Bianca's Clothes Dilemma and a New England Winter Day
Being pregnant is all about change. Everyday something new happens. Peanut's continued growth makes everyday a surprise. It also makes it difficult to buy clothes, especially in the winter. So when we woke up on Saturday and the temperature was really 8 degrees, no windchill measurement, which is total baloney, Bianca was stuck. Her normal winter jacket fits, but it is a little tight around the baby bump. So she doned my Nanook of the North jacket that I got last summer at Sears for $19 and we made our way to Panera, a favorite Saturday breakfast spot. It was one of those days that if I would have grown a moustache, it would have froze on my face. Another con in the lip ferret debate.
As the bitterly cold day got colder, Bianca, Peanut, and I had the delicious Harrow's Chicken Pie I referenced a few posts ago for dinner. It was spectacular. It was Mimi-quality comfort food--simple, hearty, and delicious. If Mimi made a chicken pie, this would be it. It had only a handful of ingredients (chicken, potatoes, carrots, flour, chicken broth, and butter, the key to any comfort food), but it was AWESOME. A true New England tradition for a truly New England winter night. All three of us crashed on the couch watching Antiques Roadshow (a favorite of mine), warm with full bellies. It was great.
On Sunday we woke up early and made our way down to Rhode Island for Joe's birthday. For the first time in years poor Joe did not have to share his birthday with the Super Bowl (though Livi now has that burden). Our early arrival allowed Bianca and Nancy to go maternity clothes shopping. I am grateful for this. Clothes shopping is normally a painful experience. Maternity clothes shopping, with all of the added hormones and stress and body changes is even worse. Mall coma in 0-5 seconds flat. So thanks to Nancy for the assist.
It also allowed Domenic Sr. and I to go on a Dudeventure to a Harbor Freight retail store. For those of you unfamiliar with the tool importer, Harbor Freight made its name in the 70s and 80s by offering Chinese knock off tools for super cheap through a paper catalog and flyer. Buying stuff at Harbor Freight is really kinda cool. First, there is the price. Want a $70 wet saw? Harbor Freight. How 'bout a 6 ton engine lift for $699? Harbor Freight. Oh yes and then there is the "Criminal's Friend" a truly massive set of bolt cutters with FOUR FOOT fiberglass handles...for $29.99. Then there are the oddities. For example Dom and I both got a set of huge, full tang, screwdrivers. The hex "blade" of the driver goes through the handle and out the other end allowing you to attach a ratchet to the screwdriver for some extra torque. I had never seen anything like them before, but that is another thing Harbor Freight specializes in...weird stuff. Then there is the gambling aspect to the purchases. As you can imagine with prices that are 20% of what they should be and manufacturers in some of the shadier parts of China, the tools are not exactly Lie Nielsen quality. Buddy, one of Dom's friends, bought a "Stanley-type" pry bar (that is what they are called, I checked today) and the thing went flat as board the instant it was used for leverage. But it was $1.98. Finally, there are the off brand names--things that are vaguely blue collar sounding like "Chicago Eletric" or "Minnesota" (instead of Milwaukee). It's like the food court at an outlet mall, you know, the one with "Uncle Andy's Pretzels" instead of Auntie Anne's. All in all it was pretty cool. Hey I got "Irwin-style" pistol grip clamps in a good size (12") for $3 each! Sure, they pinch the skin between your trigger finger and your thumb and the pad fell off in the parking lot (I found it), but that is part of their charm.
Very good weekend.
As the bitterly cold day got colder, Bianca, Peanut, and I had the delicious Harrow's Chicken Pie I referenced a few posts ago for dinner. It was spectacular. It was Mimi-quality comfort food--simple, hearty, and delicious. If Mimi made a chicken pie, this would be it. It had only a handful of ingredients (chicken, potatoes, carrots, flour, chicken broth, and butter, the key to any comfort food), but it was AWESOME. A true New England tradition for a truly New England winter night. All three of us crashed on the couch watching Antiques Roadshow (a favorite of mine), warm with full bellies. It was great.
On Sunday we woke up early and made our way down to Rhode Island for Joe's birthday. For the first time in years poor Joe did not have to share his birthday with the Super Bowl (though Livi now has that burden). Our early arrival allowed Bianca and Nancy to go maternity clothes shopping. I am grateful for this. Clothes shopping is normally a painful experience. Maternity clothes shopping, with all of the added hormones and stress and body changes is even worse. Mall coma in 0-5 seconds flat. So thanks to Nancy for the assist.
It also allowed Domenic Sr. and I to go on a Dudeventure to a Harbor Freight retail store. For those of you unfamiliar with the tool importer, Harbor Freight made its name in the 70s and 80s by offering Chinese knock off tools for super cheap through a paper catalog and flyer. Buying stuff at Harbor Freight is really kinda cool. First, there is the price. Want a $70 wet saw? Harbor Freight. How 'bout a 6 ton engine lift for $699? Harbor Freight. Oh yes and then there is the "Criminal's Friend" a truly massive set of bolt cutters with FOUR FOOT fiberglass handles...for $29.99. Then there are the oddities. For example Dom and I both got a set of huge, full tang, screwdrivers. The hex "blade" of the driver goes through the handle and out the other end allowing you to attach a ratchet to the screwdriver for some extra torque. I had never seen anything like them before, but that is another thing Harbor Freight specializes in...weird stuff. Then there is the gambling aspect to the purchases. As you can imagine with prices that are 20% of what they should be and manufacturers in some of the shadier parts of China, the tools are not exactly Lie Nielsen quality. Buddy, one of Dom's friends, bought a "Stanley-type" pry bar (that is what they are called, I checked today) and the thing went flat as board the instant it was used for leverage. But it was $1.98. Finally, there are the off brand names--things that are vaguely blue collar sounding like "Chicago Eletric" or "Minnesota" (instead of Milwaukee). It's like the food court at an outlet mall, you know, the one with "Uncle Andy's Pretzels" instead of Auntie Anne's. All in all it was pretty cool. Hey I got "Irwin-style" pistol grip clamps in a good size (12") for $3 each! Sure, they pinch the skin between your trigger finger and your thumb and the pad fell off in the parking lot (I found it), but that is part of their charm.
Very good weekend.