After a really good Friday morning massage, Diana and I prepared for the arrival (return) of the Chitiz boys and Auntie Debbie from Toronto. For those who do not know, Auntie Debbie is my mom's sister and her sons (Jon, Ellis and Dan) are my first cousins.
Diana prepared a really nice Friday night dinner. We just had to get used to eating a little later than usual. Instead of the early bird special time for "seniors" we had to wait till the un-godly hour of 8pm but it was well worth it. Our guests arrived right at 8pm and we quickly and tactfully ushered them into the dining room for a great dinner. Lots of catching up and reminiscing.
Carpe Diem.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
The mighty Zim dollar
This is a sign in the mens' toilet at the Beit Bridge Customs & Immigration building on the South African side of the Zimbabwe/South African border post!
Carpe Diem or Carpe Toilet Paper.
Followers
Hey, how come no one is following my blog? I'm starting to take this personally. Well, not really. If you care to, just follow the link and instructions to the right. I have no idea what this all means!
Oh, never mind. It's gone!
Carpe Diem.
Oh, never mind. It's gone!
Carpe Diem.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Off again
On Monday evening I decided to pay a visit to Phil and the gang in New York. This was all last minute and purely spontaneous. Part of the reason was to thank her in person for the South Africa tickets. So, Tuesday morning I went to New York.
There is a really nice bus service that goes from Baltimore to New York about a half a dozen times per day. Very convenient, incredibly reasonable and only about 3 hrs 15 mins travel time.
I tried to treat Phil to Tuesday lunch but she insisted on paying. In the evening I tried to treat Phil and How to dinner but, once again, How beat me to it. I was successful the next day in paying for a delivered Japanese lunch for me and a couple of the ladies in Phil's office. Success at last: I paid it forward. The meal, that is.
I had a great day and a half in New York and then went home to Baltimore on Wednesday evening. There was a method to this madness for the quick trip other than hanging with my sister. She was leaving on an international business trip on Thursday with a whole bunch of journalists. I thought I could sneak aboard this trip as a journalist from the Bulawayo (Zimbabwe) Chronicle. They were traveling in business class and staying at really nice hotels in exotic foreign destinations. It didn't work this time but you can bet I will keep trying. I may have to improve on my journalistic credentials.
Carpe Diem.
There is a really nice bus service that goes from Baltimore to New York about a half a dozen times per day. Very convenient, incredibly reasonable and only about 3 hrs 15 mins travel time.
I tried to treat Phil to Tuesday lunch but she insisted on paying. In the evening I tried to treat Phil and How to dinner but, once again, How beat me to it. I was successful the next day in paying for a delivered Japanese lunch for me and a couple of the ladies in Phil's office. Success at last: I paid it forward. The meal, that is.
I had a great day and a half in New York and then went home to Baltimore on Wednesday evening. There was a method to this madness for the quick trip other than hanging with my sister. She was leaving on an international business trip on Thursday with a whole bunch of journalists. I thought I could sneak aboard this trip as a journalist from the Bulawayo (Zimbabwe) Chronicle. They were traveling in business class and staying at really nice hotels in exotic foreign destinations. It didn't work this time but you can bet I will keep trying. I may have to improve on my journalistic credentials.
Carpe Diem.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Pay it forward
What an amazing concept. We are all so used to the concept of "paying someone back" that we seldom think of the alternative concept of "paying it forward". They both, obviously, have tremendous value, but the idea of not getting paid back for something you did for someone is really noble. Our way of thinking is so geared to getting paid back for what we do for someone else that it is difficult to think of not getting paid back. Somebody else will benefit and they, in return, will pay it forward.
Having said all of this, I need to pay it forward. Diana and I will be travelling to South Africa and Zimbabwe this coming January and our tickets to South Africa were given to us by Phil, Russ, and my mom as a gift. Business class, nonetheless. So instead of paying them back I will be doing something for someone else. Wow!
I also paid a visit to Rick Levy in Gaithersburg. We had a very interesting session but there are somethings that I am reluctant to talk about on the blog. No, I'm not a reincarnation of Liberace. There is, however, a need on my part to finish some un-finished business. Hence the project in Zimbabwe. I hope to have something to tell you all about in the not too distant future. Forgive me if this all sounds so cryptic and weird; I don't mean it to be.
Carpe Diem.
Having said all of this, I need to pay it forward. Diana and I will be travelling to South Africa and Zimbabwe this coming January and our tickets to South Africa were given to us by Phil, Russ, and my mom as a gift. Business class, nonetheless. So instead of paying them back I will be doing something for someone else. Wow!
I also paid a visit to Rick Levy in Gaithersburg. We had a very interesting session but there are somethings that I am reluctant to talk about on the blog. No, I'm not a reincarnation of Liberace. There is, however, a need on my part to finish some un-finished business. Hence the project in Zimbabwe. I hope to have something to tell you all about in the not too distant future. Forgive me if this all sounds so cryptic and weird; I don't mean it to be.
Carpe Diem.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Weekend update
On Saturday we watched Man U destroy Stoke 5-0. It was a very entertaining game. It was a much better result than last week when they lost to Arsenal.
Saturday lunch time, Chef Mike and I had a soup cook-off. I made a Thai Tom Ka Gai soup and he made a Chinese Hot and Sour soup. Judge Diana sampled both and gave us her unbiased and detailed description of what she thought of the soups. "They both tasted like crap"! Oh well. It didn't stop Mike and I from having a few bowls of each others' soup as well as our own concoctions. We liked it!
Sunday morning we went and picked up Rob and her friend Ilana from school. Ilana came in to go to her Aunt's birthday party so Rob figured she would come home for the day. Ilana's parents will take them back to school this evening. It's always great to have Rob home, even if it just for a day. However, she did inform me that my face looked fat. The nerve of her to be so brutally honest! And there I was thinking I was slightly stout and well proportioned. If this keeps up I will apply to play the character of Fat Bastard in the next Austin Powers movie. Anyway, back to the food..............Chef Diana is making a roasted chicken with Swiss chalet sauce and mashed tatters for dinner. Yummy, I hope.
Carpe Diem.
Saturday lunch time, Chef Mike and I had a soup cook-off. I made a Thai Tom Ka Gai soup and he made a Chinese Hot and Sour soup. Judge Diana sampled both and gave us her unbiased and detailed description of what she thought of the soups. "They both tasted like crap"! Oh well. It didn't stop Mike and I from having a few bowls of each others' soup as well as our own concoctions. We liked it!
Sunday morning we went and picked up Rob and her friend Ilana from school. Ilana came in to go to her Aunt's birthday party so Rob figured she would come home for the day. Ilana's parents will take them back to school this evening. It's always great to have Rob home, even if it just for a day. However, she did inform me that my face looked fat. The nerve of her to be so brutally honest! And there I was thinking I was slightly stout and well proportioned. If this keeps up I will apply to play the character of Fat Bastard in the next Austin Powers movie. Anyway, back to the food..............Chef Diana is making a roasted chicken with Swiss chalet sauce and mashed tatters for dinner. Yummy, I hope.
Carpe Diem.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Friday update
Since arriving home from Boca it's been a pretty quiet couple of days other than catching up on paperwork and getting a well deserved massage. The weather has been typical fall weather and the leaves have been coming down with a vengeance. It looks like crap until the gardeners clean it all up.
On a health update, I will just have to get used to sounding slightly asthmatic at times. The breathing, for the most part, is fine. I just seem to get winded pretty easily. I guess I'm out of shape because I have not done any cardio the past eight months. I have started doing some weight exercises for my arms and legs and sit-ups for my newly acquired 1 pack. No, not 6 pack abs yet! My weight is improving daily. 148 lbs. I just need to make sure I can level it off soon. My appetite is still great so what do I do? Go on diet. Not hardly.
Carpe Diem.
On a health update, I will just have to get used to sounding slightly asthmatic at times. The breathing, for the most part, is fine. I just seem to get winded pretty easily. I guess I'm out of shape because I have not done any cardio the past eight months. I have started doing some weight exercises for my arms and legs and sit-ups for my newly acquired 1 pack. No, not 6 pack abs yet! My weight is improving daily. 148 lbs. I just need to make sure I can level it off soon. My appetite is still great so what do I do? Go on diet. Not hardly.
Carpe Diem.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Back home
Tuesday morning my mom and I went to visit (pay our respects) to my late dad. Gabe passed away in February 2002 and we all still miss him terribly. It's always a little unsettling seeing his headstone with his name on it. I guess it brings it all into reality for me to see his name there!
On the way home I had to make one last stop at Jumba Juice for my Acai supercharger. It's only 400 calories! Darn, I wish they had one here in Baltimore.
After bribing him with more Oxtail, Ilan took me to the airport for my flight home. I had a really cool couple of days in Boca with all the friends and family and I had a particularly nice time with my mom. She really is an amazing woman surrounded by so many good friends and close family. Oh, and the weather was fantastic as well.
Carpe Diem.
On the way home I had to make one last stop at Jumba Juice for my Acai supercharger. It's only 400 calories! Darn, I wish they had one here in Baltimore.
After bribing him with more Oxtail, Ilan took me to the airport for my flight home. I had a really cool couple of days in Boca with all the friends and family and I had a particularly nice time with my mom. She really is an amazing woman surrounded by so many good friends and close family. Oh, and the weather was fantastic as well.
Carpe Diem.
Monday, November 10, 2008
More house hunting
Monday morning I went out house hunting again with Fred. We looked at a couple of other properties but nothing "jumped" out at me. We then went back to see the two homes I liked from the previous outing. I still like them. I will catch Diana up with all the information when I get back to Baltimore.
In the evening cousin Martin (Cuz) and I went to a fantastic steakhouse for dinner and boy, did we dine. Cuz is a regular blog reader and was amazed at the food Chef Mike was making for us here in Baltimore, but he was somewhat dismayed that I never seemed to mention steak. So of course I had to order a really nice steak. Not him. He did the crab and lobster. We washed all this down with a couple of Cappuccinos and a mixed berry dessert. It was a lot of fun.
Carpe Diem.
In the evening cousin Martin (Cuz) and I went to a fantastic steakhouse for dinner and boy, did we dine. Cuz is a regular blog reader and was amazed at the food Chef Mike was making for us here in Baltimore, but he was somewhat dismayed that I never seemed to mention steak. So of course I had to order a really nice steak. Not him. He did the crab and lobster. We washed all this down with a couple of Cappuccinos and a mixed berry dessert. It was a lot of fun.
Carpe Diem.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Weekend update
Saturday morning, bright and early, all the soccer lads met at an English pub in Boca to watch the Man U vs. Arsenal game. I was not able to participate in the Guiness consumption but the rest of the guys seemed to do quite well without me. One of the positives (or possibly one of the negatives, depending on how you look at it) is I am not able to drink because of the meds I am on. The rest of the gang seems to make up my shortfall adequately. The result of the game was quite disappointing...........we (Man U) lost. I must say that the pub patrons were equally divided between Man U and Arsehole supporters but everyone was well behaved and very civil. How terribly British wot!
The Pub food looked pretty marginal so we all buggered off to one of the local hotels for a good English (sort of) breakfast.
Saturday evening we went to a 50th birthday bash for our good friend Robin Elkaim, Ilan's wife. It was a lot of fun. Great food, good company and pretty decent music. I was privileged to escort my mom to the party and my brother-in-law Howard came with us as well. Now let me explain something about an observation I made. Howard and I look very much alike and the two of us together, with my mom in tow, looked really funny. Like some middle aged gay couple with their mommy. "Not that there is anything wrong with that" - thank you Jerry Seinfeld. I guess I am comfortable in my meterosexuality!!! Oh yea, I was able to negotiate a triple dessert. Birthday cake, Tiramisu and flan. What a pig.
Sunday morning cousin Hilary and cousin Martin came to the apartment for breakfast. After breakfast I took my partner :) (Howard) to the airport and then met up another good friends' son to discuss his flying career. Dean is at Embry Riddle University studying to become a commercial pilot. He is about to complete his private licence test. We had a really good conversation and I will be following his progress with keen interest. I certainly remember what it was like for me in the same position many years ago.
The afternoon and evening was spent shuttling between the apartment and Ilan and Robin's house saying goodbye to all the close friends who had come in for the party. We consumed square meat pies from Selfridges, left over oxtail and cottage pie for diner. Yummy.
Carpe Diem.
The Pub food looked pretty marginal so we all buggered off to one of the local hotels for a good English (sort of) breakfast.
Saturday evening we went to a 50th birthday bash for our good friend Robin Elkaim, Ilan's wife. It was a lot of fun. Great food, good company and pretty decent music. I was privileged to escort my mom to the party and my brother-in-law Howard came with us as well. Now let me explain something about an observation I made. Howard and I look very much alike and the two of us together, with my mom in tow, looked really funny. Like some middle aged gay couple with their mommy. "Not that there is anything wrong with that" - thank you Jerry Seinfeld. I guess I am comfortable in my meterosexuality!!! Oh yea, I was able to negotiate a triple dessert. Birthday cake, Tiramisu and flan. What a pig.
Sunday morning cousin Hilary and cousin Martin came to the apartment for breakfast. After breakfast I took my partner :) (Howard) to the airport and then met up another good friends' son to discuss his flying career. Dean is at Embry Riddle University studying to become a commercial pilot. He is about to complete his private licence test. We had a really good conversation and I will be following his progress with keen interest. I certainly remember what it was like for me in the same position many years ago.
The afternoon and evening was spent shuttling between the apartment and Ilan and Robin's house saying goodbye to all the close friends who had come in for the party. We consumed square meat pies from Selfridges, left over oxtail and cottage pie for diner. Yummy.
Carpe Diem.
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