The end of a weekend with RQS (a short post)

 

Monday came, and it was time for me to leave RQS's place.  Both of us woke up early, as we had a task to take care of before I left for the day.  Instead of cooking something traditional for breakfast, RQS warmed up pizza left over from Friday night.  It was a filling breakfast, albeit something we wouldn't have normally considered.

Once done with breakfast, we took care of the most important task we had before us: Making a deposit on next year's British Isles cruise. So, we called our travel agent around 10:30, and made him a happy camper.  However, our delay may have caused us to lose a freebie: a cruise credit given to people who book a new cruise within 30 (?) days of completing a cruise booked through the travel agency.  We'll find out after we make our final payments next year, as we have 8 months to make our payments.

While I'm on the topic of cruise payments, I scheduled an email to be sent to Princess Cruises' "Move Over" area saying thanks for the cabin upgrade on the moved over cruise. In that email, I also asked when we would be receiving checks for our refundable onboard credits (the free cruise refund).  At noon, I received a reply.  Our checks would be coming in 6-8 weeks, and that's fine with me.

Around 2:30, I left for home.  Big mistake in timing - I forgot that school was letting out, and it took me 10 minutes to get get through an intersection due to problems from traffic light timing, children crossing the street, and commercial traffic on the street I was turning on to, all combined to screw up traffic flow. Once through the intersection, it was relatively clear sailing until I reached the "Lobster Truck" for lunch. $35 later, I was on the road again, and heading for home.  

Given that my refrigerator was empty of stuff for dinner, I decided to detour to Trader Joe's to pick up food stuffs.  If anyone believes the Orange Snowflake's claim that we don't have food inflation, I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell.  I ended up getting home at 5:30, which I consider a good time for this time of day.

Now to wash my wig and (maybe) do some laundry....

My brother says it's time for another Lobster Dinner

 

Normally, RQS and I joke about not being able to get to the Lobster Truck for our crustacean fix.  It's been a running joke of ours for quite a while, as we have often been away when the truck is near one of us.  Tonight, my brother said that we should get together over the holiday weekend (which should have passed by the time you read this) and go out for dinner.  This fouled up my plans for the weekend, but it is a good opportunity to feast.

Due to expected holiday related traffic, I'd have to drive down to RQS's place the day before the holiday and find a parking spot before all of the available spots are taken up by residents of her area.  And then, we'd drive out to Long Island to meet my brother, then spend more time getting to the restaurant where we'd be feasting.

- - - - - -

My original plan for the week was to take care of Monday tasks (dropping RQS off at her place, bringing in a printer for factory service, and doing laundry), then apply polish to my fingernails.  Well, my brother's call shot the nail polish idea to hell until the weekend.  But it did give more time to share with RQS, even though it took away a day I'd spend in a dress. Is it worth it to wear trousers to enjoy lobster on someone else's dime?  Yes.  My sister in law will not be home for at least one month (long story, best not told here right now).  So my brother is all alone.  That means that I must make some time to be with him. 

Working in a job which will de-materialize in a month or two is very stressful.  The firm my brother works for misled him about the time he'd end up working.  He told them that he was taking the job to have more time with his wife.  (Not exactly true, but a good excuse for switching jobs.)  Yet, he was working 60 hour weeks at his peak.  He is burnt out.  Yet, unless he finds something, he is stuck in his hell hole until they execute a planned employee purge.

When I talked with RQS this evening, I said that I was very glad we are both retired.  Several years ago, a degree in Computer Science would guarantee that a graduate would land a high paying job.  Today, it's another almost worthless piece of paper due to the Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution.  There is no way I could retool and compete in this world.  Yet, my brother has to rush to build up his nest egg so that he can retire.

At least, this upcoming weekend's lobster dinner will be expensed to the business we jointly own, and not come out of this retiree's wallet....

All I planned on today was a lobster roll, and I didn't get that.

 
RQS and I have a passion for lobster rolls.  They are a moderately expensive splurge, but not something that will break the bank.  And, today, it was my turn to get some lobster.  As it turned out, I was 4 hours too early.

But first.... 

The weather looked a little bit better than it has been of late.  So I figured that I could go one of two directions to get my lobster fix - north or south.  If I went south, I'd have to go as far as The Bronx to get my lobster.  If I went north, I'd be able to go to Wappingers Falls and then make a stop at Lane Bryant to pick up some sexy panties and maybe a necklace I could wear.  Given that I felt more comfortable browsing the store in Poughkeepsie than I did the one in the Bronx, I decided to go north and avoid the late afternoon traffic jam at the Bronx/Westchester border.

I started driving north along Route 9, and encountered a car driving 10 MPH below speed limit, slowing down traffic for the rest of us.  Unfortunately, this person was very inconsiderate, and when I had the chance to pass him, I'd annoy him a little by slowing him down in the same way he did to others.  Once I did so, I floored the gas pedal and got on my way to the lobster truck.

The address on the website has the lobster truck on the site of a sporting club (think of guns and fishing) in an isolated area of Dutchess county.  When I got there, I found no lobster truck.  All I found was an empty parking lot.  When I looked at the website again, I noticed that I had gotten the hours wrong.  The truck wasn't going to be there for another 4 hours.  AARGH!  I should have gone south.  So, instead of the lobster roll and clam chowder I wanted, I found myself in a dark pizza parlor munching on a couple of slices. 

Once I was done with my slices, I drove to the mall and entered Lane Bryant.  There seemed to be only one woman in charge of the store, as one of its two entrances were blocked by a set of mannequins. Entering the store, I first looked at a nightie I was interested in buying, but it wasn't in my size.  So I went through the panty drawer to find some sexy undies to go with some nighties already in my lingerie drawers.  While there, I also picked up a nice necklace, and a pair of feminine reading glasses. Then, I was on my way back home.

Somewhere near Fishkill, Route 9 came to a standstill.  I could see no reason for the backup.  So, after a few minutes of going nowhere, I decided to take side roads to get around the jam.  Even if I wasted time, I felt better than I had stayed stuck in the jam.  I eventually ended back in Fishkill, a half mile from where I think everything got backed up.  This allowed me to speed home in time for a Zoom meeting to take place around 6:00, arriving home with time to spare.

Another long, hot weekend was started early.

 

RQS and I discussed coming up early this weekend.  Although the "Lobster Truck" would be elsewhere, I was able to entice her to come up a day early with oysters - 12 Oysters for $12 at Whole Foods on Fridays between 2 and 5 pm.  So we made plans for her to meet me at Grand Central Terminal after I went to Universal Standard's Sample Sale.

- - - - - -

I got dressed in a comfortable dress on Thursday,  then left my house around noon, proceeding to Manhattan on the 12:42 pm train.  When the train got into Grand Central around 1:45 pm, we got delayed because the train couldn't make it al the way into the station, and had to discharge passengers through the first two cars of the train.  I was totally exhausted by the time I made it to Universal Standard.  (The heat both under and above ground was gruesome, and I was a little dehydrated by this point.)  So, after stopping for some air conditioned comfort, I went upstairs to do some shopping.

Once I was upstairs, I was greeted by a staffer who has seen me at several of the sample sales.  Then, I proceeded to browse the racks to find things I might be interested in.  As much as most of the stuff wasn't worth my interest, I found two items of worth: A blue sleeveless dress (that I wasn't sure that I should buy) and a pair of leggings that I could always wear when the weather gets cooler.  $75 later, I was out of there with garments that would normally sell for over $175 ($40 for the dress and $35 for the leggings)

Leaving the store, I decided to take the East Side local to Brooklyn Bridge, then back uptown to Grand Central.  This way, I could be assured to have a seat in an air conditioned car on its way uptown.  (The last thing I want to do is stand on a subway car being delayed due to problems ahead of us.)  While on my way, I found that RQS was 45 minutes behind me, so I knew I'd have to wait for her at Grand Central.

Around 3:30 pm, I arrived at Grand Central and waited for RQS to arrive, then we took the train back to Croton.  Since there was nothing ready for us to cook, we picked up some food at Trader Joe's and had dinner a little later.

- - - - - -

Friday came, and the focus of the day was to have oysters at Whole Foods.  So, I donned the blue dress I bought the day before, and we drove to Chappaqua.  RQS thought we were going to White Plains, and I wanted to see what it was like on the former Reader's Digest campus.  We got there at 2:30 pm, and the supply of oysters was already starting to run out.  $24 later, we were eating oysters normally selling for twice the price - and they were yummy!  If scheduling works out, we may make this a semi-regular part of our routine.

Once done with our meal, it was off to the jewelers to have a few links taken out of her watch band.  And then, we drove to Cold Spring for Ice Cream before returning home for the night.

The lobster truck came, and we went....

 

RQS and I are fans of the Cousins Maine Lobster truck when it visits a nearby locale.  We always try to get a lobster roll when it's nearby - and today it was.

- - - - - -

Both of us got moving late today, and both of us put on our summer dresses.  RQS wore one she bought at Target (shown above) while I wore something I bought from Ellos a couple of years ago.  (Too bad they no longer sell this style, as RQS wanted one that's the same as what I wore.)  Given how comfortable the dress was, I decided to order one for myself to wear this summer while they still had it in stock.  But I digress....

The lobster truck was parked at the Broken Bow Brewery, and we got there in less than 45 minutes. When we arrived, RQS went to the truck to place the order while I picked up a couple of light brews for us to wash down the lobster.  There was a minor mishap (which I won't go into here) which caused RQS some concern.  But all was good by the time we sat down to eat our lobster - save for the seating.  By the time I got our beers, all the tables were occupied and we found ourselves eating while sitting in some uncomfortable chairs.

Hopefully, the truck will be again nearby when RQS is here next, as I could get used to eating lobster rolls on a regular basis....

Good days end with lobster

 

 

Last night, I sent a long delayed response to someone who was expecting an almost immediate response from me. There was one big reason I didn't immediately respond - I needed to figure out what I want to say, as the elephant in this person's room was not an elephant in my room.  (Sorry to keep the details secret.  I just don't want to alienate this person in case she reads my blog.)

This person probably did not want me to feel hurt, when she revealed this something.  But I had long since let go of that part of our past.  So, I had to delay my response.  Since there was another person involved, I had to make sure that any comments about this other person were on spot and well deserved.  I don't know how many more conversations I'll have with the first person, but both of us will be talking about our present lives, and not our past lives.

- - - - - -

Now back to me....

You may have noticed me writing about a favorite food truck (Cousins Maine Lobster) that circulates all over NYC and its nearby NYS suburbs.  Today, the truck was within 5 minutes of my house, so I planned to drive there after work.  My first stop was to drop off two bags to the thrift shop.  Instead of getting an electronic receipt, as I did in the past, I received a card which I could fill in myself.  This is not as good as I'd like, as I could print my copy on standard letter paper.  However, it does allow me to enter whatever quantity of donation bags I want.  So, everything balances out in the end.  

And then it was off for some lobster.  Given that the truck was positioned on the site of a church's fair,  the parking was horrendous.  However, getting my lobster was quicker than usual, as they had lots of food ready for quick sale.  From the time I parked my car to the time I returned to it, 10 minutes had expired, and I had a 10 minute drive to get home.  You can guess what was the first thing I did after stripping off my dress and taking off my bra.  Luckily, I had nothing else to do this evening.....

Thinking about my weekend....

I don't miss scenes like that above.  Part of me feels sorry for the person in the picture, and part of me feels revulsion at the same time.  And this is what I've encountered lately when I've taken the subway - at least one derelict has made each of my excursions underground less pleasant since I've met RQS.  So, I don't mind driving her home at the end of each weekend, as I want for her day to start off in a pleasant way.

But enough of the subway for now....

RQS came up this past weekend and we went car shopping.  Specifically, we drove to Goshen to talk with a salesman at a dealership which had a couple of cars I was interested in.  This drive had its share of problems, as we encountered a traffic jam at a traffic circle in Bear Mountain state park.  So we decided to bail, and take the long scenic way to Route 17 instead of risking a problem on the other side of the mountain.  This was a fortuitous decision, as we got to see a side of the park I've never seen before.  When we reached the road that I expected to use to reach Route 17, it was closed.  So, we continued on the road towards Sloatsburg and reached Route 17 just short of the Red Apple Rest. 

Before I go on, I want to mention something about the Red Apple Rest.  In its heyday, it was an important "pit stop" along the "old" route to the Catskills.  However, with more people taking the Thruway, this establishment was left for locals to patronize.  Sadly, there was not enough business for this place to survive, and the ruins of this place stand along the road where a once thriving business once stood.

Once we passed the Red Apple Rest, it was off to the dealership.  And then, the "fun" began.  I was interested in both the Hyundai Kona and the Elantra, and was willing to take either model at the price the internet sales person said they'd accept.  However, the Kona I wanted was gone, and all that was coming in was a more expensive trim package that I didn't want to pay for.  So I mentioned the Elantra. The sales person mentioned that it was a different type of car, and I understood that. He presented me with a couple of offers, and the last one was acceptable.  But I needed a little time to think on it, as the car's color was not what I wanted.  I said that I'd get back to him by Monday, and I hope that we can work things out - as the cash price is not an issue anymore.

- - - - - -

On the way home, we decided to finish off some leftovers from the day before.  As we passed through Ossining, I spotted the Lobster Truck on its way back home.  Luckily, Shoprite is having a lobster sale next week, and we'll be feasting on crustaceans when she's here next.

A quick post: Weekend plans - cars and lobsters

 

Originally, RQS was planning on spending Friday night with one of her friends, and then spend the rest of the weekend with me.  Well, her friend had to cancel, and I had an extra night with her.  And again, I'll be picking her up in Marian Mode....

- - - - - -

Friday night's plans would be simple.  Pick her up at the train station, and go out for Greek food.  (Pizza is contraindicated for her due to potassium levels.)  However, Saturday would be a day to look forward to, as the lobster truck would be in Peekskill.  Guess where one of our stops will be....

Once done with the lobster, it'll be off to the car dealership.  If I get a good offer, I'll put a deposit down on a car, and see what I need to do to get the old car off my hands.  Part of me is tempted to keep the old car for driving to RQS's neighborhood and staying the night - no one will bother stealing a 9 y/o car, nor will there be much value in doing so.  But I can always take the train to see her, as I wouldn't be dealing with the headaches of finding parking in her area.

Assuming things go well, Sunday might be another lobster feast day.  It's on sale at the local supermarket from Sunday thru Saturday, so we might just pig out a second time with some home cooked lobsters.  Sadly, she'll have to go home too soon.  But that's just a minor headache we deal with in our relationship.

Little things can mean a lot....

 

I have found these cords to be quite helpful, as I like to wear my id badge from work on a lanyard.  When I need to open up my locker, the cord extends, so that I can open the locker, and retracts when I take the key out.  Unfortunately, the retracting on my old lanyard broke and I couldn't find the other replacements I bought last year.  So, over to Staples I went to pick up some supplies.

Before reaching Staples, I stopped by Lowe's to pick up some black duct tape to fix an issue with my cell phone case.  (I won't even try to explain it, but the plastic shield that allows a license to be visible was coming out of its place, and I wanted to secure it for good.  Next was my stop at Staples, where I bought a couple of badge reels.

It's amazing how little things like this can make life more livable....

- - - - - -

Thinking of little things, RQS will be coming up for the weekend.  Why do I phrase it that way?  Well, she's shorter than most of the women I've dated, and she makes me feel good when she's around.

One of the things that gets both of us salivating is when the "Lobster Truck" is in a place where we can get a Connecticut Roll or two.  Yum!   To us, it's like letting a kid loose in a candy store.  But this time, we're adults and a penny candy won't do it for us any more.

On the phone tonight, she asked whether the dresses I ordered from Target have arrived.  I told her that they are expected here in a couple of days.  Hopefully, this summer, she'll spend a day with me (in Marian Mode) while I'm enjoying the comfort of one of these dresses.

- - - - - -

I find it interesting how mundane my life has become as of late.  Many of the things I write about have little to do with being transgender.  Instead, they have to do with the little things in life - and they often end up meaning much more than we think at the time.  And I'm enjoying the little things right now - they mean a lot to me.

 

Dress Shopping

 

Today was the moment of truth.  Could RQS and I spend the whole day together with me in Marian Mode?  That was the question of the day.

We both started getting dressed around noon.  At various stages during the dressing process, I popped out to say hello.  She wasn't shocked.  However, I made sure NOT to go out to see her with my makeup on, but not my wig.  And I think that was the right decision.

Off we went to Karina Dresses in Kingston. It was a nice day for a drive, and I took it slow, so that RQS could enjoy the scenery. By the time we made it there, it was shortly after 3 pm. And that's when we both started trying on dresses.  Although I couldn't find anything that fit me perfectly (their sizes are slightly small), RQS found 2 dresses she loved.  So it was she who made the best out of the trip.  

Our next stop was in Peekskill.  We wanted to find out if ShopRite was still selling lobsters at $12/lb. If they were, we'd skip the lobster truck and cook some crustaceans on our own.  We ended up buying 3 tasty critters for me to cook.  For my own edification, I decided to find the lobster truck that was servicing the area.  And it was in the back of beyond in a place I'd never find without google maps.  

When we got home, we got comfortable while the water was getting to a boil.  Once the water was hot enough, in went the 3 lobsters.  A few minutes later, we pigged out on fresh lobster.  Instead of spending $50 on 2 lobster rolls, each containing 4-6 oz. of lobster meat, we had 3 x 1.5 lb lobsters to chow down on.  YUM!

All in all, it was a very nice day, and hopes for future nice days like this - with me in Marian mode.

Lobster!

 

The other day, I turned RQS on to a food truck that travels around the NYC area, serving wonderful lobster to anyone near their 3 food trucks.  So we planned a day that centers around decadent food.  First, I'd pick up a wholesome, decadent meal from the lobster truck in Bayside, Queens. And after our late lunch, we'd make our way to Tipsy Scoop for some booze infused ice cream.

 - - - - - -

About a year ago, I found out about Cousins Maine Lobster from a site I stumbled into online. It took me a while to meet up with one of their food trucks.  When I finally did, it was nirvana.  I've never had lobster that tasted this good - and I've had many tasty crustaceans in my time.  Yes, it's a matter of cooking technique that does the trick.  But I've cooked many a tasty lobster.  They are doing something right that I do wrong.

The booze infused ice cream is nothing new to me.  I was introduced to it by an ice cream shop in Beacon, NY.  Although I know the ice cream maker that produces their booze infused ice cream, this firm does not list it on their site. (I'll bet that it's because of our alcohol laws in both the United States and in New York State.)  And then I heard of Tipsy Scoop.  When I first heard of them, they had a limited distribution which would have forced me to travel to Astoria to pick up a pint to go.  Now, I can pick up a pint in a specialty market 20 minutes away from me, and still have it in a condition to be served by the time I get it into my freezer.

- - - - - -

Luckily, the lobster trucks are not limited to New York City suburbs anymore, nor is the distribution of Tipsy Scoop ice cream. If you can find them, I highly recommend these products....

 

 

 

I was looking forward to some lobster, and I almost missed it.

 

The above picture was taken at the site of a former country club in my area.  Doesn't the place look serene?  Well, the bulk of the property has been converted into a nondescript upper middle class housing development, and this is the only part of the site that looks as it did when I moved here almost 40 years ago.

You might be asking, why was I here to take this photograph?  Well, the answer is related to the picture below:

I've been looking to catch up with one of the food trucks from Cousins Maine Lobster for months now, and this was a golden opportunity I couldn't miss.  One of their many trucks was sited less than 10 minutes from home.  So I decided to go a little out of my way for a bit of lobster and some clam chowder.

I was talking with my friend Valerie on the way home, and overshot my normal exit on the way home to keep from losing the phone connection in a back roads dead spot.  And this made me forget about the reason I was taking this route in the first place.  As a result, I stopped into Chipolte for a burrito.  Yet, I was lucky.  They prepared my order as if to go, and I wasn't happy with the idea of eating it there.  So I brought home half a burrito to eat tomorrow.  While on the way home, I remembered the food truck, and stopped by the former golf course to pick up the bite to eat that I originally wanted.  This was worth my effort.  The clam chowder was good, but the lobster roll was great!  I'll definitely look for this truck again when it's in my area.

After I finished my dinner, I settled down to relax.  First, Vicki called me.  And then TCL called me.  By the time I was done with the phone, it was almost midnight and I had to post this entry.  Luckily, I was already prepared to tell a quick story about the food truck - all I needed to do is find out how good the lobster roll was....

I finally got some papers notarized.

 

A few years ago, my friend Maria asked me to do a boudoir photo shoot so that she could print one of my pictures and give it to her husband as an anniversary gift.  In a way, this is my favorite shot, as shows a vulnerable side she rarely shows to people.  Of course, the picture shows that I am an amateur photographer, as no one should be consciously aware of how a scene is lit.

- - - - - -

Today, Maria and I finally had the chance to meet for a few minutes in person.  I needed her to notarize my signature on a form I need to send in, so that I can claim my share of the funds in my late father's IRA. So we scheduled an after work get together at a McDonald's near her house.

As usual, my work day was 8 hours of electronic "Whack-a-Mole",  Luckily, I had a good sleep the night before, and was able to get through the day without falling asleep at my desk too often.  This is a job that I go to for two reasons only: (1) Money and (2) Something to occupy my time during the day.  Do I enjoy the job?  Not really.  But I don't hate it either.  I should have looked for a part time job, so that I'd have more time in my life to schedule and do the things I want to do.

Luckily, I get out at 4:30, and can beat rush hour choke points on the way home, and on my way up North.  That is what I did, making it to Fishkill an hour before Maria and I were supposed to meet.  So I went shopping at the local Walmart to kill time, then I drove to the McDonald's to meet Maria.

This turned out to be a very quick meeting with Maria.  It was freezing outside, and we both had other things to do.  Her notary stamp was giving her trouble, so she had to stamp the form twice.  Hopefully, that won't be a problem when I send it in to the bank.  At least, I'm all done for now.

- - - - - -

Afterwards, I went looking for a place where a food truck is going to be next week.  Ever since I've heard of Cousins Maine Lobster before, and I wanted to try something from their food trucks.  Every time one is nearby, I'm scheduled to be elsewhere.  So I went to Hopewell, thinking that the truck was going to be there today.  And I was surprised to find another food truck there.  Since I was "in for a penny, in for a pound," I decided to try a grilled shrimp Po'Boy sandwich.  The sandwich was so messy, that I figured that it would be best eaten at home.  And 45 minutes later, that's just what I did.  It was yummy.  But the next time I order from this truck, I'll ask for a few less greens so that the sandwich is easier to eat.

On the way home, I talked with the woman who used to run a store I used to shop at.  We were getting along fine, but something she said was a hint that she couldn't deal with the Marian side of me.  Oh, well.  I haven't put a few years' investment into this relationship, so I'll have little to be upset about if she reacts negatively to my reveal.

Once I finished eating, I decided to make reservations for the dinner I plan to have with FH tomorrow.  She deserves to go to a nice place once in a while, and I'm glad I can take her there tomorrow.  FH may not be the one for me in the long term, but I like her - and that's what counts.