My first day off.

Today is the start of my three week Summer break from school. Denise is still toiling away, but she's put in for two weeks off at the end of this month so we can both go visit folks. Yep, it's road trip time again!

My day started around 11:30AM, when I drove over to Temple to help my mom out with some chores. She had to go to Office Max and get a copy of her bank statement, and then she needed to go to the post office and mail some stuff off. No big deal, but with her hip giving her hell, I told her I'd come over and help her out.

So, I did the driving, and she sat out in the car, engine and AC runnin', while I did the copyin' and dealt with the postal service. In the end, I mentioned that there was a nice cigar store down the way from her local post office, thinkin' she'd sit out in the car while I went in to see what was what. But she had a better idea.

Mom took a $20 out of her purse and insisted that I take it and treat myself to something. I told her she didn't have to do that. I enjoy helpin' her out. But then she hit me with "Well it would make me happy if you went in and bought yourself something." So I guess I had to, right?



In the end, I walked out of the store with $19 and change invested in two great cigars. As you can see here, and Ashton and a Macanudo, both Maduros. I thanked mom, and she was happy that I'd found something I liked. I think I'll save them for the upcoming road trip. Porch time.

On the way back over to Killeen, I decided to take a trip over to the Human Resources building on the main campus. I'd had an issue Friday when I came home from San Saba and tried to post my grades for the classes that I'd just finished. Turned out only one of the three classes was set up for posting grades.

After several phone calls early this morning, I found out that some administrator had entered my name in the computer with a different social security number. So, there were two FHBs in the computer, and the two missing classes were set up for this other, extra fat hairy bastard. Yea, like the world needs another one, right?

So, I had to go out there and let them make a copy of my social security card, so the folks out there could work the mess out. While I was there, I picked up a class schedule for the next Ft. Hood semester.



I had no idea they'd already come out with these things. I opened the thing up and...



Yep, there I am. I'll have two government classes, as usual. Tuesday and Thursday nights, from 4:45PM to 7:25PM, and then from 7:30PM to 10:10PM. That'll be after three classes in Florence and one in San Saba. Yep, it'll be a long day, but I'm used to it, and I love it. It'll be great to see the guys out on the base again.

On the way home, I tried to call Denise to see if she could get away for lunch. But she didn't answer, so I decided to go ahead and try out an old Chinese Food Buffet down the road from my house.

Back in the day, we're talkin' the late 1990s, I used to go to China Star two or three times a week. I loved it! Their rice was the best, and their Gen' Tso's chicken had a special flavor all it's own. It was different from every other restaurant in town. Even their tea tasted better. But then the day came when the quality of their food seemed to decline, and I found a few better places to eat. Today, it's rare that I decide to go back and check the place out. I'd been thinkin' about it for a while. On the way home today, I decided now was the time.



My China Star tradition is two plates; Salad plate (yea, there's salad under there, with pork ribs, chicken wings, crab and fried shrimp piled on top)...



And then the Fried Rice, Gen. Tso's Chicken, and whatever else I have room for. The food was good. The fried shrimp melted in my mouth, and the special flavour of the General's chicken was just what I expected. Even the tea was great.

It was great, but it's still really nothing close to the quality of the food at a place like Dynasty in Temple, or the Great Wall cafe in Killeen, or the Beijing cafe in Cove. Even the Genghis Grill in Heights is better than this. Really, with all the great places to choose from around here, I have NO BUSINESS ever going back to China Star. But I'll be ready to try it all again in a few months. What can I say? I'm a Chinese Food junky.

Anyway, that's what my day's been like. Hope yours was relaxed and fun. Cheers!