Sunday Stealing-Bicycle Sidewalk

Hi! Your host Bev Sykes of the blog "Funny the World". . Welcome to Sunday Stealing. This feature originated and published on WTIT: The Blog. Here we will steal all types of questions from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent questions. Cheers to all of us thieves!

Stolen from Bicycle Sidewalk

1. Do you think animals dream?

Without a doubt. My 3 cats will make sounds when they are sleeping, sometimes they move their paws as if they are fighting, or running.

2. Have you ever been to a fortune teller or psychic?

Yes. It was so fake it was a joke. My wife, who was my fiancé at the time sat with me while I had my fortune told and I sat with her when they did hers. Not sure if these were 2 “psychics” who worked together, or what the deal was. Anyway, my fiancé and I are sitting across from these 2 women. We both wore our engagement rings which were identical. These psychics did not have a clue, and definitely weren’t very observant. I always thought they worked off of keen observations. They just took our money and told us some pretty wild tales. I was told I would meet the ‘man of my dreams’ a year after the reading. That would be about 7 years ago. I will celebrate my 5th wedding anniversary with my wife this year. They also never mentioned my children. Absolutely nothing they said was even close to being accurate for either of us.

3. How important is it to have a low stress job?

Absolutely, 10,000% required! I have worked at several places where I was screamed at on a daily basis. Not because I did anything wrong. It was because my co-workers were nut jobs. One job, an elderly woman thought I was hired to take her job. I wasn’t. She screamed daily. She often screamed at me when I went in the file room after the president of the company directed me to retrieve something for him. When I complained, he said ‘she’s old, that’s the way she is, she’s not going to change.’ I was pregnant at the time and ended up going on leave 3 months early due to the stress. A different job, 2 co-workers basically wanted to make my life miserable so I would quit. They didn’t like that I was a lesbian and I knew it, and I wasn’t going to let them bully me into quitting. 

4. Do you always lock your house?

ALWAYS! People in my community have reported having burglars walk right into their house, while they were home and had their front door unlocked. My doors are locked whether someone is home or not.

5. What do you do if you feel lonely?

I don’t really have any friends. Not that I’m a bad friend, I’ve just not been friends with people who treated me well.

As a result I find it very hard to make new friends. I’d love to make a some new friends. I have Facebook friends, but it is very rare that I see them in person, or even messenger chat. Most are people I went to grade school and high school with. Many still live in the neighborhood I grew up in, they bought their parent’s homes. I’ve tried to make connections when I visit my home town, but we never have managed to meet up. When I’m feeling lonely I’ll go on Facebook and just read. Sometimes I’ll look for a group that has a lot of activity and I’ll jump in and comment.

6. Have you ever driven a sports car?

I’ve driven my sister’s Mustang and Camaro back in the day. More recently I’ve had car rentals upgraded to a Dodge Challenger and a Dodge Charger. 

7. Have you ever fallen down the stairs?

I have fallen down the last few steps, usually catching myself before I hit the bottom. I trip up the stairs more often. When I was a kid I always had bruises on my shins. Nowadays I trip up the stairs and lose my balance. It’s scary.

8. What do you think about the death penalty?

I go back and forth. I do think some of these killers are pure evil and they deserve the death penalty. However, I think that there are far too many people who may be wrongly convicted. I think prosecutors in some cases are out for a conviction, period.

9. What do you think about animal testing?

I am against it.

10. What are your neighbors like?

I have nicknames for most of my neighbors. Across the street is an empty lot where Drummer Boy/aka Metalicahead used to live. He was given that name because he played hard rock/heavy metal music all hours of the day and night. He also threw parties where he played electric guitar (badly) and sang (badly). He had amps and microphones. There would be days where he played the same damn guitar riff over and over for HOURS! It was obnoxious. Daytime wasn’t bad, because it was music I liked. But when any of our family wanted to sleep, it was too loud. When my community finally got a noise ordinance, the sheriff was over there sometimes more than once a day. We have a new neighbor to our right. They replace Mr. Friendly who was nicknamed that because he always had RBF, and never waved or said a word. The new people, we’re not sure if it’s a family, a group of friends, or both. Their nickname is the Whooptie Car house. There are about 6 cars in the driveway. One has a loud muffler set up and he always revs the engine for at least 30 minutes before he leaves and when he arrives. The neighbor to my left, no nickname. We know their names. The husband did handyman work around my house for years until my brother in law apparently had words with him. Now they don’t wave hello even when we do, and the husband turns his back to us when we come out of the house. My wife and I have both tried talking to him, but to no avail. We don’t know any of the other neighbors.

11. Do you turn off the water when you brush your teeth?

Sometimes yes, others no.

12, Are there any foods that you wouldn’t eat as a child that you now like?

I don’t think so. 

13. Is it important to always tell the truth?

Yes, and rarely no. No is reserved for those instances when it would cause more harm, like when someone has an illness or cancer that will not end well. There is no reason to tell them the truth just for truths sake, when it would hurt them deeply or confuse them more.

14. What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever eaten?

Pumpkin Ravioli. It was the most vile tasting thing I have ever tried. Had it a a very trendy vegetarian restaurant on the north side of Chicago many years ago.

15. Do computers really help us save time?

Most of the time. The rest of the time they are just a better way of doing something, or making a record of something.

16. Do you have any tattoos?

No. I always say I’d like one, but I can’t figure out what I’d want.

17. Do you pray every day?

Yes.

18. Are you in favor of cloning?

That would depend on the circumstances. I had stem cells implanted in my spine to grow a new disc between my vertebrae where the original dissolved. Using stem cells in that way is kind of like cloning, isn’t it? Aren’t stem cells used in cloning? I’m not really up on my scientific journal reading.

19. How do you feel about changing your nationality?

I don’t see the point. Why would someone want to do that?

20. Would you ever buy a used car?

I’ve bought many more used cars than new. When I buy used I try to get something a little old lady drove to church on Sundays. Looks new, low miles, well taken care of. I once bought a used 1993 Oldsmobile in 1998 that had 4,000 original miles. The lady drove it only to do her grocery shopping. It was like brand new. I don’t think new cars are a waste of money if they are well taken care of. I have a 2006 Honda I bought new. I still have it. It has over 230,000 miles on it. I feel like I got my money’s worth.

21. Should you spank a child when they do something wrong?

I’ve never been a fan. My policy was to only spank when one of my kids put themselves in danger. Running across the street before looking both ways. Touching a hot burner on the stove. A spanking was always followed by a long talk about the behavior that preceded the spanking.

22. Has science made a negative impact on society?

No. The negative impact occurs when the science is ignored.

23. Have you ever gone on a blind date?

I think all my dates were blind dates. I used dating websites. I never had anyone fix me up, and I never dated anyone I met outside those websites. I was never good with striking up a conversation with someone in a bar or social group.

24. Do you believe there is life after death?

I would like to believe there was something, or somewhere.

Lola’s Diner cc 2008-2020

Can’t a Matriarch Get A Break?

Ok, I agree, matriarch is overly dramatic and a bit much, but I do feel like the head of a family or tribe could actually be more accurate. 

Everyone comes to me with their complaints about anything and everything. My daughter complains about her housemates, her day program, her co-workers, the customers at her job. 

My son complains, mostly about the things his sister complained to me about, so I get hit twice with the same complaints. Oh, and then there are the trips in the way back machine that often require decoding. Is it a real memory? Why did he bring up that memory, and so on. The latest is, one of his friends announced on Facebook late last year that my son died. I have asked my son to have whoever has seen this to send him a screenshot. So far, no screenshot. So, not real/confused thought? I don’t know, but I do know that the supposed friend who is alleged to have reported my son’s death is a big enough ashhole to do it.

My spouse’s complaint today was how her younger  sister locked her keys in their Dad’s truck and wanted my spouse to come save her. How? We don’t have keys. Then her fiancé is calling my spouse and hanging up because she is angry that my spouse won’t go help. Then her little sister is complaining why can’t my spouse help since we have 3 vehicles. First of all, the fact that we have 3 vehicles is none of her business. Second, I decide what vehicles get driven because they belong to ME. Third of all, if my spouse says no, it means NO, there is no call for belittling her and accusing her of lying. Then her little sister tells her that her fiancé is “done helping us.” Really? REALLY? Is helping bringing over a 1/2 bag of food pantry cast offs they don’t want, that includes a box of open cereal and cream of soups that we don’t eat and some off brand mac n cheese? Other than that, she brought me a gas can with very little gas in it when I ran out of gas on I80. Then, because she got so little gas I ran out again on the off ramp. Did I mention this was about 8 years ago? YES, it was 8 years ago. She can take her “help” and fork off. Her little sister’s fiancé has been a pain in my ash for almost 10 years. When she was supposedly my friend, all the making plans with me and ditching me for better plans and not bothering to tell me. This happened so many times I can’t count. Then there was the year that she told my spouse she would throw me a birthday party, do the invites, the food, etc, so my spouse didn’t need to do anything, her little sister’s fiancé would take care of it all. In fact, she did nothing, no invites, no food, no nothing. My spouse and I spent the night alone, thinking at some point we would get a call. NOTHING. 

I am not everyone’s complaint bin. I’m done! I’ve gently told my daughter several times that I don’t want to hear about the bad stuff and the stuff that has nothing to do with her or anyone in our immediate family. Tell me some good stuff. She doesn’t need to dwell on these complaints in the first place. Most of the time they have nothing to do with her. I need to work on this more with my daughter. 

I am overwhelmed as it is. The new mortgage company harasses me almost daily, sometimes twice in a day. My electric bill was $467 last month because of the space heaters. My kids are again, both, in contact with their dad. This is more stress for me because the kids act up, and/or de compensate when he is in contact with them.

I swear if I hear one more negative thing or complaint from my spouse’s little sister and/or her fiancé, I’m going to need bail money. I’m not capable of a physical fight, but I still have a mouth and I can shoot it off LOUD enough and long enough for there to be a problem.

I want to run away from home.

Lola’s Diner cc.  2008-2020

Sunday Stealing-Happy Birthday

Today finds me linking up with the "thieves" at Sunday Stealing for some question and answer fun, as well as to wish our hostess, Bev, a very happy birthday!

Have you ever... 

1. Broken a bone?  No, I have not.

2. Broken a window?  Almost said no, but then I have this nice scar on my left wrist to remind me. When I was about 7 years old I ran my Dad’s leftover lunch into our house, put it in the fridge and ran to the front door. I missed the screen door handle and my hand smashed through the glass. My Dad flew to the back door, ran in the house and got clean towels from the linen closet. My Mom? She just walked through the broken glass, cuz that’s what Moms do. She put pressure on my wrist and kept talking to me cuz I was close to fainting. Instead, I slid down the wall I had been standing against and sat down. My Dad helped my Mom wrap my arm, picked me up and ran me to the station wagon while my Mom, walked through the broken glass again, cuz that’s what Moms do, locked the front door, and ran to the neighbor’s house to ask them to watch my sister, then ran to the station wagon, got in, and held the towels on my wrist and applied pressure. My Dad drove like an Indy driver to the hospital. I was some sight when we got to the ER. I was wearing a matching sailor shirt and shorts (think 1960’s), soaked in blood. I got a lot of stitches and my Dad had an excuse for a diy project. He removed the standard screen door and installed a Jalousie Door at both the front and back door. 

I say ‘cuz that’s what Moms do’, cuz they get er done. Mom needs to apply pressure to the wound, walk through broken glass and do it. Mom needs to go to the neighbor’s to have them watch her other daughter while we go to the ER, and Mom needs to get in the car and apply pressure to that wound. So the fastest way to do that is...walk through broken glass. Because any good Mom would walk through broken glass for their children. Not that my Dad wouldn’t. It was faster for him to run to the back door. Seriously! Cuz he handed those clean towels to my Mom before my behind even touched the floor. I don’t think I knew my Dad could run that fast, and I never saw him do it again.

3. Been on TV?  Not that I know of. I’m sure I could have been in a crowd shot at a Brewers or Cubs game. 

I did attend a taping of The Oprah Winfrey Show. Paul Riser (“Mad About You” tv show and book) was the guest. My exhb got us on the show and we got the full treatment. Limo ride to/from the studios, Kraft Services continental breakfast. We came close to being on air. A producer called us to a microphone in the audience. She coached us on what story to tell and where to look for queues when to talk and when to stop. I was 8 months pregnant with my son. I was definitely not thrilled at the prospect of being on tv. Thankfully we got bumped by a senior couple who were married for 60 years. It was fun, but until that producer told us ‘it’s a no go’ and waved us back to our seats I was freaking out.

4. Had a friend who shared the same birthday as you?  No! I had a co-worker who was a nasty ***ch. She changed procedures without consulting me, or my supervisor. I had worked there longer and actually set up the procedures (at my bosses instruction, which he approved long before she worked there.) She often mentioned the birth date we shared, and she was constantly talking about inappropriate things. What she said and did amounted to sexual harassment. She knew I was a partnered lesbian at the time and she constantly talked about hetero sex, and acted out... No need for you to see the graphic picture I had to see. Sure I reported her to HR. Nothing happened. After that, every time she went to her desk (which was in front of mine) she smirked at me. Of course doing it out of our bosses or anyone else’s sight.

5. Locked your keys in the car?  Yes. I even did it with the engine on. Back in high school/college I became a pro with a coat hanger. Back then that worked. I had old cars, I had to start and let them idle in the frigid WI weather. Fast forward to the ‘90’s and I was warming up my Explorer and went to clear the windows of snow. Yup, locked it. I had no money for a locksmith. I had to break a window. Pro tip...never break a wing window, it’s the most expensive. I can’t lock my keys in my Buick because when I accidentally attempted it, the door wouldn’t lock and the alarm started going off. I had the engine running. Of course! And my son was in the car.

6. Accidentally sent a text or email to the wrong person?  Quite a few times. Each time I was able to play it off and not get in trouble. This was before I met my wife.

7. Sat in the back of a police car?  Yes. Car accident in WI where my car wasn’t driveable. I had to go in the squad to the station to call someone to get me. (No cell phones back then.)

8. Fallen asleep at work?  Yes, due to medication I was on, I would nod off for a few moments and startle myself awake. Fun times, not!

9. Made a snow angel?  A few times.

10. Ridden in an ambulance?  Yes. About 20 times to accompany my daughter for hospital transfers due to needing a pediatric bed in a psych ward for her mental illness. Once with my son. I also had an ambulance trip to the ER after a car accident. 

What's the...

11. Worst household chore?  Today I would say cleaning the stove, cuz I wanted to surprise my wife. I don’t usually do any chores, but I thought I could start this because I could sit or lay down while the oven cleaner worked. I didn’t get far because the oven cleaner wasn’t spraying properly, spritzed on my arm and actually made 2 holes in my skin! I think I used about 6 alcohol wipes that I pressed into the wounds and wiped every which way to make sure the oven cleaner was completely gone. Then the oven cleaner stopped spraying entirely, even though it was full. But I’m gonna pass on that and say doing laundry at the laundromat. I HATE it! First off, I’m not allowed to go in the basement (back problems) so other family members always handled the laundry at home. For the laundromat trips, I drive, supervise my son, I put in the soap and coins. LOTS of coins. My son does all the moving and lifting.

12 .Worst color?  Vomit? It’s not an official Crayola Crayons color, but when I say vomit, you know what the color is!

13. Worst pizza topping?  Bad mozzarella cheese. By that I mean, that cheap stuff that’s not 100% actual cheese. It looks like plastic.

14. Worst weather?  That’s a tough one right now. Now I would say low teens/zero° weather cuz our furnace hasn’t been fixed/replaced yet. We use oil filled space heaters, as a result we have a new household record for our electric bill. $467.10, for ONE month! If we didn’t have this situation, I would probably say really hot weather. It’s just so uncomfortable. The sweating, the overheating, the wishing to jump in a cool pool. Lol! (We don’t know anyone with a pool.)

15. Worst self-care job (e.g. dressing, washing, shaving, teeth, toe nails)?  I don’t want to be gross, so imma skip over that one and say putting on a bra/shirt/hoodie/jacket because I have a rotator cuff tear in my right shoulder that has been extremely painful for months and my back pain which make dressing a challenge. We called this week for Orthopaedic dr appointments, I can’t get in until June.

16. Worst game?  Clue. Mostly because I find it boring, and certain members of my family are cheats at this game.

17. Worst school subject?  Gym. I actually failed one quarter in my sophomore year. The next quarter I had 2 gym periods per day on gym days and yes, one in the morning, one in the afternoon. That quarter I felt like all I did was change my clothes. 

18. Worst animal?  Mice/rats. I hate late fall when they try to get in the house. My male cat is really good at getting them and dropping them at my wife’s feet, but he’s learned circus tricks. He catches a mouse, beats him up (so much more pleasant to visualize), then flings them in the air, bats at them with a paw, chases after it, catches it, rinse and repeat. It’s absolutely hilarious to hear my wife tell it, but I have to stifle the laughs because she doesn’t find it as funny as I do (since I’m usually upstairs when those shenanigans are going on.)

19. Worst season?  Winter. I don’t mind driving in the snow, it’s the other drivers who feel that because they have a monster 4WD SUV they can exceed the speed limit and cut in and out while most of the rest of us are going 20 mph and trying soooo hard to be safe.

20. Worst TV show?  I rarely watch tv “live”. I record, but mostly watch the shows I like by streaming them. I just thought of one. Brooklyn Nine Nine. (Is there another Nine? Seems like it could go on and on.) I just don’t feel the lead deserved the show when there were clearly other SNL cast members who were more experienced, and more deserving.

Lola’s Diner cc.  2008-2020

Sunday Stealing-Thought Provoking Questions

1. Is it more important to love or be loved? To love.

2. If you had the chance to go back in time and change one thing would you do it? I would have divorced much sooner and moved.

3. If a doctor gave you five years to live, what would you try to accomplish? I'd try to make the time I had left with my immediate family more meaningful.

4. What is the difference between innocence and ignorance? Innocence means purity. Ignorance is knowing, but deliberately ignoring facts, rules.

5. What is the simplest truth you can express in words? Love of family. (For me, my immediate family.)
 
6. What gives your life meaning? See #5

7. Can there be happiness without sadness?  Pleasure without pain?  Peace without war? I would say no to all. How can you know what happiness is without feeling sadness? It would all be “sameness”. How can you know what pleasure is never having felt pain? Pleasure would just be your “normal”. How can you know peace without war, because, again, it would just be your “normal”, not knowing of anything else.

8. What’s the one thing you’d like others to remember about you at the end of your life? That in spite of all the hardships, difficulties, and really bad times, I held myself up and did the best I could to raise my children and help my children to be the most that they can be. Raising 2 children with mental illnesses is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Trying to put on that happy Mom face when you visit them in the hospital and when they are catatonic, not seeing you or the world around you, and seemingly not hearing anything. They might see and hear a little of what you do and say, but they do KNOW you are there, so you have to be upbeat and loving, and JUST. BE. THERE. How do I know? I’ve spent an incredible amount of time in pediatric psychiatric wards to see the other children with similar conditions whose family just isn’t there. It make a tremendous difference. 

9. Is there such a thing as perfect? No.

10. What do you love most about yourself? That through it all I have maintained my wit and sense of humor. And been able to...mostly...keep myself together.

11. Is it more important to do what you love or to love what you are doing? To love what you are doing, no matter what it is. I started out my first job was working at a gas station while I paid for college on my own. It was a smelly job that was too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter in that little kiosk. I loved it. The people I worked for were wonderful, like family. Working there gave me time to do my homework at work and it paid my community college tuition. It helped me reach my goal of getting my degree and getting a job in my field. Some people may look down on me for having worked at a gas station, that’s their problem because it helped me accomplish my goals. What other job let’s you do your homework during the slow periods with no customers? 

12. What do you imagine yourself doing ten years from now? Enjoying retirement.

13. What small act of kindness were you once shown that you will never forget? I’ve mentioned this story many times, but it was a kindness I will never forget. Christmas in the ‘60’s my neighbors collected money and surprised my Mom and sister with boxes of food and gifts while my Dad was in the hospital for months recovering from back surgeries. Back then they probably collected a lot less than $100 amongst all the neighbors. That helped my family get through a hard time and every time I think about it, it makes me think how wonderful communities were back then and how I wish things were like that now.

14. To what degree have you controlled the course your life has taken? I try to make the best decisions I can for my family. Like it or not, I’m the Captain of this ship.

15. If you looked into the heart of your enemy, what do you think you would find that is different from what is in your own heart? Who is MY enemy? I know I’ve had some in the past, but I don’t really feel like I have any right now. The only enemies I see are global enemies. As far as global enemies go, I think what’s in their hearts are directly what drives their actions. I think in many instances when you think about global enemies, things like greed and power come to mind. I don’t think I am greedy. I would like to be released from all the financial pressures I am under. I don’t need to live in a mansion with servants and the like. I like my modest home. As far as power? I would tend to agree that I like to be the one in power, in control of things. I think having 1 person generally control things helps provide stability. Yes, teamwork can do that, but ultimately someone has to reign it all in, especially when you have young adult children with mental illnesses.

Lola’s Diner cc.  2008-2020

Dream Start Ups

I have a storyline in my head that ran for a few years. Yes, really, years! I used it at bedtime to try to control my dreams, to stop the bad ones, the nightmares. I’ve gone through a lot and some of the bad dreams were a darker continuation of some of those bad times. Others were just horror movies I’ve seen gone wild. (Think zombie apocalypse.) It’s something I taught my kids when they complained of having bad dreams or being unable to sleep. With them, I told them to pick a favorite time in their life and expand on it, or about some place they’ve wanted to go. I simplified it for them.

Kind of dark, but I can get real creative with it. The Left Behind Series, (end of times) when they take up residence in a building in downtown Chicago. It started with a very small group of believers and in my story it grew into 2 communities, in 2 buildings with an underground bridge. 

Then it was all about sourcing food, prescriptions, supplies, building materials, furniture, setting up hydroponic fruit and vegetable gardens. Everyone has a job they rotate off so everyone does their fair share. No need for currency. 

It got really elaborate. It took into account everything a community has, all divided up on all the floors of the 2 buildings. Clubs, movie theater, coffee house, theatre that did small productions, even a small militia of sorts that went out at night seeking supplies. That same militia kept order in the 2 communities. Of course I was the head of it all. (After all, it’s my story.) I didn’t really have an official title, like mayor, or governor.) For long stretches I would have others handle the minutiae of running the 2 communities. During those times I would do storylines about the different parts of the communities. I’d spend time doing jobs in most of the areas. 

Every community member filled out a resume and everyone’s expertise was utilized. Carpenters, computer people who set up a secure internal network. Carpenters and painters secured the outer windows, painting them black and soundproofing. There was a cafeteria set up, people with cooking skills prepared menus and different cuisines. Security professionals set up infrared cameras outside the buildings and surrounding blocks so the area could be monitored to keep any trucks going on supply missions safe from the followers of the Antichrist and their police/military that hunt down the believers. There were even medical professionals.

It wasn’t just the logistics of setting up a community, I also set up relationship storylines within all of that. 

I need to get back to it because I know there is more that can be done with the story. Because I riffed off one small part in one of the books, I can continue with endless storylines. 

The storylines I created are very detailed and basically for my amusement, NOT for publication. What I’ve written above is just kind of an outline of the things I went into minute detail in my dream start up  Some of the characters were riffs on people I’ve met over the years. None of the characters in my dream start ups were from any of the books. The only one would really be the Antichrist, and even that was just the concept of what an Antichrist would be.

Take a book or series you really enjoyed. Or maybe a television show or movie. Change the characters to make it personal to you, then riff away.

Do you do dream start ups? What’s yours? Are you going to give it a try? What will you start with?

Lola’s Diner cc. 2008-2020 

This and that

For whatever reason my back and shoulder pain has gotten much worse. There has been no change in what I do, no increase in activity level. Maybe it’s the weather? I’ve just felt awful. 

I was at the doctor today. I thought for sure I’d gained at least 10 pounds and that my A1c had increased. Surprise! I lost 5 pounds and my A1c went down 0.2. I need to get back on the low carb wagon. Doctor also gave me a list of fruits and veggies that increase inflammation. ☹️ So many really good veggies that I need to remove from my diet. He did increase my carb allowance per day. Yay! He also increased my pain meds. So that means I have to play the game the state requires pharmacies to play. I couldn’t get them today and they will probably be rationed out. That means more pharmacy runs. My spouse typically doesn’t go out much, therefore I’m the one that has to do the pharmacy runs. This rationing is really frustrating.

I’m completely exhausted. I’m sure poor sleep caused by my shoulder pain is the cause. I’ve been wearing oversized shirts and hoodies to help me dress myself, but it’s getting more painful and difficult.

The crime has increased in mine and surrounding burbs. Thursday some youths stole an Infinity QX56 in OP and went on a crime spree that left 2 people dead. They did catch them after a chase from Dolton to Thornton. That’s a long ride. My father-in-law lives in Thornton. Thank goodness they were caught. If that were my car I don’t think I’d want it back. Would you? In separate incident over the weekend, a senior man was hit over the head while attempting to use his garage keypad to close the garage. He was knocked unconscious and robbed. Did they really need to hurt him? I’m sure he would have given up his wallet had they only threatened him.

My daughter’s boyfriend is in the hospital with pneumonia. Please pray for him.

Lola’s Diner  cc.  2008-2020

Sunday Stealing-Another Food Meme

Another Food Meme

There are things I want to rant about – I’m sure you can guess what they are. However, I am trying to be more positive this year and as such I will not be ranting. Instead I will answer a few questions from Sunday Stealing about a subject close to my heart – food.

Let’s dive in shall we?

1. How do you like your eggs?

Depends on my mood. Could be scrambled, omelette with spinach and feta cheese, or Denver omelette with hot sauce, Eggs Benedict, fried eggs with toast, or a homemade breakfast sandwich. We have a double sandwich maker, make a bunch ahead to freeze and microwave as needed. 

2. How do you take your coffee/tea:

Depends on my mood and what’s in the house. I drink black coffee, or with a teaspoon of flavored creamer, or half and half.

3. Favourite breakfast foods:

Omelette, hash browns, and bacon. Breakfast sandwich with ham or bacon (not really a fan of sausage). Eggs Benedict. Grits with butter and hot sauce. Fruit and cream flavored oatmeal packets, or plain oatmeal with a tablespoon of jam or marmalade. Healthy smoothie with kale, hemp protein powder, and chia seeds hidden in with frozen berries and a little plain yogurt. Any kid’s cereal with marshmallows and milk, if I really want to be bad! If I get up late and have to run to an appointment, I will eat a Nature Valley Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Protein Bar, and grab an orange sparkling water, if the coffee pot is empty.

4. Peanut butter: smooth or crunchy?

I like both. Depends on my mood.

5. What kind of dressing on your salad?

Blue cheese, Greek, Italian, French, 1000 Island, Good Season’s Italian (I just found the crusts at my grocery store about 6 months ago), Cucumber Ranch, Ranch. We eat a lot of salad, so our fridge is stocked with a variety.

6. Coke or Pepsi?

Neither. I drink sparkling water only, and I have a huge variety of flavors to keep myself away from Coke and Pepsi. Spindrift-any flavor, Bubly Orange, Bubly Blackberry, Bubly Cranberry, Bubly Raspberry, Bubly Lime, Kroger’s Fizz Cola and Root Beer and Dr P. (When you haven’t had a real cola, rootbeer, or Dr Pepper in close to a year, these will taste exactly like a real soda.) I love Dasani, especially the grape, but it’s impossible to find. Actually any flavor Dasani is hard to find, shelves are always bare.

7. You feel like cooking. What do you make?

Anything I can cook in my Instant Pot, like Italian Beef, Pulled Pork, Italian Sausage. I love cooking, but due to my back problems I can’t stand over a pan to cook and I need help if something has to go in the oven. My son helps a lot. I make all types of cuisine. Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Indian, just about any cuisine.

8. You’re feeling lazy. What do you make?

If I’m just a little lazy, a sandwich. If I’m super lazy, cold cereal and milk.

9. You’re feeling really lazy. What kind of pizza do you order?

I prefer veggie over meat, but the billion pizza joints near me (really, we don’t need anymore, but they keep popping up) don’t have many veggies on their menu. I used to love Eduardo’s Pizza when I lived in Chicago. They had a great spinach pizza. Since I’m limited to what the pizza joints in my area have...Chicken Taco Pizza, or a combo black olive, mushroom, green pepper, onion. 

10. Is there a food you refuse to eat?

Pickled herring. My Dad had my Mom always buy it for the holidays. 🤢 I think I ate a small jar when I was pregnant, but that was purely the baby’s craving and not mine!

11. Favourite fruit & vegetable:

Favorite fruits would be watermelon with a little salt, or blackberries. Favorite vegetable...it’s hard to pick, I like nearly all of them. One that is just too expensive, but is really tasty in salads...radicchio. Arugula is good in salads too.  Otherwise roasted corn on the cob.

12. Favourite junk food:

Donkey brand tortilla chips (with salt), pico de gallo from the Mexican grocery, and homemade guacamole (or from the Mexican restaurant nearby).

13. Favourite between meal snack:

Honeycrisp apple, or cheese, or carrots and hummus. I love hummus with tabbouleh and carrots and other veggies, but tabbouleh is hard to find outside of Chicago.  My son and I found a Middle Eastern fast food place near my daughter’s job, it was close, but the recipe wasn’t quite what we are used to. We used to eat at several authentic Middle Eastern restaurants in Chicago and the north suburbs. 

14. Do you have any weird food habits:

Yes – I tend to eat all of an item before eating something else, and I always save my favorite for last.

15. You’re on a diet. What food(s) do you fill up on?

Veggies, salad.

16. How spicy do you order Indian/Thai?

Depends on my mood. Usually somewhere in the middle, but I have eaten some spicier dishes. There is an Indian Buffet near the laundromat I have to frequent (because my washer and dryer were killed in a flood). They have a spicy fish dish, that is spicier than you’d think, but it’s delicious if you just have a few cubes.

17. The perfect nightcap?

I don’t have one often, but JD on the rocks or any other whiskey or bourbon.

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