Long workday + peach shortcake; Nasty traffic + KK; non-racism; and, oddity

[skreidle]

Last night, Christine didn't leave work until after 1930, and only then because her boss said, "Okay, we've had enough, we're leaving now." By that time, I'd already offered to come over, bringing implements of plumbing, as well as dinner. Then she called a few minutes later, explaining that she'd be stopping for a quick drink with co-workers, and would call again when she was headed home. Thus, I didn't actually leave my house until after 2030, stopping at Giant along the way. Now, we'd discussed dinner--it was kind of late, and quick, later-night non-fat-heavy foods weren't quite coming to mind, but the word "frivolous" did. So by the time I got to Giant, I had an idea--light, low-fat, non-dairy, and frivolous. Picked up some peaches, dessert shells, and Cool Whip Lite--peach shortcake, anyone?--and headed to her house. She then fielded a phone call from her mom while I made up our dinner/dessert, and we had this tasty concoction while watching men's parallel bars and women's tumbling. =)

In the morning, we left a little late, maybe 0810. As I got to I St. SE, I saw that traffic was really slow heading toward 395S, so I made the fateful decision to take 295S instead. This is generally clear even when 395 isn't, because it's several miles longer--and at first, it was, though 295N was almost stopped. However--oh, however--when I came to perhaps a mile from the 295/495/95 interchange, traffic slowed.. slowed.. and stopped. Totally stopped, for minutes at a time. And thus we crept, a few feet at a time, two lanes of traffic converging on the one-lane exit; vehicles frequently ditching that exit and heading back the other way through a median cutout. And worse, U-turning from the other way and skirting through the stopped exit, several red/white/yellow flashing tow trucks and DOT trucks.

Unfortunately, I had no alternate route readily available. U-turning would just mean going back to 395, and I don't know any good way to get to US-1 or Telegraph aside from 495.. so I sat. Turned off my bike a few times. Eventually made it to 495/95, still slow.. saw the right lane (of three) closed ahead.. and eventually passed what was a reasonably impressive accident, one utility truck (caved-in grille), one farm truck (missing fender), and one sedan (not that bad, actually, but rear-ended). Past that, traffic flew.

Now, while headed for 295, I realized I could take 295 to 495 to 1, and pass the Krispy Kreme plant on 1 in Alexandria. This would accomplish two things: First, I'd beat Christine to the punch, after my year of living 10 miles from a KK vs. her month or two in DC fairly close to the KK in Dupont Circle that opened today; second, by the time I got past that traffic accident, damn, I needed a break. It took me an hour and a half to get from SE DC to Alexandria. That's about 12 miles--9 miles of which is a 55mph speed limit. (And with normal weekday traffic, southbound, that should take me about 20min or less.) So, I ogled the automatic donut-cutting/proofing/frying/flipping/frying/glazing machine, then picked up an apple cobbler donut (flavor of the.. week?) and an Original Kreme frozen drink. Good lord, that's a lot of sugar--next time I'll get something that isn't sugar-flavored. ;)

And then I returned home via US-1, without incident, stopping along the way for green leafy goodness (for the bearded dragon) and gas for the bike.

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Personal cultural observations != racism. Just sayin'. You go, Erin. :) (I did see the original post, I understand, I sympathize, and I don't think the comment was inappropriate.)

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Huzzah! $26.55 deposit in my checking account. Go Uno's manager!

And now, a discussion on chinese finger foods and free-roaming haggis!

CU Stryker (12:06:58): love chinese food pricing :-)
Fische225 (12:07:22): me too! just don't ask questions...
CU Stryker (12:07:48): i doubt the answers would really trouble me :-)
Fische225 (12:08:40): well, i'd prefer not to eat gerbil...
CU Stryker (12:10:40): hey, if gerbil tastes good.. they're very small, though. not much meat. ;-)
Fische225 (12:10:59): finger food...
Fische225 (12:11:09): like quail. tasty, but really friggin small
CU Stryker (12:11:16): don't think i've ever had
CU Stryker (12:11:28): though i don't see the fascination with chicken wings
CU Stryker (12:11:46): not enough meat for the effort. drumsticks have a much better meat/effort ratio
Fische225 (12:12:12): i guess i wouldn't make a very good hunter - i don't like to work for my food. i love crab, but i don't like taking the time to get the meat out so i don't have it often
CU Stryker (12:12:52): hence, softshell! ;-)
Fische225 (12:13:02): and crabcakes!
CU Stryker (12:13:12): not often found in the wild ;-)
Fische225 (12:13:48): and highly suspicious when they are
CU Stryker (12:14:25): fear the wild crabcake! scuttling along cakily.
Fische225 (12:15:03): like the wild roaming haggis!

Comments

[evelynne.livejournal.com]

That's it?! You tell us you went through hell to get there, told us what you got, mentioned there's a lot of sugar ... but you didn't tell us IF YOU LIKED IT OR NOT! You didn't comment on the sheer COOLNESS of the donut making process!? Were you not impressed!?

[skreidle.livejournal.com]

I don't ogle and detail machines that aren't impressive! :D
The machine was awesome--I probably watched it for half of my visit there, while I ate my donut (not hot off the line, so it was good, but not not significantly moreso than KK from the grocery store) and over-sugary drink, which I don't believe I'll get again (in the original Kreme flavor.)

=)

[evelynne.livejournal.com]

I don't ogle and detail machines that aren't impressive! :D

Aha, so I am supposed to read between the lines. :P

You really should try one hot off the line -- it's a whole 'nother ballgame. Even though KK is generally too sweet for me, just a few bites of a hot one is really a heavenly experience.

[skreidle.livejournal.com]

I ogled! C'mon, work with me! ;)


Do you just ask the counterperson for one hot off the line?

[evelynne.livejournal.com]

I actually asked the counterperson to get me a donut that HAD NOT HAD GLAZE PUT ON IT YET, and she got it for me before it went through the glaze waterfall. :) :) I found out that if I combine a half-bite without glaze with a half-bite of glazed, I get the perfect amount of sugar. :)

[skreidle.livejournal.com]

Very accomodating! :D

(They actually shut off the glaze waterfall for a while to let some enormous special order of unglazed go through, while I was there.)

Generally speaking, I prefer more interesting donuts than plain glazed--jelly-filled, powdered-sugar, cinnamon, crushed nuts, coconut, sometimes chocolate, crullers... mmm. :D

[evelynne.livejournal.com]

I'm the same way about my donuts. Glazed is actually my least favorite kind of donut! But I still think KK are really something when they're hot.

This is making me crave donuts!!! ARGH! Too late in the afternoon to bother, though -- I want a fresh one!

[skreidle.livejournal.com]

Do the Philly or Springfield KKs bake fresh? :)

[evelynne.livejournal.com]

I haven't been to either one, since they're at least a half-hour away by car. Though I intend to get up to the Philly one soon. I'd be happy with Dunkin' Donuts at this point. :)

[skreidle.livejournal.com]

Ahh, I didn't know how far you were from either of them.


Mm, Dunkin' Donuts. ;)

(Or Green Mountain Coffee donuts! I'm not sure how far their range is, but we had one of those in Ithaca, and their selection was much better than DD, especially late at night. :)

I'm a Southerner now...

[blistex.livejournal.com]

So I will share my KK expertise. :P

You say "I'd like a dozen hot fresh, please."

Or, you know, you could ask for one hot fresh, but it's physically impossible to eat fewer than three in one sitting.

Re: I'm a Southerner now...

[skreidle.livejournal.com]

I think I could manage. ;)