Date Night at Porky's and Government Aid

My hubby and I had a nice dinner at Porky's last night. If you want to go somewhere where they don't skimp on the drinks, it's really the place to be. The margaritas make me happy there. I opened my my puppy (laptop) to try and post while I was waiting for Tony to show up and guess what Bruce? It took forever to load. I really think it has to do with everyone's connections for real. I usually have no problems at all. Maybe y'all need to try out the Treehugger Firefox browser, works for me!

Well, even though Wednesdays are smokeless at Porky's I go outside because I feel guilty and I don't like being stared at, but I think Bruce has found a very creative way to get me to quit. A few seconds on the patio and I hear a faint sound, like the voices of angels from above. I look up to see two little girls eagerly waving and smiling, "Hi Ms. Boni!" OK then, back inside and that's that.

We were there for Arnold Palacios and Ray Tebuteb, and got a good chance to sit and talk about the budget and other political issues. All in all, it was a relaxing night. We even made it home in time to see the two babies, Peyton and Sommer still awake and begging for a good book to be read to them. Tony Jr., who is now 15 and the designated babysitter, collapsed in his bed as soon as we got home at 7:30! Doesn't look like he'll be wanting babies anytime soon:)

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GES still doesn't have a secretary and we've been mulling over some creative solutions. It dawned on me that we could utilize our very own human resources to solve our staffing shortage. Since all the students are only in class until 2:20 and we work until 4:30, why don't we hire them for the rest of the day to do some office work. Talk about authentic service learning opportunities, and we all benefit. The kids get to practice their Math, Reading and Writing skills, we get all the staff we could ever dream of, and the government doesn't have to spend another greedy dime on us.

Here's Peyton balancing the FY '09 budget, calculating the staff payroll and playing Tuga the Sea Turtle on Nick Jr. That's Math and Environmental Science all wrapped up in one. We could pay them with skittles under the table and they could get an early start on their pensions. By the time they are seniors in High School, they'll be ready to retire from government service so we won't really have to fold them into the already bloated work force. Brilliant, just brilliant!

So easy, even a 1st grader can do it!

Zinfandel Musings on a Sunday Night

I did a Google search for "debatably regular moms". Guess what? Dang right, I'm #1 yo! Oh wait, that's probably not something to brag about...
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Porky's is non-smoking on Wednesdays. I wonder if Bruce will start promoting it as "Smokeless Pork Wednesday"
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Me: Whatcha doing Sommer?
Sommy: Nossing.
Me: Did I tell you how much I love you today?
Sommy: I ludge you too mommy.
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Just finished A Thousand Splendid Suns. I loved it so much I bawled at the end. I think I'll read Kite Runner although I almost never read the same author twice. There's always a first.
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Tony Jr. is going to be 15 this week. I still remember the first time I laid eyes on him. I waited for what seemed forever to hold him in my arms, and when he finally arrived I felt like I had to. Like all the misgivings and misfortune in my life were somehow erased. I had a son. Among my children, he and I have the most in common, although he doesn't look a thing like me. It still catches me off guard how much he's grown. Could I have really raised this young man? What did I do to deserve these precious years as his mother? Lord, I am so humbled that you've entrusted me with his life for even a short while. So humbled and so grateful.

Pork and Blogs

Friday night was a ham at Porky's! Oh gosh, I crack myself up. I got there a little bit late, but just in time to help Melissa put some good ol' country music on the jukebox. After months of saying we had to get together, it was nice to finally meet her. My hubby Tony was already there waiting (oops), but he luckily had Jeff to keep him company, and some mojitos:) The conversation was pretty eclectic. We went from what I REALLY DO ALL DAY LONG, which started a rash, to babies, to my wrist brace and then it erupted in inebriated babbling. Bruce was not far, especially when I needed a straw upgrade for my margarita. I never got to try the mojitos (sad face). EJ, Angelo, and Cynthia (Jeff's cool wife) were there too. EJ impressed Jeff with her ability to eat rice with chopsticks.

I got a money shot of Harry and Bree making something that looked like peace, and I'm-a opening bids ya'll! So far, Harry's put out offers for air time to help promote smokeless restaurants and Bree's come through with some Mandi Asian Spa passes. Hmmm... I'll keep fishing here for a while, but let me tell you, it's a beauty of a photo and the one with the best bid gets all the rights to the pic! In the meantime, enjoy some of the evening's shots. We did!

It's a Tony-Boni sighting everyone!

Who likes girls in glasses?

Hey- watch the head yo!

I sure wish I had those nachos right now

The Bald-win brothers! Ha, ha, ha

I disappeared like the illusive three legged striped hilitai that roams the Matuis jungle region. Sorry that I left without saying good-bye. I got a little homesick and truth be told, I just can't hang anymore. When I got home and looked at my watch, I had to do a double take. It was only, ahem, 10 o'clock?! Dude, I am a party animal!

Do, think, eat, enjoy

So, we didn't find our picnic tables only because there was no way to tell for sure they were ours and it made more sense to enjoy the day than to run around like a lunatic inspecting everyone's tent. I put on my game face and practiced my wagging finger, but decided to have a beverage instead and just relax. There are worse things in the world to obsess about, what's a few pieces of wood nailed together? I just hope that one day the family who took them will realize what a downright loathsome act they've committed and try to make up for it by doing something good for someone else. Either that, or they all get a really bad rash in their unmentionable parts for months and months.
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I met Jollibee Brad for the first time. I introduced him to my hubby, offered him a drink and a sandwich and then watched as he pushed the PTI car that had seemingly run out of gas down the parade route. Weird how meeting bloggers is so totally un-awkward. Look how he still smiles in the blistering sun. It must be all the Champ burgers:) I wonder if Brad gets better service at the drive-through than me and Deece.
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I'm glad to see that Roselle Calvo has chosen to resign from Taotao Tano. Disassociating herself with them is a smart move considering the blatant racism that is beginning to define their movement. It is a shame that they can't pull together to do some good for our indigenous families. We talked about this under our tent the afternoon of the parade and the sentiment is ever growing: Taotao Tano does not represent all Chamorros and Carolinians.
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I will be leaving for the Pacific Educational Conference in Honolulu this Sunday. My wonderful husband treated me to a drink and a bite (oh, stop) at Porky's before we both rushed home to our chigrins. I saw Bruce, but was too shy to introduce myself (Oh, stop Steve). It was a perfect start to a nice evening and I'm such a lucky girl. I know my hubby dubby has more surprises in store for me before Sunday. So romantic!

We had the Pika Pika platter. I'm no food critic, but here's the down low on our Porky's meal. At first glance I must admit thinking the portions were a bit small. It was a nice surprise that when we finished the plate, both of us were satisfied. The lumpia was delicious, nice and crispy on the outside with just-cooked veggies. I hate limp veggies in my lumpia. The chips were freshly made and just the right size for dipping. I don't eat beef kelaguin anywhere, so this was a stretch for me. It's hard to make Chamorro food that makes me feel like I'm in my grandma's house, so I just usually skip ordering any at restaurants. The beef kelaguin was my favorite, good job on that one. Mussels I am not a fan of and won't pretend to know how to critique. I ate them, they were tasty, that's all you get. The titiyas were moist, had just the right sweetness and were just enough for the portion of chicken kelaguin.

I only have a couple of suggestions for you Bruce. I am one Chamorro who likes my chicken kelaguin at room temperature, so it may be worth it to stick 'em in the oven/microwave for just a few seconds before serving. There was nothing wrong with the taste though, and I don't eat just anyone's chicken kelaguin either. About the salsa, it really doesn't take a lot of effort to make fresh salsa, just a few tomatoes, some bell peppers, lemons, onions, garlic, spices and you can make it tubs. Believe me, it makes a world of difference to fill a little bowl with homemade salsa. All in all, it was a great meal with friendly service. I was even encouraged to borrow a book from the bookshelf! Oh darn, I wish I had taken a picture of the little two foot bouncer, too cute!! Thanks for the ambiance, food and hospitality Porky's. I can't wait to spend more time there, it's the perfect spot to eat and watch the sunset.
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Leila's Song

Open Mic Night at Porky's

You have to watch Leila sing at Porky's on Saturday night!
Here's a little teaser for you:)