Halloween Preview...

So I've been workin on pulling together my Halloween costume for a while now. I decided to be Walter Sobchak ("Over the line!" "Mark it zero!" "Shut the f*%k up, Donnie!" "I'm calmer than you are, Dude." etc.) from The Big Lebowski.

I picked up a toy .45 and found a Folgers can in the garage. Got a cheap fishing vest and shades and bandana at the Evil-Mart. I already had the boots. I'm almost there.

I could really use a lid for the coffee can (Folger's switched to plastic cans) and ideally a bowling ball bag. If anyone who reads this is nearby and has one, I would love to borrow it.

Oh, and I ordered dog tags online - for religious preference, one says "Jewish" and one says "Polish Catholic." That's only funny if you have seen the movie more than a few times.

And if you haven't, you probably should.

My new favorite thing...

OK, you may have heard me rant about how I hate that wherever you go in this great big land of ours, it's the same strip malls with the same stores and the same restaurants, and how I strive to eat at local places. And I did a fair amount of that in the Vancouver, WA and Portland, OR area - Gustav's (German food where you can get a burger served on a pretzel bun and fondue for an appetizer), Pambiche (cuban food - grubbin'!), Namaste (Indian Food), Tin Shed (Breakfast), Eleni's Estiatorio or Philoxenia (Greek food,grubbin' but expensive), and Wavy Gravy's - best damned biscuits and gravy anywhere ever - and the best hash browns - like a little potato nest.


And then there's Red Robin. Practically ubiquitous. Rachel and I went there because it was one of the few places open when Rachel arrived late in the evening. So we went. And I ordered the Royal Burger. And that is my new favorite thing:

ROYAL RED ROBIN BURGER™
This is the aristocrat of all burgers because we crown it with a fresh fried egg. In addition, topped with three strips of hickory maplesmoked bacon, American cheese, crisp lettuce, tomatoes and mayo.

Here's a weird, weird thing - There was one near the office and one near my hotel. And they were identical - same exterior, same plants, same layout, same menu, same balloons - I mean right down to the Star Wars Pinball machine. OK, I'll grant there were slight differences in the young attractive hostesses, but we're talking differences in perhaps shade of lipstick, amount of hair highlights, and possibly cup size.

Anyway, I had this strange vertigo combined with deja vu and a mild panic attack. I'd called in my order and for a few minutes, I could not remember where I was - whether I was taking my food back to my hotel room to eat and then sleep a little before going back to work, or just straight back to work to work more and eat. That was a little spooky.

I'm home...

I'm not sure what word to use to desrcibe being called back for another week. But that's what happened, where I've been, and why I haven't posted in a while. But I should be home for a while. And even though I complained about the pressure and all, they are a good company to work for, and I met and got to spend time with some really nice people.

And I'm glad to be home.

Quick Update...

...because I get sad when my MyYahoo page says "No items in the past three days."

I'm home.

ar‧du‧ous  /ˈɑrdʒuəs or, especially Brit., ˈɑrdyu-/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[ahr-joo-uhs or, especially Brit., ahr-dyoo-] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation

–adjective
1. requiring great exertion; laborious; difficult: an arduous undertaking.
2. requiring or using much energy and vigor; strenuous: making an arduous effort.
3. hard to climb; steep: an arduous path up the hill.
4. hard to endure; full of hardships; severe: an arduous winter.

[Origin: 1530–40; <>arduus erect, steep, laborious; see -ous]

That's the best word that I know of to describe this trip. A lot of pressure, long hours, tight windows. But I'm home, for now.

Rachel and Jake picked me up at the airport. My dogs seem to think I need to make up for being gone for three weeks by feeding them all of the treats that I would have given them had I been here, and they want them all tonight.

And I had a long, and long overdue, conversation with my sister, Laurie. It lasted 3 hours and 10 minutes. The best conversations cannot be scheduled, they just sort of happen like this one did.

Now I'm going to use what strength I have left to pour myself in to the hot tub for a soak and then dig a little deeper and find the strength to make it upstairs to sleep next to my wife for a change. Actually, that part will be easy. I'm really looking forward to it.

I have a lot to do, but I will try to get some more posts up this weekend to talk about Rachel's visit to Washington last weekend, more specifics about the trip, and what lies ahead.

Oh, and if you read this, remind me to get my picks in. I almost won last week. Stupid Green Bay.