Treading Water, while the Ship Goes Down:
Thought For the Day:
There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.
Nelson Mandela, 'A Long Walk to Freedom'
S. African black civil rights leader (1918 - )
48 Hours till St. Patrick’s Day:
The reason the Irish are always fighting each other
Is they have no other worthy opponents.
On the Weekend:
Friday: I went to my favorite bar after work with a co-worker from here at the Salt-Mines and she proceed to buy me drinks (you got to love co-workers like that). Later the Sweet and Hungry Mrs. JQP joined us and we dinner of some of the best Tuna Steaks I have ever had (not only is this place my favorite bar, they have fucking kick ass food). After dinning we then went hard charging to my friend the Macedonian’s Bar and hard charge we did. We then left and were in bed by 11:00 pm, which I am glad for because Hospice called around 3, so off down south we went.
Saturday: Mrs. JQP cooked breakfast for 40 (yes, everyone rolled in, that and Mrs. JQP kicks ass at breakfast). For lunch I made:
Muffaletta Sandwiches:
Makes 6 servings.
3 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup chopped green olives stuffed with pimientos
1 cup pitted and chopped "black-ripe" olives or Calamatas
1/2 cup roasted sweet red peppers, chopped
1 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1/3 lb. salami
1/2 lb. provolone cheese
1/2 lb. mild cheese
1/3 lb. mortadella
1/3 lb. prosciutto
Cook’s note: The roasted red peppers are Italian-style, available at many Italian delis.
Take one loaf fresh Italian bread (one big round for a traditional Muffaletta or individual sub loaves will do fine for smaller sandwiches). Cut the loaf ( or loaves) in half, and scoop out a little of the inside to make some room. Make the olive salad by combining the olives and roasted perrer, garlic and vinegar. Drizzle some of the olive oil and juice from the olive salad on each side of the open loaf -- use plenty. On the bottom, place some salami, olive salad, provolone, mild cheese, and mortadella. Top with the other half loaf. Slice into wedges (or eat the individual loaves).
We spent the day, bedside and napping when we could. She and I then returned to the manor house and slept. An odd long day it was.
Sunday: In the morning we went to Pastor Bob’s house and saw the kids while Pastor Bob fixed my computer (not only a man of the book, but also pretty damn handy with electronics). We then went back down and (I made a big roast and took that down) we then spent the day. Upon our return to the City of the Rivers, Mrs. JQP said, hey lets go to the Rugby Bar and blow off some steam, which we did with Pete the Fire Man and Mike the Soccer Star. It was a night that I shall remember a bit to long, I ended up replaying parts the famous and definitive movie the Exorcist. Needless to say, Monday morning I used a self-granted perk and called in to work and then slept most of the day. Which Mrs. JQP said I needed to do anyway (I guess she is on to the fact that for the past few weeks I have not been sleeping). Don’t worry, work called me a total of nine times, so there was not much I missed.
On Stress:
Hi, my name is John (Hi, John!) I feel like I am in a 12-Step meeting: Well, the Sweet and Loving Mrs. JQP told me this morning that she is “worried” about me. It seems she thinks I am under a lot of stress and hurting. You know what; I hate it when she is right. It takes a lot of a person watching someone you love die, an awful lot. I can’t imagine what my mother and little sister must be going through, since my grandfather lives with them and they have been the primary caregivers, with the rest of us helping when and where we can. Stress; yes…a lot of stress to go around, more than enough for everyone.
I am proud, proud of my grandfather, proud of the life he lived and the example he set for all of us, proud of the good things in my character that I can easily trace back to him, proud of the way a family that at times has been strained and fragmented has pulled together, and proud of the adults my brother and sisters have become. When shit hits the fan, you couldn’t ask for a better bunch of people to have in your corner. How is he doing you ask? Well, every two days he almost dies, Hospice says it could be an hour or it could be a week. I think he is holding on for us, because he worries about all of us, so we spend a lot of time telling him that we will be ok. We anyway, stress, yes, I guess this has been a very stressful time, for sometime now, with only the “Big-Empty” to take its place when it’s done, but that’s ok to. There I feel better, thanks for letting me share with the group.
On Vacation:
The kind and loving Mrs. JQP and I were to be leaving for a visit with family and friends in Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach and Savannah today after work. Good food, good friends a big St. Paddy’s Day party and a chance to breath back down home. But (and there is always a but) we cancelled or trip. Some other time perhaps, it’s the third trip we have cancelled.
So, as a result, I am inviting everyone to the Rugby Bar for a St. Paddy’s Day party (you, know if you are not taking the day off work, you’re wrong) starting at 8am, yes dear reader it will be a fall down. I will be in the bar with my Rugby team and the Police and Fire Dept. groups. After spending the day, we will then move on to another Irish bar and my favorite bar, yes, a real pub-crawl. And, don’t worry about driving home there is plenty of room at the manor. Now, really can you think of a better way to enjoy the beauty of northeast Indiana in late winter than this offer?
Your Bill for the Day:
SONNET 8
Music to hear, why hear'st thou music sadly?
Sweets with sweets war not, joy delights in joy.
Why lovest thou that which thou receivest not gladly,
Or else receivest with pleasure thine annoy?
If the true concord of well-tuned sounds,
By unions married, do offend thine ear,
They do but sweetly chide thee, who confounds
In singleness the parts that thou shouldst bear.
Mark how one string, sweet husband to another,
Strikes each in each by mutual ordering,
Resembling sire and child and happy mother
Who all in one, one pleasing note do sing:
Whose speechless song, being many, seeming one,
Sings this to thee: 'thou single wilt prove none.'
Quote for the Day:
hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer.
Ralph Waldo Emerson US essayist & poet (1803 - 1882)
I remain, as always:
JQP Esq.
There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.
Nelson Mandela, 'A Long Walk to Freedom'
S. African black civil rights leader (1918 - )
48 Hours till St. Patrick’s Day:
The reason the Irish are always fighting each other
Is they have no other worthy opponents.
On the Weekend:
Friday: I went to my favorite bar after work with a co-worker from here at the Salt-Mines and she proceed to buy me drinks (you got to love co-workers like that). Later the Sweet and Hungry Mrs. JQP joined us and we dinner of some of the best Tuna Steaks I have ever had (not only is this place my favorite bar, they have fucking kick ass food). After dinning we then went hard charging to my friend the Macedonian’s Bar and hard charge we did. We then left and were in bed by 11:00 pm, which I am glad for because Hospice called around 3, so off down south we went.
Saturday: Mrs. JQP cooked breakfast for 40 (yes, everyone rolled in, that and Mrs. JQP kicks ass at breakfast). For lunch I made:
Muffaletta Sandwiches:
Makes 6 servings.
3 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup chopped green olives stuffed with pimientos
1 cup pitted and chopped "black-ripe" olives or Calamatas
1/2 cup roasted sweet red peppers, chopped
1 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1/3 lb. salami
1/2 lb. provolone cheese
1/2 lb. mild cheese
1/3 lb. mortadella
1/3 lb. prosciutto
Cook’s note: The roasted red peppers are Italian-style, available at many Italian delis.
Take one loaf fresh Italian bread (one big round for a traditional Muffaletta or individual sub loaves will do fine for smaller sandwiches). Cut the loaf ( or loaves) in half, and scoop out a little of the inside to make some room. Make the olive salad by combining the olives and roasted perrer, garlic and vinegar. Drizzle some of the olive oil and juice from the olive salad on each side of the open loaf -- use plenty. On the bottom, place some salami, olive salad, provolone, mild cheese, and mortadella. Top with the other half loaf. Slice into wedges (or eat the individual loaves).
We spent the day, bedside and napping when we could. She and I then returned to the manor house and slept. An odd long day it was.
Sunday: In the morning we went to Pastor Bob’s house and saw the kids while Pastor Bob fixed my computer (not only a man of the book, but also pretty damn handy with electronics). We then went back down and (I made a big roast and took that down) we then spent the day. Upon our return to the City of the Rivers, Mrs. JQP said, hey lets go to the Rugby Bar and blow off some steam, which we did with Pete the Fire Man and Mike the Soccer Star. It was a night that I shall remember a bit to long, I ended up replaying parts the famous and definitive movie the Exorcist. Needless to say, Monday morning I used a self-granted perk and called in to work and then slept most of the day. Which Mrs. JQP said I needed to do anyway (I guess she is on to the fact that for the past few weeks I have not been sleeping). Don’t worry, work called me a total of nine times, so there was not much I missed.
On Stress:
Hi, my name is John (Hi, John!) I feel like I am in a 12-Step meeting: Well, the Sweet and Loving Mrs. JQP told me this morning that she is “worried” about me. It seems she thinks I am under a lot of stress and hurting. You know what; I hate it when she is right. It takes a lot of a person watching someone you love die, an awful lot. I can’t imagine what my mother and little sister must be going through, since my grandfather lives with them and they have been the primary caregivers, with the rest of us helping when and where we can. Stress; yes…a lot of stress to go around, more than enough for everyone.
I am proud, proud of my grandfather, proud of the life he lived and the example he set for all of us, proud of the good things in my character that I can easily trace back to him, proud of the way a family that at times has been strained and fragmented has pulled together, and proud of the adults my brother and sisters have become. When shit hits the fan, you couldn’t ask for a better bunch of people to have in your corner. How is he doing you ask? Well, every two days he almost dies, Hospice says it could be an hour or it could be a week. I think he is holding on for us, because he worries about all of us, so we spend a lot of time telling him that we will be ok. We anyway, stress, yes, I guess this has been a very stressful time, for sometime now, with only the “Big-Empty” to take its place when it’s done, but that’s ok to. There I feel better, thanks for letting me share with the group.
On Vacation:
The kind and loving Mrs. JQP and I were to be leaving for a visit with family and friends in Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach and Savannah today after work. Good food, good friends a big St. Paddy’s Day party and a chance to breath back down home. But (and there is always a but) we cancelled or trip. Some other time perhaps, it’s the third trip we have cancelled.
So, as a result, I am inviting everyone to the Rugby Bar for a St. Paddy’s Day party (you, know if you are not taking the day off work, you’re wrong) starting at 8am, yes dear reader it will be a fall down. I will be in the bar with my Rugby team and the Police and Fire Dept. groups. After spending the day, we will then move on to another Irish bar and my favorite bar, yes, a real pub-crawl. And, don’t worry about driving home there is plenty of room at the manor. Now, really can you think of a better way to enjoy the beauty of northeast Indiana in late winter than this offer?
Your Bill for the Day:
SONNET 8
Music to hear, why hear'st thou music sadly?
Sweets with sweets war not, joy delights in joy.
Why lovest thou that which thou receivest not gladly,
Or else receivest with pleasure thine annoy?
If the true concord of well-tuned sounds,
By unions married, do offend thine ear,
They do but sweetly chide thee, who confounds
In singleness the parts that thou shouldst bear.
Mark how one string, sweet husband to another,
Strikes each in each by mutual ordering,
Resembling sire and child and happy mother
Who all in one, one pleasing note do sing:
Whose speechless song, being many, seeming one,
Sings this to thee: 'thou single wilt prove none.'
Quote for the Day:
hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer.
Ralph Waldo Emerson US essayist & poet (1803 - 1882)
I remain, as always:
JQP Esq.
posted by John Q. Public esq. at 2:20 AM
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