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Never let it be said our little Lord doesn’t know how to relax.
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After two and a half months with us, he seems to be quite comfortable.
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Not one to exert himself unnecessarily, he’s also been known to eat his meals lying down.
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Very Nero-esque.
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And when the little Roman is through?
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It’s time for a nap.
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After the husband decided on leather chairs for his man cave, the focus switched to a table to put in front of them. Having just spent two exhausting days in and out of a disturbingly high number of furniture stores, I was less than enthusiastic. And when I saw what kind of tables he was considering?
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(Tables should not have wheels!) I was even less enthusiastic.
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Thinking he’d taken leave of his senses, I cried Uncle and headed for the ladies room before our two and a half hour long drive home.
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And if there was ever a stranger place to decorate with rabbits? I don’t know where it would be. No one needs a fluffle of Thumpers looking over their shoulder in a bathroom stall. Talk about performance anxiety… geesh. ( And yes, a group of rabbits really is called a fluffle. Which, when you think about it… is totally spot on. )
On the way home we stopped at a restaurant we’ve always enjoyed but haven’t frequented since early 2020.
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Is the beer really better there? I don’t know, but they have an extensive list to be sure. They also pour some interesting martinis …..
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So naturally I indulged in two Prickly Pears. The drinks were fabulous…
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But tiny.. more like wide lipped shot glasses. And for $24? I’d like to take more than 4 sips.
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While the food looked wonderful, shrimp stir fry for me… Parmesan baked haddock for the husband… both were dry as a bone, overcooked and cool when they reached the table. French onion soup forgotten and delivered with the meal? That’s a big no no. By the time the husband started his fish, it was stone cold. A disappointing visit to a place we used to love.
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Lord Dudley Mountcatten has been a finicky eater. When it comes to canned food he won’t eat fish. He won’t eat anything grilled or in pieces. No meaty morsels, no shreds. Nothing with cheesy bites or creamy sauce. The little bugger won’t even eat tuna FFS. It took me a solid month of trying every brand under the sun… from cheap to ridiculously expensive…. to find one kind he liked.
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It’s the only brand and variety he’ll eat every single time. So you know what that means….. it’s now virtually impossible to find. In person or online, and believe me I’ve tried. Oh, I could buy it on eBay.
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Yes, you read that correctly. Apparently it’s still being made but there’s a disruption in the supply chain which is making it scarce…. so the price gougers are in full swing. Amazon?
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A little better, but still outrageous. Sorry Dudley… you may have to learn to like bologna.
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Now, now… don’t get excited. I live in Maine, I’m talking lobster.
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There was a state wide contest and even our local pub co owner joined in.
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Ooh… a blue!
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If you’ve never done it, or even thought about it? Trust me, lobstering is hard work.
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You battle the weather, the equipment and the ocean. Fisherman die or are lost at sea every year. I’ve personally known two.
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And yes..
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Lobsters really are this small in the beginning.
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Cuddly? Not so much.
But damn, they sure are tasty.
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A woman from my town posted this the other day after visiting our neighbor’s farm stand across the street.
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And I had to laugh.
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Because it was totally something I would do.
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Hell, we brought an anatomically correct eggplant to our local pub last year.
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Needless to say it was a big hit.
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And oddly enough, is still talked about fondly.
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I found these tasty treats in the grocery store bakery section.
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And seeing that they were alcohol laden, you know I had to try them.
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The Captain rarely disappoints, and even in cake form he was quite yummy. Moist and spicy, it had a pleasing apple pie autumn in New England vibe.
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This wasn’t my favorite of the three, but it still had a nice pound cake richness.
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But if you love beer, this is the cake for you. The simple act of opening the wrapper released an instant heady aroma of hoppy goodness. Deep, dark and chocolatey like a good stout should be…. this dessert was a winner.
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I don’t often recommend beer to friends because everyone tends to like something different. But once in a while I come across a special one that makes me so happy…. I have to share.
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This strange Belgian concoction has a delicious whiff on chocolate upon introduction…. and then sweeps you skyward in a heady sour cherry cloud.
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Pairs well with rich and dense desserts?
Then bring on the 12 pound chocolate fudge layer cake and River is one happy blogger.
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Seriously, if you like sours? You’ve got to try this one.
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Frank A. agrees.
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Lately Facebook’s algorithms have given me non stop ball wash and butt deodorant. I have no idea why …. as I don’t have balls or need to perfume my ass.
But this?
This is definitely a bridge too far.
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Tofu!
For the love of all that’s holy…. no.
I don’t eat it.
I won’t eat it.
And you can’t make me eat it.
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A more disgusting thing to put in my mouth I have never met.
And that’s saying something.
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Next up in the Barn Mahal remodel was the addition of a 50 inch flat screen on a swiveling wall mount .
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Husband laid out all the pieces and parts….
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While I laid out snacks and a beef stew with crusty French bread I’d cooked to bribe a friend for installation assistance.
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The thoughtful friend even brought me a bar christening gift. I love those.
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Installation started well… and then as is wont to happen whenever we work in the man cave… it went straight downhill.
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Nothing lined up as it should, so a little force majeure was needed.
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When they thought it was mounted properly, they carried the television over…
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Only to realize the mount was upside down.
Oops.
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When that error was corrected?
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They dropped two weird sized screws (not sold on planet Earth) which promptly rolled into the floor cracks.
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After I took pity and found them both…. mounting continued. Leveling the tv was easier said than done.
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And though the bracket was perfectly centered between the booze shelves on the left and the WWII propaganda posters on the right…. they didn’t take the swiveling arm into account, so when it’s flush against the wall as it needs to be to allow access to the bar?
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It’s too far to the left… which will drive me crazy for years to come because the husband says he’s not moving it.
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Oh, well. It’s mounted and seems to be secure.
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Now I need to schedule an appointment for Direct TV to come install another what do you mean the barn is too far from the house to run off the same satellite dish. I was really hoping that wouldn’t be necessary but they assure me it is.
Ka Ching!
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Maine people have always known how to work around the weather. And though this winter has been mild compared to previous years, Covid restrictions have required businesses to use their imaginations like never before.
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Pineland Farms started life as a state run institution for the “idiotic and feeble minded” in 1907. Many horror stories floated out of those buildings, some from my cousin who worked there with mentally handicapped children in the late 70’s. It was closed in 1996 due to scandal and rumors of unsatisfactory care and has since undergone an amazing transformation.
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Nature trails, event weddings, a farm cooperative and store. They sell the beef they raise and the produce they grow. They make wonderful cheese and have a tasty little restaurant.
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But now?
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They have life sized snow globes as well.
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What’s not to love?
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River's world..... 