For all those times i am feeling downtrodden, unloved or just plain blah, i need to remind myself, or have a perma-link in my brain to the great things i have. Simple and complex, i am fortunate.

First and most importantly, i have a husband who loves, respects, cherishes and supports me. That alone makes me very fortunate.

OK, so i don't have a lot of friends. I'm an odd sort; a strange combination of a offbeat awkward weirdo that enjoys boring 50's housewifey things. However, the friends i do have i trust. Completely. And they rock.

I also have more material things that i need. And sometimes, finding more makes a girl happy.

Like shoes! What girl doesn't just adore a new pair of shoes?! OK, so my version of shoes aren't so girly. But they are cute and i love them and they were a bargain (the Marshals on Delaware for $19.99 a pair!).

I'm looking for a place to practice driving. Somewhere that doesn't have a lot of busy traffic (yeah, Elmwood on the strip isn't an option -- YET!), maybe some light traffic, open spaces and perhaps a parking lot. Anyone know of such a place?

I think we are going to take (e:Theecarey,40396)'s advice -- a trip to Lewiston's Art Festival is on tap for the day. And yesterday afternoon, (e:Uncutsaniflush) and i were at Albright Knox . And the day before we were at The Casellani Art Museum

I think i need to get my arse up to my studio... seeing is NOT doing!

And i heart his humans for the video and taking care of him!

Today, i got up and thought to myself, "this is the day". So, i did the online quiz while eating some breakfast, got ready and caught the bus downtown.

(e:Uncutsaniflush) was calling me from work on his break when i was leaving and again when he got off work just after i got home.

Other than some confusion and a disagreement between staff members that involved me and what line i should be in, everything went quickly and smoothly.

I left home after 11am and got home around 2pm. Plus i stopped to have a small lunch and browse then purchase some veg from a table on Main street.

I passed the vision and written test. I now have a learner's permit. Soon, the streets will not be safe as i learn to drive...

Caffeine is the devil.

(E:Uncutsaniflush) and i went to his company picnic yesterday afternoon. All they had to drink was Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew, water and Labatt Blue (ewww).

It was hot, and i was thirsty. I had 3 caffeinated beverages. Waaaaaaay over my usual intake in of caffeine in a day.

So, at 3am when i still hadn't fallen asleep, i was quite frustrated. I couldn't keep myself still long enough to lay in bed, and not keep my long suffering husband from waking up.

I hope i have enough energy to accomplish the tasks i have set out for myself today...

I consider going out to eat our entertainment since neither (e:Uncutsaniflush) and i are big partiers. Besides, we really do have to keep our pleasantly plump shapes, well, pleasantly plump.

Buffalo has some amazing places to eat. Bill Rapaport's Restaurant Guide has been a great resource to us.

So, i thought i would send him my review of a new place we tried yesterday, Fables Cafe.

Here's what i sent him:

Fables Cafe
1 Lafayette Square
Downtown Public Library, Main Floor
Buffalo, NY 14203
(716) 858-7127

info@fablescafe.com

Positive Review

Fables Cafe was not difficult to find in the Downtown Public Library in the middle of the lunch hour, even on a Monday. Follow your nose and you will find it. The smells alone convinced my husband and i to stay for lunch. The decor was clean, modern, but not frilly in the least. Comfortable, i would say, in that downtown officey sorta way.

The line was long, most of the tables were full, but since we were not in a hurry, we didn't scramble for a table. The line moved quickly enough, but we did have time to consider our options at the drink cabinet. Luckily, there was also a menu board there, too, since i wasn't able to read the menu sign from the counter. Maybe i need glasses?

Turn over was fast and we found a table before our order was out. On the opposite side of the counter, however, the drink selection was different. Even though i had already paid, i asked and employee if i could swap out my ice tea for a different flavour. I would recommend looking at both drink coolers before deciding on beverage, just in case.

The menu is limited but from appearances of what other customers ordered and what we saw coming out from behind the counter, looked very good.

I decided on the Quattro Fromage, a yummy melty gooey vegetarian sandwich with an unknown combination of cheeses and fresh tomato slices on crisply fried (i assume with a panini pressed) slightly garlicy bread. My reaction, on first bite, was to say "Oh my god, this is a great grilled cheese!" The side salad it came with was good, but simple -- merely a blend of lettuces with some carrot and radish with a sweet balsamic vinegarette. The " Skrumption" as described on the website might change daily, i am not sure, but today it was a wee wedge of brownie. Just enough to have a sweet ending to the meal.

My husband, not a vegetarian like me, had, as they say on the website, a "mystery" (aka daily special?) which was, in this case, a "Brooklyn" Roast Beef Sandwich. He said the oil and vinegar combination was nice with the slightly spicy mayo, perhaps with a bit of horseradish in it, and the beef itself was tender. It came with cheese, lettuce and tomato on untoasted bread. Which would have been the death of me, if i ate meat -- looked like it got a little soggy nearing the end.

The price for us both to have a sandwich with the side salad and wee dessert with a drink each was just under $18. Not cheap, but not overpriced at all. We would return gladly, next time perhaps on a cooler afternoon when i felt more like trying one of the vegetarian soup options.

But aren't you folks lucky, you get to see pictures, too.


(e:Uncutsaniflush) 's roast beef with one of my olives

(e:LeeTee) 's grilled cheese

And now, looking at the pictures, i realized i forgot to mention that the salad has cucumbers. Oh well.. not bad for a first try.

She's not an (e:strip)per, but i think she reads my journals. She's a dear friend from Knoxville that i cherish.. and miss. She rocks. She is so much the sublime combination of a fun, frivolous and funny person balanced with grown responsibility and caring that can be so rare. She is always available when needed. And can be called on to be silly and fun. Never met anyone like her. I love her to bits, bless her heart.

While walking by a Subway on Delaware that had been closed for a while, (e:Uncutsaniflush) and i noticed they seem to be renovating. The signs on the chairs that were stacked up on the tables amused us.




Today, (e:Uncutsaniflush) had a rare weekend day off... and i am FINALLY beginning to feel a bit better.

I strongly suspect my mind-numbing headaches are from TMJ(WIKIPEDIA - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temporomandibular_joint_disorder) but since i don't have medical insurance, i don't want to go through the process of being officially diagnosed. I have all of the mild to moderate symptoms (thank goodness no severe ones, knock wood) and the recommended home remedies seem to knock back the pain enough for me to be able to do more than lay on the sofa in tears.

So, we went to lunch then to the History Museum. It was a fun time. Shame we couldn't use our admission for today towards a membership, or i think we might have. Call me morbid, but i loved the whole death and mourning part of the basement....

We ate at the Olympic on Military and Sheridan. I was impressed with the variety of vegggie options. I might even add a comment to Bill Rapaport's Buffalo Restaurant Guide





I had a super yum greek salad wrap with waffle fries.



(e:Uncutsaniflush) had a Ruben on sourdough with fries, but i wasn't quick enough with the camera to show you the sandwich.

We couldn't resist heading down to the Japanese Garden while we were in the 'hood.





And this is what our bench told us...

Not Snakes On a Plane!

Although both are dreadful.

As mentioned in my previous post, (e:LeeTee,40268) we had a mishap with the direction of water flow through the drains in our basement this morning during some heavy rainfall.

Instead of paying a plumber, we DIY'ed it. (e:Uncutsaniflush) did most of the heavy work. I did walk it half way home from Chi-Chi's on Grant because it wouldn't fit into our car. And, i am planning on walking it back in the morning when (e:Uncutsaniflush) is at work.

Yep, i took pics.


doesn't it look like fun?


hey look! an (e:strip) bumper sticker!


small tree roots and perhaps a tampon.


second snake only produced small tree roots.


lovely stuff, eh?


In a completely unrelated note... HeadOn seems to work for me, despite what critics say about it being merely a placebo.


Or, at least it took the edge off a headache that i have had all week long that could have been allergies, a virus, both or just a headache. I took both ibuprofen and naproxen sodium and neither worked... so i figured i had very little to loose. Well, except a headache that has had me crying from pain most of the week...


And on a happy note, our tomato garden is beginning to look pink. I picked our first tomato today.


Doesn't he look yummie?


More will ready to be picked soon.

And i just noticed... this is my 300th journal!

Right now, i am so frustrated with our basement... that i would sell our house if anyone offered us a mere dollar over what we paid for it.

Not sure (e:Uncutsaniflush) would agree. Poor guy is at work and has had to deal with paniced phone calls from his wife...

(e:Twisted)? You still interested? The basement floods every time it rains... and it doesn't get deep enough to use a sump pump -- it just spreads out in an even inch or two. But other than that, it's a nice house, i guess...