First Bites: Pizza & Burgers

When I get up in the middle of the night I am hobbling. It’s also hard when I drive somewhere, like work in the morning, then get out and have to walk across the parking lot to the door. Not sure how I’m going to do the Peachtree. Will has a number and I have a number, and Anna was just able to get a number as well. Shoot we have to walk over a mile just to get to the start line, then after the race another mile back to the car. I think we’ll drive two cars to avoid MARTA.

June 14: worked past 7:30 since I was leaving at three the next day. Got a bunch done but still have three projects and other smaller things to do. Sure am looking forward to Destin in July. Just getting it on the books is like a vacation itself.  

Ceil went to Tsunami Taqueria with her friends to celebrate a birthday. I stopped by Taco Bell and for a senior citizen soft drink they gave me an extra-large. Watched some of the game and some Seinfeld. Ceil came home and turned on the Hallmark Channel a bunch of Americans in “Paris.”

To change things up with Ceil out of town last week I decided to not shave for two weeks. No big deal but it drives her crazy. She kept asking when I’m going to shave. I keep telling her when, but she kept asking. Wanted to have it for the sales meeting and Braves game. Didn’t hold out to have it for church on Sunday.

Tuesday: Ceil had her women’s Bible study. I worked until 7:45. The more you dig into things the more you see that needs to be done. We’ll have a two week break starting July 2 to get caught up. Tough with no material or trucks. Got home at 8:20. Ceil had cooked a burger for me, with grilled onions on it. Good. I crashed on the couch and watched the Braves. Ceil came home and we watched The Middle.

Slept thirty minutes late Wednesday morning. Left work at seven, though I did get a good deal done between 5 and 7. Ceil had baked a chicken, mashed some potatoes, and tossed a salad. After eating I cut the grass. Finished that at 8:50. Good thing the days are long. Then I got the keys to pull Ceil’s car back in the garage. Barney loves to go for rides, so I let him scamper outside. He scrambled into the car, and I pulled it forward 25 feet. He wasn’t ready for it to be over.

Nothing on TV, so Ceil found a Hallmark movie to watch. An injured fireman and 911 operator find love. I went to bed before the big conclusion.  

Thursday night Ceil had to go to Perimeter Mall. I worked until 7:30 then met her at a new pizza place just west of the Roswell Square. Pizzeria Lucca only has this one location (I think) but had a decent crowd for a Thursday night at 8 pm. Almost a carbon copy of the Antico Pizza at The Battery and Avalon and other locations: wine, picnic table, get your own water, a roll of brown paper towels. Pizza is made, cooked, and served quickly. Pretty good. Thin crust but a decent amount of toppings. Thursday night was half price wine night, so Ceil indulged. Nice to have a trendy spot nearby, just a stone’s throw from Moxie Burger.

Got home and boxed four bobbles for shipment. Ceil found another Hallmark Channel to watch. This morning on the way to work I mailed the four boxes. Crazy busy today, as usual. Focus group tonight, then I might swing by SunTrust Park for some of the game.

Friday was busy busy at work. Constant all day long. Left at 6 pm because I had a focus group in 7 pm. When I left Norcross it was pouring down rain. But traffic was light on 285. Was paid to give my opinion on refrigerators. Dark blue interiors. No shelves on the doors, leaving more room in the main part of the fridge. Interesting. When I left Dunwoody at 7:30 the rain was clear.

Earlier Friday a vendor had Braves tickets come available, so I used them. The game had been delayed, and there wasn’t much traffic so I made it just after eight. I didn’t miss much. Two gates were still jammed but the Frist Base Gate was clear. I was headed there anyway to see my favorite usher. Got a nice t-shirt at the Clubhouse Store and left during the Seventh Inning Stretch. It was after ten when I got home. Ceil was watching an action movie: The Magicians. When it ended she went to bed. I watched the game until 12:45 am. Worked out.

Saturday morning I cleaned upstairs. Ceil fixed an eggy boy. Then we worked clearing out the overgrown wooded area of out back yard. I wore long pant and long sleeves and gloves. Sweated through one fishing shirt and changed into another. Cut with clippers, pulled weeds, and mowed almost the entire area. Ceil was trimming trees and bushes and planting plants. At one point I moved an old trash can (it had been my grandfather’s, from our old house on Hillpine). When I moved the can a ton of yellowjackets started buzzing everywhere. I let go of the mower and ran. Didn’t get stung. Sprayed the area with wasp spray and waited until they calmed down. Grabbed the mower and pulled it away, and avoided the area the rest of the afternoon.

Mowing that back area is exhausting because it’s hilly and drops of, plus due to all the high weeds, large sticks, stumps, and ivy you gotta hold tight to make sure your don’t mow something dangerous. Later I crashed on the couch. Was hard to walk the rest of the evening. Later I showered and drove Ceil to Lenox Square. Crowded. Parked in the deck and stayed in the car and deleted emails. Went through over 800 emails this weekend.

Then we drove north on Peachtree past Brookhaven and Oglethorpe to Chamblee, and ate at Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar. It was a sports bar with TV’s. The burger was great, cooked just the way I asked. Bun was the good, and just the right size. Fries were good. Onion rings were huge (I like my rings smaller and stringy). Ceil’s chicken sandwich wasn’t that good, but she ate it.

Sunday morning Ceil headed to JFBC and I drove down to Macon. Stopped by Taco Bell for a breakfast burrito. Spent $90.00 on phone chargers so I could get smart phones for my parents fired up, which then turned out to be a waste. Spent the afternoon in Macon working on phones and tablets. Not my area of expertise, but someone needed to help my parents. Also went to the 80th birthday party for a guy at our old church. Former softball teammate from forty years ago. Saw a few people I remembered, including my old boss from the chemical plant I worked at during the summer in 1980.

Made it back home after 9 pm. Long weekend. Lunch had been snacks at the party, but no punch or cake. No supper, just a large diet Dew to keep my awake on my drive. Trying to eat less. No leftovers to bring for lunch today so I brought PB&J. Stopped by Kroger for carrots, yogurt, and cereal. Finishing up my book by former White House press secretary Dana Perino.

I hope the Hawks draft choices turn out well. That guy they traded may be the next Dirk Novizski. Maybe the Oklahoma point guard will turn into the next Curry. I had read a Sports Illustrated article about him a few months ago.

Woe is me. People don’t listen. My dad complains about my mom’s mess, then he complains when she tries to do something to something about it. People don’t listen. We got a roof and computer and a doctor bills and rent and tuition and got our washer and dishwasher repaired and art lessons, but still need a floor downstairs and a floor upstairs and a shower repaired and a mattress and money to pay off debts. People don’t listen. I work sixty hours a week and sell bobbleheads and shoes and earn money taking surveys and at focus groups but it’s never enough. People don’t listen. It never ends.

Do you listen? Really listen? If you answered too quickly, you might want to stop and consider your answer. Be quick to listen and slow to speak.