Mass

No, not that kind, involving priests and Latin. Not the kind that is measured in ounces, pounds, or grams. The kind that benevolently granted Maine and New Hampshire their own little fiefdoms a few years ago. Rhode Island, too, I suppose, but it's not really large enough to count. *That* kind of Mass. I just so happen to be there at the moment. Momentarily, really, as I won't be there tomorrow.

We've got a brand-new Budget truck - still got the wrappers on it, and little cardboard bits protecting knobs and levers. Brand-spanking-new. We're going to put a couch in it in a little bit, and maybe some other stuff. They teleported the truck to MA from OK, where it was registered. Certainly doesn't have the mileage to have made the trip. The wood deck smells fresh - smells like Home Despot, which makes me want to spend money and get new tools and other Important Things.

Put the couch in without a problem - granolaflake's son gave me a hand and we zipped it in there, and tossed in a few other chairs as well. Not sure what else will go in, but I'm guessing it will be a fairly light trip.

Drop by patrixa's journal and take part in the Great Bagel Debate. Once more, my mother has forgotten that we live far from modern conveniences, such as an ocean (which generally contains fresh fish) and Brookline, MA (which is significantly closer to her house than mine) where fresh bagels can be found. In absence of the Real Thing, I've come to appreciate Bruegger's bagels, and, on my last visit, tried Finagle-a-Bagel, which, like Brookline, MA, seems to only exist around eastern MA. Given that the last visit wasn't the best of circumstances for trying bagels, I wanted to try Finagle-a-Bagel again, and that is what started the whole debate. So go there and offer up your opinion on what a bagel should be, and name names.

Mimi's Roast Beef & Seafood

I may not have been able to finagle any bagels for breakfast, but I did manage to get one of the mainstays in for lunch.

If I was up here long enough visit, I'd probably make sure I had time to go eat in the rough at Woodman's, or stop by the place that introduced me to catfish - Skipjack's, or I might even keep it Legal - those are all places where I'd enjoy some seafood when I lived here; they had good food, and each had a particular character.

However, when I was just looking for good fish n' chips, I'd always go to somewhere right in my home town, and that's where I find myself wanting to go when I come up to visit - every time. In fact, I really won't even consider one of the other places unless I've managed to get at least one meal in at Mimi's Roast Beef and Seafood.

Sure, it's served in styrofoam containers instead of on fancier tableware that Legal's or Skipjack's might have, but it's quality is even better than Woodman's, despite having saltwater access and doubtless connections with a Gloucester fisherman or three. There isn't the variety of fish that the fancier places have - it's either the haddock dinner or a generic, catch o' the day deal labelled simply as "fish and chips," but variety doesn't matter as much as the quality, and Mimi's has the more expensive places trounced.

For a little over eight bucks, you get a monster portion of very fresh haddock, a good amount of both onion rings and fries, and a largish salad. I could eat one of these a day for a few weeks, but eventually it would be nice (and healthier) to settle into the meal once a week. Too long a drive for that, otherwise I'd do it.

Instead, all I can do is stop by on my infrequent visits, and keep an eye on global warming and the future reef of New Jersey... the only good side to the head-in-the-sand policies these days is that I might eventually have a source of fresh seafood nearby... then again, if all of NJ was under water, I'm not sure that would allow the fish to be considered "fresh"... =)

And thy hands shall smell of machinist's oil...

Which is mostly because I personally moved half a brazillion wrenches, screwdrivers, sockets, drill bits, dies, taps, vice grips, pliers, micrometers, metal rules, c-clamps, left handed spanning wrenches, and other assorted oil-coated and cured mechanisms, gizmos, gee-haws, gadgets, and tools.

My mother screamed in horror when, in Mirrormask, Helena and Valentine first found the key, and again when they entered the room with the pillar of locks.

( In which keys are counted with accuracy, and sometimes wielded with same, and in which large heavy objects are moved from here to there, and in which the Police fail to appear when called, and other assorted adventures... )