Weekend update - COVID-19

Friday:

Walk Jack
Work a couple of hours
Worked on sourdough

Saturday:

Mowed the yard
Work on stairs for Jack
To go from El Centinela

Sunday:

Blueberry pancakes
Nap
Leatherwork

Weekend update - COVID-19

Friday:

Walk Jack
Work a couple of hours

Saturday:

Blueberry muffins
Banana Bread
To go from El Centinela

Sunday:

Leatherwork

Weekend update

Friday:

Gym
A couple of hours of work
Drop Flex off at McRee
Lunch at Garage Bar & Grill

Saturday:

Blueberry muffins
Work in the shop
Dinner with K at El Centinela

Sunday:

Kitchen Bread

Dining out - Garage Bar & Grill

Friday's lunch was at the Garage Bar & Grill on the 35 Bypass in Alvin.  The structure for the building is a huge metal building (3 stories tall or so) and it's designed to be open-air on good days.  a number of roll-up doors and an outdoor porch.  the parking is decent, with covered parking for motorcycles only.  I think that gives you some idea as to their preferred crowd.

Inside the restaurant, they've got a bar and a large number of tables around it.  There's a small stage for the bands they have on a regular basis.  There's one pay-to-play pool table and a bunch of TV screens all around.  There was a sign on one of the walls advertising an upcoming extreme midget wrestling event.  Without a band on stage, the music is C&W, some of a classic vintage, so not terrible to listen to.

The menu offered a bunch of appetizers, burgers and blue plates.  There was a separate bar menu, as well.

I think there were two other parties in there dining at various tables at noon on a Friday.  A few more folks sitting at the bar.  But, I don't guess they expect huge crowds for lunch on a weekday.

I ordered the chicken fried chicken with green beans and mashed potatoes.  If I had to do it all over again, I would NOT order the mashed potatoes.  They tasted instant to me.  The chicken fried chicken and green beans were good though.  The portions are smaller than what I would get at the Seabrook Classic Cafe for about the same money.

The service was okay.  After my meal was dropped off, the waitress did not stop by to check up on me or offer to refill my tea.  She offered a refill after I'd finished eating when she asked whether I was ready for the check.

Overall, this was a far better meal than I was expecting.

Aikido Thursday Night – 3/12/20 – Wasabi Dojo/Clear Creek Aikido

Aikido players:

Willie.

Ukemi:

Basic slaps, normal forward rolls.

The Walk:

Two times.

Releases:

All 8.

Techniques:

Right-sided Sumi Otoshi

Commentary:

None of note.

Weekend update

Friday:

Refresh starter
Gym
A couple of hours of work
Lunch with K at Pop Top
Aikido

Saturday:

Jodo/Aikido
Work in the shop
Bread
Dinner with K at El Centinela

Sunday:

Daylight Saving Time
Bread
Nap

Aikido Friday Night – 3/6/20 – Wasabi Dojo/Clear Creek Aikido

Aikido players:

Willie.

Ukemi:

Basic slaps, normal forward rolls.

The Walk:

Two times.

Releases:

All 8.

Techniques:

Left-side Mae Otoshi and then some Sumi Otoshi

Commentary:

None of note.

Dining out - Pop Top burgers

Friday's lunch with K was at Pop Top Burgers (NASA 1 and Bay Area).  Pop Top's genealogy is the owner used to be a cook at Tookie's (or Stomp's, don't remember which).  But, I think the ownership has changed recently.  The owner used to be a Hispanic lady but now appears to be an Indian couple.

Anyway, they specialize in burgers and offer fries, thin onion rings and thick onion rings (ala Tookies).

K and I went in around 2 pm on Friday and were the only customers in the place.  The service was good.  I asked about desserts of the day and they responded that their only dessert currently was the deep-fried Oreos.

K and I both ordered the Wine Not Burger.  This is a takeoff of Tookies "99".  Patty marinated in wine and then cooked up and topped with cheese, onions, etc.  served on a brioche bun  We also ordered a side of the thick-cut onion rings.  Everything was good, and the delivery of the food was pretty quick.

If I'm in a bit of a rush and in the mood for a burger fix, this is the place I would hit in the area.  If I have more time, I'll drive out to Tookies.

Dining out - Pierogi Queen

Friday's lunch experience was Pierogi Queen on FM 518 just west of 45.  I've been eyeing it for a long time.  They're tucked almost into a corner of the shopping center.

This is a tiny joint - 5 tables, 20 chairs. They had a TV going, softly and the radio going as well

The menu is Polish.  Pierogis and Pickle soup.   I order 6 pierogis, with a mix of flavors and then a Blintz for dessert.  You can get your Pierogis boiled, with bacon or pan-fried with onions.  I chose pan-fried.  The 6 pierogis was a little light for me, but the dozen would have been too much.
The total for my meal came to about $20 with tip. $7.50 for the pierogis, $5 for the blintz and a little bit more for ice tea and tip.

I talked it up a K and we stopped by on our way home from dinner Saturday night and picked a couple of batches of frozen pierogis to have at some point in the near future.  I think a meal of Granger sausage and pierogis sounds fabulous.

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.