It’s Saturday, Cheryl is back and we’re at the bar for our weekly discussion. We’ll try to incorporate Linda G. Hill’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt and if you look up, we’re proudly displaying the new SoCS badge – Thanks Shelley. Let’s get started, Linda says:
“Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is ‘dress.’ Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!”
If we were having a beer, you’d be wondering about the weekly specials.
“I have good news, my young friend.”
“That’s good to hear, David. What is it?”
“Cheryl is back.”
“That is good news. Maybe I’ll get a beer today.”
“You will, and I’ll be picking up the tab.”
“Wow, you really do have good news.”
“I heard that. Since David is picking up the tab, I’ll get his drinks first. Dan, you can study the specials.”
“Thanks Cheryl. I will have a splash of John Howell’s bourbon and the usual companions.”
“Be right back.”
“Are you hungry, David?
“Why Dan, see something interesting on that menu?”
“Italian quesadillas.”
“Italian quesadillas? That’s absurd.”
“Perhaps, but they sound pretty good.”
“Sausage and peppers?”
“Don’t be silly, David. Chicken, Mozzarella, tomatoes, caramelized onions, basil and sauce.”
“In – a – tortilla?”
“Yes!”
“Somewhere, an Italian grandmother is rolling in her grave.”
“I say we give them a try.”
“OK, Dan, we’ll get an order. But, if they’re as bad as I think they will be, you’re taking over the tab.”
“Deal.”
“You want a Corona, Dan?”
“You know, Cheryl, since we’re sorta having Mexican…”
“You’d like that Corona to be dressed?”
“Do you have any spiced salt?”
“I can make some.”
“You are the best Senorita Cheryl.”
“Nice try, Dan, but Senorita equates to Miss. I’m married.”
“I was offering it the way a southern gentleman might say ‘Miss Cheryl’ at least in those movies I watched as a kid.”
“A Spanish southern gentleman?”
“Hey, your serving Italian quesadillas.”
“OK, I accept your compliment. I’ll put your order in and I’ll be back with a fully dressed Corona.”
“Did you start that big set of steps, Dan?”
“No, David. I worked four days this week.”
“Four? What, are you going for a record?”
“No, Thursday night was my retirement party.”
“How’d that go.”
“It was great.”
“Here you go, a nicely dressed Corona. I used Italian seasoning salt, you know, in keeping with the theme.”
“That’s awesome, Cheryl. Thanks. Cheers, David.”
“Cheers, Dan. So, did you do any work on your project?”
“I put the railings up on the side steps.”
“By ‘railings’ you mean firewood racks?”
“Exactly.”
“Well, they look good and they seem sturdy.”
“Well, these might be a little fragile, but they certainly look good.”
“Is that salsa?”
“No, it’s marinara sauce.”
“I think you just broke another rule, Cheryl.”
“I know, David, but give them a try…and try to keep an open mind.”
“Here goes. Wow, these are good! I like these Cheryl.”
“I told you.”
“You should try these, Dan. I really like these.”
“So, you will eat them in a house? You will eat them with a mouse?”
“What? Dan, what are you babbling about?”
“Green Eggs and Ham? Dr. Seuss? Didn’t you ever read Green Eggs and Ham?”
“I guess I forgot.”
“Forgot? How could you forget? I think I could rattle off the entire book from memory.”
“Maybe some other time.
“Have it your way, David.”
“First Dr. Seuss, now Burger King. You’re all over the map today, Dan. Do you want another Corona?”
“Yes please, Cheryl. I hope you made a nice batch of salt.”
“Of course, Dan. I wouldn’t bring an undressed Corona out here.”
No Facilities 
Only on the east coast ! Is that salsa ?
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Ha! Great comment, Dan. Thanks.
I hope you are safe from the fires. It’s hard to tell where they are.
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Haha, a great post. You used the prompt very well, Dan. Congratulations on your retirement party – fun, I am sure.
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Thanks Roberta. It was fun. I was so glad to see this prompt. When they put that special on the menu, I though, I hope I can use this for SoCS.
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Retirement party? That makes it pretty imminent. :-) The steps and railings look great, and I love that Maddie likes the steps with or without her cot. :-) The photo with the reflection is a keeper – A+. :-)
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Thanks Judy. At some point on Tuesday or Wednesday, I’ll leave the office for the last time as an employee. I’m sure I’ll be back, but it will be weird to turn in my access card and walk away from the space. It won’t be hard to give up that email address ;-)
I love that bridge. Fortunately, it’s only a few minutes from here, so I can keep trying to get the perfect bridge photo (that requires the right train to be crossing). Perhaps I’ll camp out one day.
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I might pass on the Mexi-talian, Dan.
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That was the general consensus, Maggie, but they were surprisingly good.. Still, I think they would have been better in a Calzone.
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What’s this about a retirement party, Dan?
I like the way the stairs came out and Maddie looks quite content with your work!
The computer question I mentioned the other day – Microsoft says they will not support Windows 7 after January 1st. I’ve gotten away with NOT having to learn Windows 10 all this time – so I suppose this means I have to? Do I need to buy a new computer? (I’m working with a refurbished hard drive at the moment.)
And I’m not quite sure how to transfer all this info and pictures to another computer.
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Yes, GP, the party has happened. A few more days left in the office and then I’m a civilian.
Microsoft will stop supporting Windows 7 in mid-January. It won’t stop working, but they won’t being issuing updates. It would be fine if the system didn’t change, but the lack of security updates will become a problem. You can upgrade a Windows 7 machine to Windows 10, but the best way to do that is to wipe the machine and start from scratch. That means you need to back up everything. Buying a new machine will be easier, but buying a backup drive and a copy of Windows 10 might be cheaper.
I think you may have given me a topic for Monday’s post.
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Right – there might be more computer-handicapped out there besides me.
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You can buy a hard drive enclosure and hook it up to a new PC via USB. Then you can select what you want to transfer. Win 10 is a bit easier these days. Even if it still is Windows.
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Good point, John.
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Thank you, Dan. I hate being computer illiterate and asking stupid questions.
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That’s not a stupid question. That should be on a lot of people’s mind.
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Thanks.
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GP – Just because a tool, be it a computer, a protractor, or a hammer does not mean everyone must be an expert at it. The only tools I would heartily recommend everyone study would be one of the important ones of civilization. And that would be democracy and the Constitution. Safety glasses alone won’t cut it. Everyone needs to have a fair acquaintance so they know how to safely use it. And it takes both sides of the argument to keep it balanced.
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Well said, John.
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When both sides are allowed to speak and both sides actually listen – it will work.
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Ha! Another fun visit at the bar, Dan. When I lived in Albuquerque, I once ordered a special that had a burrito with sweet potatoes. I thought the taters would be on the side. I asked where they were. The waiter looked confused and said they were there. I re-checked my plate for the invisible sweet potatoes… They were inside the burrito. Sigh… I became convinced that they’d put anything in a tortilla and call it dinner. :D Today’s gallery is particularly stunning. Hugs on the wing!
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Oh my, Teagan, that sounds awful. I hope it tasted better than the image in my head. I hope you have a great weekend.
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LOL, that was my reaction too. I pulled out the sweet potato fries and ate them seperately. It was fine that way, but not something I wanted mixed together.
I have no idea how it is 10+ years later, but then nearly everything came with a side of french fries (usually the regular kind), and usually added to the Mexican food somehow. One local chain had a burrito topped with curly fries. I ordered at a drive through, and when I got home, thought they had given me a box full of curly fries instead of the requested burrito. Then I realized the box was heavy. I started picking through the fries, and finally found the burrito beneath. LOL, I actually came to like that one. Now I’ve made myself hungry… for very bad-for-me food. :D
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In Pittsburgh, they put fries on everything. To this day, I put fries or hash browns on an egg sandwich. But maybe not a burrito.
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Retirement party…..the end of being an employee and the beginning of being a free spirit is just around the corner. So happy for you and the Editor who, no doubt, has lots of plans to keep you busy and out of her hair!! Maddie is dreaming of all those additional walks….MuMu is purring with joy thinking of the extra brushings coming her way….and MiMi is ecstatic thinking you won’t be up early any more turning on those dreaded lights!
Fun conversation at the bar. What will they think of next?
Love the pictures with the beautiful bridge, and the backlit tree. Your fall foliage is much more colorful than ours.
Maddie is right at home on her new deck. Love it!
Enjoy your last weekend employed!
🐾Ginger 🐾
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Thanks Ginger. Keeping me quiet and out of everyone’s hair seems to be the upcoming challenge.
That bridge is my favorite in CT (Pittsburgh bridges rein supreme) and it’s close enough to visit often. Our leaves turn and fall quick, but they have been bright and colorful.
Maddie is enjoying her new porch and deck. I think she sees the step as being the deck off her porch. Clearly, I made all of this for her.
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OMG!
Yet another crack in the space/time continuum.
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Haha. Who knows what might sneak in through that one.
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Yay for your retirement party! Seems like just yesterday when you said you’d be retiring at the end of the year. Cheers to new beginnings!
I’d sure love a taste of that quesadilla. Yummy even for breakfast. Like a slice of leftover pizza.
The fall carpet picture in the gallery is in a word stunning. I wish we had that around here but sadly we don’t. One of these fall seasons a trip to New England is in order.
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Thanks. A couple more days in the office and then it’s over. Every fall is different. This year we have stunning color but a quick drop. Still, it’s the best time to be in New England.
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Dan congrats on the impending retirement. Those stairs are looking good. And Dr. Seuss readings are always welcomed.
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Thanks John. Any friend of the good Dr is always welcome at the bar.
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Would you like green eggs in a well seasoned Corona, with a tiny slice of Bologna ?
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I would. And I would eat them on a train 🙂
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PS. I’m happy to know that your retirement party went well. That will be even more important later. Hugs!
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Thanks.
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Congrats on your almost retirement! I bet your party was fun… and a little sad. Mex-Italian, huh? Well, we are currently in Mexico and we did go out for pizza last night. Nothing wrong with co-mingling cultures, I say!
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Thanks Janis. The mix went together very well. A pizza in Mexico sounds like a stretch, but if they make a good pie, I’m in.
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Good post, Dan, that hit all the high spots for me. Yes, my Italian grandmother would roll over in her grave! My Italian grandfather had a sandwich shop in Newark (let’s hear it for Newark!). Did you notice they spelled ‘grilled’ wrong? Faith, where are you?! Down here in the South, I am always called Ms Lois. ‘Please, just call me Lois.’ Ugh. It’s engrained, but it’s sweet, too. Next week is it for you?! How exciting! Have a great weekend, Dan.
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Thanks Ms Lois. And, yes, by all means let’s head it for Newark 🙂
I did notice the typo, only when I posted the picture yesterday. Next week is it. Not sure what day will be last. That depends on how long it takes me to pack my office.
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Great photos! That would be a good SoCS badge with the bridge. The quesadillas do sound delicious, even for to this vegetarian. I’d substitute mushrooms for the chicken.
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I think Faith would like your version, JoAnna. I have a year of do to get the perfect picture of that bridge.
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I know you can do it! :)
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Super post, Dan. Well, the party is done so now you are a short-timer.it will be exciting those first few weeks of retirement. The biggest challenge for me was moving from company health care insurance to Medicare. The good news is between Medicare and a supplement my coverage got better at a reduced cost. Wishing you the best. Maddie looks like she owns the place. Good for her.
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Thanks John. We have been dancing with Medicare and the other things you need. I think everything is in place, but that dance is 75% of the reason I’ve been falling behind in reading and responding. I had no idea. Maddie clearly owns this place.
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Life transitions require all agencies to double down on making life miserable. 😁
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Haha. I’m sure that’s in the regs. It started with the realization that, since 1967, my name was misspelled on my SS card 🙁
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OMG. That must have been a nightmare.
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I was amazed at how they were able to pin it back to the original application. A form my employer filled out for me when I started setting pins! They record all the activity.
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Wow. My wife’s social security number was misrecorded by an early employer. Got it corrected as well.
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That sounds even more daunting.
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Took a while for sure.
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The colour at this time of year is magnificent. Great photos, Dan. The bridge and its reflection is outstanding.
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Thanks Joanne. I love that bridge. We’ve been getting great color.
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I’ve made those at home. I always have flour tortillas on hand. They stay fresher than bread. I make pizzas out of them, adding anything I have in the fridge. That picture of the leaf carpet is almost unbelievable, all those colors! You must have a lot of beautiful trees there. Thanks for sharing.
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It was really good. Tortillas are easy to work with. We’ve had some nice color this year. Thanks.
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The trees are beautiful. I like the railings; I’ve never seen any like that.
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Thanks Sandi. Using firewood racks was my wife’s idea. They work really well.
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She had a great idea and they work and look very stylish. She may have invented a new trend.
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They are handy, because, for the ones in the yard, we often end up sitting on the steps for a while with the dog. These give us a vertical rail to use while standing up.
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Works great!
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Happy pending retirement, Dan. I’m excited for you! I hope your company gave you a fabulous send-off Thursday night…food and gifts and many words of appreciation.
The Mexi-talian quesadilla would have sounded good if I were still eating cheese and not trying to avoid tomatoes (the no-no list keeps growing). I am off soon to play Iron Chef with two friends and make a pot of Mexican chicken soup, so I’ll be satisfied with that. Hope you are having an awesome Saturday.
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Thanks Mary. It was a nice send off. A few more days to wrap up and pack up.
Good luck with the soup.
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Mary gets called “Miss Mary” a lot down here, especially at Chick-Fil-A. She finally accepted that it’s a Southern thing.
Italian quesadillas sound pretty good to me…
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Thanks John. They were really good.
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Huh. Ditto here …. I know you told me but now I see it. Spotty. Some trees bare, others in their glory, still others still green. Very strange, don’t you think, Dan? I even did a very hard walk (I forgot how hard!) out Chestnut Ridge Park to get breathtaking images cuz last year the colors were behind us, but this year they are before us. I missed the peak darn it! But I did manage to snatch some good shots. Whew! Not returning to that park until my legs and back start behaving …. LONG story there. I was never so glad to see my car! Anyways ….
Loved your “dress” story, and yeah those Italian quesadillas sound drooling delicious. Hope your weekend is going well. And congrats on your retirement! Is it now official?
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Thanks Amy. A few mor days in the office. It’s official after next week, but I have a bunch of vacation days to take. I didn’t make it to a few of my favorite fall places, but it’s OK. Maybe next year. I hope your back and legs get better.
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Thank you for the encouragement. That means a lot!!
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Wow. Such a plethora of emotions I am feeling. Thanks for the gentility. The railings look good. Turning David onto something out of the “norm”. I say anything tastes good between tortillas. Dr. Seuss is my man! That book, Green Eggs and Ham, was my oldest son’s favorite. Even now he loves it. I have a recording of him reading it because the book came with an audible tape and side two was for recording. He even added the “Bawk,bawk” chicken sound that meant it was time to turn the page. Classic. Thanks for the sweet memory. 😊
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I’m glad you enjoyed this, Cheryl. I used to try to make bubbly sounds at the point where they end up in the water. We read this so many times, Faith loved it (so did I).
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These are the best memories..
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Let’s see if I end up in the spam folder again!?! No matter what kind of food (weird combinations or breakfast feasts, etc.) you show, it makes me hungry. The deck stairs and railings look great. I hope your retirement party was fun. Love all the colors of your trees. PS – Your photo you were going to use for the SoCS badge is spectacular. Maybe you could use it for the One-Liner Wednesday badge contest when that renews?
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Thanks Shelley. I love that bridge. I think I’ll work on getting a better photo (one with a CT Line train crossing). I love SoCS, and I live water drops, so your badge is great.
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The color down here were brilliant too, although I don’t think we have must of the berry color. We do have oodles of the burnt orange though.
Mexi-talian… interesting concept.
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Thanks! I like the burnt orange trees. We have more yellow than anything.
The quesadillas really were very good.
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Three cheers for nature’s carpet! Gorgeous color still hangin on there!
I will not make comments about Italian quesadillas. I am the Italian grandmother of Gabriel and Liam
and all of our kids have Gaelic first names Germanic last names and I’m outnumbered by blonds, so I will not make comments. Mixing is good, right?
I also wanted to enter the contest and missed it, so maybe your beautiful bridge can battle my pic next year :)
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Mixing is good! It was very good this day. We have been enjoying some great color this fall. Last night’s storm took most of that away – 55-60mph gusts :(
I predict that next year, I’ll create the badge in August and then forget where I stored it. You will win, hands down.
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HAH!
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Good job with the railing, Dan. Love your beautiful fall leaf colours. Dear Maddie’s coat sort of blends in.
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Thanks. She likes her new duds
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The Italian quesadillas sound good enough for me. Being from a southern family who never ate Italian or Mexican growing up, I’m making up for it today. Love the colorful nature photos. If you get a bit restless as a civilian, can you hang out your Consultant sign?
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They were pretty good, Annie. We have had a bright and colorful fall. I think a full day of heavy rain washed most of that color away today. There may be some consulting. I’m not looking for a second career, but I might want to stay current.
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I’m glad you were all over the map, Dan – especially with Green Eggs and Ham. Great bar post! The stairs are looking good, and so is the fall color.
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Thanks Jennie. Some of these SoCS posts go their own way. Green Eggs and Ham is a forever favorite around here. One more set of stairs.
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I’m so glad Green Eggs and Ham is a favorite! And, one more set of stairs to go. Whew!
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Beautiful autumn colours and an intriguing title. An idea for the name of my next blog perhaps. ;) (Nahh, I have nothing to do with Mexico, I’m afraid.)
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Haha – You would be welcome to use the name. This was a strange item on the menu but it was really good.
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