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User: ChefNeal
Outspoken Podcasting Chef, Sustainability Advocate and Farmer.

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Home » May 2004
Thursday, May 20, 2004

Granted this is not riviting stuff. As I sit here and have a coffee and multi-task on wireless broadband on my days off. Gone are the poetic observations of the weather, and the terse island commentary. I have turned to a work log to record all the crap that happens in the restaurant. AS soon as I figure out how to publish some of the juicer details, perhaps I may. At least they are vital and fresh comments , where as this is a bit contrived and forced. Get something out in a few moments on my way from A to B in an all too fast and fly-by summer.
This is a big weekend a the Cafe. A Canadian Long Weekend. The big one, so I'm told--eh. We shall see. Can I make any predictions of what will happen? Perhaps I could but it would all be type-casting. My sous chef will piss me off in some major way and I may or may not loose it. Standard Stuff, right. Perhaps I will go balistic and fire her right off the line in a dramatic way. Nothing I shouldn't have done before. But how to replace her. When there is no staff out there. Even someone who can just cut stuff would be better than someone who claims they know something, but can't function when they've taken drugs. Pull it together and know you're job so you can do it whether your dead or wired. That's what being professional is all about.

Time to go and shop for a cell phone--I thought I had bought a couple from Amazon, but they screwed up the order, and after 2 months of waiting I've got nothing, the deals are gone and they cancelled my order. Now I can't afford the same phones I wanted and I'm going to have to go bare basic.

Bye

posted by: ChefNeal at May 20, 2004 08:06 | link | comments |

Monday, May 17, 2004

Weeks on from my last entry and I realize this blog has become futile, because when I have time to enter it, I don't have any connection and when I have the connection--I have no time.
This week was dull at the cafe. Dull, I say, except for my sous chef coming in all wired on something and my prep cook being kept from entering across the Canadian Border because his brother is wanted on Drug Charges.
Still, no one got hurt (well, I did--burned the piss out of my right hand in a moment of haste when I grabbed a pot handle to empty it quickly) and there were customers and they were well fed and happy. Not much more to ask for really.
Had a nice encounter with a lovely woman from Middleton, Cork and her daughter who loved my potatoes. Of course--learned to cook them from the place itself.
Got to go negotiate some wine purchasing and have a crappy Chinese take-away lunch on my way to the ferry.

ttfn

posted by: ChefNeal at May 17, 2004 10:10 | link | comments |

Thursday, May 06, 2004

Anacortes, Am

It finally rained the beginning of this week. Hardly enough to make a dent. Two days of raina and the soil is still dry down an inch. We are way ahead of where we usually are in terms of planting. Our zuchinni plants are already flowering. We were able to till and plant our large garden. It is usually waterlogged until the beginning of June.

I'm on my way back up to the restaurant for the weekend. Should be quite busy, Mother's day and all. Hard to say what to expect. I just know I've got to get my tail in gear and get some things prepped this afternoon or I'll be way behind for the weekend.

Bye

posted by: ChefNeal at May 06, 2004 08:16 | link | comments |

Monday, May 03, 2004

Anacortes, Pm

Heading back to the island after working the point--not much to report.
It's great to be able to sit down and relax and have a cup of coffee.
The wait staff tipped the kitchen in Canadian money this weekend, so I have a pocket full of useless money here. I'm never in Canada long enough to stop and spend any amount. I just want to get out of there and head home.

Meanwhile, the appliance repair place I hauled my Asko washing machine into is grimacing at seeing me again. This is my second failed Asko--a replacement for the lemon I bought the first time. Neither machine was purchased at the store I bring my machines in for repair to.

My advice--don't by an Asko Anything unless your prepaired for a fight.

Time to go catch my ferry. At home in the garden sounds good to me. The weather has been unbelievable around here with less rain in April than for a long time. Drought will ensue for the summer, but we might as well enjoy a warm and beautiful spring.

Bye.

posted by: ChefNeal at May 03, 2004 12:56 | link | comments |