!

I let Craig and Fay know that I will be vacationing March 11 to 19, returning to work on March 20. They are completely okay with that.

Making some chili right now with turkey, onions, diced tomatoes, green chili peppers, black beans, red kidney beans, and a pint of tomato juice Aunt Linda canned.

Tonight is back and bi's at the gym.