Waiting In Wilmington

Watching the big trucks drive by in Wilmington, Delaware.


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2017: The Wild Life Of Trucking
2016: Special Order
2015: Clooney Was Not At The End Of The Pier
2014: Where They Build Palaces Out Of Corn
2013: Modern Market Girl
2012: A Berry Good Time
2011: Traveling Through Mountain Ranch
2010: Backroads
2009: If Only I Could Fit All Of This Information On A Bumper Sticker…
2008: Gambling Haze
2007: Published
2006: Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Cycle On Down For A Taco Or Two

The OK Bicycle Shop Bar & Grill in Mobile, Alabama.  Don't let the exterior fool you - they serve Tres Leche Mexican Toast, Pork Belly Tacos, and Smoked Duck Nachos here.

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2017: If Only I Could Bottle This...
2016: Climbing The Regal Horned Lizard 
2015: The Valley Of The Temples 
2014: The Day The South Fell Apart...Again 
2013: Island Graffiti 
2012: Four Seasons Of Food To Conquer 
2011: Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head 
2010: As Seen On TV 
2009: Eddie Polishing His Chrome Friday 
2008: Traveling With Your Cat 
2007: Getting Wet In The Next County 
2006: Down With O.P.P. 
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Laugh Out Loud

The following quips are from my favorite Instagram account, Sarcasm Only.  The posts on this account make me laugh out loud at least once a day.  I promise you that you'll find something that makes you laugh. 

Go on, click on the link above and scroll through the account.  You're welcome.

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2017: American Power
2016: I'd Rather Be Listening To This All Day
2015: North Shore Surfin'
2014: Calling It A Day
2013: Eight Ways To Take It Easy
2012: Dinner With Friends
2011: This Is What Sheer Joy Looks Like
2010: I’ll Have The Tootsie Rolls And The Butterfinger And The Lollipop And The Gummi Bears And The Hershey Kisses And The Snickers Bar And The M&M’s And…
2009: Meals On Wheels
2008: Mercury Dropping
2007: James Cameron For $79.99 A Night
2006: The Town That Big Tobacco Built
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’tstart until May 2005!

Parked For The Night

Instagram shot of the sun setting at the Flying J in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.  A nice ending to a rainy, overcast, super-gloomy day.  And that's not a complaint, days like these are one of my favorite kinds!


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2017: Red Lamp District
2016: Walking Along The Canyon Of Gold
2015: Aloooooooha
2014: Better Than No Touch Freight
2013: The First Step Is To Admit You Have A Problem
2012: The Top Five Sweet Scents In My World
2011: A Weekend Full Of Bright Stars And Not Much Else
2010: I’m Floored
2009: Two Worlds Collide
2008: Girl Crush
2007: Silly Boys
2006: It’s Nowhere Near Mexico, Y’all
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Industrially Farmed Land

Today Ed and I went for a walk near the Flying J truck stop in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.  As soon as we drove up I saw this giant distribution center being built in an area that used to be farmland.

"Look at that!" I said to Ed.  We haven't been to this area in over two years so the new construction was very noticeable.  Although efforts to save the historical farm were employed, it seems the developers won.

We walked from the truck stop, around the perimeter of the building (it's huge!), to the diner for dinner on the other side of the property, then back to the truck.  A total of 1.5 miles!


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2017: The Angels Will Migrate
2016: Ed Knows How To Break The Fast
2015: The Mighty Mo
2014: We Work A Lot, We're Fat, And You Can't Get By Without Us
2013: Domestic Cat Life
2012: Being Appreciated
2011: Just A Phone Call Away
2010: A Practically Perfect Circle
2009: My Frozen Kentucky Home
2008: On Tour And Collecting Paper As We Go
2007: Finding Your Way
2006: Trivia From The First Tsar Of Russia
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

One Of The Westchester Castles

A tower from the old Carrollcliffe castle in Tarrytown, New York.  

It was built between 1897 and 1910 in the style of the Normans.  Today the castle is a hotel and spa.  


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2017: A Tree Leans In Atoka
2016: Furniture Recon
2015: Deck Walkers
2014: The Land Of The Blue Angels
2013: Taking A KW For A Spin
2012: New York And Snow – My Two Favorite Things
2011: Doin’ The Math
2010: Well, Butter My Butt And Call Me A Biscuit
2009: I Even Have Time To Go On Strike
2008: Teaching Them Young
2007: You Gotta Be In It To Win It
2006: Cinema Stupido
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Power Over The Green River

We took a load to the Flaming Gorge Powerplant in Dutch John, Utah and this was the view on the way in.


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2017: The Only Color For Miles
2016: Natural Desert
2015: Ed Humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa
2014: NOT An Oasis
2013: Drop The Flag And Take Me Home
2012: Cottonwood Trading Company
2011: Service With A Smile
2010: Getting The Red Out, One Barn At A Time
2009: Obamaduck!
2008: How A Four Year Old Can Make You Feel Like Crap For Trying To Get Out Of Doing Yard Work
2007: Florida Fro
2006: Hail To The McGriddle Gods
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Warehouse For Rent

A warehouse in Brooklyn.


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2017: C'mon In And Click The Links
2016: I Fell Into A Vat Of Caramel-Colored Carbonated Water
2015: Three Squares And A Midnight Snack
2014: They Were Five
2013: Wake Of Imagination
2012: Woman With Cat
2011: From Blue Grass To Wine Country
2010: Plump With Fat Quarters
2009: Eddie Out With The Old, In With The New Friday
2008: You Can Get Them At Home Depot??
2007: There Are Never Enough Hours In The Day To Do Anything When You Have A Baby
2006: Tequila Sunrise
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005! 

Garnish

I'm not a drinker so I don't know the answer to this, but what kind of cocktail uses a jalapeño garnish?


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2017: The Hostile Living Conditions Of The Desert
2016: Drop Zone
2015: King (And Queen) Of The World
2014: Winding It Up Before Leaving Town
2013: Who Is A Bahamian?
2012: Pay No Attention To The Cat Behind The Curtain
2011: Papa Can You Hear Me?
2010: The Err Erudes Them
2009: Sorry, no post for this date.
2008: Addicted
2007: When You Just Can’t Decide Between Dinner And Breakfast
2006: Purple Industrial Skies
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Tastier Than A Tide Pod

We found a Kinder Egg this week at a truck stop in South Carolina of all places!

I wasn't a real Kinder Egg because we can't handle those in the United States, it was a modified version of the egg, called a Kinder Joy. 

The original Kinder Eggs have a toy encased in a plastic capsule in a chocolate shell, the Kinder Joys have the toy encased in one side of the plastic egg and the candy on the other side.

Kinder Eggs (the originals) have been banned in the United States due to the potential health risk of kids biting into non-edible items, which stems back to a 1938 FDA regulation.  I found this out the first time we went to Canada with Marlaina and MacG.  They told us we could be fined if we tried to bring them back into the states.  I'd never heard of them so it wasn't likely I'd be smuggling Kinder Eggs, but the fines could be hefty. 

Wikipedia said, "Kinder Surprise eggs are legal in Canada and Mexico, but are illegal to import into the US. In January 2011, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) threatened a Manitoba resident with a $300 (Canadian dollars) fine for carrying one egg across the US border into Minnesota.  In June 2012, CBP held two Seattle men for two and a half hours after discovering six Kinder Surprise eggs in their car upon returning to the US from a trip to Vancouver. According to one of the men detained, a border guard quoted the potential fine as $2,500 (US dollars) per egg."

But now that they've been idiot-proofed, they're allowed into the United States.  Although I'm sure that won't stop some moron from swallowing the toy inside.  After all, people are eating Tide Pods so it's only a matter of time. 

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2017: Moving Reward
2016: Her Talent Is Black And White

2015: Veteran Cruiser

2014: Drill, Baby, Drill

2013: Ruling Color

2012: After This, It’s Time To Close The Left Door For A While

2011: I Think I’ve Seen This Person On Facebook

2010: Eating Crud Is So Much Tastier Than Eating Crow

2009: Chihuly In The Trees

2008: Is It Really SO Hard??

2007: Snowball In Hell

2006: The Southern Family Tree

2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

The Road To A New Beginning

We're parked at a truckstop in Florida and yesterday Ed asked if I wanted to go for a walk.  Usually, he runs, but since I'm unwilling and completely incapable of running (even if I were being chased by a killer), he was nice enough to walk instead so I could join him.

I'm sure you're well aware of the benefits of walking.  We all are.  I know it's good for me.  I know it's easy to do.  I know you don't need a membership, or equipment, or even a big 'ol lonely road like the one above to do it.  I've often walked in place, in my own living room, inside the house, in air conditioning.  Ideal for me. 

But I still don't like it.

The conditions have to be perfect, which usually means below 68 degrees, for me to walk outside.  Yesterday morning the sun was shining, but it was only 66 degrees.  I couldn't say no.  So we walked.

We took a side road out of the truck stop parking lot and I set my timer.  I was only doing 30 minutes.  We'd go 15 minutes out, my timer would ding, and I'd turn around and go back.  Hateful, but doable.  We did it before breakfast so I'd have something to look forward to when I got back.  

I'm happy to say we walked 1.5 miles and I'm even happier that it's over.  

I'm going to try to do this a few times a week this year.  Two days will be a big effort, three days will be a miracle. 

Gotta start somewhere.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: We The People
2016: Two Old Ladies And A Truck
2015: Leaving San Diego In A Lavender Glow
2014: Thin And Crispy. Just How I Like 'Em
2013: Amber Jack
2012: Adding A Poodle To The Mix
2011: If…
2010: How The West Was Fun
2009: Pecking Order
2008: The Sympathy Train Stopped Dead In Its Tracks
2007: Shalom
2006: A.D.I.D.A.S.
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Southern Italian Bottega

Eggplant Rollatina and Zia's Cauliflower Cakes

Michelangelo's has been an Oro Valley institution for close to 30 years and recently opened after a renovation, under a new name - Bottega Michelangelo.  Ed and I visited last week to see if it was living up to the new hype.

The decor change works.  Beautifully modern with wood floors, open kitchen areas, same wall of windows looking onto the rear patio, wood tables, rustic lighting fixtures, and casual yet elegant china and linen. I do have to note that because there's no longer carpet in the dining area, the place was very loud.  Annoying to me, but not a deal breaker.

Ed and I started with appetizers (pictured above):  the Eggplant Rollatina (goat cheese, pomodoro sauce...$8), one of my favorite dishes, which I found interesting with their use of goat cheese rather than ricotta and Zia's Cauliflower Cakes (lemon-garlic aioli mamma's housemade...$7).  Both were pretty delicious and I'm going to consider making the cauliflower cakes myself, at home.

For dinner, Ed ordered the Salmon (oven roasted tomatoes, arugula, and olive risotto...$23), and I ordered what I always order when I see it on a menu, the Gnocchi (pomodoro and alfredo sauce, fresh moxxarella...$15).

Salmon over olive risotto

My gnocchi was delicious and although I'm not a big fan of salmon, I tried Ed's dish and it was pretty tasty.  I liked the idea of olives in the risotto but because they were greek olives, and there were so many of them, they made the dish a little too salty.

For dessert, Ed had the Tiramisu (his favorite) and I tried the Limoncello Cake, which was great.  I'm totally into lemon everything lately.

Michelangelo's has been consistently good over the years, and although I haven't been there in a long time, I was happy to see that the quality of food is still the same.  Next on the list of things to try is their pizza.



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2017: Smile Because It Happened
2016: A Sea Of Blue
2015: We Are On The Biggest Boat In The Marina
2014: The Only Thing I Haven't Done
2013: United Tails
2012: I Grew Up In The O.C. Too
2011: Snowy Arrival
2010: Not A Pretty Sight
2009: Marking This Day In History With A Vibrant Spot Of Color
2008: Lighting To Do Laundry By
2007: The Benefits Of Dating A White Boy
2006: Shhhhhh, You’ll Wake The Driver
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

It's All About The Hat

Flashback to 1999.  I don't know why I was wearing a hat - maybe it was Easter? I do remember I really liked that outfit, along with that bold necklace and matching earrings.  And my hair was shoulder-length, a style I haven't worn for years, but might consider again.

This photo is really all about that hat.  Nothing fancy, but with more brim than anyone else in the room - probably because I was the only person wearing headgear.  I like it.

Bring back hats, I say!

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2017: Stanley Steemer Gets Your Home Cleaner
2016: Cat Nemesis
2015: Bon Voyage!
2014: All This Entertainment For Less Than The Cost Of A Restaurant Entree
2013: Ten Things I Hate About Flying
2012: Teeth Or Another European Vacation? Ooooh, It’s A Real Toss Up.
2011: Not So Wacky After All
2010: Spreading The Word
2009: He Had A Dream. Tomorrow We See It Come True.
2008: Who Do You Know?
2007: South Beach Blue
2006: Jawl Spake Anglesh??
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!  

Meat Sticks Don't Make The List

You couldn't pay me to eat a meat stick.  I put these things right up there with SPAM.  When I'm looking for a snack, I choose from sweet to savory, healthy to not-so-healthy, and everywhere in between.  But never a meat stick.

Some of my choices incude:

Cheese - Mini babybels, string cheese, The Laughing Cow wedges, baby swiss, etc.

Granola Bars - I have store-bought favorites, but I might consider someday making my own.

Popcorn - my favorite is Kettle Korn.

Avocado Toast

Hardboiled Eggs - great in a sandwich.

Peanut Butter and Banana on toast, either on hearty whole-grain bread or English Muffins.

Pretzels - Rods, Bavarian, thin sticks, chocolate covered, honey wheat braided twists

Grapes - red, green, Muscadine!

Cuties

Yogurt - my newest obsession is Oui (lemon, coconut, and vanilla are my favorite flavors)

Nachos - but only when Ed begs me to make them.

Pop-Tarts - but not the frosted ones, those are truly gross

Cereal - oh my, too many choices to list!

Nuts - Almonds, cashews, pecans, peanut, etc.

Baby carrots - if you can dip 'em in something, even better!

Grapefruit - Ooooh, sprinkled with a little Splenda, it's an awesome low-calorie snack.



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2017: Blue By You
2016: Fierce
2015: The Nuts And Bolts Of It
2014: Gorgeous, Rich, And Rugged. And That's Just The Bag.
2013: Back To Basics
2012: I Can Think Of Better Ways To Spend Hump Day
2011: Can I Appoint Myself The Baroness Of Cattle?
2010: This Time Losing The Wallet Really Means Losing The Wallet
2009: Marley & Me
2008: Eddie Gets Handy Friday
2007: The Perfect Neapolitan Slice
2006: The King Of The Flying Salmon
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Sometimes It's Not Just A Cough

The medical wing in Cellblock 3 at the Eastern State Penitentiary.

From a July 2017 article in the Courier Post:

"The coughs were a symptom of tuberculosis, common in the nation's general population and at epidemic levels in prisons worldwide in the 19th and 20th centuries.


Eastern State opened in 1829. Its construction cost of $780,00 made it one of the costliest buildings in the United States. It opened with central heating and running water, earlier than those conveniences were available at the White House. Fifty years later, a cell block was opened to provide medical treatment.

In May, that cell block, swept out but without renovations and still open to drafts and rainfall through uncovered ceiling apertures, opened for inclusion in the visitor's tour.

In the mid-19th century, said Matt Murphy, tour program supervisor at the Eastern State historic site, prisoners with tuberculosis were put on special diets, ordered to perform moderate exercise and soaked in cold baths.


Tours of the hospital cell, or Cell Block 3, have been sold out during hardhat walkthroughs for several years. Stabilization of walls and ceilings now permit it to be included in the regular tour and staff conduct specialized programs several times daily, as they do for other sections, including a synagogue and the kitchen.

You can see a tub in one of the cells now open for viewing. You also can see the cots with their metal straps that supported mattresses of some sort, and toilets in the corner by the door with open bars. Unlike solid sliding wooden doors in other cell wings, those in the hospital section were built with metal bars to facilitate ventilation.

“Before antibiotics, there was no cure for tuberculosis,” said Murphy. “This was advanced care for the time,” he said. “Some people came into prison with the disease. The requirement for solitary (confinement) was relaxing because of growing prison population and prisoners were beginning to share cells. It was dark and damp and crowded. Coughs and sneezes filled the air,” he said.

Across the country, tuberculosis was fatal in one of every five cases, said Murphy.

“At Eastern State and at other prisons, tuberculosis was the greatest health concern. Today it's mental-health issues,” said Murphy.

Tuberculosis wasn't the only health problem that was treated in the hospital. In addition to a mix of injuries from fights and work mishaps, inmates battled typhoid, colds and rashes, and sexually transmitted diseases, especially syphilis. Prison records show that most inmates were admitted with the sexual diseases, Murphy said during a 40-minute tour of the hospital wing.

Treatment for serious medical conditions continued at Eastern State until the 1960s, when transfers began to hospital units in other state prisons. Solitary confinement for general population inmates had continued until 1931.

Traces of the extent of loneliness that went with solitary confinement are still present in some sections of the prison, like square holes in the wall, used to slide meals to inmates denied even that small contact with another person.

By the mid-20th century, Murphy said, treatment of psychiatric problems was getting more sophisticated and counselors joined the prison staff. “Solitary confinement was hard on the mind,” Murphy said.

An operating room on the tour, with four large circular lights still in place over a metal operating table, opened in 1910. By 1960, the medical staff was performing about 300 operations a year. Staff included a plastic surgeon. Patients who used the operating room included gangster Al Capone, who had his tonsils removed at the state's expense after his incarceration in Philadelphia began in 1929.

“Then it wasn't all rusty and crusty, like Dr. Frankenstein,” Murphy said. Even with a special room, conditions were far from sanitary by today's standards, since the square design easily collected dirt in corners. Before 1910, operations were done in the prisoner's cell."

Click here to read the entire article.



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2017: The De Facto Logo Of Brooklyn
2016: There Is Poetry In Change
2015: Ski Or Sun? Sun Won.
2014: All The Better To Cook With, My Dear
2013: I Fancy The Castle Life
2012: There Are No Prison Blues If You Have Naan
2011: Now I’m No Longer Alone
2010: Rings Of Spring
2009: Map Schmap
2008: A Willow Weeps In Arizona
2007: Double Team
2006: Turning One Million
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Ed And The Ladies

Ed hanging with the ladies at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, New Jersey.

The story of John Seward Johnson Jr., the sculptor of the pieces found at this park and the heir to the Johnson & Johnson fortune, is an interesting one.  And this facility showcasing over 160 of his larger-than-life bronze sculptures, is definitely worth visiting. 

We didn't get to see everything the day we went because a snowstorm was coming in and we arrived late so it eventually got too dark to explore, but we'll be going back for sure.  


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2017: Descansos
2016: Please Come Back!
2015: Still Life
2014: Sunset Cycling
2013: Pit Stop At Home
2012: Adding A Few More Wheels To The Big Rig
2011: Again And Again And Again
2010: Hood Ornament
2009: Eddie Out Of Control Friday
2008: My Boyfriend Simon Is Back In Town
2007: A Little Taste Of Miami Beach
2006: Ooooohhhhhh, Jabra!
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Rainforest Adventures

Flashback to 2015 when Ed and I took an aerial tram ride through the Costa Rican rainforest.  I'm not sure the post title is entirely accurate since we weren't really "adventuring". 

We were hoping to see sloths, or parrots, or some kind of interesting rainforest wildlife, but sadly we didn't see anything but other tourists on passing trams. 

The guides working the tour were friendly and knowledgeable and if we ever go back to Costa Rica (we really liked what we saw!) I'd book with this company again. 



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2017: Low Ceiling In The Desert
2016: An Original Recycler
2015: There's A Black Hole In The Desert (With Truck Parking)
2014: Strength In Numbers
2013: Woman Cannot Live On Bread Alone
2012: Why Milk Is ALWAYS At The Top Of My Shopping List
2011: Fun For Sale
2010: Dublin Is Incredibly Corny
2009: Welcome To Snowhio
2008: When Big Hair And Denim Were King
2007: Open 24 Hours
2006: Lucky One Eye
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!