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contours provocations
journal - 2008-0721-2100-mon journal | archives | home | e-mail Monday - 2008-0721-2100 - Rain - Rain in High Street; Saturday - Sleep, Ready for the World, Pink Triangle; Saturday - Ichiban; Saturday - Lowe's - Plants; Kroger's - Stuffed Focaccia; Saturday - Home, Plants, Arrange the Pots; Sunday - Lunch, Cute Waiters, Guiness, "Promote Tolerance" pin; German concentration camp chart of prisoner markings; Sunday - Post Lunch - Lowe's - Plants; Sunday - Petrol; Home - Lunch-Causing Tummy Trouble, To Sleep
I've been sleeping at odd times, so when I awake, I'm very groggy. And I don't want to do anything. But once I do, my system perks up. I wonder if I could learn how to give myself B-12 shots. Such was the case Saturday. But I did the normal household cat and garbage chores, took a shower, shaved, doused my hair with mousse. All in a vain attempt to make myself ready for the world. I wore my cap stamped with the words Ireland, and I added a tiny metal pink triangle. My first exit was Ichiban for lunch: I was starving. I motioned toward the owner and asked him what he did with the glass table tops. He said he tried to move them to his house, but another one broke and cut one of his employees. I told him how terrible that must have been for him. I'm still not sure what he did with them. An observation I forgot to mention the other day was that his wife always dresses like a neo-20s flapper. But with the traditional Chinese long hair instead of the bobs and curls. It's a very becoming style, and she always looks very classy. They make a beautiful couple together.
Post lunch I made a quick stop at Lowe's to glance at their plants. I noticed an unusual plant that I'd not seen before. It was a Spreading Plum Yew that grows low and spreads in a curving pattern. I think of evergreens as growing tall and then spreading out. This seemed to be doing the opposite. The foilage was almost fern-like. The more I looked at it, the more enthralled I became. I literally felt like I buying a cat. See University of Arkansas - Division of Agriculture - Pant of the Week - Japanese Plum Yew. I could not find a price anywhere, and the clerk said it had just come in, and he didn't know either. At the checkout, I discovered, it was $20, more than I'd intended to spend, but I could not resist such an extraordinary find. I also picked up a small Purple Diamond Loropetalum which is marked by thick, tiny, purple leaves. See PDSI - Loropetalum Collection. Actually my looks more like the Purple Pixie version. By accident, I found a box containing a stuffed Focaccia entree at WalMart about a couple of weeks ago. It's stuffed with spinach, mushrooms and cheese. But I could only find one box which was in the wrong place. I looked and looked and never found another one. I asked the surly clerk with the beehive hairdo and the rhinestone glasses, where it was. Her flat, pulse less reply was that she'd never seen it before and that she didn't work in that area and that she was filling in. No offer to find someone who knew. Well, what does the charitable person say to this. The phrase "stupid cow" did cross my mind. The same day, I moved on to Kroger and found it in the health food section. The brand name is Cedarland. Fairly inexpensive. Kroger had them at 2 for $6 (with Kroger Discount Card). But the special treat is that they are delicious and can easily serve for three meals. See Cedarlane Mediterranean Stuffed Focaccia. Saturday, I backtracked to Kroger and grabbed six boxes. Including what must be a new product, Roma Tomato and Basil Stuffed Focaccia. (Tomatoes, basil, roasted garlic, and mozzarella cheese.) I notice it's not listed on the web site. There may be even other options; next time, I'll scrounge around in the area and see what else I can find. Once home I brought in the groceries. And unloaded the plants. Then fed the caterwauling brood. Then outside into the rigid heat to pot the plants. Pebbles in the bottom, align the plant in the center, add plant soil around the edges, water. Weeks ago, I just placed the pots on the stoop. But then I wondered about the water not being able to drain. And as you may recall I went to a great deal of trouble to create a textured surface on the concrete. Cans and cans of texturized paint at $9 a can. So I also wanted to protect the surface. Next, I placed three small tiles under each pot. Then I decided to place everything on two rubber door mats; effective, but not overly attractive. Saturday, I decided I needed to remove the mats and the tiles and replace them with inexpensive plastic saucers. So I took all the plants off the stoop with the intent of buying the saucers on Sunday. Then I set about watering the three bedding plants. And water the grass which has begun to look anemic. A friend and I have a recurring practice of lunch on Sunday. Our choice of places has waxed and waned with one strict condition that it be a place that serves seafood. We have several favorites. I've seen ratings of restaurants that include a variety of criteria, but no one based on cute waiters. The place we visit possibly has the best selection. For awhile, I was enamored of someone who looked like he should be a university student in an English movie. Ah, but fondness is fickle. My attentions have now turned to a beautiful lad with gorgeous black hair that makes him look like a young John Lennon. I had on one of my Guiness hats accessorized with a "Promote Tolerance" pin that I ordered from PFLAG - Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays. The server said he a Guiness shirt and actually knew that the headquarters were in Dublin. The three of us had a quick session trying to "read" the symbols on the pin, but the low light defeated us. Significance of symbols is explained in image at upper left. He is a really sweet guy, and if I had a teddy bear in his image, I could make millions. The Nazis of WWII standardized the use of two of the symbols on the "Promote Tolerance" pin.. But in their Teutonic efficency, they had insignia for everyone - see German concentration camp chart of prisoner markings. Heavens forbid that one should be a gay, anti-social, gypsy. There's a Lowe's around the corner from the restaurant, so I thought it would be a good time to pick up the plastic saucers for the plants. Of course, I saw a plant, a Blue Pacific Juniper, I wanted. At least it was a small, inexpensive plant. Then I realized I needed a pot. Oh me, Oh, my. Back and forth. Finally, a one-foot high quasi-distressed, Victorian-looking pot. Thankfully, I didn't notice anything else. The temp in the plant section was decidely hot and getting hotter. My one last stop before home to get petrol. Uggggg! The pump registered the previous users amount of $75 for slightly less than 20 gallons. Fuck the oil barons! Fuck OPEC! Fuck the current administration for refusing to aggresively explore alternative forms of energy. Did you know that President Carter installed solar panels on part of the White House as an experiment? But President Reagan removed them because Nancy thought they were unsightly. Or maybe, her psychic told her to have them removed. On the way home, I began to feel unwell. My standrad fare at the restaurant is the Parmesan-Crusted Sole, followed by the Three-Berry Tiramisu. But I've suspected before that something bothers my tummy; and this time I was certain. I have a tendency to think it is the desert. When I got home, it was all I could do to unload the car. I felt exhausted. As soon as I potted the plant, I came in and slept for hours. When I awoke it was after 8 pm. (In Monday - 2008-0721-2100 / Out - 2008-0722-2330) This entry was written in multiple settings. Pax! Erin go braugh! Je accuse...
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