Saturday, May 26, 2007
I Love Cajun Cookin'
The last time I was here in El Dorado they were building a new restaurant, The Bayou Bistro and finished it prior to my return. I was reminded of it the other night and and went to try it. The food there was REALLY GOOD... I had a small taste of the Crawfish Etouffee and then had their version of Jambalaya and it was awesome. It was served with penne pasta rather than rice so it was a little different but damn good eatin' This restaurant seems to take the best from the cajun receipe's and, in many dishes, blend it with an Italian twist. I promised myself I'd go back and did so last night. I had a simple Red Beans & Rice dish but it was served with a different twist. Laid across the top was a large split open and grilled smoked sausage. Not just any sausage, this was a very spicy Alligator sausage and it was delicious. I'm going back there one more time before I leave 'cause they've got another cajun/italian blend that looks and smells to good to pass up, it's a Tortolinni Carbonara with crawfish and some other cajun twist that sounded wonderful... After all, my only real pleasures are food and drink while on the road so I usually over indulge in both!
It's a quiet day here at site. We've completed modifications to 4 unit's, are working on the 5th and have 1 more to go after this. I should be flying home on Tuesday, Wednesday at the latest. The last couple assignments have had some unexpected problems arise and extra work assigned but that only kept me busy longer on both and since I've met my required contract hours and all work is triple time for me they can keep me as busy as they want until mid June.
Talked to my manager yesterday and he let me know that this would probably be my last assignment of the season. Unless something "pops up", I'll be off 'till sometime in September. I'm sooo looking forward to some extended time off. It's been a good season for work and I've enjoyed it but I'm ready for some R&R.
Been trying to get the Deland Post 6 Legion Riders together on one page for a couple weekend long bike runs but expect limited participation. They're always good for a one day ride but few want to go for a weekend. I'm thinking a trip to the West Coast of FL and another to Savannah, GA. I'll be working on them for a while so maybe it will turn out better than I expect.
Gotta go check on my "boys".
Y'all have a great Memorial Day weekend. I'll be here workin' but that's OK...
It's a quiet day here at site. We've completed modifications to 4 unit's, are working on the 5th and have 1 more to go after this. I should be flying home on Tuesday, Wednesday at the latest. The last couple assignments have had some unexpected problems arise and extra work assigned but that only kept me busy longer on both and since I've met my required contract hours and all work is triple time for me they can keep me as busy as they want until mid June.
Talked to my manager yesterday and he let me know that this would probably be my last assignment of the season. Unless something "pops up", I'll be off 'till sometime in September. I'm sooo looking forward to some extended time off. It's been a good season for work and I've enjoyed it but I'm ready for some R&R.
Been trying to get the Deland Post 6 Legion Riders together on one page for a couple weekend long bike runs but expect limited participation. They're always good for a one day ride but few want to go for a weekend. I'm thinking a trip to the West Coast of FL and another to Savannah, GA. I'll be working on them for a while so maybe it will turn out better than I expect.
Gotta go check on my "boys".
Y'all have a great Memorial Day weekend. I'll be here workin' but that's OK...
Friday, May 25, 2007
Middle Aged Redneck Barflies
This place is really funny at times... Last night I was at a local bar, The Long Branch down the street from the hotel I'm staying at. Some of the labor/millwright crew working at the site with me were there partying and having a good time. I walked in and they called me over and introduced me to Lizard1 when she found out I was supervising the job they were doing she got real friendly. Guess she thought the guy in charge should have lots more money than the work crew. What a joke, these guys make a ton of money and a lot of them are collecting retirement from previous careers. Hell, one of them was buying round after round for the whole bar... maybe 20 - 25 people.
Back to the "ladies"... Liz1 was quite the sloppy drunk and was doing everything she could to get my attention. It was quite comical. She'd think she was being all hot and sexy acting and she was just so drunk it looked like comedy. She finally realized I wasn't paying any serious attention so turned back to the guys from the crew, bouncing from one to the other and they really seemed to be enjoying it. I know she left with one of them but don't know who. Of course, they were in not much better shape than she was. Lizard2 was quite different in her approach. She's the day shift bartender there and had been drinking for about 4 or 5 hours since the end of her shift. She kept trying to introduce me to everyone in the bar which was rather comical as she would follow me around the bar and introduce me to however I was standing near and kept telling me how she had a room in the hotel across the street and how convenient it was for her working and partying at the bar... She wasn't as sloppy drunk as Liz1 and is actually a pretty sharp lady when working. Both of them need some major dental work and need to learn a little more about personal hygene, like brushing their hair, wearing clean and unrumpled clothes, etc. Not a good impression last night.
I must say that I realized that I'd had enough to drink when Liz1 actually started to look good to me. Not that I would have done anything regardless but still, I bailed in a hurry. That just scared me...
Back to the "ladies"... Liz1 was quite the sloppy drunk and was doing everything she could to get my attention. It was quite comical. She'd think she was being all hot and sexy acting and she was just so drunk it looked like comedy. She finally realized I wasn't paying any serious attention so turned back to the guys from the crew, bouncing from one to the other and they really seemed to be enjoying it. I know she left with one of them but don't know who. Of course, they were in not much better shape than she was. Lizard2 was quite different in her approach. She's the day shift bartender there and had been drinking for about 4 or 5 hours since the end of her shift. She kept trying to introduce me to everyone in the bar which was rather comical as she would follow me around the bar and introduce me to however I was standing near and kept telling me how she had a room in the hotel across the street and how convenient it was for her working and partying at the bar... She wasn't as sloppy drunk as Liz1 and is actually a pretty sharp lady when working. Both of them need some major dental work and need to learn a little more about personal hygene, like brushing their hair, wearing clean and unrumpled clothes, etc. Not a good impression last night.
I must say that I realized that I'd had enough to drink when Liz1 actually started to look good to me. Not that I would have done anything regardless but still, I bailed in a hurry. That just scared me...
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Playing Catch Up
Time to back up for a bit for the 5 cent version as promised. I ended up staying in Mississippi for a few fun months. It was a good job with lots of time off to ride. Marti Gras was fun. Every little town has their own parade on different weekends and it makes for a lot of street partying, etc for about a six week period leading up to the big blast in New Orleans. Met a lot of great people and a few crazy ones as well.
Got home just in time for the Daytona Beach Bike Week... A couple that I met in MS rode down the day I got home and stayed with Stacey and me for all the partying. We had a great time picking new directions/places to ride every day. Bike week has gotten way bigger than just Daytona Beach. It encompases all the neighboring towns for twenty miles or more in every direction. It was a fun week to be sure but then it was back to work... BTW, the couple I mentioned, Ronnie and Brenda, got married a couple weekends ago. I wanted to be there to help them celebrate but couldn't make it. We'll see them again in July for our 2 week trip.
Damn, I've been jumping from site to site doing 1 to 2 week jobs. Racking up frequent flyer miles and work hours non-stop. Since Bike Week I've been to Tallahassee, Panama City and Indiantown in FL, Valladolid in the middle of Yucatan (not many tourists there), Chehalis, WA, Remington, VA and now I'm in El Dorado, Arkansas. I've enjoyed being busy and hope to land one more assignment when I complete this one next week before taking the remainder of the summer off.
OK, I think that's 5 cents worth...
Got home just in time for the Daytona Beach Bike Week... A couple that I met in MS rode down the day I got home and stayed with Stacey and me for all the partying. We had a great time picking new directions/places to ride every day. Bike week has gotten way bigger than just Daytona Beach. It encompases all the neighboring towns for twenty miles or more in every direction. It was a fun week to be sure but then it was back to work... BTW, the couple I mentioned, Ronnie and Brenda, got married a couple weekends ago. I wanted to be there to help them celebrate but couldn't make it. We'll see them again in July for our 2 week trip.
Damn, I've been jumping from site to site doing 1 to 2 week jobs. Racking up frequent flyer miles and work hours non-stop. Since Bike Week I've been to Tallahassee, Panama City and Indiantown in FL, Valladolid in the middle of Yucatan (not many tourists there), Chehalis, WA, Remington, VA and now I'm in El Dorado, Arkansas. I've enjoyed being busy and hope to land one more assignment when I complete this one next week before taking the remainder of the summer off.
OK, I think that's 5 cents worth...
Sunday, May 20, 2007
I'm back, I know, big deal, right?
Hey guys, looks like I'm back. Couldn't access my account since they changed over to the new deal. Guess I'll have some catching up to do since my last post was January 18th. Here it is 4 months later and I thought, what the hell I'll give it one more shot and , BANG, I'm here typin a bunch of worthless jabber to no one in particular.
I'm currently in Arkansas wrapping up a "very busy" season and looking forward to some time off. Hopefully I can squeeze two or three more weeks of work in June prior taking off for the remainder of the summer.
Planning on a couple week bike trip with Stacey and some friends from Mississippi in July. I suppose I should go back and fill in the 4 month void in my blog. Maybe I'll put together a 5 cent version in the next few days.
Wonder how long, if ever, it will take the one or two people who have read my blog to find out I'm here...
I'm currently in Arkansas wrapping up a "very busy" season and looking forward to some time off. Hopefully I can squeeze two or three more weeks of work in June prior taking off for the remainder of the summer.
Planning on a couple week bike trip with Stacey and some friends from Mississippi in July. I suppose I should go back and fill in the 4 month void in my blog. Maybe I'll put together a 5 cent version in the next few days.
Wonder how long, if ever, it will take the one or two people who have read my blog to find out I'm here...
