Two-Fer Tuesday again, and Dan and I planned to dine together. With his company deeply engrossed in inventory, however, he had to work overtime. At first, he asked me to meet him at Sidekicks about 6:30, then canceled out altogether. Connie was sure I was going to be pissed off, but I simply called Brad and asked him to be my dinner companion. He agreed. I suggested HE treat me, given all the nice tutoring money he's getting this week, but he refused. When I got home, however, he'd changed his mind, so after I went outside in the back with Snaps and Bugsy, we left for Sidekicks, Brad driving.

Although we couldn't get a parking space anywhere near the restaurant, we parked across the street, behind the grocery store. Sidekicks was eerily empty, given how busy the local streets were, so we didn't have to wait for a table. I had a delightful time, mostly talking to Brad about his teaching career. He speaks about it so animatedly, his goals sure and eager, and he credits me with steering him toward this for his life's work and is grateful to me for doing so. He had steak and I had chicken parm. It was the first time I'd eaten anything Italian in Sidekicks, and it wasn't bad at all. It was a joy to just sit with my son, laugh, talk and. . .well, be GROWNUPS together!

Dan got home a little after 7 PM, and although I'd promised I'd have a meal ready for him, I was too tired to do so. I had my four hour CPR refresher course this morning. They changed the protocol for resuscitation--you now have to blow two breaths into the patient, pump the chest 30 times (it used to be 15) for five reps! That's 150 chest pumps in two minutes, with 10 blows into the mouth inbetween, and I found the procedure EXHAUSTING! After doing that all morning, I could barely move. I found a defrosted steak in the fridge, dumped it on a broiling pan, dumped it under the broiler and broiled it until it was done. I surrounded it with a can of corn and that was Dan's dinner. I put in the minimum of effort, I assure you! What can I say? I'm just not always up for cooking, and last night was one of those nights.

Oh, and in addition to the pumping and blowing (sounds like a hooker's night, doesn't it?), I also had to roll around Tony G's prone body as part of our "look how easy it is to roll dead weight around" portion of the lesson. I actually told Robin, our teacher (who I've had before) that I have a little crush on Tony and would really rather not touch him for the lesson, that I was embarrassed, but she made me do it anyway. Oh, shit, did I blush! I had to grab him by his belt, very close to his crotch, and. . .oh, my, why me?

But my CPR skills have now been refreshed, and if you or anyone else needs me to bring you back to life, I have the ability to do so. You just better hope I'm not too tired, because if I am, well, you will NOT get my best, that's all I can say!

Love, Robin

The weather finally cleared up. After some wicked thunderstorms Friday night that had Bugsy pressing urgently into my back when we went to bed, we awakened to a brisk, chilly wind, but sunny skies. It felt more like fall than spring.

Due to a misprint in Newsday, we thought the dog show was doing a rerun that day. It HAD begun to rain shortly after we left the show last Saturday, so it seemed natural for them to try again, but when we got there (sans a dog this time), some cops at the entrance informed us that there had been an error and the only event taking place was a garden show (not for us).

Disappointed we wouldn't be gathering any more doggie freebies, we went to the gym and exercised, both together and apart. The pool was delightful, the jacuzzi even better. Afterwards, we went looking for a new coffee maker in Wal-Mart. I had gotten a carafe and permanent coffee filter from a freecycler in Amityville, and was hoping to match my freebies with something inexpensive. For under $18, we found what we thought was a match, but it turned out we were wrong.

I napped when we got home, a delightful habit I've picked up in the past couple of years, and we took Brad and Ali out for dinner at the local diner. Our waiter, a newbie, misunderstood my order, and instead of bringing me a turkey club, brought me a BLT. It was a delicious sandwich, so I ate it, and lots cheaper than what I had ordered, but it was still wrong. Everyone at the table heard me order correctly--except our waiter. I informed him of his error, but said the sandwich was delicious and I was finishing it. At least it made for a cheaper dinner check--$54--than it would have with the turkey club added on. Still, we put a lot on the credit card this weekend, and that didn't please me a bit.

Ali begins her internship at the accounting firm of Ernst and Young on Wednesday. She will be making big bucks, I understand. She had her hair straightened and streaked. I looked at Brad and her and noticed that they both have gorgeous blue eyes. If they do marry someday, I will have a stunning blue-eyed grandchild. That made me smile with pride. She may not have thanked Dan for the meal (she rarely thanks us for anything), but at least my grandkids will be goodlooking).

Aw, shut up! Maybe I AM a bitch, but I'm the first to admit it!

After unpacking the coffeemaker, Dan realized it wasn't what he wanted, so be reboxed it and we returned it to Wal-Mart that evening. They were out of nearly everything, and when we asked if we could purchase a floor model from the shelf, we were told no. So the hunt for a new coffeemaker continued!

Sunday brought an even nicer day, still windy, but a bit warmer, and more sunshine. I think the sun brought out all the crazies, though, because as we headed back to Wal-Mart to do some food shopping, we passed by two car accidents within a block of each other.

When we got to Sunrise Mall, we noticed a large area roped off with policeman's tape, cop cars, ambulances and people milling around. We grabbed a parking spot and went to see what had happened. A man in an SUV had run down a woman and her daughter on the dangerous road that divides the mall parking lot. They had taken them away via helicopter, so their injuries must have been serious. (Dan called me this morning and told me he heard on the radio this morning that the daughter had died.)

It was a very upsetting scene. I felt very sorry for the poor man who had struck the two women, even though I'm sure he was probably driving too fast, or talking on a cell phone or doing something else he shouldn't have been doing. We're all way too distracted while driving these days, it's hard to keep one's mind on driving!

Dan and I took Brad out to eat at Friday's for lunch. I took another nap. We went to Wal-Mart in East Meadow, where they had a lot more in the way of groceries and a bigger choice of coffeemakers. We chose a fancy, space-age $54 Mr. Coffee that did NOT utilize either the carafe or permanent coffee filter I'd gotten from the freecycler, so we had to buy the right coffee filter. It comes with an aluminum carafe that keeps coffee warm. Dan agreed this would be his Father's Day gift, which is the only reason I agreed to purchase such a ridiculously expensive coffeemaker.

Like I said, it turned into an expensive credit card spending weekend. We charged EVERYTHING!

Oh, here's some happier news--Dan called to tell me that Randy, the WBLI DJ he met at the dog show last weekend, sent out a special hello to "Dan and his schnoodle, Snapple." I snapped a photo of them at the show last weekend and Dan was delighted that Randy had acknowledged him publicly over the radio this morning.

My husband, the radio celebrity!

Love, Robin

It's after 3:30 and I'm still at work--overtime. I do like the extra money, especially since Dan loves spending money. I got mad at him this week when I found out he's been buying both breakfast and lunch from local delis. That gets expensive! I eat my boxed cereal and peanut butter on bread, while he's feasting on nice little breakfasts and lunches, spending at least 8-10 bucks at day! I thought we had agreed to cut down on that kind of spending, but I find out he's stealthily added in breakfast, because, he whines, "I'm not big on cereal." I was under the impression he'd been eating oatmeal in the mornings, but I guess he got tired of that. So TELL me, and we'll find something else! But nooooooo, he orders omelets and other nice goodies, not just spending a lot of money, but blowing his diet. He saw Dr. Jacob just this week, and she told him to not expect to go to the gym, exercise, then be able to eat like a pig--it doesn't work that way!

Dan wants to get a handicapped sticker because the neuropathy in his foot had gotten too painful for him to handle. He has to fill out a form from the DMV, send it to Jacob, then bring it to our very own village to get the sticker. It's not that I don't believe he's in great pain, it's just that there are others so much worse off, and I'll feel we're stealing a space from someone who needs it more.

Rant, rant, rant!

Dan, Mike and I went to eat at Big Daddy's last night for an early birthday dinner for the two of them. They ordered super-spicy meals that had them both sweating while scarfing. I was careful to order a mild shrimp dish with a lot of breading, and rice and beans on the side. Tasty, but not deadly to my tummy. Then again, they seemed to be enjoying their food a lot more than I did. At least Mike showed up on time--and SHOWED UP!

Brad is tutoring a lot right now; plenty of kids desperately need his help. Unfortunately, their stupid parents should have had him tutoring them all along instead of waiting for the last minute, when they were within inches of failing math. He's making a lot of money, much of it off the books, but he's also exhausted. He and Ali joined a couples bowling league together, and are enjoying that. Brad bought a new bowling ball for himself, and is looking forward to becoming a more accomplished bowler with a more professional ball to use.

I'm rambling. I'm so tired. I'm glad for the overtime money, but not the TIME that I must put in OVER my regular time, you know?

Bob, my boss, bought us pizza last night. Wasn't that nice? Gary never would. He's in Africa, supposedly doing his missionary work, but I believe the only such work he's performing is the missionary position on the pretty native girls. Or else, he's being stirred in the stewpot to a nicely done turn!

Fucking hypocrite!

I was so tired yesterday when I arrived home, I fell asleep on the chair, Bugsy at my feet, Snaps on the other chair, also sleeping. Dan found us that way. I hadn't even brought in the mail! I was very groggy, not sure where, who or what I was. It was the same way when I awakened this morning. Why am I so sleepy and out of it? Am I expecting Aunt Flo(w)? I haven't seen her in almost two months, but that doesn't mean she's all gone. I wouldn't be that lucky! Then again, I WAS ravenous yesterday, gobbling almost an entire box of faux Honey Nut cereal here yesterday. Perhaps Ms. Menstruation is approaching again, and will be doubly heavy for the wait. Goody.

I had better go do some Rudyk work. Blah. I just wanna go lie down and snooze. I suspect this might be a big sleepy weekend. I hate sleeping the weekends away, though!

Stay awake and enjoy, my friends!

Love, Robin

I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but every Tuesday, Dan and I go to Sidekicks, a restaurant featuring a buy-one-dinner-get-one-free deal. It's just in town, about a mile and a half away, and it's something I really look forward to. The menu is Continental American, and who can resist such a great deal?

We introduced Brad to this place only recently, and he loves the food there, too. The only problem is, when he joins us, I've let the guys order the two dinner entrees (costing between $16-$18 apiece), while I've chosen a far less expensive (and interesting) burger or sandwich, which isn't included in the BOGOF deal. Ali, Brad's girlfriend, was supposed to join us for the past two weeks, but for the second week in a row, fate intervened (she was getting her hair straightened somewhere in Queens and got caught in traffic), so it was just the three of us once again. Yesterday, feeling petulant, I insisted that Brad order the sandwich instead of me. I was also suffering from an excess of gas (even worse than usual, and believe me, dear readers, for the last couple of days, my farts have been not just plentiful, but in some instances, painful).

While we waited to be seated, I was aware that I was feeling crampy, not menstrual-crampy, gaseous-crampy. Farts were blowing out of my ass in astronomical explosions. I realized I wasn't feeling well, and chastised myself for eating so much "light" ice cream when I got home from work. Settling down with the entire half gallon and a spoon, I realized, is a very poor idea when you're dieting. It definitely takes the "light" out of the equation, and the Splenda amongst the ingredients was wreaking havoc with my stomach.

I handed off my salad to Brad, nibbling carefully on a piece of bread. The first taste of steak was horribly salty. My bowels twisted, I cut the cheese noisily against the naugahyde booth, hastily excused myself and ran to the bathroom. I'd never been in Sidekicks bathroom and briefly appreciated the soft pink decor before rushing into the one stall and dropping my pants. I just hoped I'd be left alone for a while, because I sensed I would need some time. It wasn't too bad, but I knew I'd be in for a bout with severe diarrhea later--and I was. My belly was making horrible, sloshing, sluicing noises, and I gritted my teeth and concentrated on doing what needed to be done.

When I returned to my seat, Dan said, "I thought we were going to have to send someone in there after you!"

"No," I murmured, sickened at the sight of the food on my plate. "I'll just take this home."

"You didn't eat anything!" Brad protested.

"I don't feel too good," I mumbled, wondering if I could hold out until we got home, hoping I sprayed enough air freshener in the bathroom so the next person could breathe without dying in there.

And they pounced on my plate, stabbing at my steak, potato, even the green beans. Not a "Hope you feel better," between them!

So much for Two-Fer Tuesday.

Hope yours was better, I really do!

Love, Robin

"I used to think people were basically good," said Dan, "but now I think they're basically bad."

That admission on my husband's part both exhilarated and saddened me. I have ALWAYS believed people are essentially evil, so it was good to have my better half on my side. He used to feel the opposite, so I was constantly arguing with him about peoples' deep-down cruel and wicked intentions.

One of my "friends" proved herself not to be one this past weekend. I won't name names. Apparently, she lacked trust in me, and my friendship is less important to her than a material item she believes is worth a lot more than Dan and I know it to be. Suffice it to say that the way I left it with her, after she accused me of something she shouldn't have, SHE is going to have to call me if she wants our friendship to continue. We have done many favors for this woman, but she seems willing to forget all of that and focus on an asinine situation that, as she will learn, isn't as lucrative as she believes it to be.

I am saddened and disappointed at her and at Dan's loss of faith in human beings. Dan's friend Mike, who didn't show up to our BBQ last week, also didn't get in touch with us this weekend. What does that mean? I don't know, but I DO know that Dan has offered to mail Mike's birthday gift to him, in case Mike feels "awkward" coming here to get it. What kind of goofy friendships do men have, anyway? Is this any way to run a friendship????

Which brings me to Saturday and the wonderful time we had at the Farmingdale College pet show. Dan and I discussed bringing both dogs, but after considering Bugsy's iffy temperament, chose to bring only Snaps. He behaved a lot better than we expected. Surrounded by the sight, sounds and especially scents of so many other dogs and people, he took it all in stride, eagerly sniffing the asses of many other canines while they, in turn, sniffed his.

We collected lots of freebies, (yeeeee-hawwww)! Dan had the opportunity to meet his favorite DJs and take a picture with them. There was so much going on, lots of raffles to enter, plenty of chances to give money to worthy animal-related causes. We stayed about two hours. Snaps, excitedly snuffling, came along to each and every booth and event. Lots of folks bent down to pet him, none asking, all assuming that if we brought him, he was human-friendly and pets-accepting. Bugsy might not have been as friendly and sweet. Could we dare take a chance on his biting these pet-adoring people? No!

Yesterday Dan and I ventured to the Nautical Mile in Freeport for their annual seaside festival. I must mention that it began raining as soon as we left the pet fest yesterday, and Sunday was gray and threatening all day, too. I think I prefer it that way to the broiling sun beating down on me. Dan's foot was really bothering him, so he hobbled all over. I think it's neuropathy or arthritis; in any case, there's not much that can be done about it. I'm so used to being in constant pain in my feet and legs, I get annoyed with his constant complaining about it. I wish a doctor would tell him it's something he has to learn to live with so he'll just start doing so. Does that make me a bitch? OK, then I'm a bitch. Dan can't tolerate pain! I've had to live with so much of it, for so long, I don't have much patience for him complaining all the time. With age comes pain. I accept that. I wish he would!

OK, rant over. Back to Freeport's Nautical Mile. I decided it was time to buy a new ring for my bare right hand, the one Bugsy bit a while back and left a little scar just above the second knuckle. It's a sterling silver setting, a six petaled blue flower with a fake diamond in the center, very pretty. We got into a whole thing with a lottery booth, but despite winning a few free tickets, didn't win any money at all on those tickets. Going by the odds, we should have won SOMETHING, but NOOOOOOOOO! We just aren't lucky, I guess.

We were searching for a reasonably priced lunch, but there were none to be had. It's usually me who protests the too-high prices of everything at these events, but this time, it was Dan who gave thumbs-down to every restaurant menu we scanned.

Dan was limping and we were back at the beginning of the fair, so we opted to leave and find a restaurant on the way home to have lunch. First, I desperately needed a bathroom, as I'd had to pee since leaving home. I was sure they'd have porta-potties somewhere, but hadn't run across any. There was a pool along the way back to the car, with, miraculously, a clean restroom. I was never so grateful to perch my ass on a toilet seat in my life, my friends!

Dan kept suggesting restaurants we ALWAYS frequent, but I wanted to try something different, so I had him turn down Wantagh Avenue. Unfortunately, when he ran a red light because he was in a bad mood, he blamed his traffic faux pas on me for talking to him, and asked me to stop speaking to him while he was driving. Truth be told, I was afraid he was going to drop off to sleep if I stopped talking to him, so his order kind of put me in a bind.

We stopped at a Greek place on Wantagh Avenue. His gyro meat was too well done and my pork was too fatty, but we were so hungry, we scarfed it down anyway. It was already 2:30 PM by the time we got home, and he was behaving like a cranky baby. I urged him to take a nap while I went to the stores. Wal-Mart was insane; Pathmark not much better; I took a breather, then hit my local grocery store, which was far more sedate. Fruit was way too expensive; I was hurting everywhere; Brad and Ali went to dinner without us because we had eaten too late and they were hungry. They later brought back Italian ices for us, but we gave them money to purchase them. We had to shuffle Snaps and Bugsy out of Ali's way three times and it was a hassle. Sigh!

I needed a nap, too, but didn't get one.

SOPRANOS ended its run for now, but will resume in January, 2007. One suspects the calm before the storm.

Dan is seeing our doctor this evening. I'm stopping at the gym on the way home. I walked during lunch break today, and it was great. The weather was cool and perfect.

So ends my whackadoodle weekend. Hope you enjoyed yours!

Love, Robin