We decided to be one of the many (e:strip)pers to try Tokyo Shanghai Bistro. Yesterday for lunch. Sorry, no pics (i totally need to remember to bring my camera more often). We both ate Chinese. (e:Uncutsaniflush) had a singapore curry dish and i had a mildly spicy tofu dish..... all i all, not too bad. I think we will return. Sadly, the buffet looked... well.... sad.

To keep to the food theme, we went to a movie.... and the spaz that i am, we went a theatre that was only showing the 3D version. A waste since i can't see 3D.....

So, we took the opportunity to replace the bird feeder that the high winds and rain we had a few weeks ago took away. Wild Birds unlimited is a bit expensive, but really has everything we needed.. including a new "dinner bell" just like the one we got my mom last year.

Eventually we made it to the movie. Cute, more amusing than we thought it would be and enjoyable escapism. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Steve was very amusing....

Onion rings. Do you remember when they were made by cutting up an onion, dipping the rings in batter and deep frying them? Not frozen minced onion bits covered in some sort of breading? Well, of all places, the Polish Villa has those old fashioned sliced and dipped and fried ones. Sorry i don't have snaps... prolly 'cause i ate 'em so damn fast. They efin rock.

Mexican food. I still maintain the best mexican place is in St. Catherines Ontario. Carlo's Cantina Today, i had the vegetarian taquitos and they had the jalapeno corn chowder. Without a whole heck of a lot of time due to work schedules, we drove there and back for lunch today....

Because today is mine and (e:Uncutsaniflush)'s anniversary. 8 years. Wow. We have known each other for 9 years. Got married on the anniversary of the day we met. Seems like forever and yesterday all at once. He's a good man. I am very lucky.

Gee, i almost don't know where to begin with this week.

We need a new roof. ASAP. It's not an emergency in the oh-my-god-half-our-roof-just-blew-off kinda way. It's the kinda of oh-lordy-i-hope-it-doesn't-rain-today-so-we-don't-have-to-get-out-the-buckets emergency. So far, one quote, from Naples, after having to pretty much pull teeth to get it. The dude was nice, but man, how many times do i have to call to ask and then wait for a no show? Someone else is coming later this afternoon...

I got my car inspected this week for it's annual inspection. First one i ever needed to get since the Blue Bitch died a horrible insurance death before i had her a year. Found out i needed something called bushings. And was told when i left, i would notice a big difference in the steering. Sure did. But i don't think a wobble and a lateral steering wheel movement from 35mph to 55mph was what they had in mind. Turned out that i had a slow leak... and a nail in my tire. Too close to the sidewall to repair. Called Midas to have it replaced and found out that the 40 bucks i spent on warranty was for REPAIR ONLY despite it not saying that on my reciept. Almost bought the replacement tire from them... then, my smartie pants hubby suggested getting it from the place i get my car repaired at. They got it for me... and for less. Go Russo's! They rock.

Need to get the second half of my root canal done. Now that the abscess is gone with the anti-biotics so the canal won't keep filling up with puss, i should be good to go.

Speaking of...

As you all know, i am very close with my friend, Kirsten and her goofy lovable pugs. Sadly, this past weekend, Taj died of liver failure from eating something poisonous in his own back yard. He had a few issues and was often irritating with his high pitched bark/whine/cry when he was feeling any anxiety, which was anytime Kirsten was not within eyesight... but i would love to yell "shuddup Taj!!" just one more time. Rest in Peace, you goofy lovable good-hearted anxious little pug. Glad i knew you.

So, due to a day in which we both had time off, (e:uncutsaniflush) and i decided to go on one of our "mini-adventures" to Rochester. This post helped me a bit, too... Thanks, (e:Zobar,49663)

Here is (e:Uncutsaniflush)'s (the "Irish Setter" aka Rueben) dog and slaw



And here is his Hungarian mushroom soup.



And my veggie dog junkyard plate with homefries and coleslaw with veggie chili and onions on top.



Then, we went to a very beautiful old cemetery, Mt Hope The older parts were breathtaking and natural, not overly landscaped. Must be the goth girl in me that just adores cemeteries and finds them peaceful and romantic...



We went to the zoo... but ya'll have seen enough of my elephant pics to last a lifetime...

Then, we traveled north to Lake Ontario where we tried to find a lighthouse. Made the mistake of looking on the water side of the road only to find we had passed it a few times... and found it by looking away from the water. Go figure.

As i mentioned in my previous post, (e:LeeTee,49620), i had yet another bad hair experience in Buffalo. John Simon of Simon Inc at 735 Elmwood (@ Breckenridge) was unable to colour my hair red. He tried, then he tried again. I did not wish for another attempt, so i paid someone at Style Lab to fix it. Whole thing, start to finish has cost me 300 bucks... and i have the blah brown hair to prove it. He may be a nice guy with a really cool jukebox, but the dude can't colour hair.

Captain Jack's Fish N Chips on Elmwood between Bird and Forrest is a rip off. My friend Kirsten and i got take out there tonight. We ordered 2 orders of fish and chips (for her and her mom), a veggie burger and fries (for me) and an order of coleslaw for us all. The fish order consisted of 3 pieces smaller than fish sticks, the fries were an undercooked wad of potato that would fit into the palm of my hand, the veggie burger was morningstar farms bean burgers... and they did not give us any coleslaw. They handed us 2 white paper bags all stapled up nice and tidy... so, unless we ripped open the bags, we just assumed they gave us what we ordered. Silly us. Don't go there. They suck.

I will refrain from complaining about work...

'cause i swear, i am not always a negative nelly....

Why can i not find a good hairdresser in Buffalo? I have had more bad hair days here than anywhere else. I thought i found a new one that i liked...

I went to him last week. Picked out the colour i wanted and he pretty much ignored my warnings that the brown back there was not my natural and would not lift the same as the rest of it... Guess what he did, (e:lilho)? He pretty much did my hair like a virgin application... yeah, like my hair hasn't been virgin since i was in grade school!

Cut, well, i do like the cut, but he actually didn't ask me what i wanted. I just told him i need to be able to put it up for work.

Now, after having it done, then going back to have it redone, i need to go a third time. I have bright pink/red roots, brownish red on the ends and some sort of red/orange in the middle of each strand of hair.

And, he either is not open today or does not want to deal with me and my hair anymore.

Perhaps if i don't hear from him and/or get something decent, i will be publishing the dude's name....

Rant over.

We have an old house with a crappy hot water tank that the previous owners put in with the "whatever is cheapest to sell the house" logic.

To avoid the issue that we have had come winter (not having enough hot water to fill a big porcelain coated steel tub that just happens to be on an exterior wall) we decided to upgrade to tankless.

Endless hot water. So long as we do not want to run too many things needing hot water all at the same time. We can fill the bathtub and do dishes, but if someone wanted to take a hot shower at the same time, someone might get some cool water. However, someone could take a 2 hour shower and not run out of hot water. Sounds blissful....

We can get 30% back on our taxes and a rebate from National Fuel, which help offset the higher cost of tankless. Plus, it will end up using less energy. Yay!

Part one was done today. Part two is tomorrow. Hertel Hardware and Plumbing are doing the work. So far, no complaints about them (how <i>can</i> we complain about a worker who likes the Ramones & The Donnas?!). We'll keep ya'll posted.

In the meantime, enjoy the oh so exiting photo op....

Does anyone at my work see my bright orange bumper magnet and think about looking up what (e:strip).org would be?

Do they ever accidentally put in estrip.com and become confused thinking i am selling a domain?

I don't talk about estrip to coworkers so i can continue to complain about them and the job; most of them already think i am off my nut..

But i have to say that i often wish Brandon really was my brother, not just my coworker. That said, my mother probably would have been insane by the time one of us was 5. I did, after all, spend a few hours with one of those mini chip clip things in my pocket so i could sneak up on him and clamp it onto one of his nipples....

As you all enjoy your day with picnics and grills and fun laying on a blanket on the grass in the sun, think of me, stuck at work for 16 hours with some individuals that hate holidays and how much they mess up the routine of daily life. Wish me luck?