The Brighton restaurant

If you live in Rochester, or have ever lived in Rochester, and you have driven past the Brighton Restaurant, either on East Ave or on the backside via the expressway…..can you PLEASE tell me why it smells like burnt coffee? Every single day. For the last 20 years or however long the place has been there?

The weathermen (and women) don’t really know what they are talking about

This weekend has been outright BEAUTIFUL. Which is in direct contrast to the reports of weather for the last 3 days of rain. It was supposedly going rain all day every day this weekend. And it has been glorious, Laundry on the line, sitting in the sunshine, picnic today glorious. Beautiful weather. Contrary to what the weathermen say. I am not going to believe them anymore.

We are not the bad guy

I just watched a news story about my employer – a health insurance company – having to change a policy because someone went to the attorney general. That in itself is not the issue. What I really take major issue with is the way the news makes us out to be the bad guy. They interviewed a woman who said "they only care about their money, not my health" or something to that effect. Here is the deal. It isn't OUR money that we are worried about. We are brokers for your employer. So if you don't like what we do, perhaps you should talk to your employer. In most cases, they are the ones that choose your insurance carrier for you, they are the ones that determine what you get covered and what you don't, and they are the ones that tell us what we can and can't do. So if you aren't happy, instead of going to the news and saying things that you don't really know to be true, perhaps you could talk to the people who really can make the changes and currently pay your salary.

Friends

Sometime, I think it is possible to have friends that are too close. For example, when you feel comfortable enough to say mean things loudly so your friend can hear them through the phone while talking to your husband…this is a problem. My husband was talking to our friend, who had called to ask a favor. He needed directions while driving somewhere, he was lost. Except, this caused us to stop what we are doing, start up our computer, wait for it to load, mapquest something, with my husband typing with one hand, messing it up, etc. and apparently this outraged me.

So I grabbed the laptop out of his hands, broke the shift key, said loudly that our friend should have called his own wife to help him, and then in the end, the street he was looking for didn't even exist.

Then I felt really bad about it and started to cry. I think it must be hormones….. otherwise I am just a jerk.

the recliner

last spring, we got new beige carpet in our living room. Actually, it is more of an off white than beige. what was I thinking - I don't know, on the 2x2 inch square they give you to look at in the store, it seemed a bit darker. none the less, I love it. And I vacuum it religiously. and I admire it. and I lay on it, and an rub my bare feet into it.

Also about the same time, my husband was working part-time-ish for a guy moving furniture on the weekends. Mostly old people moving into senior living communities. And they were always giving stuff away. So, he got a long-desired recliner from some old lady for free. It was mauve and ugly and annoying, and I spent a bunch of money on a nice slip cover so I could tolerate looking at it. and this recliner has been the bane of my existence ever since.

At Christmas time, when we moved the recliner to put up the tree, we found a nice black grease stain on my beautiful carpet. I scrubbed and Resolved and scrubbed some more until only a very vague hint of stain remained. I told my husband (under penalty of death) that if he wanted that recliner back, he would have to get something underneath it. He eventually got matching carpet remnants to place underneath. I was satisfied with this. Until one day, I found another grease stain from where the feet part came out. You know, where it extends all the way out.

We had a giant fight, my husband moved the chair around the room a few more times, I scrubbed another spot. and eventually, we worked something out.

Well, that recliner finally broke. It is out at the street. And no one has taken it. There it sits, in all it's mauve glory. Pink and rain soaked. And no one will get it off my front lawn. I thought for sure at least the scrap metal collector guys would take it. but no. there it sits. thankfully, tomorrow is trash day. it will finally go.

and now, all we can talk about is the next recliner. ugh.

break in

last night, our car was broken into in our driveway. Surprisingly, nothing was damaged and nothing was taken.

But, it still happened. My husband got home around 5:30 and I got home around 6:45. That evening, we watched a movie and when we finished my husband decided to take the movie to the post office. He went out to the car and the dome light was on and the passenger door was wide open.

Now, as I have discussed before, I cant even express the level of obsession my husband has with making sure doors are locked. In the car, if we get out, and lock the doors, he will still ask if I locked them, and go around and double check. This is a regular occurrence. And, in addition to lock down, nothing ever gets left in the car for this very reason.

Anyway, the door was locked, there was no question. Plus it was the passenger door, and it was his car that I never use.

So we called the police, and I was less than satisfied with our interaction. The officer came to the house, and while talking with my husband, stood in the driveway smoking a cigarette. Now, smoking isn't my favorite thing, but I don't condemn people for that choice. However, if you are on duty, then the professional thing to do is wait to light up. Then, he proceeded to insist that my husband left the door open. To which my husband said, "I have been home for more than 4 hours, the dome light would have burned the battery out". No. He would not believe it. And he then continued to give my husband a hard time about the dome light, saying that it would have turned off in 10 minutes. My husband reminded him that it was an 11 year old car, it didn't go out on its own. And if we used the officer's logic about the dome light, then the break in would have happened in the 10 minutes prior to calling, therefor confirming that my husband didn't leave the door open 4 hours earlier. He refused to make a police report. And said "we'll keep the neighborhood on special watch". Yeah right.

Needless to say, I was irritated with the interaction but glad nothing happened to the car and nothing was missing.

I want a vacation

Every summer we tend to take a nice big schmancy vacation. This year, we have decided to forego the vacation in lieu of other impending things. But now, I really want one. I know, whoa is me. But I usually mark the beginning of summer with the anticipation of my big vacation. I have a feeling we will mostly likely do something for our anniversary in August. However, it will be local instead of either international or on the west coast. Where, of course, is now the question. Suggestions?

only slightly hot....

May Movies, a few days late

        There Will Be Blood        

          Numb        

          Bee Movie            

          Over Her Dead Body            

          Dedication            

          Reservation Road        

         Margot at the wedding    

          The Kingdom            

          P.S. I Love You        

    Lars and the Real Girl