We wound up at Old Chicago Pizza on Friday night. This is around the third time I’ve been disappointed in them. The beer selection was pretty run-of-the mill, and their pizza has changed. It’s just not as good as before all the pandemic problems. I’ve tried to be kind of forgiving with all the supply, employee, and shortage issues, but this might be our last visit to a place we both loved. There is no shortage of beer places or pizza places these days. We might just have to try some new venues.
Saturday, I paid the bills and didn’t really do a damned thing besides that. I have plenty to do, but just didn’t do them. Some of this is my own insistence on order in my private life. At work, I have to move multiple projects forward at once. When I run into a roadblock, I change projects to something I can nudge ahead. When it comes to my free time, I have the right not to do that.
We made a drive to Twin Falls on Sunday. Old What’s Her Face had a care package for our daughter, and she’s been unable to visit lately. We dropped off her goodie bag, took her to a nice lunch, then came home. Totally worth it.
Today, I pushed my MS through Amazon once more and this time it looks perfect. I still have all my tour posts to write and need to get to those. I stopped after the Amazon previewer checked out, but still need a purchase link. I’ll probably park on that idea until later in the month. I want Midnight Rambler available for the October season.
Somewhere between the cracks we watched television. Caught the new episode of She Hulk, checked out Rings of Power, and I watched more of a K-Drama I’ve been enjoying. I find myself checking out more K-Dramas than anything else. Their stories are just a degree different than the usual fare and I find them quite creative. They always offer a laugh amid the drama and that’s something I strive for myself.
In other news, Old What’s Her Face found a package on the porch when we returned from Twin.
There were two of these bricks inside the box. I asked her what she was trafficking in. They turned out to be some kind of cookies to make a recipe of some sort. I’m excited for whatever she comes up with, but a few illicit dollars around here would have been cool.
Hope all of you had a great holiday weekend. Drop me a line and let me know what you’ve been up to.
Entertaining Stories 
Sorry about the pizza place. We haven’t been in a restaurant since the beginning of the pandemic. Given the number of folks who go out to eat and then contract Covid, it’s not likely for a while. We have some trusted places for pick -up which we do. More than happy to host when you are ready.
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We still try to have the occasional date night. Typically closer to payday. A lot of places are struggling right now. We understand that, but expect them to come around eventually.
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It is the age old why work if someone is paying you not to. Eventually the free money has to stop.
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How did I miss that promo? I still have to work every day.
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If you walk off the job you can collect unemployment benefits for an extended period of time.
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It seems most of us are homebodies these days. Going to the grocery store is an outing. I guess that’s why I like taking walks – even the bunny has become a friend. We do go to Panera’s now and then and rarely Olive Garden. Two years and a lot has changed. Hang in there!
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Olive Garden is where my daughter chose to go Sunday.
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Oh, wow! I’m interested in what your wife is going to make. Sounds complicated. Glad your book is ready to go so all that you have to do is sit on it. Must be nice! Our favorite restaurant has disappointed us, too. They kept cutting their menu and raising their prices until there’s only a couple things we like on the menu, and they’re not cheap. We went some place different last night and really enjoyed it. Sort of sad, but it might be time to move on. Hope you find some place you love.
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Times change. We understand and might have to try new things.
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Good luck, Craig! Hope you find some place you like even more.
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Been getting a few things done. Not really pushing though. I’ve learned to take it easy on holidays or I can get so exhausted with all day cooking that I fall. It also has to do with not eating at all during that time. Not good for me. So now, I stick to a few things and I enjoy my holidays much more.
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Wow! Sounds like you need to take care of yourself.
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Yeah. Been trying but sometimes I fall short. Better day today though with less cooking and more getting to do other things I want. Such as working on the writing.
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Sounds like you’ve had a busy weekend. Yeah… Supply issues or not, if the place isn’t so good any more, it might be time to look for one you enjoy more. Money for treats like that should be spent on something you’re enjoying.
I’m trying to catch up with emails and blog posts. Been neglecting them a bit while dealing with a combination of catching up with other things, doing a bit of de cluttering, and ending up waiting around for people who then decide they can’t make it that day after having left us waiting around for them all afternoon.
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I hate that. We always seem to have a problem with people failing to show up when they said they would.
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I hate how often it seems to happen these days.
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Good luck crossing the Ts and dotting the Is for your latest e-book!
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I’ll take all the luck I can get. Thanks.
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We ate out for my birthday in July … limited menu, tiny portions, and very expensive. Totally different than a year prior at the same place. Hubby and I have turned into homebodies these days. So glad you had some nice time with your daughter. Congrats on the Amazon progress with your MS! The wife’s ‘bricks’ have me intrigued! Have a lovely week, Craig 💕🙂
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We manage to go out about once per month, and it isn’t always a big deal. I should abandon my writing until I can get this book release shaped up, but we’ll see.
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I rarely go out. I want pizza now 😩 I have one fave restaurant I will go to. Only for their awesome beef dip and steak bites. I will stick to ordering in with restaurants that have their own delivery 😝no way will I use skip the dishes or door dash.
I hope the next time you have pizza it’s awesome!
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That industry is really working to stay afloat. Some places have to close for a day because nobody showed up to work.
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I can believe it. It takes a lot of hard work money and workers to keep a business going.
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Sorry about Old Chicago. I know you enjoyed going there. Some days, you just need some downtime. Glad you got to visit with your daughter.
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The recovery has been really slow in some industries. Family time first, for sure.
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Except for the pizza, I think you had a humdinger of a weekend. We are also trying to find a pizza place we like – none of them around here suit, but then we got spoiled when we lived in Chicago. We’re thinking of making our own!
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We’ve made our own, but sometimes you just want someone else to do the dishes.
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Glad you got to have a surprise visit with the daughter. I know she appreciated the care package. 🙂 Too bad about the pizza place. Nothing stays the same. That is a very suspect looking package left on your doorstep. 🙂
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I think it’s kind of shady looking, myself.
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That’s a shame about the pizza place. I hate it when a good restaurant goes downhill (or goes away). At least you got to see your daughter. And apparently there will be baking soon!
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It was nice getting to see her. I know she appreciated the care package.
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Enjoying She-Hulk … Rings of Power feels like a slow start to a very long movie. 😀 … getting settled in our new place … struggling to get back into my writing, but it’s coming. 😀
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Rumor is ROP is scripted out for five years. It feels like they’re taking their time setting things up. Better than rushing, but only slightly so.
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Sounds like you need a new go-to pizza place, Craig. Three tries is pretty generous of you, I think. Glad you had fun with the offspring, and those cookie-making boxes look intriguing. I hope they come out great. Happy Writing!
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Things change. We’ll snoop around and see what’s left out there.
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Too bad about the pizza. I have to say, I’ve never seen cookie bricks!
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Me either. I wonder what she’s going to make, but she’s being kind of secretive. Knowing her it will be wonderful.
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That’s too bad about the pizza place. I know you’ve mentioned it several times before. Hope you can find a new favorite. I’d also be curious about those bricks, lol.
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We’re going to see what else might be out there. I have a theory those bricks are going to become some kind of awesome dessert on night.
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HI Craig, sorry about the pizza. I have been disappointed by the food each time we’ve gone out in the last year and we haven’t gone out that much. Every time we go out, we all seem to have cold symptoms the next week too. I prefer my own home cooking anyway. I have two more posts to write for my Halloween promotion of my new kids book. Finding the time isn’t that easy right now. There is so much going on and I’m also preparing a video promotion for the Sir Chocolate books for a local writers and illustrators conference. That is very time consuming.
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All the local places are struggling, and we try to support when we can. Some don’t have enough help, others have reduced menus, etc. I really need to work on promo posts this weekend. Oh, and knowing you for a long time I’m sure your home cooking is wonderful.
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I have read that there is a shortage of staff in catering and restaurants in the USA. This is also a problem in the UK. I think people would rather live on benefits.
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True, but they still aren’t paying enough for basic rent and groceries.
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