Murder by Numbers

Okay, the title is appropriate because I have numbers to discuss, in addition to the Cape wrap up.

While we were at the Cape we celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary and nearly 8 years of being together, by going to the Brazilian Grill and eating 14-15 different kinds of meat. Brazilian barbeque's are Shawn's favorite type of restaurant.

While we were at the Cape we managed to ride approximately 23 miles on the bikes over the course of the week, which was the only time we've been able to ride this summer due to rain, heat, and our schedules.

While we were at the Cape, I finished knitting 3 feet of the cruise clutch strap which included knitting in approximately 130 beads.  I also worked on the Mad Color Shawl Knit Along, and discovered that, upon finishing the main part of the shawl that it appears too small and I need add another 1/4 to 1/2 of the current total number of stitches. So far for 2011, I've knit 4,145 yards or 2.35 miles, only counting completed skeins and/or projects.

While we were at the Cape, I managed to write another 3,817 words for a new grand total of 106,507 words and 351 pages of the novel. I managed to write 9,205 words out of my goal of 15,585 for July which included 7,585 words to make up June, and 8,000 words for my normal July goal or finish the novel. Well, I made up June, but fell 6,380 words short for July and I didn't finish the f-ing book. I'll just keep plugging along and maybe the thing will be done soon.

Okay, done with the numbers, Cape wrap up time!  I'm going to sprinkle some pictures in, but to see all of them go here.  We left Manchester on Sunday at about 9:30 am and got to Bridget M's lovely little house in South Dennis, MA around 12:30 pm.   We got situated and then decided to go to Stop & Shop for groceries for lunches and breakfasts so as to conserve some cash.  We hung out in the hammock for a while, and then decided to investigate a place for dinner. 

Due to the review on AllergyEats.com we decided to try Not Your Average Joe's in Hyannis, MA.  Unfortunately, they did not live up to the hype whatsoever.  When I asked the waiter if the bread had milk or eggs in it, he offered me a gluten free roll. I explained that gluten had nothing to do with milk or egg, and asked if the gluten free roll had either of those ingredients in it.  He didn't know and said he'd check but never got back to me on it. Then I asked about the falafel crusted haddock, and he said he had to check with the chef.  When he came back, he said it wouldn't work.  I asked if the chef had any suggestions about what I could actually eat, and he got aggravated and said he would send a manager over.  I replied that I thought that'd be a very good idea, in my sweetest bitchy voice.  At that point, I think he got the idea that he was endangering his tip.  Which he was.   The manager came over and helped me basically order a plain haddock with nothing on it because they couldn't allegedly put anything on it that would be safe.  So they agreed to switch out the side with grilled asparagus because I couldn't have mashed potatoes.  So the fish came and it was completely overcooked and dried out  and I'm pretty certain there was butter on it anyway, which I figured out about halfway through, and based on my reaction afterwards.  And the idiots served it with tartar sauce, which I can't have because of the egg in the mayo, but at least it was in a separate container.  But needless to say, I sure as hell won't be going there ever again.

On Monday we found the Cape Cod Rail Trail and biked almost seven miles.  We didn't want to push it too much as it was our first ride of the season.   We were kind of tired out and due to our experience the previous evening, we decided to do dinner in.  Also, I had biked in my fake cheapo Keen shoes and my feet had been more tired than my legs.  So we decided to go look for sneakers and go shopping for food.  I bought a new pair of Asics gel sneakers. (I was planning to join a gym anyway when I got back so I needed some.)  And then we managed to get some milk free hot dogs (Pearl's, really good) and shot dog buns and some condiments and relaxed at the house.   And drum roll....I found some six packs of Goslings ginger beer, so I could make dark and stormy's with Gosling's Dark Seal Rum.  I just about cried.  I bought two six packs so I could bring one home with me.

On Tuesday, we went to visit the Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory as they had a free tour, and it sounded like it would be cool. Unfortunately, they wouldn't let us take pictures, so this is the only picture we have. (Well, technically, there is one of me in front of the sign, but it is god freaking awful, and I'm not showing it to anyone.  Shawn really needs to learn to take a decent photo of me.)  It was interesting but it was self guided and only lasted about 15 minutes. They gave out sample bags at the end of the tour, but they were flavors I didn't like or they had milk in them.  Yes, some surprising flavors of potato chip have milk in them.  Like freaking Salt & Vinegar.  So Shawn got my chips.   After that we went to the Cape Cod Mall to check it out, but we really didn't find anything interesting.  We're not really mall people.  Later that night, we went to see the last Harry Potter movie, which we really enjoyed.  And then, we got some lobsters!  Yay!!

On Wednesday, we went to the West Dennis Beach, after eating lunch at the house.  It's a pretty neat beach in that you can park very close to the beach so you don't have to walk to hell and gone with your stuff.  It had a lot of seaweed, but once you were out about 15 feet or so you were clear of it.  I somehow forgot to bring a book or knitting or something, and Shawn didn't bring anything so we got bored pretty quickly.  We did swim and sit in the sun for quite a while, but I'm not one to be idle.  That night we tried to find some Chinese food using Yelp.com.   Generally I find the reviews to be pretty accurate, but this wasn't the case for the Golden Fountain Restaurant in Hyannis.  It was edible and fairly inexpensive, but I wouldn't go there again.
 

On Thursday, we headed back to the Cape Cod Rail Trail, and we were able to go bit farther this time.  Having decent footwear really helped, so we were able to do ten miles.  There were also some nice water features we got to ride by.  For our anniversary we had made dinner reservations at the Brazilian Grill in Hyannis.  In this case the Yelp.com reviews were accurate.  If you've been to Gaucho's in Manchester, NH, this place blew it out of the water.  There was a buffet/salad bar that was about three times the size of Gauchos, and it had 14 or 15 different kinds of meat circulating.  There wasn't much on the buffet I could have because it all had milk, mayo or cheese, but I was able to put together a nice salad, and there seemed to be a lot of fabulous things to try if you are unafflicted with allergies. Also, one of the meat options was steak with cheese embedded in it, so I couldn't have that, but it was fine, there was way too much other food to eat as it was. We had a really lovely time, and the restaurant was in a really cool and groovy area with lots of neat little shops.

 
On Friday, we had decided to park at spot on the Cape Cod Rail Trail that was just before where we had left off the last time, so we could see more of the trail, without having to bike past all the stuff we'd already seen before.  We had planned to try for 12 miles, but that didn't happen.  We parked at the Headwaters Drive lot, and then did the next 3.3 miles almost all uphill, before we gave up and turned around.  So we did a total of 6.6 miles, but it felt like twenty with the hills/grade.  I'm proud to say that I never got off the bike and walked it, but I was feeling it a bit the next day.  The rest of the day we just lazed around, as the ride had taken it out of us.  We grabbed a roast chicken for dinner at the Stop & Shop and worked on finishing off the rest of the food we had bought for lunches, since it was our last full day there.

On Saturday we got ready to leave and cleaned up the house, and headed back to Manchester around 11:00 am.   We got back around 2:00pm and Shawn headed out to go pick up Kiwi at the foster parents. (Bird Supply of Nashua, we always tell her she's going to the foster parent's when she's being boarded.  Yes, we have a sick sense of humor.  We also like to tell her she's adopted.)

My plants did fairly well.  Mom didn't kill them. I actually have quite a few cherry tomatoes, and I have two regular tomatoes the size of a pea. My regular tomatoes plants are huge and if they were not lounging all over the window boxes, I think they'd be 8 feet tall if they stood straight.  It's so weird.  The habanero pepper has minuscule baby peppers and is still blooming, and the other pepper plant has some that are ripening.  I have a couple of cukes too.  All in all, not bad.   The zucchini plant is completely dead though.  I'm not really sure what the heck happened with that. 

Today, I balanced the checkbook, paid some of the last bills, although I had already paid almost everything before we left.  After I finished that, I headed over to Planet Fitness in Manchester to join as planned.  My health insurance covers the cost as long as I go 8 times a month.  If I don't, it's $35.00.  The gym is open 24/7 which fits my life better, so I'm pretty sure I can manage it twice a week.  At this point, I'm just looking to strengthen my back, as I'm tired of dealing with it.

When I got back from signing up, I had to wind some yarn for knitting, and then headed off to guild.  Mary S brought me some lovely cucumbers from her garden, since she's overwhelmed and mine are minuscule.  When I got home I made refrigerator pickles, bread and butter from Alton Brown's recipe and then I used his Kinda Sour recipe and added a ton of dill to see if I could get dill refrigerator pickles.  It's an experiment, we'll see. 

And that's about it.  Stay tuned for further updates as I get around to it.