Last Night at Rey's...

Mr. kenju started a pipe and tobacco smokers group about 17 years ago. They meet once a month and have an "expo" once a year, usually at our fairgrounds. As often happens in groups of this sort, all the hard work for the expo is done by a few stalwart members, while the others attend and reap the benefits. 

While mr. kenju is no longer the head of the group, except in an 'emeritus' capacity, his ideas are considered and sometimes accepted....lol.  He has been touting a group dinner for those who had been instrumental, over the years, in making the expo a successful event. A few different fine dining restaurants were considered and the group settled on Rey's, Fine Dining with a French Quarter Flair. 

We had never been there before, although I had heard of it. I think it will now be fairly high on our list of places to go when we are celebrating some milestone. The service was impeccable! And the food varied from good to excellent. 

I started with a margarita on the rocks, which I love and seldom have. It was arguably the best margarita I've ever had, and if I were not the designated driver, I'd have had two. 

The menu is a la carte, which pleases me. That way I can order exactly the amount of food I want and not be forced to have a soup or salad if I don't want one. I had calamari for my appetizer. If I had known how good it was going to be, I might have ordered two (as my entree). Served on a bed of creamy, tender lima beans and corn, it was a taste and texture treat for the senses. It will definitely be on my bucket list from now on. 

My entree was veal piccata. It was not browned enough for me, but it was tasty and there was plenty of it, resting on a bed of lemon butter sauce with capers. The garlic mashed potatoes were a nice addition and went well with the lemon butter. I forgot to take a photo of that.

When it was time for dessert, my brain said "DON'T do it" but mr. kenju and my mouth won out. We shared a creme brulee, and as you can see, it was topped with luscious fresh berries. I console myself that they were so healthy that the creme brulee

underneath was of no consequence. Yeah, right.....you may say. Topped off with hot pressed coffee, the meal was delicious. The good service (with smiles) was the cherry on top. Kudos to our head waiter, Jim, and the owner, Rey Arias. Another sidelight was watching Rey and Jim prepare Bananas Foster for several in our group.

All this was a conclusion to an evening that didn't start well at all. We arrived at the restaurant in a steady sprinkling of rain and parked in the last remaining handicapped spot, which was across a driveway from the entry. We were early, so we sat in the car and after donning my "Aircast" boot,  I pulled out my phone to while away the minutes. As our group started to arrive, mr. kenju got out of the car and I followed, forgetting that the keys were still in the ignition. Do you know what a sinking feeling it is to realize you have locked the keys in the car???  Not only did I not have my spare key  (because I changed purses for the evening) I also didn't have my AAA card, with which I could have summoned help. 

I said...."Uh-oh, I just locked the keys in the car" and mr. kenju was visibly upset to hear that. I am somewhat unbalanced when I wear the Aircast boot anyway, but getting out of the car while being parked so close to a curb didn't help, and as he reacted to my declaration, I fell backward into a bed of low, ground-cover greenery, which was, lucky for me, not full of brambles or thorns. But I got wet; my black silk pants were damp from stem to stern. A nice young man ran to my rescue, but I was able to rise from the ground without his help. All this was witnessed by at least 10-12 people, so I was feeling mad at myself about the keys, mad about falling, mad about being wet and in general - mad, sad and perplexed. 

I called our younger daughter, who fortunately had keys to our house. She was able to go there and get my spare key and bring it to me at Rey's. I owe her big-time  (for this and many other things.....LOL) Thank you, sweetheart, for being available and willing to help us out!!  

I've Moved

Please join me at my old blog:

Just Ask Judy

I'll be posting there now and in the future.

My last post here.....maybe

I have decided that I cannot fight the malware monster that is dogging me here - the warning that many of you are getting, claiming that "Imagine" is an attack site. My stats have fallen considerably since it appeared, and while I do not blog for the "stats" and numbers, it is futile for me to continue here when so many are afraid to "click through" the warnings. 

I am so computer illiterate that I have very little skill at getting rid of bad code or malware - in fact - my skills at that are less than none. If anyone knows how to track down malicious code and wants to help me, I will appreciate it greatly. I am saddened that I can no longer visit the web-site that put me in this predicament. Apparently he knows how to get rid of it, but I don't.

In a day or two, I will resume posting on my old blog - JustaskJudy - which I hope you will visit, as well as spread the word for me on your blogs. 

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

Leonardo da Vinci, painter, engineer, musician, and scientist (1452-1519)

I've Been Busy!

SLOW DOWN, don't you know school is in session???

In my errand running today, I passed through five different school zones, at the time when children were getting out of school.

I slowed down to the posted speed - which is 30-35 MPH - and immediately had 5-10 cars pass me by, with either rude hand signals or indignant looks. I know what they were thinking...
"Why is that old, white-haired woman driving so slowly?"

The answer is - school is now in session all over the United States, and while the posted speed limits and times may vary from place to place, the law is clear....

YOU NEED TO SLOW DOWN IN SCHOOL ZONES.

And if you don't want to do that, at least allow ME to follow the law. God forbid any of us would hit a child!

I Have a Brain Ache!!

Dealing with contractors and insurance people is a royal pain.

We got a quote from a guy whose spelling is atrocious. I suppose I should overlook it, since if he were a Rhodes Scholar he wouldn't be in the business he's in, but I am very impatient with people who can't spell even the most common words. For example:

What he wrote:   hall             (it should have been haul).
                           debree        (debris)
                           land field     (land fill)
                           tare down    (tear down)
                           flute             (flue)
                           chemmy      (chimney)
                           peice           (piece)
                           licabe           (liable)
                           desides       (decides)

Can you blame me for not having a lot of faith in him - or am I being too picky?

New Uses for Old lawn Chairs

Breezy toilet

senior see-saw

and yes, I stole them!

Scene/Seen at the Black and White Ball.....

benefiting the Jim Valvano Cancer research foundation, held in Raleigh last month. There were five types of centerpieces; here are three of them (designed by Mel, but I did the arrangements in the top photo.)

In the silent auction, there were paintings.....

and fancy purses.....

and precious jewels to bid on.....

as well as television, music and sports memorabilia, such as this signed cast photo from "Glee". More coming later..... (click to enlarge)

9-11-11  Roses for Remembrance

YAY!! The Warning is Gone!!

That warning, saying that my blog was an attack site, should never have been there to start. Thanks to those of you who braved the warning, clicked the "ignore" button and commented.

Apparently, it was a scam. Some site I had visited (and I know which one) put a cookie on my blog. When I followed the links to the conclusion, it wanted me to pay $100 to get rid of it. I am notoriously cheap, so paying to remove that was not gonna' happen!

I ran virus and malware, but that didn't take care of it, and neither did clearing the cache.  Just now, I thought to delete all the cookies, and just like a snap of the finger, the warning disappeared!! It's too bad I didn't think of that sooner.Thank you for hanging in there.

Work is picking up, now that fall is on the horizon and weddings and parties are once more added to many date books. I am really enjoying my latest job, with Cyndey Davis-English of  English Garden. In October, weddings get very busy with Mel Day of Dogwood Tree Florist.

My creativity gets tweaked (and satisfied) with both of them and I am truly grateful for the opportunities for being surrounded by fresh flowers and also with congenial people!

What are you grateful for today?

Sunset

The photo doesn't do it justice!

I have been receiving notices that my blog is "an attack site". It says it comes from google, and that my blog has been reported "once" in the last 90 days.

After I saw that (it even did it to me), I ran my malware and virus software, and NOTHING was found.

The second time I saw the warning, I followed it to its conclusion. It wanted me to pay $100 for software to prevent this from happening. The same thing happened on two blogs I visit regularly.

It is my belief that that warning is a scam to try and get me to pay for something I don't need.

I have no idea how this happens, and I will do the best I can to get to the bottom of it.

I have been to a lot of places, but I've never been in Cahoots.

Apparently you can't go alone.

You have to be in Cahoots with someone.

 I've never been in Cognito, either.

I hear no one recognizes you there.

I have, however, been in Sane.

They don't have an airport; you have to be driven there.

I have made several trips,

Thanks to friends and family.

I would like to go to Conclusions, but you have to jump...and

I'm not much on physical activity!

Memo to Medical Types

Edit below:

When a patient has a diagnostic procedure, particularly one performed in a hospital, the patient and his or her family will be understandably anxious to learn the results of that testing. Please do not make them wait any longer than absolutely necessary before you give them the information. In my opinion, that should be done as soon as you have the results. And if the results have not arrived - let them know that.

In the midst of all the hullabaloo around here from Hurricane Irene and the damage caused by the falling tree (which I'm sure you are tired of hearing), I had an ultrasound. It was four full days before I got the results, and only then after two phone messages to the office. When the nurse called, she said the doctor finally had time to read the results of the test. I submit that the doctor could have found some time to read the information sent by the hospital in a more timely manner. If it had been her family member, I'm sure she would have gotten the result out sooner.

It doesn't help when the patient has the symptoms of a major problem, or attendant aches and pains. It doesn't help when family members are hounding you to know whether you have received the report yet. And it certainly doesn't help when the patient is already drowning in stress from life in general. Doctors........it is a kindness to let your patients know something in a very timely manner.

Edit:  I should have had sense enough to say that I am fine!  The news was good, and I am grateful - I would have been much more grateful to have heard it sooner!!

The tree guys - Dixie Tree Service - (whom I could not recommend more highly) came at 7am yesterday, to begin  cutting the lower branches off the downed oak tree.

At 8am, the 40 ton crane arrived. we were concerned that it might crumble our already cracked driveway, but they were careful and we suffered no more damage there. The crane was used to help Alex cut the upper branches off and haul them to the front of the house.

Alex riding the crane made me think of how I rode the zip lines in Costa Rica. Believe it or not, I would have enjoyed riding that thing up and over the  house, as Alex did several times. He was extremely careful;  looking at the tree before making each cut. He had to be sure he did not do anything to dislodge the broken chimney from its precarious perch against the edge of the roof.

After the final cut of the top of the tree was made, the trunk section fell back into the hole, with a loud "whump."

After the tree was removed, we could easily see the extent of the break in the chimney, as well as the damage to all the gutters on the rear of the house.

We were very surprised that the deck railings held, even though one of the tall 4x4 light poles was broken. That tree was very heavy! I suppose it is a tribute to the original builder of the deck, Tom Buzzard, and I might let him know how good of a job his crew did.If you follow the link, you'll see that Tom now has a roofing company. He put the current roof on our home and did a fine job. Luckily, there was no damage to the roof that we can tell, except a few shingles were broken, and they can be easily replaced.

The chimney is another story. It was originally thought that they could use the crane to lift it back onto its axis. The 40 ton crane used for the tree was deemed not strong enough to lift the broken chimney (estimated to weigh between 5-6 tons). So, they went back to the drawing board, and they are submitting two options to the insurance company, one of which is to take the broken portion apart brick by brick and build a new chimney. At this point, we don't know exactly how the problem will be solved.

The tree is off the roof, but the crane that helped to do it isn't large enough to lift the chimney back onto its axis. They have to rent a larger crane to attempt that. If it doesn't work, they will have to remove the broken part brick by brick and rebuild the chimney. The brick mason estimates that the broken part weighs between 5 and 6 tons! The crane that is here now - even though it is a 40 ton crane - would tip and come through the roof if they tried to use it to lift the bricks. Wish us luck and stay tuned.

There's a Little Light at the End of the Tunnel

Maybe.

We met with the adjuster today; who, despite being rushed to do five more houses before quitting time, spent about an hour here. He went onto the roof, into the attic, all around the house and deck - even threaded his way through the branches of the tree to locate all the damage, followed closely by our General Contractor.

Apparently (as far as can be seen at this point) we don't have structural or roof damage, which is just about the only good news we've heard for a few days. The crane will be here Friday morning, to begin removal of the tree and attempt to set the broken chimney top section back onto the bottom, after which the mason will brace it with plywood and 2x4's until he can complete the job. Eventually, he will have to remove the old, broken flue tiles and put in new ones and then re-grout the entire fireplace. (Oh, joy.) Hopefully, they will not do any further damage during this process. 

They will replace the gutters on the rear of the house and replace 24' of deck railings and 4x4's. Until the tree is removed, we can't see whether or not the new deck table and chairs were injured.  I haven't even finished paying for them yet!

Wish us luck and keep us in your prayers....please.

THANKS....

to each one of you who left supportive and sympathetic messages over the last few days. I really appreciate them. We are knee deep in phone calls, email and quotes. Over the last two days, quite a few people have surveyed the situation and offered advice and referrals. We have yet to see the insurance adjuster, but he promises that someone will be here as soon as possible. There are hundreds (maybe thousands) of people in NC who have worse problems than we do, and I understand they have to come first - but it is so frustrating to have to wait. 

Posting and visiting will be sparse, if any at all, over the next week or so. As soon as there is anything to report....I'll be back. Y'all take care now, ya' heah? 

All I Can Think About....

Getting it off the house is a priority, as you may imagine. (see the post below for more photos.) Mr. K spoke to the insurance company today, and was told to get estimates for tree removal and hauling away. I'm concerned about the chimney, since it seems to be held up by the tree alone, and removing the tree may allow the chimney to fall. If it falls, the damages could be much greater than they are right now - so it is imperative that the company that removes the tree is capable of shoring up the chimney beforehand. Wish us luck.

There hasn't been much to post about until now....

This 50-60 foot oak fell today, waking me out of a nap.

It busted our chimney.

And mashed the deck railings, although it didn't break them down. I had pushed all the deck furniture and decor over close to the house, so that if we got any winds from Hurricane Irene, it wouldn't do much damage. Little did I know a huge oak would fall on it all. Someone on Facebook mentioned that we were lucky that it didn't damage the pool.  Actually, we would have been luckier if it had, since we need a new liner and some tile repairs. As it is now, we will have to have a new chimney, probably some new gutters, and I am fervently hoping it didn't damage the roof. We won't be able to tell until they remove the tree (unless we see water damage inside the house.)