Aikido Thursday Night – 2/27/20 – Wasabi Dojo/Clear Creek Aikido

Aikido players:

Willie.

Ukemi:

Basic slaps, normal forward rolls.

The Walk:

Two times.

Releases:

All 8.

Techniques:

Shihonage and Mae Otoshi

Commentary:

None of note.

Aikido Tuesday Night – 2/25/20 – Wasabi Dojo/Clear Creek Aikido

Aikido players:

Willie.

Ukemi:

Basic slaps, normal forward rolls.

The Walk:

Two times.

Releases:

All 8.

Techniques:

Tenkai Kote Hineri and Shihonage

Commentary:

None of note.

Weekend update - ATAA Seminar in Killeen

Friday:

A couple of hours of work
Flex in for alignment
Print out Shodan certificate for Manuel Soto
Drive off to Killeen for ATAA seminar
Dinner at Crooked Fork
Taught Owaza Ju Pon at evening session

Saturday:

Breakfast at Ma's Kitchen
Taught Owaza JuPon at morning session
Lunch at Galaxy Burger
Eric and Jack taught during the afternoon session
Shodan demon from Manuel Soto
Nidan demonstration from Phillip Ludwig
Dinner at Bones Cracked Rib BBQ

Sunday:

Donuts in Cameron(?) for breakfast
Home by 11
Nap
Puzzles in the paper
Baked kitchen bread
Work on the outfeed table

Worked on Mom's clothes prop

Aikido Tuesday Night – 2/18/20 – Wasabi Dojo/Clear Creek Aikido

Aikido players:

Willie.

Ukemi:

Basic slaps, normal forward rolls.

The Walk:

Two times.

Releases:

All 8.

Techniques:

Left-sided kote-gaeshi and then a little Tenkai Kote Hineri

Commentary:

None of note.

Weekend update

Friday:

Gym
A couple of hours of work
Flex in for oil change
Lunch at La Costa Seafood Grill
Truck in for oil change
Work on the outfeed table
Aikido - did jodo katas

Saturday:

Jodo
Stop at Rockler
Drop 3D printer off at TXRX
Work on the outfeed table
Dinner with K. at El Centinela

Sunday:

Baked: Snickerdoodles, Lemon Squares
Work on the outfeed table

Baked buttermilk biscuits and Kitchen bread

Dining out - La Costa Seafood Grill

Friday's lunch experience was La Costa Seafood Grill on Hwy 35 just north of FM 517.  This is a relatively new restaurant that I'd spotted while traveling to and from Alvin over the recent weeks.

This is a smallish joint with a decent sized bar and 6 TVs up on the walls (2 channels displayed while I was there, so 3 TVs for each channel).  Maybe 25 tables in the whole place?  The acoustics in the place (cement floor, metal bases for the tables) are such that I would not go during a busy time, at least not for conversation.  The decor is definitely less "divey" than I prefer my Mexican joints, but it's almost neutral.

The menu is a mix: some seafood, some Tex-Mex.  Not a huge selection of each.  I chose a fried platter of shrimp and catfish.  It came out nice and steaming.  Crispy and fresh.  I chose their rice as a side.  It was a nice, simple meal.  The service from the waitress was spotty.  Combining that with the guy who sat me (manager?), service was acceptable

The total for my meal came to about $23 with tip. $14 for the meal and a little more for tea.  I would go back, but it would have to be the right time for small crowds.

Aikido Friday Night – 2/14/20 – Wasabi Dojo/Clear Creek Aikido

Aikido players:

None.

Ukemi:

None.

The Walk:

None.

Releases:

None.

Techniques:

I spent the evening going over Jodo kata.

Commentary:

None of note.

Aikido Tuesday Night – 2/11/20 – Wasabi Dojo/Clear Creek Aikido

Aikido players:

Willie.

Ukemi:

Basic slaps, normal forward rolls.

The Walk:

Two times.

Releases:

All 8.

Techniques:

Left-sided kote-gaeshi.

Commentary:

None of note.

Weekend update

Friday:

Gym
A couple of hours of work
Lunch at Red Oak Cafe
Work on the outfeed table
No Aikido

Saturday:

Jodo
Work on the outfeed table
Dinner with K. at El Centinela

Sunday:

Lazed around as I abused my shoulder on Friday, apparently.

Dining out - Red Oak Cafe

Friday's lunch experience was Red Oak Cafe, on FM 518 near Countryside.  This is definitely a first time visit for me.  I actually got to go with my wife.  The first time we've had lunch together on a weekday in many years.

They offered us the choice of breakfast or lunch menus as we came in, we opted for lunch.  This was a much bigger establishment than I expected from the outside.  Seating for maybe 100-150 people.

Service was prompt and pleasant.  K chose 1/2 Chicken Salad Sandwich on a croissant (she wanted it on wheat, but they were out) with a cup of Tortilla soup.  I chose the Roast Beef with kettle chips and a cup of baked potato soup.  We ended up getting a small serving of Banana Pudding for dessert.

K was pleased with her dish, the tortilla soup was good, but a little mild for my preferences.  I was gently underwhelmed with my choices.  The roast beef was dry, but had a decent flavor.  The potato soup was ok, the banana pudding was just meh.

A number of nearby tables were enjoying a late breakfast and the place was packed, so it is generally well-received for their offerings.  I either made poor choices or am too picky.

The total for our meal came to about $30 with tip.

Aikido Thursday Night – 2/6/2020 – Wasabi Dojo/Clear Creek Aikido

Aikido players:

Willie.

Ukemi:

Light set.

The Walk:

Twice.

Releases:

All 8.

Techniques:

We worked on Kote Gaeshi.

Commentary:

None tonight.

Aikido Tuesday Night – 2/4/2020 – Wasabi Dojo/Clear Creek Aikido

Aikido players:

Willie.

Ukemi:

Light set.

The Walk:

Twice.

Releases:

All 8.

Techniques:

We worked on Kote Hineri.

Commentary:

None tonight.

Weekend update

Friday:

Gym
A couple of hours of work
Lunch at Pier 8
A couple of hours of work
Time in the workshop
No Aikido

Saturday:

Friendswood Farmer's Market
Walk with Jack in 1776 Park
Time in the workshop
Discovered my neighbor mowed down the bluebonnets
Marinate Chicken
Dinner with K. at Joe's BBQ
Bake Coconut cupcakes for the Super Bowl

Sunday:

Time in the workshop
Grill chicken
Cook ground beef
Make guacamole
Ice cupcakes
Super Bowl

Dining out - Pier 8 Seafood

Friday's lunch experience was Pier 8, down in Seabrook.  This is probably a new place for me, at least it's been 10+ years.

This is a combo fish market and restaurant.  You can buy fresh fish to take home or have them cook it up for you to eat inside or on the deck.  I probably should have chosen from their standard menu selections of catfish and shrimp combos.  Since I dined alone, it would have been much cheaper.

If you choose to have them cook up one of the fresh fish on ice, you pay by the pound.  About 2 or 3 dollars over what you would pay to take it home uncooked.  I chose a flounder, I think it was a little over two pounds, and that ran me $20+.  I had them fry it up for me whole.  I should have had them filet it and then fry it.  Ah, next time.

Simple preparation and a simple meal.  They brought it out to me with the onion rings I ordered (just ok) and a big bowl of lemon wedges.  Good food and definitely fresh.  If you're going to select from their fish on display, I'd recommend that two people split it.  I brought home enough leftovers to use in fish tacos for Super Bowl Sunday.

Other fish options they had available included: Red Snapper, Redfish, Tilapia, Catfish, and probably 5 or 6 others.  Prices vary, of course, with the Red Snapper the most expensive I remember.

I made a mistake driving on the way home and ended up southbound on the Kemah Bridge.  It took me 30 minutes to make it back to the office.  I'm glad I'd planned for a 1.5 hour lunch in my schedule for the day.