I've officially been here one full year. It's been a crazy year at that but I can absolutely say that I've survived all four seasons!
Last year at this time...
*Secret Agent Man was still packing up our house with tons of help from his parents and a few friends. Who knew we had so much STUFF?
*I just completed my dissertation and hoped and prayed they wouldn't take my diploma away.
*I said good-bye to family and friends on the west to start anew on the east.
*I met my new co-workers who invited me over for dinner and welcomed me like only a small town would.
*I learned to live without air-conditioning in humid weather (again).
*I learned that you can't buy beer or liquor from just anywhere. Not even vodka for homemade vanilla extract or wine to cook with. Forget about my gin and tonics or gimlets.
*I learned that even though the entire town is only about 6 sq. miles, everyone has to get to the otherside like NOW. Crazy drivers.
*I learned that we can survive a move across the country!
Thanks to everyone for their support!
Sugar*mama
Showing posts with label penn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label penn. Show all posts
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Burrito Bowls
So, I know we're limited in our ethnic food choices here in our small town. I came here with my eyes wide open to that possibility but I didn't expect to miss Mexican food sooooo much. I'm talking simple stuff like rice & beans, tacos, salsa.
Secret Agent Man and I decided to try a Mexican restaurant in town--it's a chain that will remain nameless. The food itself was pretty good as haole Mexican can get but the experience here has everything to do with the college kids working there.
We have to show our IDs at the door (as you can imagine, lots of drinking gets done here) and get seated at a booth. We take a look at the menu and Secret Agent Man asks the waiter, "is there something here like Chile Verde?" The waiter is a bit stunned for a second and asks "what exactly is Chile Verde?" Of course, I start laughing and Secret Agent Man has to stutter out "green sauce" with a straight face. We're in a Mexican restaurant that hasn't ever heard of Chile Verde. Hmm...not a good sign. But we chose a carnitas enchilada and told them to make it with their tomatillo sauce so we got something pretty close to Chile Verde.
To make matters worse, another group comes in and is seated next to us. We were having an early dinner so it really was only us and that other group. The other group consisted of adult Korean nationals and when the waiters asks them if they had any questions or if they wanted to order, one of them asks for a "Burrito Bowl." Of course, that waiter was all confused. Now, in California, they wouldn't blink an eye at this request since many people like to eliminate the tortilla to reduce carbs or for whatever reason. Secret Agent Man was thinking--"this isn't Beef Bowl!"
I know what the waiters were thinking---"What's up with these Asians!" At least we were asking for something Mexican....
Secret Agent Man and I decided to try a Mexican restaurant in town--it's a chain that will remain nameless. The food itself was pretty good as haole Mexican can get but the experience here has everything to do with the college kids working there.
We have to show our IDs at the door (as you can imagine, lots of drinking gets done here) and get seated at a booth. We take a look at the menu and Secret Agent Man asks the waiter, "is there something here like Chile Verde?" The waiter is a bit stunned for a second and asks "what exactly is Chile Verde?" Of course, I start laughing and Secret Agent Man has to stutter out "green sauce" with a straight face. We're in a Mexican restaurant that hasn't ever heard of Chile Verde. Hmm...not a good sign. But we chose a carnitas enchilada and told them to make it with their tomatillo sauce so we got something pretty close to Chile Verde.
To make matters worse, another group comes in and is seated next to us. We were having an early dinner so it really was only us and that other group. The other group consisted of adult Korean nationals and when the waiters asks them if they had any questions or if they wanted to order, one of them asks for a "Burrito Bowl." Of course, that waiter was all confused. Now, in California, they wouldn't blink an eye at this request since many people like to eliminate the tortilla to reduce carbs or for whatever reason. Secret Agent Man was thinking--"this isn't Beef Bowl!"
I know what the waiters were thinking---"What's up with these Asians!" At least we were asking for something Mexican....
I was THAT person
You know when you're sitting on a plane waiting for take off and that harried passenger runs up on the plane within two minutes of take off? And all you can think is "man, that person should get it together!" Yeah, that was me...
I arrived at the airport TEN MINUTES before take off. Who does that?? We underestimated how long it would take to get to the airport from home--it seems like it's only 10 minutes but ended up taking a good 30 minutes. Of course I had a bag to check. BUT get this, the airport is small enough that I could run up to the window next to the boarding area, wave at an agent, and get her to come out and check me in. Again, WHO DOES THAT?? Not only did she check my bag, but she took care of everything and told me to run to the gate and she didn't give me one ounce of attitude. LOVE HER.
Granted, running to the gate means going through security and taking 5 steps to the doorway to the tarmac. But since it's such a small airport, it took me 30 seconds to go through security, even with them performing their duties to the fullest. And everyone was super nice even at 6 in the morning. I just can't believe how nice and lucky I was. There's no way you could get onto the airplane arriving 10 minutes prior to take off at any other airport. I love flying out of our local airport. =)
I arrived at the airport TEN MINUTES before take off. Who does that?? We underestimated how long it would take to get to the airport from home--it seems like it's only 10 minutes but ended up taking a good 30 minutes. Of course I had a bag to check. BUT get this, the airport is small enough that I could run up to the window next to the boarding area, wave at an agent, and get her to come out and check me in. Again, WHO DOES THAT?? Not only did she check my bag, but she took care of everything and told me to run to the gate and she didn't give me one ounce of attitude. LOVE HER.
Granted, running to the gate means going through security and taking 5 steps to the doorway to the tarmac. But since it's such a small airport, it took me 30 seconds to go through security, even with them performing their duties to the fullest. And everyone was super nice even at 6 in the morning. I just can't believe how nice and lucky I was. There's no way you could get onto the airplane arriving 10 minutes prior to take off at any other airport. I love flying out of our local airport. =)
Thursday, March 11, 2010
63 degrees
Hallelujah! It was 63 degrees today with beautiful sunshine--not that I was able to enjoy it sitting in my dark office with no windows--but it actually got up into the 60s!! I think the last of the snow finally melted off the ground with just a few splotches here and there.
Sorry there's no pictures to share with you. I'm just too excited about the temperature and I figured I would post about it right away since it's not likely to stick. Rain is in the forecast for tonight and into early next week but the silver lining in that cloud is that it's RAIN and not SNOW. Can it truly mean that Spring is here? I'm so scared to jinx it!
After months of dreaming about the sun and warm beaches, I'm just happy that we just might be moving into spring (even though it's still too cold to wear a dress). =)
Happy day,
Sugar*mama
Sorry there's no pictures to share with you. I'm just too excited about the temperature and I figured I would post about it right away since it's not likely to stick. Rain is in the forecast for tonight and into early next week but the silver lining in that cloud is that it's RAIN and not SNOW. Can it truly mean that Spring is here? I'm so scared to jinx it!
After months of dreaming about the sun and warm beaches, I'm just happy that we just might be moving into spring (even though it's still too cold to wear a dress). =)
Happy day,
Sugar*mama
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Winter X-games
Secret Agent Man has been waiting--literally--for the past 14 years (I think since 1996) for an el nino winter in California. The last el nino brought crazy snow fall in the local mountains all the way through April and he remembered going snowboarding and enjoying the sweetest rides that season.
So, of course, the ONE YEAR I move him AWAY from California is the ONE YEAR that el nino shows up. I'll never hear the end of this. Especially because despite all the snow here, there isn't a great snowboarding mountain around. So clearly, he's salty about missing out on all those sweet rides back in California, he's suffering from shingles (which for the most part have healed nicely), and he's quite literally freezing all the time. Yet, he tries to be a good sport about it.
He even pulled out his snowboard.
Um...hunny? Hun? Where are you going?
He's heading up the mountain...um...I mean, hill. This is our street before the snow plows could come through.
We've got some cool neighbors. That guy up on the right offered to push some snow and build a couple ramps for Secret Agent Man.
And here he comes!
Trust me he was all smiles...too bad he was going slower than an old lady with a peg leg. The pictures made him look good though, eh?
So, that was our big X-game moment. Here I leave you with a thought... Who says there's no waves in PA?
Happy surfing!
Sugar*mama
So, of course, the ONE YEAR I move him AWAY from California is the ONE YEAR that el nino shows up. I'll never hear the end of this. Especially because despite all the snow here, there isn't a great snowboarding mountain around. So clearly, he's salty about missing out on all those sweet rides back in California, he's suffering from shingles (which for the most part have healed nicely), and he's quite literally freezing all the time. Yet, he tries to be a good sport about it.
He even pulled out his snowboard.
Um...hunny? Hun? Where are you going?
He's heading up the mountain...um...I mean, hill. This is our street before the snow plows could come through.
We've got some cool neighbors. That guy up on the right offered to push some snow and build a couple ramps for Secret Agent Man.
And here he comes!
Trust me he was all smiles...too bad he was going slower than an old lady with a peg leg. The pictures made him look good though, eh?
So, that was our big X-game moment. Here I leave you with a thought... Who says there's no waves in PA?
Happy surfing!
Sugar*mama
Snowmageddon-Doggie Edition
Snow might be novel for us and we probably enjoy it a little more than the average northerner might during this point in the winter but our enjoyment is NOTHING compared to what the dogs must be thinking. They are elated!
Here's Radar dying to play outside.
Here's Taylor trying to find her "spot." Note how high the snow is.
Taaayloooorr!!!
As you can imagine, manuvering through snow that deep is a tad bit more difficult for Radar. What this picture doesn't show is how high he has to jump to beable to propel forward; nor does it convey all the grunting sounds he's making.
But he's happy.
Meercats in PA?
Our dogs are terrible retrievers. So we were caught by surprise when Radar was barking and running around mad and Secret Agent Mad decided to throw a snowball at him (to get him to shut up) that he turned around and caught it! He was probably being a brat and showing up Secret Agent Man but none-the-less a new game was born!
Truth is that Taylor just thinks we're throwing food at her. She'll usually watch where the snowball falls and take a chomp out of it.
Radar can jump pretty high though!
Sometimes, they conk heads trying to catch the same snowball. It's very entertaining in a very sadistic way.
Here's a magic trick...how to make a dog disappear by the time I count to three...
One...
Two...
Three!
I wasn't fast enough with the camera but Taylor looked so concerned.
In the end, they even learned how to actually retrieve!
And here they are all pooped out, waiting at the door to go back inside. A tired dog is a good dog.
I'll leave you with this picture of our pretty boy snow fox.
Sweet times...
Sugar*mama
Here's Radar dying to play outside.
Here's Taylor trying to find her "spot." Note how high the snow is.
Taaayloooorr!!!
As you can imagine, manuvering through snow that deep is a tad bit more difficult for Radar. What this picture doesn't show is how high he has to jump to beable to propel forward; nor does it convey all the grunting sounds he's making.
But he's happy.
Meercats in PA?
Our dogs are terrible retrievers. So we were caught by surprise when Radar was barking and running around mad and Secret Agent Mad decided to throw a snowball at him (to get him to shut up) that he turned around and caught it! He was probably being a brat and showing up Secret Agent Man but none-the-less a new game was born!
Truth is that Taylor just thinks we're throwing food at her. She'll usually watch where the snowball falls and take a chomp out of it.
Radar can jump pretty high though!
Sometimes, they conk heads trying to catch the same snowball. It's very entertaining in a very sadistic way.
Here's a magic trick...how to make a dog disappear by the time I count to three...
One...
Two...
Three!
I wasn't fast enough with the camera but Taylor looked so concerned.
In the end, they even learned how to actually retrieve!
And here they are all pooped out, waiting at the door to go back inside. A tired dog is a good dog.
I'll leave you with this picture of our pretty boy snow fox.
Sweet times...
Sugar*mama
Snowmageddon-PA edition
We thought the big snow storm was back during Christmas. Since then it had been gray and brown with some rain and really frigid temperatures. Some of you may have heard about the huge storm to hit Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, MD areas that shut down the cities. That same storm hit here and dumped at least 18" of pristine, fluffy, dry, sandy, fine snow.
And now you know why Innuits have 40 words for snow.
The snow piled so high that the stairs on our front porch were buried and there's a good 6" of snow ON the porch.
The trees looked like it was dripping with frosting.
This should give you some perspective of how deep "we" had to dig. My truck's bumper is in the background.
The snow was almost too high for the snowblower.
Secret Agent Man has a lot of fun with the snowblower.
He's also a good neighbor. We have 24 hours to shovel our sidewalks after a snowfall. Secret Agent Man has so much fun with the snowblower he keeps going until he clears the block.
He still needed to shovel the stairs though.
Our village/town/borough does a great job with clearing the streets. This time the snow fell so quickly, they had a hard time keeping up.
Our neighbor thinks we're weird.
Here I am, trying to make a snow angel. The doggies wanted to help. You know, kids make this look so easy but my question is how the heck do you get up without ruining the angel??
While I'm writing this, we're bunkered down, waiting for the next snow storm to pass. Another 12" is expected to fall between tonight and tomorrow night.
Stay warm!
Sugar*mama
And now you know why Innuits have 40 words for snow.
The snow piled so high that the stairs on our front porch were buried and there's a good 6" of snow ON the porch.
The trees looked like it was dripping with frosting.
This should give you some perspective of how deep "we" had to dig. My truck's bumper is in the background.
The snow was almost too high for the snowblower.
Secret Agent Man has a lot of fun with the snowblower.
He's also a good neighbor. We have 24 hours to shovel our sidewalks after a snowfall. Secret Agent Man has so much fun with the snowblower he keeps going until he clears the block.
He still needed to shovel the stairs though.
Our village/town/borough does a great job with clearing the streets. This time the snow fell so quickly, they had a hard time keeping up.
Our neighbor thinks we're weird.
Here I am, trying to make a snow angel. The doggies wanted to help. You know, kids make this look so easy but my question is how the heck do you get up without ruining the angel??
While I'm writing this, we're bunkered down, waiting for the next snow storm to pass. Another 12" is expected to fall between tonight and tomorrow night.
Stay warm!
Sugar*mama
Friday, January 15, 2010
It comes and goes
People would ask me, incredulously, if it were true that girls in Hawaii walk around topless and wear grass skirts and if we live in huts. Seriously.
As naive as that sounds, I now know what it is like to be on the other side, thinking the stupid question.
So winter entails cold, snow, blankets of white...but what I didn't realize is that the snow comes and goes. For example, this is the day before Christmas when temperatures hit single digits.
Note that I'm INSIDE and Secret Agent Man is OUTSIDE. Don't feel too bad for him though. He got to play with the snowblower. He's a good sport.
This was Christmas day. Look how beautiful! Don't let the blue skies fool you. The day time high was still only in the teens.
Then this was the day after Christmas.
Just like that, woke up and it was all gone.
For the past month it will snow, melt, rain, rain, sleet, melt, flurry, and so on. I thought it would snow and remain that way until Spring! Who's the dummy now?
Funny enough, once it does snow, it feels like it insulates the area and it feels warmer and brighter than the usual days of gray.
Stay warm!
Sugar*mama
As naive as that sounds, I now know what it is like to be on the other side, thinking the stupid question.
So winter entails cold, snow, blankets of white...but what I didn't realize is that the snow comes and goes. For example, this is the day before Christmas when temperatures hit single digits.
Note that I'm INSIDE and Secret Agent Man is OUTSIDE. Don't feel too bad for him though. He got to play with the snowblower. He's a good sport.
This was Christmas day. Look how beautiful! Don't let the blue skies fool you. The day time high was still only in the teens.
Then this was the day after Christmas.
Just like that, woke up and it was all gone.
For the past month it will snow, melt, rain, rain, sleet, melt, flurry, and so on. I thought it would snow and remain that way until Spring! Who's the dummy now?
Funny enough, once it does snow, it feels like it insulates the area and it feels warmer and brighter than the usual days of gray.
Stay warm!
Sugar*mama
Monday, December 21, 2009
Winter Solstice
I have waited for this day and am soooo happy it has finally arrived: Winter Solstice. Now I know why the Mayans and Aztecs and other aboriginals in different parts of the world celebrate this day--it's the mark of longer days to come!
The snow doesn't bother me. It's not so bitter cold here. In fact, I think it's just lovely--although, I'm not the one shoveling the drive way (hee hee). But the absence of sun is driving me bonkers; so much so, I think I have season affective disorder (self-diagnosis, of course). So CHEERS for the WINTER SOLSTICE and the breaking of the dawn.
Stay warm with some cocoa!
Sugar*mama
The snow doesn't bother me. It's not so bitter cold here. In fact, I think it's just lovely--although, I'm not the one shoveling the drive way (hee hee). But the absence of sun is driving me bonkers; so much so, I think I have season affective disorder (self-diagnosis, of course). So CHEERS for the WINTER SOLSTICE and the breaking of the dawn.
Stay warm with some cocoa!
Sugar*mama
Monday, December 7, 2009
Let it snow!
Here are a few more pictures of the lovely snow around these parts. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...
That cow is a lot bigger in real life than in this picture.
As if this wasn't enough snow, here's Secret Agent Man making his own snow using a water sprayer. He actually got it to work at some point but then it would clog up because it was too cold.
Stay Warm!
Sugar*mama
That cow is a lot bigger in real life than in this picture.
As if this wasn't enough snow, here's Secret Agent Man making his own snow using a water sprayer. He actually got it to work at some point but then it would clog up because it was too cold.
Stay Warm!
Sugar*mama
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