It’s Saturday and a lot later than usual. Been an interesting day to say the least. Last night was pretty mellow. I napped after posting my blog in the middle of the afternoon, leaving me spent over the keyboard. Napped for about two hours. Felt fuzzy and hungry when I woke up and had a tuna sandwich which sort of hit the spot. Still peckish though and when Bill texted me on his way home from the city later in the evening he asked if I needed anything from the store and I replied, ‘I Scream’. He offered to get Edy’s but they don’t carry that on Washington Street, so he wound up get Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie which hit the spot for sure and left me satisfied for the rest of the night.

The rest of the night was filled with TV and Bill Maher. One was better than the other though I couldn’t exactly tell you what was what just that Paul Krugman from the New York Times, a good liberal voice was on as well as Joy Behar from the View and the eternally insufferable Tucker Carlson who I really want to punch in the throat. I find the Lady Carlson just so fucking smug, such a busy little know it all, the type that got their heads handed to them in high school and sometimes deservedly so. At least Tucker (so aptly named for tucking his nearly non existent genitals between his well powdered thighs) isn’t wearing those god damned bow ties that just screamed, ‘Beat the shit out of me.” After that it was some Scrubs and some Simpsons before I turned in, falling asleep next to Bill’s braying snoring somehow.

I had emailed Julio earlier in the week, asking if he was planning on going to Marty’s Shoe Outlet anytime soon, and also asked in a roundabout way if he could possibly help with a ceiling fan problem that I have in my kitchen as well as perhaps knowing something about changing a knob on the washing machine, also in the kitchen. He called back today in response to the email. No to Marty’s, not doable, at least not this weekend. As for the ceiling fan, he would have to see for himself he supposed, and for the knob on the ashing machine, why don’t I simply look up online to see whether or not replacement parts could be had somehow. I didn’t think of that actually. He was surprised at that since I can almost always be found where I am now, next to a computer looking things up. Good advice from Julio.

I did some laundry today, manipulating the spot where the knob was with a pair of pliers. Also took a blade off the ceiling fan since a screw had fallen from the fan leaving the whole thing inoperable. I walked to the hardware store and asked the guy for two screws that matched the one screw that I brought with me from the fan. I was in and out and it only cost me 27 cents. Of course putting the screws back in proved impossible for me, even after a few honest attempts. Gave up on that and figured I wouldn’t be using the fan anytime soon. Tried looking up online for some info regarding a knob for the washing machine. I didn’t have the serial number so I was up shit’s creek without a knob.

I wound up cleaning up the apartment somewhat, throwing out a printer that I haven’t used in years and also got a haircut from Mr. L’s on the corner, courtesy of Tony. It was late in the day, at least later than I usually get my haircuts on a Saturday. Julio called when I got back, he and Stine had been busy doing their thing, he working on apartments in West New York, she shopping in Edgewater and doing laundry at Julio’s mother’s house. He asked me how my chores had gone and I explained to a laughing Julio, who I sort of known, would come upstairs and do the job properly, correctly and a lot less time that I would have taken.

He fixed the fan in no time flat but couldn’t do anything for the washing machine knob. He did ask what I was doing for dinner and since I wasn’t doing anything I said I wasn’t doing anything. He invited me to join him and Stine at a Portuguese restaurant in Newark. It sounded good to me especially since I hadn’t seen either one of them in what seemed to be months. He left my apartment and I joined them about 20 minutes later after talking to brother Brian for a few minutes. Everything was hunky dory in Bergen County for Brian and his family, at least as much as he could have told me since everything else was to be kept within his immediate family.

I joined Julio and Stine and we were on the Road to Newark in no time. We sat in the restaurant and Julio and Stine told me this was on them as a belated birthday present. That was cool. I decided to order Prime Rib but the waiter decided that a T Bone steak would be better. I reluctantly agreed as Julio and I had Stella Artois and Stine had a cranberry juice, holding off on some wine until her entree. We ordered and sat and talked and ate our hickory smoked Portuguese sausage. After Julio and I finished our beers, Julio suggested wine or sangria for the entrees.

Sangria was fine and as the pitcher arrived, Stine made a toast, raising her glass to her lips she wished me a happy birthday, belated of course, and Julio chimed in, calling me Uncle Johnny. That took me back for a spell when I figured it out, Stine is with child. She didn’t drink the sangria, merely put it near her lips, to prolong the charade. Apparently I’m the first outside of their family to know.

I am so happy for them, I am thrilled. They’re going to be great parents and my head still spins at the thought that Julio, who I’ve known for 20 years is going to be a dad. I am really happy for the both of them.

Here’s some pics!

Stine

Julio

Flaming Sausage!

Stine and Julio

Turk…I mean Julio and Me

The parents to be

the child at 3 months

Jumping Someone’s Train

It’s Friday, a lazy kind of day. I’m home and it’s almost 3:30. Last night was good TV night, The Office was great and uncomfortable, watched the Daily Show and the Colbert Report and forgot about My Name is Earl and 30 Rock though I did record them, just haven’t watched them yet. I’ve taken to watching Ugly Betty online since it’s easier and the DVR gets all weird when you’re recording two shows at the same time, you can’t watch a third show. So Ugly Betty fell by the wayside, only to be watched the next day. With limited commercials. During the Office a commercial for Scrubs came on, apparently it will be the final season which makes sense. Also the character of Laverne who died last season, has a twin sister named Shirley so the actress, Aloma Wright has a job for another season. And it’s been said that when Janitor’s name is revealed, that will be the final episode. Ugly Betty was good, though some plot holes have some splainin’ to do. Like how did Betty’s dad get back to the States?

Slept really good last night, good to have Bill on his side of the bed, it provides a balance. Last night was a night of big rainstorms which helped on a good TV night. I keep missing Mad Men which brother Frank is enthusiastic about. I’m sure they’ll be a marathon sometime. Watch these sixties suits smoke and screw. That’s basically what it’s all about.

Work was busy today at least for me. Half the office out again, traveling or working from home. I knew that yesterday, since Greg Stevens told me he would be out and I knew that people were traveling since I made the travel arrangements. That allowed me to cut out early. Natalie the temp had to stay until 5:00 and I knew it was going to be slow but I knew she could handle it.

I finished whatever tasks I could do, there was other things that need to be taken care of on Monday when the office is fully staffed again. I decided to take the Path train back to Hoboken, didn’t want to deal with the Port Authority. Nice to sit in a nearly empty car riding through the tubes as they were once called. Where it was raining this morning, the afternoon was bright and sunny and breezy. I listened to In Rainbows by Radiohead again and I am liking it more and more. I wonder if their other stuff is just as good. Maybe I’m too late to get on the Radiohead bandwidth, but there’s no time like the present.

No real plans for the weekend, perhaps cleaning the apartment some more, definitely some laundry. I’m open to any plans that anyone might have, so send in your suggestions. Don’t worry I won’t be holding my breath. I might even get some bagels and the newspapers for auld lang syne. Just to see what you might have to say about that.

4:15PM! HBJ Time! Almost 4:20!

Here’s some pics.
West Indian Tony

Flora (Ripping off Mapplethorpe)