16 Ocean Avenue

Everyone has to have a childhood home, well, that's it 16 Ocean Avenue. I will spend some time on this subject later.

Hootie #1 (The Original)

This is the Original Hootie, he was born at Greawahl Farm in Charlestown RI on August 30, 1989 and I was able to pick him up on the 28th of October. He was such a cutie and we instantly became best buddies, he looked to me for everything. He pretty much grew up on my truck as at that time I was a trucker. He knew people from Rhode Island to Seattle WA. and when I would go to a regular stop to deliver a load, everyone would not care that I was there but instead they would ask, where's Hootie.I don't have any pictures of him young as at that time I did not have a digital camera. I do however have pictures that at some point I will scan and enter here. He has an anal tumor and could not be saved and on May 12, 2000 he had to be put down, the saddest day of my life. I Love and miss Him every day still.

Here are some pics of him with my sister Rosey, my niece Lindsay and myself in his later years.

Smells-good ones

• Lilacs,
• An Apple Pie baking,
• Messingill Summer Breeze (did I say that)

Notes from inside my head (Brain Mush)

Wow! This will be a long post, what's inside this head is unbelievable even to me so I cannot imagine what is going to look like in black and white. I will get started on this soon so be sure to check back often so you will be able to say " I remember the day he finally lost it completely". The top picture is the most recent me and the other two are from 2000.

My Trucking career

Later

My Recipes

Pete's Fishcakes

Ingredients:

• 1lb Fresh FLounder or Tautog (Blackfish) chopped fine ( I run mine through the food processor)



• 
  
  1 small Onion



• 
  
  1 Tablespoon of Hellman's mayonnaise



• 
  
  1 Egg



• 
  
  1/4 to 1/2 cup of bread crumbs



• 
  
  1 good squeeze of a fresh Lemon



• 
  
  1 Tablespoon of Fresh Parsley

Mix all the ingredients well in a medium bowl and place in the refridgerator for a couple of hours (this makes it easier to work with, the colder the better)

Remove from the fridge and form into about 6 equal patties and return to the fridge.

Put about one half inch of oil in a medium skillett and cook on medium heat until golden brow

Serve with a good Cocktail Sauce and YUM!

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Apple Stuffed Pork Roast

Ingredients:

• 2 Cloves of Garlic, minced


• 1 t coarse salt


• 1 t dries rosemary


• 1/2 t dried thyme


• 1/2 t black pepper


• 1 boneless center cut pork roast (4 to 5 pounds)


• 1 T butter


• 2 large tart apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)


• 1 medium onion, cut into thin strips (about 1 cup)


• 2 T brown sugar


• 1 t Dijon Mustard


• 1 cup apple juice


• 1/3 cup of Apricot Preserves

Preperation:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine garlic, salt,rosemary, thyme and pepper in a small bowl. Cut lengthwise down roast almost to, but not through bottom. Open like a book. Rub half of garlic mixture onto cut sides of pork.


2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add apples and onion, cook and stir 5 to 10 minutes or until soft. Stir in brown sugar and mustard. Spread mixture evenly onto one cut side of roast. Close halves (rolling like a jelly roll); tie roast with kitchen string at 2 inch intervals. Place roast in a shallow pan. Pour apple cider over roast. Rub outside with apricot preserves.


3. Roast, uncovered, basting often with pan drippings, if it needs more apple juice put it on, being sure to keep it moist. bake. Roast for 2-2 1/2 hours or until the thickest part is at 155 degrees. Remove to a wire rack and let stand for 15 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!

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Baby Back Ribs

Ingredients:

4 pounds of baby back ribs

1/4 cup of Sweet Baby Ray's Barbeque Sauce

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1 T paprika

1 1/2 t chili powder

1 1/2 t salt

1 t ground cumin

3/4 black pepper

3/4 t white pepper

1/2 t cayenne pepper

1/4 t splenda ( or sugar if you must)

Preparation

Trim excess fat from the ribs and remove the whit fat off the bones. Combine dry ingredients and rub on the ribs all over. Place ribs in the crock pot standing up on edge with the meaty side out. Cook on low for about 8 hours, take the ribs out and brush with the barbecue sauce and return to crock pot for about an hour. Use a little more sauce if you prefer. Enjoy!

My favorite places to eat

Well, if you know me then you know how I love to eat good food. I have several locations spread out from Maine to Texas to Seattle. I will try to get my brain in gear and recall some of the better ones and I may even recall some of the worst.

Rhode Island, Galilee

George's in Galilee

George's is a great place to go on Thursday's and Sunday's. First of all on Sunday they have a great Buffet and it is reasonably priced. I have been too many times to count and have introduced many of my friends to it. They have Pot Roast on the buffet that is the best you will ever have (real New England style) YUM!

On Thursday's they have a special Lobster dish called Lazy Man's Lobster and it is the best and the price is unbelievable ( very low). Find George's and you too can have this oversize figure that I have.

http://www.georgesofgalilee.com/

Illinois, Morris

Romines Standard Truck Stop

Romines is located in Morris Il. off of Interstate I-80 at exit 112-B

This place is one of the best I have found all through the country. It has two restaurants, one for truckers and one for the regular patrons. The only differance is that they understand that truckers are on a strict time schedule and therefor they get you right in and out quickly without skimping on service or quality. They have the best cuts of meat money can buy and it has a salad bar to die for. They feature a 5 pound hamburger that is free if you finish it in an hour and they have had a few do it. The dacor is of all antiques everywhere in teh entire truck stop. If your in teh area and want a great meal, great service stop in and enjoy!

Telephone # 815 942 5690

Vermont, Springfield

Penelope's

Settled in the center of Springfield VT is an old apothecary that has been transformed into a very quaint and unusual restaurant. It was originally an old drug store with the old hand tinned ceilings. It started as just a lunch place but business was so good that they applied for permission to dig underground and even under the road next to the place and tunneled under the street and now they have the quaintest place on earth. As you are waiting in line and it is usually a very busy place you are passing by the kitchen and it is equipped with full length windows so you can see what is going on. One of my favorites about it is watching the French onion soup crocks coming out of the oven with the cheese melting down the side of the crock,mmmm I am getting hungry just thinking about it. Hope you get to Springfield and try this spot, I have many times. Enjoy!