Pardon my tardiness.  Again.  I had a three day weekend and didn’t want to irreparably mar it by sacrificing the hours it takes to compose these posts.  Or, I really didn’t have anything to post anyway.  One of those.  If I did do something, I can’t remember what it was.  I’m going to take a wild guess that I went to the Brooksider on Friday, although I’m not 100% sure I did.  Geez that seems like a long time ago.  Let’s go with it though, just based on past history.  Matter of fact, based on past history, I can even tell you where I sat, who I talked to, and what we talked about.  Somebody recently compared an afternoon on the ‘Sider patio to the movie “Groundhog Day,” and it’s  a fair comparison.

Saturday Donette went to the movies with some friends.  They were lined up to see Lincoln, but there was some mix-up and they ended up seeing Zero Dark Thirty.  They went to the recently remodeled Ward Parkway theater.  I don’t think she was overly fond of the movie itself, but the theater got high marks.  Meanwhile, that left me home sans transportation.  Teagan and I kicked the ball around the back yard for a while, then I hoofed up to 75th Street to pay my annual dues for the mug club.  Every year I plan to not renew my membership, and every year I get sucked back in for various reasons.  (They lost my Ziggy mug, Martin’s Ziggy mug actually, back in 2010.  Their lack of understanding and compassion on the gravity of this situation continues to infuriate me every time I go there.)  I sat out on their patio and enjoyed the nice weather and some complimentary appetizers, and caught the Missouri and Kansas games.  For dinner, I fixed a pot of beef stew, which came out pretty well.  I followed a recipe off Food Network for the most part.  I cut the amount of beef in 1/2, partly because we’re trying to cut back a bit, and partly (mostly?) because I’m a cheapskate.  Also, despite all the assertions in the user comments that it “makes the recipe,” I left out the allspice.  I just don’t like it.  Probably the most significant change was that I photo-shopped a picture of Alton Brown over Paula’s when I printed it out.  The lady grates on my nerves like fingernails on a chalk board.

Sunday we didn’t do much of anything, which is standard Sunday fare.  I took my bicycle in for a tuneup, then we enjoyed lunch at Blanc Burgers,  stopped by McGonigles for some groceries, and headed home for the games.  I put together a pot of lamb shanks for dinner.  It came out OK, I’ve got somewhat mixed feelings on it.  For one thing, it was a rather pricey endeavor.  That was probably partially my fault;  McGonigle’s isn’t exactly known as the low-price leader in the neighborhood.  On top of that, they only had huge shanks, and packaged in twos.  I really only wanted one, but what can ya’ do.  Got one in the freezer for next time I guess.  Also, I followed this rather sketchy recipe.  Read it if you’re that bored, but suffice to say there are several errors between the ingredients and the cooking instructions.  It’s like two separate recipes.  Eh, at the end of the day you’re just throwing a bunch of stuff in a pot and simmering it, so I just sort of winged it.

As I mentioned, I had the day off yesterday, while Donette had to work.  I wasted the better part of the day, then when I had called the day a complete loss and was settled into the couch for some movies, she suddenly declared it was time to redeem our two-year-old gift certificate to Garozzo’s.  She’s been after me to cash this thing in for about…  Well, two years.  Despite the lure of two free dinners though, I just never quite made it down there.  For one thing, although on paper it’s only seven miles from our house, it’s a daunting seven miles.  Stop lights and traffic and such, you know.  And yes, I realize the OP location is significantly closer, but that is in no way a viable option.  For another thing, I have a rather steadfast aversion to eating at Italian restaurants.  It’s pasta.  Pasta is pasta is pasta.  No matter how much you pay, no matter the supposed authenticity of the restaurant…  It’s pasta.  My meal was delish though, I’ll grant you that.  I had one of the chicken spiedini selections, and it was very good.  Overall, a very nice dinner, while I doubt we return for another two years due to the aforementioned obstacles.

Pretty standard fare this weekend.  I kicked things off Friday at the Brooksider, if for no other reason than to celebrate the supposed 60-degree weather.  I don’t think it was actually that warm, but it was a welcome respite at any rate.  Warm enough to sit out on the patio for a bit.  A few of my younger friends joined me, and I must admit I got something of a kick out of listening to them lament that they just couldn’t stay out late like they used to.  (If they’re 30, it’s just barely.)  They managed to hang in there with me until 6:00 or so, and then it started cooling off quick so it was time to call it a night anyway.

Saturday we laid low.  Had a bunch of errands to run, which took the better part of the day.  I can’t really recall the specifics of the errands, and I highly doubt they are of any interest anyway.  For dinner I met up with my mom, sister and niece out at Red Lobster in Lee’s Summit.  We were celebrating the niece’s 17th birthday.  Sheesh.  Time flies.  Why it seems like just yesterday that…  Never mind. Anyway, that was quite a meal.  I can’t say that I’ve visited a Red Lobster in a good decade or two, not being conveniently located, but it was tasty indeed.  I went with the salmon.  Apparently the shrimp is the thing to order, as that’s what everybody else had.  Gotta be one in every group.

Sunday was a non-event, as most Sundays are.  Donette was flying out in the afternoon, so we had some more last-minute errands to run to get ready for that.  We caught the first half of the Atlanta game, then I made the arduous journey north to drop her at the airport.  I made it home in time for the second game, which was entertaining enough, if not quite as good as the first.  Most of the games have been good;  Could this be the year the superbowl is actually worth watching??!?!

Lame first weekend of the new year.  Being an optimist, I’m not ready to call the entire year a failure just yet though.  I think a good part of our weak start is due to some, errrrr, fiscal challenges brought on by the holidays.  The 15th can’t get here fast enough, I know that.  We had plenty of fun though I suppose.  Friday we went to the Brooksider, mostly because that’s where we go on Friday.  It was nice enough weather to get in an hour or so on the patio too, which was a welcome change.  After that we walked down to Jalapenos for dinner, but when we walked in it was too crowded to even get in the door.  We quickly scratched that plan and opted for Taco Bell, which, if nothing else, made me appreciate the food at Jalapenos a little more.

Saturday, our friend Don (A.K.A Big Don, A.K.A. BDB) came over and helped us deliver our recently replaced bed up north.  (Gotta have those truck-friends.)  Did I mention we finally got the king-size bed we’d always wanted?  I’m too lazy to go back through this and look.  At any rate, we did.  Due to the rather unique layout of our staircase we had to settle on a boring bed frame,  as there are very few that will make the turn on the stairs, but the mattress made it up with considerable coaxing.  So, Don helped us load up the old one and haul it across the river.  We took him out to Smokehouse for lunch to thank him, which was delicious.  I’d never been to the one in Zona Rosa;  Definitely a little fancier than the one over on North Oak.  That concluded Saturday for the most part…  Lots of TV and couch time after that.

Sunday started off with some light shopping.  Donette is coming down with the crud, so she had to hit up Target for some stuff, and I walked Teagan over to Petsmart for our monthly pet supplies.  The pup was out of food, and Kane’s litter box was due for a reload. I don’t know that I’ve ever bothered to throw a product endorsement out here, but our Scoopfree litter box may actually be the best thing ever invented in the history of mankind.  Ever.  Once a month you swap out the admittedly overpriced cartridge, and you literally don’t have to mess with it again for a month.  Have you ever seen the movie Envy?  Same thing.  “Where does the #)$*% go?”  Who cares, as long as I don’t have to deal with it.  Enough of Kane’s personal hygiene needs, that was effectively our only outing of the day.  I made a big pot of chicken soup, then settled in for an afternoon of wildcard games.  After the games, I was so attached to the couch that I just stayed there and watched Cabin In The Woods, which was a somewhat unsettling movie.

My days are so jumbled up I don’t really have anything to post on here.  It’s rather common for my head-calendar to be off a day or so, but its way off right now.  Par for the holiday season, I suppose.  Speaking of holidays, we had a grand ol’ Christmas.  I got presents galore, and a few more are still out floating around in UPS-land.  We celebrated with my family last Sunday, then up at her family’s on Christmas day.  Our annual turkey frying tradition was nearly derailed when I pulled out my trusty pot and tried scrubbing it up.  An hour later, I finally declared it unfit for any type of food preparation.  Donette saved the day by braving the Christmas Eve shopping mob and getting me a fancy all-stainless pot up at Cabela’s.  Ohhhh it’s nice, and made for a(nother) nice Christmas gift.  Aluminum just doesn’t work out that well for deep frying, I never really liked that thing.

On to this past weekend…  Well I guess Friday we hit the Brooksider.  It wasn’t quite patio-weather though, so we didn’t stay very long.  Inside that place just doesn’t work for me;  Too crowded and noisy.  We were there about long enough to catch up on the latest gossip and news, then headed down to Jalapenos for dinner.  (Chicken verde burrito night, yum.)  We went back home after that, just in time to catch the start of the Missouri game.  Looks like it was exciting, but I fell asleep about 30 seconds into it.

Saturday I tackled the massive undertaking of re-arranging the “office.”  We really need a second desk in there, and there was no way it was going to fit with the way it was arranged.  After three hours of un-cabling, rerouting, and re-cabling, turns out it isn’t going to fit with the new setup either.  Rats.  Donette swears she likes sitting at the new location better though, although I think she’s just humoring me.  While I spent my afternoon on that thoroughly unproductive project, she was out running a ton of errands.  I can’t even remember where all she went, but it was a quite extensive list.  One stop was at Nebraska Furniture Mart, where she purchased a much-needed new bed for us.  Neither of us can really remember how old our bed is, but somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 years.  She once again went a king size, hoping it will go up our rather poorly designed staircase.  (I say “once again” because we’ve purchased one before and it didn’t fit.  I doubt the staircase has gotten any bigger since then, but you never know.)  Sure would be nice to have that extra space, as I was reminded last night (and most other nights) when battling Teagan for more room.  For evening entertainment, we headed down to the P&L district and saw Django Unchained at the (relatively) new Alamo Drafthouse.  I liked the movie, and Donette tolerated it rather well.  It was pretty funny, in addition to the over-the-top gore.  As for the theater, well I guess it was OK.  Honestly I think I preferred the AMC, but it was plenty nice.  We’ll probably check out the newly remodeled Ward Parkway theater next time, and see how we like that.  (Since we only see one or two movies a year in actual theaters that will likely be a while…)

Yesterday we took it easy for the better part of the day.  I boiled off the remnants of the Christmas fried turkey, and made an enormous pot of turkey & sausage gumbo.  While that was simmering away, we sat through the somewhat tedious football offerings.  Geez, there were boring games on the TV yesterday.  The gumbo came out quite nicely if I do say so myself, and we enjoyed it while watching Pitch Perfect, a rather silly but amusing film.

That weekend marked the first Christmas party of the season for me.  And, I have to say, it was a fine one at that.  I flew up to Chicago Thursday afternoon and met Donette in Town-I-Can-Never-Remember, Illinois.  Her office was having a holiday party Friday evening, and it takes me at least one day to acclimate.  For dinner that night we tried out Lou Malnati’s, one of the endless pizza options in the area.  The topping selection was remarkably limited, but what they did have was quite good.  I’ll keep that opinion to my own pizza;  They just didn’t really have anything Donette liked so she was left a bit underwhelmed.

Friday she put in a good 1/2-day at the office, then we met up with everybody at a hotel in downtown Chicago.  After rounding everybody up, we all hopped in cabs and headed to dinner at the Kinzie Chophouse.  I’d been looking forward to this meal ever since I looked at the menu online.  After much careful consideration, I’d already decided on the Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna.  One look at the steaks being wheeled out to all the other tables quickly changed my mind though;  I ended up with a 16 ounce Delmonico with lobster sauce.  I don’t know what ever made me think I would actually order fish at a steak house, and indeed I just couldn’t pull the trigger when the time came.  Remarkably, after that enormous meal, everybody still had enough energy left to go out, so we walked a short distance to 10pin Bowling Lanes.  Bowling isn’t really my thing, but it was a great time all the same.  We bowled two entire games (which was quite a while, considering there were six of us on each team,) then some of the group headed home and the rest of us headed over to the House of Blues.  We were enjoying some fine music, and the next thing you know the lights came on;  We’d actually closed a place down.

Saturday morning I would pay the price for this remarkably late night.  We did manage to get up and eat breakfast, then went right back to bed.  Whew, too old for those late nights I guess.  Finally, around 3:00 or so we decided we really should see some sites, so we headed out into the rain for a bit of light shopping.  The streets were absolutely insane;  You could barely walk down the sidewalk without people bumping into you constantly.  I wore out on that scene pretty quickly, but at least we could say we didn’t spend the entire day in the hotel room.  For dinner we met up with our friend Rick, who lives nearby.  He suggested Pazzo’s, which turned out to be a fine meal indeed.