Monday, July 6, 2015

Post holiday...

First of all, I know I've been absent from these here parts for about a week. I have been having problems staying on line. It has been frustrating. I tried a few days ago to catch up on some blog entries and suddenly I would lose the connection to the web. However here I am, hopefully until I finish this.

I hope my U.S. friends had a fun 4th. Mine was fairly quiet. A cookout gathering next door at Arlene's. Driving around was a combination of spooky and nice. Spooky because normally there's a lot of traffic and there was hardly any when I went to the store. Yes I went to buy some beer. Nice, because this suburb of Boston suddenly looked like Mayberry. There is much road work going on in the area, not just my city but the whole metropolitan area. I'm sure the awful winter had something to do with it. The 9' of snow is still very fresh in our memories. The 4th turned out beautiful. I tried to convince Arlene to take a ride down to the river where there is a clear view of the Boston skyline.
This would be a good spot to view the fireworks downtown but she wanted to stay put. I didn't eat much except for a piece of a 3 layer cake. It was tasty. I had nary a hot dog or hamburger. The last time I had a hot dog was 3 years ago on the very same day. At that point I hadn't had one since 2007. I am very sodium conscious. I am in good health but I do need to watch my sodium. I haven't used a salt shaker since 2007. That was a wake up year for me. I went to the doctor for a check up for the first time in probably 20 years. The main reason for that was, one day, back then I had a problem with my waist size. Suddenly the waist size I had had since high school was expanding. I knew I was out of control. Long story short, I dropped 30 pounds.

When I do work, on a part time basis, in a deli in a supermarket, I see people ordering the reduced salt items thinking that they are eating healthy. They will ask about salt content. I am pretty familiar with most of the items. What people don't seem to grasp is the number of milligrams of sodium in a cold cut is broken down to a 2 ounce servings. on some items that could be about a slice and a half to 2 slices. Imported ham is amongst the worst with 700 to 800 milligrams per 2 ounce serving. American cheese is about the worst cheese when it comes to sodium. A serving size for cheese is 1 ounce and American cheese can range from 350 to 400 milligrams per 1 ounce serving, depending on the brand. You could have a ham and cheese sandwich and consume up to 30 to 40 percent of your daily sodium intake. And American cheese is not really cheese. It's proper name is "American cheese food product". Doesn't that sound tasty. Swiss on the other hand is naturally low in sodium. About 60 to 70 milligrams per one ounce serving. Fat content on the other hand is a different story but I don't feel like getting into that at the moment, All I'm saying is that if you are watching your intake of sodium or fat you have to be aware how the numbers are broken down. Foods are marked, "low sodium", "lower sodium", "reduced sodium", "less salt" and so on in an effort to get you to buy their product. All I'm saying is be aware of the serving size when reading the break down of ingredients.

Ok. I don't know how I got on that kick. Sometimes these things just happen. Within a couple of weeks I will be making plans for our next trip to the island in September. I heard this morning that the President will be going back in late August. I would love to be there when he and his family arrive but we are going in September. While working one day last week I saw one of my regular customers wearing a "Black Dog" t-shirt. That's a store on the Vineyard sort of made famous by James Taylor back in the early '70s. We started talking about different places on the island. She told me she was there the last time the President went. Her daughter was in Nancy's Restaurant...
...when the secret service came in and told everyone that the President was coming. They could all stay but nobody else was being let in. Arlene and I have eaten there twice. It was very good but very pricey. Now you could almost say that of every place on the island but this was the most expensive place we ever ate at. I'm sure there even more expensive places, especially in Edgartown. That's where very well heeled people live. We tried to get into the place next to Nancy's, behind the flag pole, but it was full. So we gave Nancy's a shot. We ended up on the outside deck. I know I've posted these pics before, but they are such nice memories that I like to relive them. It was wonderful to be one the deck overlooking Oak Bluffs harbor and watching the sun go down as we ate, and yes drank.





So we will miss the President again by about 3 weeks. As the French say, "C'est la vie". If that's how it's written. We are lucky to be able to do this in the first place. This will be our 11th trip since 2010.

Getting back to the 4th, there was an emergency at the gathering at Arlene's house. The whole shebang was thrown by Arlene's brother and his wife, who live in the second floor. The emergency? They ran out of toilet paper, now of course referred to as bathroom tissue. Arlene came to me and asked if I could spare a roll of toilet, bathroom tissue. Now even though I live conveniently next door and am well stocked in said item, as I left my place and walked down the sidewalk I wondered how I could explain walking down the sidewalk with a roll of toilet paper if asked? Of course I could just say the truth and maybe share a chuckle with someone or the police, it still was a little weird.

Ok so far so good. I have not been thrown off line. It's time to get on with some of many domestic chores. So far all I've done today is eat, take the trash out and write this.
Ciao!
I'm outta here.

7 comments:

  1. You should have filmed Mayberry...I mean your hood. Wow road construction can mess up everything but running out of TP can be also. How did you carry it? I am dying to know. Have you heard of a sack? No not one with cement.
    Johnny Cash walked the line but it wasn't the cyber one.
    Hope you snag a Nancy's glass for me lol!!!! What does very well heeled people...mean? Hoity toidy? Take care my friend and I will watch my salt intake.

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  2. Would you believe we ALWAYS have a roll of toilet paper handy on our dining room table? It's cheaper than tissues and we both have allergic rhinitis. Weird too? Maybe, but we don't care.

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  3. Love the whole blog today.. I also am very aware of salt per serving. I rarely eat beef or pork or even ham anymore. I can't have anything fried or deep fried so I guess I am on the right track. Glad you had a great 4th and better the TP than a stopped up toilet.. that would be disaster. Loved the photos looks like a great place!

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  4. Those are really delightful photos. Those are really interesting thoughts you mentioned about being watchful when it comes to certain food items. Do enjoy your week, and best wishes!

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  5. Paul, What are you doing walking around with T.P. .:):) You know this may sound so crazy...but I take extra T.P. to my daughters on holidays and this year I forgot. Thankfully she had plenty...but that is something, that when you have many guests, it takes more . When we go to pay respects at someone's home if a family member passes, we take T.P., paper plates, and paper towels....it's something that comes in handy. I took some to my neighbor lady and she called me and said , "what ever made you bring that T.P.....thank you, we were out." She had so many people coming and going after husband passed. I have two hot-dogs a year...one at my daughter's class picnic and one on the 4th. I know that people have no clue about sodium. We rarely use salt...I use Mrs. Dash....the more seasonings the less you want salt. I am glad you are taking care of your health. I am so envious of you and Arlene's fun trips to the vineyard. I like seeing your vacation photos and Boston area too. Blessings to you, xoxo,Susie
    p.s. hello to Arlene

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  6. Blessings....
    Our holiday here was on July 1st, Canada Day.
    great that you are out and doing things, you are very active and outgoing, I cant really say the same for myself.

    thanks for answering that question regarding my mom. I have to tell you reading it gave me the willies not to mention a heart attack at the price tag and you are not finished yet! Its like a down payment for a condo.

    Have a blessed day.
    Rhapsody

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  7. Yes Salt content it's in just about everything we eat. Watching it is very hard to do...
    Great pictures the drinks looks lush!
    I know what you mean concerning your internet , same here Paul.

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