Hello on Saturday

Dear Friends,

Hope that you all had a very pleasant day on Friday like Linda and I did. Breakfast with the Pittsfield High School Female Retirees went very well.
I am invited back on March 23, 2012. I did do more listening than talking for a change.
Speaking of breakfast -- Two eggs, two slices of toast, home fries, and bottomless cup of coffee for $3.99 is quite a deal for we Berkshireites. Why bother even cooking breakfast at home?

I did go off and visit dad just as the therapist whisked him away to a therapy session. I went with dad to see what he does at therapy. All of a sudden the room filled up with patients and therapists and there was no room for me at all. Dad was in good spirits knowing that his days were numbered in the nursing home. I hope that everything goes well leading up to his Wednesday discharge date.

We did go off to the Shamrock last evening with an Irish / Polish friend. The three of us arrived at 4:45 PM, and there were no seats at the bar. People were coming out of the woodwork as the expression goes. The place was packed at the bar and dinning area through the 7 PM hour as we left the Pub.
The fish last night was spectacular. Two of us had Fish & Chips, and our health conscious friend had baked fish.
All of us played Keno while we sat at the bar before we decided to sit down in the dinning room area to eat. Usually, we are not so lucky playing Keno. We turn in our slips after playing 10 games at a cost of $1 dollar per game. I didn't even know it, but the bartender doles out 5 $20 bills. Winning $100 was a nice surprise for me. I have to credit Linda for my winnings because I usually don't bet four numbers. I am kind of wimpy, and bet mostly two or three numbers. One time I even bet 1 number per game. The less numbers you play, the smaller the payoff is. Last night I decided to play 4 numbers and I was lucky enough to win the $100.

We came so early that I had time to watch the whole Boston Bruins Hockey game. The Bruins lost the game in a shootout, but it was an exciting game.

I will be leaving the house today before Linda even wakes up. I will be at Berkshire Hills Country Club with the kitchen crew of my UNICO Brothers and Sisters a little after 8 AM chopping and dicing, cutting up the multiple pounds of three cheeses which will go into the Polenta just before we serve it. A bunch of guys will be deveining the venison before cutting it up into stew size pieces, etc. A great deal of preparation goes into preparing to serve over 350 people at the Women's Imaging Center Fundraiser.

Like I said in previous emails, the day for me won't end after we get through serving the large crowd of guests. Linda and I are heading off to the Polish Falcon Hall to dance and listen to a Country Western / Rock Band called Whiskey City. I am figuring that my head won't hit the pillow until after midnight
Linda has a totally free day, and is planning on hooking up with some friends for supper before we meet up and go to the polish Falcon Hall.

When I skimmed the online CNN news, nothing really jumped out at me. The world is still in a state of turmoil. The Republicans continue to beat each other up with the latest gaffs made by Mitt Romney. If you talk long enough, anyone can get themselves in trouble which often happens to me.

Speaking of gaffs, one of the retired teachers at breakfast relayed a story to me about our son who owns the restaurant "Dough East Boston." Kevin was a student in this teacher's Honors History Class. The teacher asked the class where they should bury the remains of the Father of the American Navy -- John Paul Jones. He was originally buried in England. The students began shouting out West Point (Army), Colorado Springs (Air Force), etc. Another student yelled out Norfolk, Virgina. The teacher said that they were getting closer to the correct area that a naval officer should be buried. After several other responses, the frustrated teacher asked if there were any "Seamen" in her class. All the boys started looking at their crotches as they started giggling. Our son Kevin, who was seated in the front row of the class, whispered to the teacher that she should have used the word "Sailors" instead of "Seaman".

I was watching part of the Doctor Oz show just before we departed for the Shamrock. He was telling the audience and we viewers about ways to prevent or decrease the onset of Alzheimer's. I remember two of the three remedies. One was a liquid sage that you take so many eyedroppers of. The other one Linda and I always have in our house which was celery. The hearts of celery release a chemical which helps ward off Alzheimer's Disease. As a matter of fact, the red sauce that we Unicans are preparing today will have finely chopped up celery as one of the ingredients.

The wind is howling in the Berkshires. We are expecting 20 to 40 mile per hour winds for most of the day as the temperature drop. The few inches of snow that we were supposed to get never materialized. Our mild winter continues.

Well, I have to gather up some of my kitchen gadgets, apron, hot mitts, and liquid refreshments, etc.
Have a great weekend.
If you live in the Berkshires, hold on to your hats.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad