Resturant Review

Okay, maybe my scale is a little confusing, so I will set it straight for you right now. It is my scale, therefore, I can make it the way I want. Some may say that 10 is best, however, 10 on the Gregory Sucky Scale means bad...way..way..way bad. So if I score a restaurant a 1, go there and a 10 means nasty like the Azle Dairy Queen nasty, okay, the Azle Dairy Queen is really a 14 or 15, but that is another story. Also, the scale takes into account ALL things that matter, taste, services, cleanliness, price, the whole nine yards. This weeks review is Palermo's Italian Cafe located at 2652 Hwy 407 E. It is located in the Bartonville's Town Center, a very nice center close to Lantana. The place is very nice, and was not very crowded for a Friday night at 6:30PM but quickly filled up. We walked in and was immediately greeted by a nice young girl who was wearing a skirt way too short for her age...or really at any age. She seated us in the back at a table of our choosing and took our drink order. About a minute later we were asked for our drink order again by a male waiter who had messed up hair for a waiter and then about two minutes later we were again asked for our drink order by yet another waiter. Although three people asked for our drink order, about five minutes passed before we got our drinks...not too bad. We sat for about another 30 minutes before our order was taken. Several people had came in after us and their orders had been taken. We were about to leave when our waiter arrived (the third on the drink order guy). He took our order and the salad and appetiser came within a good time frame. However, the "bruschetta" was really just cheese bread but the house dressing for the salad was good. The food took forever to get at our table, about another 40 minutes after the salad and cheese bread came. Chris ordered the pasta sampler and I had the Stromboli. Once the food got there, it was very good. Not authentic, but not bad either and very very well priced. When the waiter came to take our plates we asked for our check right then, he did not have it and it took another 10 minutes or so to get the check, we paid and then left. We spent almost two hours there which would be great if we had another couple or something, but for two people to eat and it take almost two hours was a little much. Good food, great price, clean, but the wait staff needs to get it together.Each waiter served only about 8 tables each, it really should have been a little mosre organized. Palermo's gets a 5 on the scale, if the time issue could be resolved and the wait staff could pick it up a bit, they will get a 3 or 4 next time and there will be a next time I'm sure.

Goodbye my friend

About seven years ago, my best friend

started the SWEAT program. It was started for three basic, simple reasons. First, to ensure that juveniles receiving community service, actually did the community service. Second, to interact with the juveniles during their community service hours in a positive, productive way, and finally, to do good things in the city through the many community service project that were performed.

Since that spring day seven years ago, over 1000 kids have gone through the program. We have helped so many organizations, the City of Azle, parks, streets, waste water, golf course, Azle Youth Association, Good Neighbors, Good News, Chamber of Commerce, Code Enforcement and on and on and on and on.....

The program allows kids to understand the consequences of their actions by "working" off the fine. They are the ones responsible, not mommy and daddy, SWEAT allowed this to occur, the kids who got into trouble were the ones held accountable for their actions.

For some unknown reason, the "top cop" never really cared for this program. In the 6 years the "top cop" has been in Azle, he has never showed up at a work session with the kids, not once. And in the past six-years, many of us have had to "fight" to keep the program alive.

The SWEAT program is funded by the CCPD(revenue from sales tax for crime prevention and control programs), before funding by the CCPD, the officers working the program paid for supplies out of their own pocket. They saw the benefits, believed in the idea of helping a child through prevention, instead of reactive interaction only. It was good, it was great and it worked.

Well, yesterday, that was it for me. I have been directly involved since its inception. Yesterday, my friends, was my last day for SWEAT. I've been "reassigned" by the "top cop". I'm not allowed to have anything to do with the program anymore due to the "reorganization plan" of the department.

The SWEAT program was not cut...it just has been handed over to someone, who, in seven years, has never so much asked about the program, let alone worked it. I hope it will continue, but I have serious doubts.

Some may say to let it go....I'm leaving anyway....big deal...its just kids....statements from folk who just don't get it. Kids are going to get into trouble, that is the way it works. You did, I did, and our own kids did....sometimes it is not so much the issue of getting into trouble that is the main issue, it is what the kids does after he gets into trouble that is the most important. SWEAT assisted in this area, it helped kids understand the errors of their ways and assisted them on setting a course to ensure that infraction never happened again. Whats most encouraging, many of the kids would not get into trouble again, not because they did not want to have to work SWEAT again, it was because they did not want to let the officers down by making another mistake.

I wish the program well. I pray for the kids of the community and I hope that the foundation that has been set is built upon....

To Jimmy, Kevin, Rex, Greg, Richard, David, Zach, Rusty, Misty, Elisha, Mona and to the thousands of kids....

Goodbye my friends, good luck, and never lose the focus.

The Day After Hump Day Thoughts

• I was offered a job at Highland Village Police Department yesterday, you can see and read up on my new city here.
• I'm "studying" my retirement options...I'm not sure yet what is the best option.
• Two things...first, I'm going to miss working in Azle, second, I'm not going to miss working in Azle.
• I ate at Pancho's last night, I absolutely love that place and Christine hates it, I ate by myself.
• We have gotten good rains for almost a week now with more on the way.
• One of the best community oriented officers I have had the pleasure of working with turned in her retirement letter today, good for her, sad for the community.
• I've taken a few days off for vacation, and I spent my first day(today) at Six Flags..again...I love that place.
• My picture is in today's local newspaper hugging Carol Presnell.
• I've been an elephant working for a man for the past six-years and have never been introduced (you should have watched the "Last Lecture" video).
• I want to thank everyone for their thoughts, words of encouragement, and prayers through this employment transition process, I've still got some hurdles to jump, but the main portion is over...so if you want to keep praying, that would be way cool.
• "Community Policing is not what you do, but it is who you are, at your very core...it is who you are". (Greg Arrington, August 20, 2008, Highland Village Police Department Interview) That my friends, is a freakin awesome statement.
• The United States Marine Corp. had a tent set up at Six Flags today, I saw a guy do 13 one handed chin ups and another guy did 27 two-handed chin ups, those guys are major bad asses and I am very glad and proud they are protecting me.
• My two cats sleep ALL day and drive me nuts ALL night.
• I still miss my dog.
• I like this saying, "The sturdy oak tree of today was once a nut who stood its ground"
• I am going to get my tractor running while I am on vacation, I have been a little lazy and it has been way too hot to mess with it, but, its cooling off a bit and I'll get it running now.
• This Saturday, August 23, 2008, will be my last day to work S.W.E.A.T. due to the recent "re-organization" plan at work...more than anything, this is what I am going to miss the most.
• Jimmy, Greg , Rex , Richard and myself all were there at the beginning of S.W.E.A.T. over seven years ago, everyone except me is gone, when I leave in a few weeks, that's it...all gone...it really is too sad to even think about.
• No matter how bad it gets, no matter how sad I am, no matter what is done to me or my closest of friends, I know that we are blessed more than we could ever have hoped for.

Mancuso's Resturant Review

A new addition to this blog will be my "Weekly Resturant Reveiw". I like to eat, I do it each and every day. My wife likes to eat, she does it each and every day. Just about everyone I know, eats....and my brother-in-law is a chef and a heath inspector, that is my resume, therefore, I feel very qualified to be a restaurant reviewer. So, for my first installment, lets talk about Mancuso's Restaurant in White Settlement. The restaurant has been around for 21 years, you walk in and are greeted by the friendly staff and you see all the pictures along the wall of famous people who have ate there...Tony Bennett, Tommy Lasorta, etc. We sit down in a very small dinning room and are greeted by a wonderful little girl waitress, very nice, and very helpful. We start with an appetizer of baked ravioli, fried cheeses sticks and fried mushrooms and a great tomato sauce...so far so good. Chris orders an anchovy pasta dish and I order the sampler, spaghetti with meatball, veal, sausage, lasagna and ravioli. We are looking forward to a great authentic Italian dinner...well...on the official Gregory Suck Meter...this sucked 8 out of 10 (ten being super sucky) Very, very, very disappointing. Chris' dish tasted like olive juice (in the world of food, I believe you call that "brine"), and my lasagna was "mushy" (like mashed potatoes) and the veal was rotten...sorry...but it was rotten. We did not eat hardly anything...the waitress saw that we did not eat and let the owner know(we did not say anything). The owner came out and asked what was wrong and we told him the food tasted bad...he seemed very concerned and made it right by the ticket. That is why Mancuso's rated 8 out of 10 instead of 10 out of 10. So, to sum it up, Mancusos, I am sure is a great restaurant, but last night, they were waaaaaaayyyy off. The service is great, however, we won't be back for another review. Gregory's Official Sucky Meter - 8 out of 10 for Mancusos

My wife is the coupon queen!!!

A couple of weeks ago, my wife attended a seminar on how to use coupons in stores. The chick who taught the seminar has a whole household of folks and she buys groceries for $70.00 a week.

My wife really gets into this thing and now we have a store in our house. A quick inventory reveals that we now are set on the following items, bread, toothpaste, tampons, dishsoap, peanut butter, razors, shampoo, deodorant, bandaids, hamburger / tuna helper, movie candy, hand soap, cool whip, bread, twizlers, along with some other stuff. In two weeks my wife has bought $500.00 worth of stuff and she has only paid about $40.00 or so.

This really is cool, however, I think I am about to buy a little out building to begin putting stuff in there because we are running out of room in the house.

I'll keep you posted but I might be in the need for a good Morgan building soon.....

My Job Interview

I had the most wonderful time at my "hopefully" new employer today. Although, nervous as all get out, I was quickly put to ease by the friendliness and openness of my interviewers. I took the test...passed...and went on a three hour ride out with a great young officer. Continue to wish me luck and I'll take your prayers for me also. I will be going on in the process now, the "big" interview and oral board. I feel a little better now since I have met some of the folks and they made me feel very welcome. I'll keep you posted, I'm keeping my fingers crossed. It will more than likely be a few weeks. They are having a balloon festival this weekend and school starts next week, so both of those things put a strain on the department, but hopefully I'll go back in a few weeks. Thanks for your words of encouragement, thoughts and prayers...maybe this will all work out for the best.

Hump Day Thoughts

• I missed last Wednesday's "thoughts" post and for some reason my week has been a little off
• Chris Angel is a Mindfreak
• I miss my dog
• It is suppose to rain this weekend all the way to next Tuesday or so.
• We have a "cold front" moving into Texas, yea, it only suppose to get to 90 degrees
• I have a job interview tomorrow (wish me luck)
• My glasses have still not come in
• I bought new shoes tonight
• Over the last two weeks, I've learned that in the world of statistics that "stories" or "anecdotal values" have a weight.
• If I was a rap star I would be named "Tamp On" or "Que Tip" and I would bust rhymes.
• I think Paz Vega is HAWT
• I think my wife is HAWT (needed to point that out also)
• My diet is going...going....going..okay, I've not gained weight..so I guess its going okay
• Six Flags is still awsome, even if I am 43 years old.
• The 2004 Arkansas Grand Master's name is George Franks, I met with him this week.
• I'm not sure I believe in Spacemen
• If you own a GPS, you are so much cooler than those who don't (I own one)
• I like the new four door jeeps that look like the 2 door CJ's
• Gas is $3.48 at Azle Race Track tonight
• The drum thing at the Opening of the Olympics was all kinds of neato
• I still like the show "Wipeout"
• I really, really, really am very, very blessed.

Oh where oh where has my little dog gone???

Today is a very sad day...my little fluff ball is gone. After a brief three week illness, she took her last breath this morning at 4:40AM with her mommy right by her side.

We got up and buried her in a wonderful spot that we will see each and every time we leave and come home. She was a good girl.

I've always had large dogs, big dogs, that bark really loud and could really hurt you, look at Camille's photo, she did not fit that bill.

But what she did do is sit on my lap, chase the ball until "you" were tired of throwing it and go crazy when someone knocked on the door, only to jump up on them and lick them to death once they entered.

She was a city dog, that I am proud to say I got when I married Christine. And then we moved to the farm. She was allergic to everything that a farm had to offer, just ask her dermatologist, that's right...they have dermatologist for dogs, and Camille had a special relationship with the one in Dallas.

She taught me that having a lap dog was okay, she taught me that having a dog that would not listen was okay, she taught me that having a dog that had separation anxiety was okay. She taught this old owner new tricks...I thank her and love her for that.

My grief will lift and fade, but my memories of her will not...I miss her and was not ready for her to go, but I know she is much better than we are now and that has not been the case the past few weeks.

I miss you Millie...you were a good girl...yes you were....

My trip to the eye doctor

I just turned 43, and since I turned into a 40 year old my eyes are beginning to get worse. I went to work when I was 39 year and 364 days old and saw just fine and the next day when I turned 40 years old, I thought someone smeared Vaseline all over my computer screen...I couldn't see worth anything.

So Chris makes me an appointment today to see Dr. Le. I'm going to see how bad my eyes have gotten over the past fifteen months...good news!!!...I didn't lose any ground, in fact my left eye is doing a little better.

I go all out today, looking to the machines, get the puff of air in the eyes and the dilation procedure. I wasn't really expecting that...no sunshades...you know the feeling. My God, I felt like someone was standing in front of me with my stremlight flashlight in my eyes. As we leave, I've got the Sun up above and reflecting off the white concrete...I'm blind cause I've got to keep my eyes shut. So I hold onto Chris with my eyes closed...and I tell her "Hey, I got my eyes closed okay?" and we are walking doing pretty good, she even tells me a curb is coming up and to step down. We almost get to the car and I hit the mirror of the car parked next to us with my forearm, I'm so ready for the alarm to start going off...and the little security guard in the golf cart to throw me to the ground...but I was lucky, old car...no alarm..thank God.

Okay, I'm in the car and I'm thinking we are going home right, nope, we go to a restaurant and...and...and...we sit outside!!!. At least it was in the shade...I didn't say anything to Chris, but really, I couldn't see anything...I could, but I kept my eyes closed.

By the way, I got me some Oakly shades...they will be in next week.

I'm on a diet

I have officially started my diet today. The photo(s) to the left is where I am now and where I want to go. (the one on the left is me..just so you'll know).

I thought about posting pictures of my belly at this points and slowly watch as it gets slimmer, but, some might find the posting offensive.

I'm tired of having this "extra" weight "hanging" around and have decided to do something about it. I thought that if I let the world know I was trying it would give me a little bit better chance of sticking with it (I do not want to let my fan base down).

So I get up this morning and here I go. English muffins with jam, orange juice, and yogurt. So far so good. Then for lunch, Pei Wei Restaurant (I let my wife order)...a bunch of Asian food, and if your still hungry after you eat, your doing good right? A 100 calorie rice thingy for a snack and then turkey and corn tortilla wrap for dinner.

Day one, done...but around 4PM this afternoon, my body was going into "where's the fat" shock. I needed something of substance...I was craving something...the rice cake thingy snack did get me through it.. but good gosh I was not a candy bar or a pack of sugar donuts.

This will be difficult, but I am committed...tomorrow...the exercise starts...wish me luck.