Linda has been under the weather this week. I think she’s feeling better, but she seems to be carrying a grudge. The Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt is:
“Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is ‘bug.’ Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!”
If we were having a beer, you would greet me at the door.
“Hey there.”
“Hi, why are you standing here?”
“The bar is full.”
“Full? It doesn’t look full. I see a couple empty seats.”
“Those first two are out having a smoke, and I think the woman from the far stool is in the ladies’ room.”
“You want to sit outside?”
“No, I don’t like eating with bugs.”
“Let’s grab a table. Something will open up.”
“I don’t like sitting at a table.”
“Neither do I, but I’m not standing here. It’s like we’re waiting for a bus.”
“OK, ok.”
“Hey guys, what are you doing over here?”
“Hi Cheryl. There aren’t enough seats at the bar. The old man doesn’t like bugs, and that’s just as well, because I don’t like the heat.”
“I’d never expect you two to go outside, Dan. But there are two seats at the bar.”
“Huh?”
“That plate and wine glass next to the empty stool…the woman left a few minutes ago, I just haven’t cleared it. I was saving it for you guys.”
“You – are – the – best!”
“My young friend is right, Cheryl, that was very sweet of you.”
“I like having you clowns at the bar, where I can keep an eye on you.”
“I’ll take the stool on the right.”
“Age before beauty.”
“Funny. But, with my bad knee, it’s easier to get up and in from the left.”
“No problem, I can squeeze in here.”
“Excuse me?”
“Oh, I’m sorry ma’am, I didn’t mean anything by that.”
“And ma’am? I’m considerably younger than you, and there’s plenty of room without your having to squeeze in.”
“Nice going Dan. I took the liberty of dressing a Corona for you.”
“Thanks Cheryl. Can you pour the young lady another of whatever she’s drinking and put it on our tab?”
“Sure.”
“Our tab? Excuse me. Your stupid comment – your tab.”
“And what are you drinking?”
“I was going to have wine, Cheryl, but since my young friend is buying, maybe I’ll switch to John Howell’s bourbon.”
“Ice? Seltzer? The whole deal?”
“On second thought, I’ll stick with wine.”
“Speaking of John, did you see his post yesterday?”
“I did, he and Gwen are putting up some good numbers.”
“Well, they wrote a good book, and I loved the trailer.”
“OK, here’s a glass of Meiomi for you, a snifter of seltzer, ‘cuz I never know when you don’t want that, and another Jack and Coke for the lady…courtesy of the man with the foot hanging out of his mouth.”
“Why, thank you. You didn’t have to do that.”
“Oh, he did, really, he has a history with that word.”
“Squeeze?”
“Yep.”
“Now, Cheryl, I wouldn’t call it a history.”
“Let’s see, you told your daughter she could squeeze through the gate. You told your wife you’d move the car so she didn’t have to squeeze in.”
“And, let me guess, he moved the car ten feet to the left.”
“He did. He even told his dog she should be able to squeeze through some opening.”
“Ok, I have a history. I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s a figure of speech.”
“It’s one you should drop from your vocabulary, Dan.”
“Given the company I find myself in, I’d have to agree.”
“Message received, Cheryl, ma’am. Oops, I mean…”
“Wow, maybe you just shouldn’t speak to women.”
“I get that a lot…sorry.”
“Do I need to switch seats with you?”
“No, I’m fine. Can we talk about something else?”
“Before you go off on a safe topic, are you boys going to want any food?”
“I’m in a seafood mood, Cheryl. Are you still serving chowder?”
“Chowder is always on the menu.”
“Chowder, in this heat…what’s wrong with you?”
“It’s not hot in here. I’ll have a bowl of chowder and an order of mussels.”
“That does sound good. I’ll skip the soup, but yes on the mussels.”
“Sweet, I’ll get those orders in.”
“Since we’re changing the subject, is it my imagination, or are your blog posts getting shorter?”
“I have had a few recently that have been well under my target word count.”
“Which is?”
“Eight hundred.”
“I see. What’s driving it down, sympathy for your readers?”
“Well, I did have a couple extra posts in the mix, Father’s Day and the props for John’s book, but mainly it’s the warm weather.”
“How does the weather factor in?”
“I find myself doing other things – less time to write.”
“Your chowder is up.”
“Oooh, that looks great. Thanks Cheryl.”
“It’s always good, and despite the weather, we sell gallons of it. You boys want another round before the mussels are out?”
“I think that’s a safe assumption.”
“You know, if the warm weather causes you to write less, I have a suggestion for you.”
“What’s that?”
“Consider moving to Florida when you retire.”
Today’s gallery is a mix. Sorry if some of it makes you hungry. Be sure to check out Cheryl’s latest project.
No Facilities 
Yep, that chowder made me salivate! The prompt made me think of that old joke: Old man sits down at the bar and orders a beer. It arrives with a fly in it. “Bartender! What is that fly doing in my drink?” “Ah, the back stoke?” (I’ve also heard it with soup)
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That joke is a classic, along with: a termite goes into a bar, sits down and asks “where’s the bartender?”
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Good looking food. Maddie may need a rain hat this weekend. :-)
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Thanks Judy. Maddie doesn’t mind the rain. I need a hat 🙁
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You’ve got to really like the heat if you move here or it’s lock-down in the air conditioning 6 months out of the year! (and to think I used to love that weather!! too old now, that’s for sure!)
I take it that truck is from the beer distributor for the Fireman’s beer garden?
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I’ve been to FL in the summer and found that I was either simmering outside or freezing inside.
The trailers are where the firemen store all the parts to the buildings and the picnic tabled (those are out as of today). The beer truck will be on site pretty soon. It’s usually one with taps built into the side 🙂
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The firemen know how to do it!!
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They do, this is one of the few surviving carnivals around this area. I’ll be there for a burger.
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Ha! Oh, yeah, come on down to Florida! Let’s eat outside where the heat will kill you and those little misters they put up don’t do anything. Or we can sit in the crowded, over-air-conditioned inside. Your choice, Dan. Cheers!
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Thanks Lois – I’ll be right down :-) I think I have two more trips to Florida before I retire. After that, I might not ever get there, unless it’s for some preseason baseball in Bradenton.
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I’m squeezing in a read and comment here before I bug out for the day. Nice conversations squeezed in between food is always a good way to start the weekend. Have an awesome Saturday, Dan.
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Thanks. There is a photo for you in the gallery – I think you’ll spot it easily. Have a great day!
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LOL! In too much of a hurry that I passed up the gallery. 500 bonus points for the awesome pairing!
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First of all, thank you for the mentions here. You are the best, Dan. Secondly, those mussels look to die for. Yum. I’m also with you on the chowder. Good anytime. I love seeing Maddie with a smile on her face. Love the Steeler keys as well. Terrific post, Dan.
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You’re very welcome, John. I do try to let the conversation in my head go where it wants to go, and the mention of your bourbon put them on that track.
The mussels in this place are the best. Mussels are usually gritty, but these are not. They’re cooked in a white wine sauce and I could eat that bread until I burst. Their chowder is homemade, and you always see people eating it.
It’s going to rain today, but Maddie and I got our walk in at 6:30 to get ahead of the storm.
Have a great weekend!
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Super background, Dan
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“Consider moving to Florida when you retire.” Lol. Cheryl is getting good at ‘one liners’!!!
Of course I love the pics of Maddie…especially the one where she’s patiently waiting at the door. You can see the excitement in her eyes! Like those close ups showing raindrops on flowers. Neat!
I hope you still have that yellow slicker you were wearing in the photo with Faith from long ago. You’re probably gonna need it this weekend!
I don’t mean to bug you, but you coulda squeezed another photo of Maddie in. Just sayin’……
🔹 Ginger 🔹
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I am going to need some rain gear, Faith and I are planning a short hike tomorrow.
Maddie is anything but patient. She wants two things, to walk and to sit, and we seem to accommodate here more often than not. We were up and out early on her walk, but it doesn’t look good for sitting today (although I’m sure she’d sit in the rain).
Thanks for reading/commenting, Ginger.
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You know, maybe it’s a subjective thing I guess. When someone suggests I might have to “squeeze in” I either try to prove them wrong or laugh and go with it. But, you have mentioned other comments that led to the “maybe you shouldn’t speak to women” climate around you, Dan. Lol. Nice of you to try and soothe things with some whiskey. While I don’t like mollusks in general, I like the look of that sopping toast! I hope your weekend is relaxing and rejuvenating. Maddie looks like she is halway there! PS. I’m giving my ‘fancy yard rats’ your address. They are wreaking havoc with my potted plants. Your buddies look lonely. 😉
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We have enough yard rats! When I told Faith I thought she could squeeze through that opening, she stood inside it and spun around and danced from side to side.
This is the only place I ever order Mussels. And that toast is excellent, as is the white wine sauce.
Thanks.
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The ma’am part … I don’t ever want to be a ma’am … never ever … but sadly I am of that certain age and have been called ma’am for a while now. As far as squeezing in, I am with you it is a figure of speech ;).
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Thank you kindly ma’am 😏
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lol
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Ma’am smarts a little, even being from a place where every one is ma’am… What was really heartbreaking was the first time the waiter at the Mexican restaurant called me Senora… ;)
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I don’t think about it until I see the reaction.
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Oh, and thanks for the plug. 😊
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You’re welcome. I hope you get some visitors from here.
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I’m loving how dedicated the toll collector is to his job! 🙃
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These guys are relentless 🐿
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You’re right. Some of the pictures made me hungry, but not the muscles. The only muscles I want are on my arms!
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Ha. These are good too.
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Those mussels, and chowder look so good I’d be tempted to head over the hill to get some where I know it’s good, but it’s going to be a scorcher here today, and the highway over the hill is already a parking lot with people who want to get to the coast and beat the heat, so…plan B it is. 😭
Wow, you carry peanuts in the car to pay the Toll Collector. That’s awesome!
The lily’s look wonderful.
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Thanks. We’ve both had times when we have pulled in the driveway and been met at the door for a handout.
This is the only place where I trust the mussels to be good. Never gritty. It’s a cool rainy day here, I might get some chowder 🙂
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We’re waffling between Thai and Seafood right now, but still have a few hours til dinner yet to decide.
Hopefully, you’re sitting down to a bowl of chowder about now. 🥣
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Thai and Seafood? That’s a hard choice.
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Shrimp Pineapple Rice won out in the end…we went with Thai. 😊🥡🥢
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Mmm, that sounds good.
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Clam chowder New England style, Yummmy!! The sunset through the beer looks fantastic!
Those mussels look fabulous, buttered toast to help add to the flavor and crisp with the slippery mussels a great combination, Dan.
I was sorry to read on my blog you had a long, tough week. I am going to head back to see if there is anything you mention. Love that Maddie girl, out on the deck in her hammock is how I picture her. Smiles, Robin :)
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Thanks Robin. It was a work thing. It finally got resolve about 3 minutes before I left on Friday. I will kind of explain on Monday, but not really. It’s technical and I’d probably make it very boring.
The weekend has been interesting, but good. It’s raining and cool.
Those mussels are the best.
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Wow that is some big breakfast!😂
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It’s a hearty start, this is true.
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That does look like a yummy bowl of chowder — just crank up the AC.
I’m glad it didn’t *bug* you to *squeeze* in a shout out to John.
Fun post, Dan. Happy weekend hugs to you and yours.
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Thanks Teagan. Ever since John recommended a bourbon, he’s in danger of getting dragged in. That’s how Cheryl became the bartender 🙂
You have to be careful what you say at the bar.
I need to remove ‘squeeze’ from my vocabulary.
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The Mister has this same “squeeze” problem. Truly. One time I actually asked him if he thought I was a heifer. In his defense, he cannot gauge the space on the passenger side, but mercy, he will leave enough room for two or three of me. For the record, I am more ‘calf-width’ than heifer. (Although I do not fit between the dryer and the wall as Moo does. Goodness knows if he’s asked her to squeeze anywhere.)
I AM hungry and we’re about to head out and pick up some Culver’s. I’ll have fish n’ fries n’ slaw, but I really would love a cuppa that chowder!
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I feel much better now 🙂
I’ve asked them all to squeeze. I’m not gonna comment on anything that suggests size. I’ll get that wrong for sure. Suffice it to say, you wouldn’t get wet from the bushes if I was picking you up.
I’m still in a seafood mood, fish n’ fries n’ slaw sounds good.
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Those mussels do look good with the beer. :)
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Thanks Deborah. They are good.
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Between the chowder in your pictures and the pizza in Cheryl’s post, I’m getting hungry. But, of course, too many bowls of chowder and pieces of pizza and I won’t be able to squeeze into my jeans.
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Ha ha. Good point, but I’ll try not to mention it
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Certain people (maybe it’s a southern thing?) have a hard time letting go of
“ma’am,” like one of my former co-workers who was not that much younger than me. It took a long time for her to call me by my first name without putting “Miss” in front of it. I like the blossoms on the lawn. :)
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I am at the point where I’m not younger than any of my coworkers 🙁
I’m glad you like that picture. It was pretty and sad because I drove by it the day before and the tree was full.
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Oh, that chowder. And the breakfast, too. Yum! I would not be offended if you told me I could squeeze through. 🙂
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Thanks Jennie. I’m trying to choose a better word going forward.
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🙂
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Hihih, that’s one mean last line. Those mussels do look good, similar to how we make them, only with a splash of wine, garlic and possibly breadcrumbs. And parsley. As for the officers, we tend to trust truckers more. :D
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I do trust truckers as well as police. The mussels are in a white wine sauce. It’s very good (especially with the bread).
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Hmmm – it’s never occurred to me to be offended by the word ‘squeeze’ … now I’m wondering if I should be 😉
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No. You should not be. Especially if I say it.
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Of course 🙂
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