WAR OF THE NEIGHBORS - EPISODE 5

Well...well....well...so guess who didn't show up to court last week?  Oh yeah the famous girls who live above the married couple that filed a harassment protection against them.  


And then on top of that do you know what they want and are demanding from the landlord?  There is a light on the side of the house that shines in the driveway, they want that light on ALL night and pointed towards their car.  Then on top of that this light is right above a window that light will shine in all night long...so now this married couple would be getting it from two sides.  However the wife nipped that in the bud, they pay for the electric bill to that light so she said if they want it on they can pay for the bill.  So I don't see that happening.  But now the girls also want another light installed in the back of the house shining in the backyard that my house shares with that house.  Okay...the last time I checked, these people are tenants just like I am.  Why do they feel the need to demand changes as if they own the house and the property?  


Also why is the landlord even entertaining their ideas?  Which leads me to think do they have something on the landlord?  Are they threatening him with something?  Would be interesting to know if this is true, if I was the landlord these girls would have been evicted for harassing and bullying my other tenants.  But that would happen in a perfect world.  Lately since all of this started going on, I haven't even seen the girls walking around.  Oh wait, one day I did when I was walking home from the bus stop, I saw them and they saw me but no words were exchanged.  Yup, just the way I like it.


All I know is that me and Zoey are just chilling at home and is on her favorite pillow as always

Yes, this is what she does......most of the time!


Well until next time....

MOBILE POST OFFICE = BEST INVENTION EVER!

This entry is going to be short and sweet.  The one thing that I never saw until I moved to Boston is a Mobile Post Office

This I have to say is one of the best inventions ever.  Did you just ever need a stamp or a book of stamps and hate to wait in line at the post office?  Well now you don't have to dread the thought of going through that.

Almost every day this mobile post office is where I walk by on the way to work.  You can pretty much do anything that you would do at the post office even mailing small packages.  If you are mailing a large package or alot of items, then this is not for you.  But it sure is nice when you are going to work and you think oh I need stamps and you can just get them.

This mobile post office is located near the intersection of Federal Street and Franklin Street right before the little flower shop on the corner.  (For those of you who are reading this and in the area)  But just thought I would share this with all of you....has anyone else seen any of these in their area?

Well until next time....

I WANT TO LEARN THE BASS - RANDOM THOUGHT

Okay...so um, yeah I found this video on You Tube...and I want to learn how to play the bass guitar so I can do this. And you look oh so cool while doing this. LOL

Well until next time....

WAR OF THE NEIGHBORS - EPISODE 4

With the last three episodes these events took place over the span of about two months.  So you are all caught up and now I will be writing as things happen.


So as I'm on my way to the bus stop to go to work today the wife of the married couple stops me and tells me she needs a favor.  I said sure no problem, what? She needed a copy of my e-mail and a copy of the letter that the girls put in my mailbox for court.  I was like for court????  Yes because get this...the girls are trying to file a harassment protection order against the married couple.  Then she tells me that when they went to the police station to file a restraining order against the brother, they are told they cannot.   Um....since when can you not file a restraining order against someone when they THREATEN your life????  I'm confused as they are too but yet these crazy women can try to get a harassment protection order against them?  Okay....SERIOUSLY????  First of all this married couple are the nicest people that I have met since I have been here and I feel we will always keep in touch even if we don't live in the same area.  And these girls have the nerve to bother these people, as well as owe them money and their tools back.  I told the wife don't let it get to her too much because if she's upset her son will notice that and he doesn't need added stress.  She then tells me yes I know I have to keep it under control because he (her son) just had another seizure on Sunday.  


As we were talking, I see my bus drive by and I said oh I missed my bus.  At that she says stay here, I'll drive you to the train station.  So she comes out with her son and he is such a joy to be around and such a good kid.  She drops me off at the train station and I get out and say goodbye to her and then her son.  The smile that he gave me just made my day...the innocence of this child is just so pure.  And the fact that the girls are putting added stress on this woman and they know it is ridiculous.  And they say that only kids bully other kids.....not in this day or age....sad isn't it?


When I came home today the husband saw me, thanked me for sending that e-mail to the landlord and he didn't know I had issues with these girls.  But he also thanked me for supporting them against these women.  I told him no problem and I have given his wife my cell and home number and they can call me if they need me for anything.


So tomorrow the married couple has to go to court for this harassment protection hearing....I'll keep you posted as to how things turn out.


Well until next time

WAR OF THE NEIGHBORS - EPISODE 3

What happens next makes it hard to believe that all of this started because the girls put notes in mailboxes telling people to take the trash cans out to the sidewalk.  Amazing isn't it?  And not to mention, this isn't the first time they have done this to the young couple upstairs.  Shortly after she moved in, a note was put in her mailbox to make sure that she picked up after her dog which the girl's parents were in town and were a little taken back by that.  Because of the note the girl is scared to even walk her dog near the yard that the houses share.  


Oh and an update the landlord has advised that we are all responsible for our own trash can and recycling bin to take to the sidewalk.  Which is fine by me and the landlord also requested me to send an e-mail with a copy of the note that they put in my mailbox.  So I did with a nice little note as to how the girls act around here.  Would you believe that a couple of days after we were told to take our own bins out I was coming home while the girls were outside putting their address on their own bins, I said hello....with not response.  Unbelievable.


Well the plot thickens because the wife of the married couple has found out that the girls are not a neighborhood favorite.  No one in the neighborhood thinks they are very nice and friendly people except one person.  Then on top of that she found out from the landscapers that before the married couple moved in (which was in March) that the yard was always covered in dog crap which meant the girls never picked up after their dog.  Now that totally makes sense because she told me when they moved in, the girls were outside in the yard trying to pick up dog crap and told the married couple "Sorry about this, we haven't had time to clean up the yard before you moved in."  Okay...first of all, pick up your dog crap when your dog poops...it's not rocket science.  AND if one of you don't work perhaps the one who doesn't work can clean up the yard. 


The same day the landscapers were here, the landlord came by for a visit and talked to the wife of the married couple.  She talked to him about the events that have been going on and he told her that he talked to the girls upstairs and told them to stay away from her family and for her family to stay away from them.  He then added that if he has to, he doesn't care of the entire house is empty to which the wife says that's fine for us we have a place we can go.  


Now this is where this saga takes a turn...the wife comes to my door one night and tells me what happened a few days before.  The brother of one of the girls came screeching into the driveway and her and her husband when out to see what was going on.  He then starts screaming and tells them that they better stop messing with his sister or else he will come back and f'ng kill them!  After that...he punches the car window and takes off.  At that point the wife goes to the girls door and knocks on it because she wants to know what is going on and what they did.  Well of course they were cowards and didn't come to the door.  So the married couple calls the cops to tell them about the incident and questions the married couple, then questions the girls upstairs.  The cops asked them for the name of the brother and they were not being cooperative...at first.  Until the cop threatened them by taking them to jail for not giving the name and address.  Then that got them talking.  One of which has a monitor on because she has a heart murmur is acting like this is all stressful for her...oh  please!!!!  I've had a heart murmur all my life and have had to wear those things...that lady isn't dying and she is trying to play things up for the cops to make her feel bad.  


So I explained this to the wife and then ask her how could they do what they did when they know about her situation and she has a special needs child.  (He is autistic and is prone to seizures)  The more I find out about these girls the less I like them.  The wife wanted to scared to even talk to me because she doesn't want me to be a "target" too.


I told her that I'm not worried about it, those girls never liked me anyway.  And to feel free to talk to me.  At the end of our conversation she advised that they were going to go to the police station to file a restraining order against the brother who threatened them.


Again...amazing that things have gotten to this point over some stupid trash bins.  We were kind of giggling about it but in reality it's not funny.


Well until next time....

WAR OF THE NEIGHBORS - EPISODE 2

So after being here for several months here in my apartment, I thought things have calmed down.  Well to my surprise....as I'm taking out the trash out one day and the wife of the married couple comes running out and says..."Don't you dare take those cans out, and I'm going to tell you why."  Apparently, one of the girls doesn't even work and is home all day and she felt the least she could do was take the trash out.


Also since I've moved in the girls have had two garage sales which the wife put some items in their garage sale and was supposed to be given the money if her items sold.  Not only did all of her items sell at BOTH garage sales....the girls never gave her the money for them.  So let's just say she is a little miffed at them for that.  On top of that the married couple loaned the girls some tools to use which have never been returned as well.  These girls are really a piece of work!  And they have some nerve telling other people what to do like they own the place.


Another thing that happened, the washer in the girls apartment leaked into the downstairs apartment and the married couple talked to the landlord about it.  At that point the landlord told the married couple, give the girls a call upstairs to see where it is leaking and perhaps they can figure out how to stop it from leaking.  Would you believe the girls would not even answer the door?  And not only that...they have lived here for 4 years and only recently the demanded a key to the basement which the married couple has been entitled to use for storage.  The married couple is confused as to why they want access to the basement, but hey...they don't own the place so they don't ask questions.  


Another demand from the girls is due to some "law" they are entitled to two exits to their apartment and right now they only have one.  So the landlord was having people come to the house to do estimates and one of the closets in the married couple's rooms will be made smaller to make room for a stairway.  Okay I don't know who died and made these fools queens of the block but for people who do nothing....they sure do want everything as well as bullying people.


So the wife of the married couple has talked to the landlord numerous times and have complained about the girls.  Because not only of the things above, but the girls have also started to leave the porch light on which lets light into the bedroom of the married couple as well as slamming the door at 5:30am when the girls get up to walk their dogs.  Why are they being so irritating?  Just because someone does not stand for their bullying?  One day while the wife was outside one of the girls was walking up the hill and gave her the finger.  Well the wife asked her if she gave her the finger?  To which she responded you need to mind your own business!!!  Well the wife let her have it and told her "Who do you think you are???? You have no right doing anything you have done.  And putting notes in mailboxes???? Who do you think you are?"


Well....guess my secret is out and the girls know that I have told people about the note in my mailbox...and to think they thought they were trying to look like the nice people on the block who plan their stupid flowers and keep to themselves.  NOT!!!


Oh boy...it gets better.


Well until next time....

WAR OF THE NEIGHBORS - EPISODE 1

A series of events have been going on with my neighbors and it's pretty ridiculous I decided to blog about it.  Let me give you a little bit of background about my neighbors and where I live.  First I live in a carriage house that was renovated into 2 apartments, I'm on the first floor and there is a single girl that lives upstairs with her boyfriend.  I will refer to them as "the young couple".  The house in front of mine is considered the main house.  On the first floor there is a married couple and the second floor two women live there, I will refer to them as "the girls".


This topic will go over events that will lead up to what has happened over the last few weeks.  When I first moved here, I was told by the landlord that Fridays is trash day and if I noticed that noone has taken the trash and recycling cans to the sidewalk to do so either Thursday night or early Friday morning.  Hey no problem, not a big deal to me so I was taking the trash cans out one day and the husband of the married couple said  "What are you doing?  Don't worry about that, the girls upstairs do that, it's their thing."  So I told him I just wanted to do my part around here, and he explained further that they told him and his wife not to worry about it...sooooo I'm thinking oh okay.  Well after a few weeks of me not taking the trash cans out...there is a note in my mailbox as well as the mailbox for the young couple upstairs.  I read it and it says:  "Just a reminder, trash pick up day is Friday.  The bins need to be taken out either Thursday night or Friday morning....please do your share"


I was livid....how dare someone put a note in my mailbox...what are we in high school and you don't have the balls to come to me and talk to me like an adult?  So I let it go and the next month I take the trash bins out.  Then the wife of the married couple comes out and says "What are you doing?  The girls upstairs do that...they told us not to worry about it.  It's a game they play with their dogs."  At that point I told her that I know I was the new kid on the block and I didn't want to cause any trouble but I got a note in my mailbox.  Her mouth dropped open and I added so did the tenant that lives above me.  Her mouth dropped open even further.  She could not believe it, so at that point, I knew who put the note in my mailbox and the married couple told me to ask them about the note and that they told me not to take the trash out.  Well I did that and the girls wouldn't even answer their door. 


Now I find that to be strange...and some pieces of a puzzle start together.  First the girls are not the friendliest people and the only time they have talked to me is when we have been outside at the same time walking our dogs.  Zoey tends to be a magnet to people since she is just so cute.  But one was nice and would talk, the other one wouldn't talk to me at all.  Then after I got the note in my mailbox the following week I was taking the trash cans out when the girls came home.  One didn't get out of the car, the other one did as she walked by me I said hi and she didn't even respond.  When I walked past their car the other one was sitting in the passenger seat and was looking straight ahead and wouldn't even look in my direction...AHA!  She must have been embarrassed because the one that wouldn't talk to me MUST have put that note in my mailbox.  


Later I come to find out the one that wouldn't even look at me was the one who did the deed.....putting the notes in my mailbox and the young couple's mailbox.  Tsk tsk....what a coward.


And this is when the saga begins.


Well until next time....

TOP 10 GOOD THINGS ABOUT WORKING IN BOSTON

It has been 8 months since I have moved to the Boston area.  While this hasn't been the easiest 8 months it has truly been a life experience, that's for sure.  But you know what, working downtown in the Financial District.  So I've decided to write all the things I like about working downtown.  Some may be sarcastic...so here we go:


10.  Walking by the Occupy Boston came in Dewey Square outside of South Station every morning and afternoon.  (This is one of the sarcastic ones)  I'm actually getting tired of seeing that everyday.


9.  The fact that where my office is it is close to everything.


8.  Being exposed to so many different people regardless if they are mean, nice, short, tall, thin, fat, smelly, smells good...they are all unique in every way.  


7.  Seeing the Spare Change newspaper guy every day and waiting for him to say "Spare Change Newspaper!  Help the homeless help themselves!"  That is the main thing he says...everyday it is something different.


6.  I can walk 10 minutes in any direction and find a Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts or Subway.  


5.  The ability to go to the waterfront when it is nice and sunny out to enjoy the water...and right by the New England Aquarium to see the seals outside.  I need to do that more often next year.


4.  Lots of places to go shopping during lunch hour.  Either in Downtown Crossing or Quincy Market.  I need to do that more often next year too.


3.  My office is right down the street from J Hook & Co. which is one of the best places to get the famous lobster roll here in Boston.  Also from Samurai Eatery which is an awesome sushi place.  And it is good!


2.  Able to go over by Faneuil Hall, which is another thing I need to do more often.  There is always something gong on over there...especially in the summer.


1.  There is always something going on downtown.  If I stay in the office it may seem like there is nothing going on...but if you go out and look around...something is always going on.


Well until next time....

SPOOKTACULAR EVENTS!!!!

So today was definitely a fun day.  It was mostly for Zoey to get out and socialize with other dogs.  The local Petco in Quincy was not only having a "Howl-o-ween Pet Costume Contest" but they had a mixed breed mixer afterwards.  And Zoey got to ride the bus for the first time today!


Waiting for the bus

On the bus

So...at first when we get there, the other dog costumes were so lame...there was a skeleton and it was just a dog in a sweater with a skeleton on the back of it.  Seriously....these people thought they were going to win with that?  But Maisey was the cutest Golden Lab I ever seen.  So she gets points for cuteness.
I'm thinking to myself...oh wow me and Zoey got this in the bag.  Then a cat (the only cat) shows up as a king...it had a crown and a cape...okay...that's cute too, but I'm thinking..we still have a chance.  Then a dog dressed as the Black Swan shows up and I'm like wow!  After that we have a dog dressed as a devil that showed up and in a wheelchair...okay we are screwed!


But it was alot of fun and even though Zoey didn't win she had fun meeting these dogs:


Meet Riah the winner of the contest....The Black Swan (You can't see the feathers but the costume was awesome)

Sophie...

Zoey liked her the most and of course my baby who didn't want to wear the hat but I'm attaching another picture of how she should look as a banana split...

So after the contest everyone got a certificate of participation...

And Zoey participated in a relay race but she didn't win that either...it was a tie.  And I wasn't smart enough to answer all the questions to get more money so she could have won some prizes...but Zoey didn't go home empty handed.  Between the 3 toys and treats I bought her she got three goodie bags...so in the end, she didn't do so bad at all

So we had a good day, I'm exhausted and so is Zoey...I think it is time for a nap for the both of us.


Well until next time....

F-A-I-R! FAIR.....FAIR.....FAIR......FAIR!!!!!

What drives people to go to the fair?  Is it the food, the rides, entertainment, animals?  Or is it just good old fashioned fun that brings friends and families together to socialize...it's a little bit of everything.  This weekend I was able to experience going to the Topsfield Fair in Topsfield, MA.  This fair has been around for 192 years and probably is one of the longest running annual fairs I've ever heard of.


This is me on the way to the fair:

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Now being that I'm here from Texas, I attended the Texas State Fair in Dallas several times and that is probably the LARGEST fair I have ever been to.  This one as quaint and cute as it was is no comparison to this fair.  But there was lots of activities to do there, like visit the pig barn which was kind of a rip.  Because there is much talk about the piglets and that is what Brian wanted to do pet a piglet.  By the time we got there, they were all sleeping and not running around and you couldn't even pet them....WHAT GIVES????? 

But we were able to pet cows in the cattle barn:

Also pet goats and there was an odd goat called a lamancha which had no ears...it was weird but cute at the same time:

Then there was the Beekeeping station....look at all of those bees!

This was a little nifty thing made out of beeswax

Look at the little rabbit!  So cute!

The most amazing thing I saw was the amazing sand castle....How do people have the patience to do this???  I'll never know.

All in all this was a smaller fair than I'm used to, but I was able to get my yummy ribbon fries

And ended the day with popcorn!  But was it worth it to sit in all of this traffic?

The highlight of the day was this:

Ha ha ha ha ha!  Yes this was a fun day indeed!

Well until next time....

KOWLOON! FAIR DAY CONTINUED!

On the way to the fair we spotted this place and was thinking yummy....chinese food!  And Brian stated that he heard the food was good there, so on the way back since we were going to go right past it we decide to eat here.

So the N is burnt out...but you know what I mean

Let me just tell you this was the biggest chinese restaurant I have ever been to.  It was kind of tacky on the inside but it was a fun experience.  Let me just say that their menu itself was quite overwhelming.  The choices you had to choose from was traditional Chinese dishes, Szechuan, Thai food, Sushi, some items A la carte, and then they also had an American menu where you could get a good old fashioned burger.  Now that's my kind of place because not matter what mood you are in you could pick something to eat there.

We end up getting a pu pu platter, chicken fried rice and a side of chicken fingers.  All of which was fantastic!

I bet you are jealous!  But everything was great even down to the tap water...who could get excited about water?  We did from the first sip Brian said "Wow...this water tastes so good!"  And it really was good and you all know how I'm not a fan of water. 

So after I get home, I tend to Zoey who of course always gets something.  And what was it?

They had an all natural dog treat stand at the fair.  So here is a chicken cheese taco (left), cannolli (right) and french fries (center).  Boy this dog is doing pretty good I'll say so myself.   She enjoyed her cannolli and a few fries that night so she was pretty content.

It was a long but good day!

Well until next time....

BEEF BALLS???? RANDOM BLOG

I don't know and I don't want to know....

Well until next time....

THE FRIENDLY COMMUTER RAIL WITH THE MBTA....OR IS IT?

My daily commute to the Downtown Financial District is on the trusty....well maybe not trusty but old Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority or as us Bostonians call it the MBTA.  Or the Subway. Or the T. Sure the rail system here is old, but boy you can get pretty much anywhere here just look at this rail map

I enlarged this just so you can see it.  Since I have been here I have been on every line since the Blue Line.  The red line is what I take every day and I get on at Quincy Center and take the red line down to South Station.  Not too bad of a ride...just about 28 minutes to be exact.  

So my monthly pass costs $59.00 per month...not bad considering it is unlimited and I can ride any of the subway lines above as well as any buses in the Boston area.  How cool is that????  Well I thought it would be a good idea to start to ride the commuter rail...that's a whole different chapter in the book.  So I go to the Downtown Crossing station to get my pass and I tell the worker I'm riding the commuter rail from Quincy Center to South Station so he tells me "Oh, you need the 1A pass".  So I say oh okay then that's what I want.  Total price $59.00....WHAT????  The same price and now I can ride all the lines on the subway, any bus, the commuter rail if I want to and can ride the ferry too????  What a baaaarrrrrrgin!

This is greeeeeaaaaat I'm thinking.  So I ride the commuter rail the other day with no problem...and what a nice ride it was.  No crowded, hot, stinky funky subway for me.  It was so smooth and quiet....everyone had a seat and there were no rude people pushing you out of the way.  I'm thinking this IS the life and I will be taking this train to work everyday so my day won't start out so stressful!

UNTIL.....today....I'm on the commuter rail "enjoying" my ride when the train conductor looks at my ticket and tells me I have the wrong ticket.  WHAT???!!!  I told him that the ticket agent told me that was the one I needed to buy...soooooo he let me slide this time.  I get off the train at South Station.

There is a huge crowd of people and then there is a part that branches off and not too many people go that way so I think they must know a shortcut!  Well.....it wasn't a shortcut. I ended up near the waterfront...which was way out of the way and I had NO idea where I was.  So I walk around and then I see a street that looks familiar and then I get to work

So what's the moral of this blog?  Don't listen to people who work for the MBTA and...don't follow the crowd they just might not be going the same direction you are.  But my ticket wasn't a total bust, I can still ride the commuter rail if I end up at the JFK/UMASS stop and I still get my unlimited rides on the subway and the bus.  Steamy subway and funk...here I come!!!

Well until next time....

SCALLOPS, SHRIMP AND CLAMS OH MY!!!!

So every year for my birthday, the tradition has always been that my best friend in the whole world Nicole AKA Nikki AKA White Lightning always takes me to Joe's Crab Shack so I can get CRAB LEGS!!!  Well this year it was a little different but still just as good!  


So yesterday Brian AKA White Knight takes me to Legal Seafoods in Natick, MA and I knew it was going to be a fun time when we pull into the parking lot and Brian cuts off an elderly couple for a parking space and then laughs when he does it.  I notice that the couple is going to the same place and I tell Brian that look they are eating here too...and he says see they got a good parking space I wanted to park here! Ha ha ha!  

We have been there before and the last time I got the Fish and Chips and it was really good of course.  So yesterday I decide to get the Fried Fisherman's platter.  This was definitely something I had no business eating...but hey it's my damn birthday I can do what I want!  It was fantastic!  And then instead of cake this year I had ice cream bon bons....they were so delish! (As Rachel Ray would say)


Then after we were stuffed, we went to Crate and Barrel, strolled through the Natick mall and I went to THE most BEAUTIFUL bathroom I have ever visited! There was this huge lounge area where there was chandelier hanging from the ceiling.  A chandelier???? Seriously???  Well anyway...it was gorgeous in there.  Then after we went there we go to Petco so I can get Zoey poo her food and of course I give in and get her a special treat and a toy that I know isn't going to last 24 hours...but I just can't help it!!!!!


But spending time with Brian is always entertaining, either I'm acting a fool or Brian is making me crack up with his funny sayings.   Oh I forgot to mention that we also stopped at Ben and Jerry's for a frozen tasty treat!  So after we wait longer than we should have I end up with Triple Chunk Caramel ice cream on a sugar cone coated with chocolate!  (another thing I shouldn't have been eating)  But remember...it's my BIRTHDAY!  


So Saturday was a fun day with White Knight and Chocolate Delight...that's me!  Sometimes I wish there was a video camera with us at times...kind of like a reality show...because Brian is such a crack up!  But at the end of the day, I went home, got in my jammies and I cuddled with Zoey of course.


Today I got up, walked Zoey, talked to my mom, went back to sleep and didn't get up until after noon!  I've been bumming in my jammies all day today and I was able to get some laundry done this weekend too!  So I guess I have been a little productive this weekend, it wasn't a total bust!  


Hope you all have had a good weekend...tomorrow is Monday so it's back to the old grind!


Well until next time....

THE BIG FOUR-OH!!!

Well this week I turned 40 on September 29, 2011....was this a date I was looking forward to absolutely not.  But it came and went and I'm glad it is gone.  For some reason this birth year I was definitely not looking forward to.  So it was a very low key birthday, I took the day off, stayed home, fried chicken and drank wine.  Yes one would say wasn't it horrible that you chose to spend your birthday alone?  Well when I moved here in March I kind of figured I wouldn't know many people and it wouldn't be like a normal birthday in Dallas...so I really wasn't expecting much excitement.  


So the day came and went and the next day I went to the doctor...not an exciting trip to the doctor but good thing is I got my flu shot taken care of so that's handled.  Had to go for some more blood work...and would you believe they had to stick me twice before they got something?  Sometimes I feel like a lab rat...I have rolling, moving, tiny, deep veins and everyone always wants to come look at me like I'm a freak.  I'm not...I'm unique and just because I'm giving you a little bit of a challenge at your profession doesn't make me a freak of nature. So on this trip to the doctor I was stabbed three times!!!!!  Oh and then I have tennis elbow and have to wear this weird contraption that I'm not so sure of but hope it works.


After all is said and done, I go to work walk around the corner to my cubicle and what do I see?  My desk is decorated with the most beautiful purple roses that I have ever seen.  

They are are called purple rain...yes like the Prince song!

So my Friday ended up not being so bad even though it didn't start out very well.  On top of that my co-workers chipped in and gave me a gift card to Massage Envy here in Quincy!  Oh yeah...I will be getting a massage as soon as possible!!!  I LOVE MY CO-WORKERS!!!




Well until next time.... 

BOLOCO KNOWS MY NAME WHO THE HECK NEEDS CHEERS?!!

So I know that when I was in Texas I was a huge fan of Chipotle and have missed it very much.  My manager turned me on to Boloco and she said that it was better than Chipotle and I'm thinking.....never...how could it be better?  So one day Brian and I go and we have been going every since for lunch!  

The food is good, the workers are nice and they listen to you especially when they follow you on Twitter!  (@ClassynSassynTX if you want to follow)  Ever since I kind of complained about not getting a free burrito on Twitter, they know  who I am and say hi with a smile when I go in now.  Brian says one day they are going to have my picture on the side of their trucks one day.  And maybe I might be saying "I'M LOCO FOR BOLOCO!!!" (Yup...totally stole that saying from Brian...but when I'm famous...he won't be forgotten! LOL)

I wonder if the picture would look something like this:

Fake smile yes!  But it would be an advertisement for goodness sake.  Boloco already retweeted this on Twitter!  Maybe this picture will take me places who knows???!!!

Well until next time....  

HINGHAM SHIPYARD SUNDAY!

Another nice day this past Sunday and another area I have visited close to where I live...this place is the Hingham Shipyard.  A lovely community where people dock their boats, live, eat and go to the movies.  This is truly a place that I could see myself living one day.  It is close to the water which I love even though I have a slight fear of the water.  But I could see myself living here and really enjoying my life here.  I wouldn't even have to leave this area other than do my grocery shopping, but everything is right here...let me give you the tour.

Hingham Shipyard, they have a market here...so maybe I would be able to do my grocery shopping...AND a BED BATH & BEYOND?????  I'm so there!!!!

This is where I can put my new boat!  Yes...I will have a boat!

My future neighborhood...isn't it nice!

Panera Bread that I can walk to.....can't get better than that or can it???

I think it just got better!  Movie theatre and popcorn at walking distance????  And what else, this is all on the bus line so I can conveniently get to work every day!!!  I LOVE BOSTON!!!!!


Well until next time....

YAY! TO THE BEACH...SORT OF!

Well this past weekend, Brian and I had another adventure.  I found a dining room set on Craigslist and Brian and my neighbors helped me go get it.  This time I was in Marshfield and it really isn't that far from where I live.  Man...when I get my car next year....Zoey and I will be going places for sure since everything is so close!  So we leave before my neighbors and I think we are going to get there before them for sure!  Well we kind of got lost and went past where we were supposed to turn...thank you for the Google maps on my BlackBerry!  As we were coming back we were driving along side the water and it looked so nice so we decide to stop and of course I tell Brian take my picture!  

And then I look down and there is some beautiful Goldenrod growing right next to the road

Well that is really small....but you get the picture.  So after this we get back in the car and head in the RIGHT direction.  As soon as we start driving I first get a phone call from Rita the woman selling me the set and then from my neighbor Steve as we are pulling in to the driveway.  I couldn't believe it...they got there first YIKES!  I just had to get my picture taken...hee hee.  We get there and pick up the dining room set and with a little bit of TLC and this set has potential.  


It's very nice and solid...from this company called This End Up which is no longer around.  I believe it is either made of Pine or Oak...not so sure but it is HEEEAAAVVVY!  I do have a project with it that I think I'm going to ask my neighbor Susan to help me with since she is so crafty...but I want to re-upholster the backs and seats of the chairs.  With fabric the color of my colors in my home, this is going to be great!

I ow Brian and my neighbors big time for them helping me with this.  I have to start thinking.


Well until next time....

QUINCY ARTSFEST!

Well today was another great day!  First I attended church and it was Welcome Back day.  After church we had an outdoor picnic and boy was there a spread there!  From salads, sandwiches, deviled eggs, chips, POPCORN, coleslaw, cookies, cakes and pies!  Fortunately I was able to bring an apple pie I baked and it was a hit!  It went so fast and I felt bad that Ann (my friend) wasn't able to even try it...but Brian did and he said it was pretty awesome.  So my work is done!


After church, Ann was so nice to give Brian a ride home and after that we took a detour to the Quincy Artsfest

So this was officially my first festival here.  It was very nice, all of the vendors, artists, sculptors, photographers and such.  They also had free entertainment from this group called the Java Jive

They were really good and believe it or not they did a little bit of Black Eyed Peas.  And then apparently there are some really talented people at church and they not only had some pieces in the festival, they were doing face painting for the kids at a booth.  It was so nice to see them there, very nice couple.  There was also some refreshments there and of course they had my favorite

POPCORN!  Why I got the bag with hot dog grease on it, I'll never know....but it was a good end to a great day!


Well until next time...

GOING AROUND THREE TIMES IN DEDHAM!

So today was an eventful day.  Didn't get up super early, but it seemed like I was up and out since 6:00am and you will soon find out why.  And why do I travel to Dedham today?  To pick up an All-in-One Washer/Dryer that I found on Craigslist.  So Brian picks me up to take me and on the road we go, we get into this quaint little town (I so forgot to take pictures) and it was so nice there.  It was like one of those little towns that you would see on a TV show.  As we are trying to find the place to pick up this washer, we go through the town once, couldn't find the address turned around, and tried to find it again, still couldn't find it.  So I pull out my trusted BlackBerry, pull up Google maps and now we are in business.  


So we find the place and have to walk up the stairs, open the door and there was "Francesca"...yes I named the appliance.  Hee hee.  

So the gentleman there offered to help Brian take the item down the stairs.  Thank goodness....because I shouldn't have to make these "dainty" hands do man work!  (I'm gonna pay for that comment later! LOL) So the guys get the item down the stairs and Brian swears that he died for one quick second because this is a heavy appliance and apparently it made him see stars then everything went dark.  So I get it.


After, we go to a Starbucks so Brian can get a refreshing beverage to cool him down.  Then we cruise around Dedham for a little bit and after that we went to this pet store called Pet Cabaret.  It was a cute little place and of course Zoey gets some items from there.  We continue on and it takes us forever to get to the highway and back to Quincy.  Of course I didn't eat breakfast so by this time I was S-T-A-R-V-I-N-G and I was so vocal about it.  


But we finally get to this restaurant Quincy Dynasty, it was a decent Chinese restaurant, very nice inside...but because of the traffic we missed the buffet lunch.  Oh well....so we have lunch and it was a decent lunch.


So as I sit here finishing this blog, there is an apple pie baking in the oven for church tomorrow and a load of laundry drying.  This sure beats going to the laundromat!


Well until next time...

BOOKS, RAIN AND BURRITOS!

Well on August 15, 2011, I tried something I never did before.  I attended a book reading and signing for an old high school friend Ben Loory.  This was located at the brookline booksmith in Brookline Massachusetts.  

A very nice little area there with lots of things to do.  Definitely a place that I would like to go back and visit.  But I definitely would attend another event like that to meet new authors that are up and coming.  It's very neat to know that I went to high school with an author.  If you would like to know more about him, check out his website www.benloory.com I'm sure you will like it and pick up his book Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day

It's a book that is full of short stories and it is actually quite a good read.  I'm not much of a reader, but when I pick it up to read while riding the train, I dont' want to stop reading and have almost missed my stop a few times.  But I'm not just saying pick up this book because it is by someone I know...but it really is a good read if you like short stories.


After I left the book store, I went to leave and ended up walking to another Mexican place that was called Anna's Taqueria.  My manager has talked about this at work as well as this was mentioned by a friend as well.  So you all know by now how much I love chips and salsa....SO that is what I go to get.  

So it's not a big place and definitely reminded me of a Chipotle restaurant which I absolutely LOVE!!!!  So what the heck, I end up getting the grilled veggie burrito as well.  Let me just tell you....Chipotle has some major competition.  This was probably the best burrito I have had...and the chips and salsa rocked too!  This is another place that I would definitely return to again and I will!


I thought that Dallas was the food capital....um...living here has changed my views of that.  And if you love food like I do....be careful when you come here.


So in ending, even though that day was a very rainy day...torrential rain at times it was a very eventful day.  And I was able to see more of the area here...so it was a good day.  


Well until next time....

GOOD EATING IN QUNCY, MA.

So many of you know that I relocated to this town in Massachusetts called Quincy (pronounced: Quin-zee).  It's a nice little area, close to Boston yet there is alot of things to do right here.  There are so many places to eat in Quincy Center..doesn't matter what you like to eat, but you can definitely find it here.  So I decided I'm going to talk about the places that I have been to eat.  


About two weeks ago I was able to experience a neat little place called The Fat Cat.

Cute little bar in the Quincy Center area but set back off on a small street.  You walk in and it is kind of dim and small in there, nothing fancy about this place.  But it was my kind of place...and the menu was great!  If you want some good quality food with a nice bartender this is the place to go.  Oh and their prices were not so bad either.  I was able to enjoy the taste of The Blue Russian.....let's just say there were several different types of alcohol in it but it tasted like a grape soda.  So why they call it The Blue Russian, I'll never know but it was really good.  Then being that I was going to the movies that night, I decided that I should eat light and just get an appetizer of Lobster and Crab Nachos since you know that I LOVE and have to have popcorn at the movies.  But anyway....my order came out and it was HUGE!  And you should have seen Brian's order of chicken mac n' cheese!  Let's just say at this place you really get what you pay for!  The food, bartender that we had and the ambiance in the place was just great!


Then the next week I ate at a Mexican place called Acapulcos.

Small little Mexican place and being able to live in Texas for as long as I did I was able to have some great Mexican food.  But this place was pretty good I'll have to say.  Of course I loaded up on the chips and salsa and the first time I went I had the tortilla soup, second time I had cheese enchiladas.  Which was even more AWESOME when I reheated it!


So far, I have been to a cute bar that I hope to frequent for the great nachos, but would like to try other things of course.  And a Mexican place that has good food that I can go to when I'm feeling a little homesick and eat my chips and salsa!


Well until next time....