Long time - no write

Haven't posted in awhile. No real excuse. Just living and working.  The above picture is the Hong Kong Restaurant in Dallas, Oregon. Read on to see why the picture is here.

Had a nice day yesterday. Lazed around. Got ready and went to lunch with S. and her friend T. (we have the same name.) It was nice. We went to sushi. I'm not a real fish person, but sometimes I do like sushi. It was good but the chef cut the fish really thick and I had a real hard time with it. Neither S. or I are much good with chopsticks. I credit our parents. We just didn't go out to eat much. Eight kids...would you drag eight kids out to eat? Nope, me either. So T. instructed us on proper chopstick technique. I suppose those few times we went to the Hong Kong in Dallas just did not prepare us. Man, I used to loooove to go to the Hong Kong. It was really dark. One of those old restaurants from the forties or fifties that really did it up as far as decorating. Lots of red, lanterns, fish pond. I'm not sure if it had a fish pond but it was really cool. I remember loving the fried rice and these fried wontons with a small bit of cheese. I know, not authentic, but so good. Beat the heck out of Pizza Delight, where we seemed to go mostly if we went out to eat. Although that was good too, Dad would always order the same thing: 1 pepperoni pizza, 1 hawaiian pizza, order of spuds and one pitcher of orange soda and one pitcher of root beer. The Pizza Delight was owned by our bishop and he liked clowns. There were clowns all over that restaurant. Gosh, I think of all the folks I now know who have clown phobias and I think of Pizza Delight - it would have scared them silly. Heeeheee!  Yikes, that was a total "stream of consciousness" moment - sorry!

After that I came home and C. & S. and I went to Pendleton. C. & S. had to exchange a video game they bought. And I forced them into stopping at a fabric store. I got two charm packs for a quilt I want to make. They didn't have much of a selection of charm packs but the store was cute and I found something that should do for what I want to make. We then went to this little antique store that we like. We once bought an old chuck box that had been repainted a cool blue-green. This time I found an old hospital blanket. And and old sugar sack which I want to frame. Oh, and an old measuring cup. Somehow I can only seem to have one measuring cup in my life at a time. C. takes them to mix up weed killer or oil something. So I'm trying again. I love old things. I hesitated and C. reminded me that it would cost 3.50 to buy a new one. It was a good day. Not too exciting, not too dull - just right.

While I'm talking about driving out of town to spend money, I'm going to gripe about shopping locally. Although most of the places we went yesterday qualify as small businesses, so I'll overlook my gaffe. Anyway, I'm sick, sick, sick of Wal-mart. I have been to Wal-mart once in the last two weeks! This is a step since it is right down the hill. But I'm so over it. We mostly shop at Andy's. I love that place. The very best produce and so cheap. I'm not kidding, you can buy 4 bags of veggies and fruit for under 10 bucks! And they have lots of good stuff in bulk. No meat but we've been going on the weekend to this little place called Loney's. They have an actual live butcher - one who knows what he's doing. And they always have something on sale. I like to know that I'm supporting a person, not a corporation. I'm not sure how long that will last. You know, we're a corporate world. But I'm so disappointed. If I keep shopping at big stores, how long will the little places last? Not that my little amount of money will make a big difference - but still. I encourage anyone reading this to start going to the little stores in your area, at least some of the time. Most things WILL still be more expensive - but the quality will be better and they DO have sales. Support them when you can - if you don't you soon will not have a choice. Think Wall-E. Seriously, that movie hit a big nerve. Ok, climbing down from my soapbox - right now.

Today we celebrate C.'s grandma's b-day. She's a sweetie. She lives in a nursing home. She is still as smart as a whip though. She has had all sorts of things go wrong with her body. She was one of the very first people to have open-heart surgery. Well, in the new-er age of open-heart surgery. But they still had to crack open her rib-cage. She's had many things go wrong physically, but she has the best attitude. She loves to be with her family and she loves to laugh. I really need to take S. and go see her more than I do. Bad me, I know. I'll work on it.

Anyway, I'm going to wake you up from your little snooze now, and let you go back to your life. Thanks for buzzing by. Sorry it ain't more interestin'.