The Bowling Dinner and the punching bag pick up.

      Life moves at a fast pace these days. I guess I might have said that anytime in the last ten years and felt as I do now.
     We had the bowling dinner last night. We also picked up a punching bag for Elena and Nastia wants to go to Albany to visit David.
     The easy one first. The Bowling dinner. I was looking forward to it this year. I was going with both of my daughters and Gino and I had ended up in first place. At the beginning of the season Nastia was on our team. After about five weeks Elena agreed to join the league. Nastia joined her sister and they became 'The Crazy Russians'. They started from October at 0-20 and ended the season two games over .500 at 78-82. If they had started the season at 0-0, they would have ended up in forth place in the league, with a chance to get third winning almost 56% of their games. It was a great season for them. Unfortunately I don't think Elena will come back.
      At the Bowling Dinner, Gino, Elena and myself sat together. Nastia went to sit at another table. At the end of the night she came home with a date for another bowling dinner on the fifteenth. Teri and I ended that awful quick. I sort of know Paul,the guy who asked her to go with him, but it would not be proper for her to go with him to a bowling dinner. He's my age.
   
Before we went to the bowling dinner, Elena, Nastia and I picked up a heavy bag punching bag. I saw it on line several days ago and when we went to Elena's last school review Elena's advisor, Ms. Chamberlain talked about how she came in all pumped up one day saying something about exercise and a punching bag. This punching bag was listed on a local swap and sell sight for $100.00. I looked around, priced other bags and found out it was a good deal. The stand it came with new was almost $200. So I bought it.
       We went up in Nastia's car to Pomona. Stupid me follows Google Maps and I let Nastia drive. Google Maps has us going on the Palisades Parkway at 5 PM. Nastia is still not skilled enough to drive the Palisades at rush hour, so I have her go the back roads to Pomona. The guy I bought it from must be a bit of a dick. When I asked him his best on it, it's tradition when negotiating, his reply was, 'really, $100.' I interpreted that to mean, 'how could you ask for a better price than that?' I let it sit overnight until we had our meeting at the school and I knew I had to get it for Elena. Without looking I texted him back saying I'll take the punching bag for $100. After sending it I notice he's marked it sold. I thought I'd missed it. He replies back later in the day I'd could have it.
      I texted the guy who had the Punching bag. He was not at home, but he had a friend who would be there. The Guy who was waiting for us had some things to do so he told us to leave the money under the front door mat and he left the punching bag out front.We got up to Pomona turned right onto Rt 45 and a mile or so later turned into a large condo complex. We found his place with little problem and outside was the punching bag. We loaded it slowly hoping the guy would show up. I texted him and he replied he was in Stony Point and just leave the money under the mat.
I take a picture of the money under the mat and send it to him and we go. The trip home was quick and easy, I didn't follow Google Maps.
      Every year the bowling dinner is at La Terrazza in New City. I don't go to the restaurant regularly. The food is usually very good and at every bowling dinner I look forward to it. Tonight I was planning on having a couple of drinks, screwdrivers, then having a few horderves, some salad, than some pasta and the main dish and finally dessert. It was expected to be a great night to eat. Plus Gino and I ended up in first place.

Elena eating bread with Olive oil, 

       The three of us walk in and Gino is there and we find a seat. Nastia decides she wants to sit at another table. I order a screwdriver from the waitress and she says she'll have to bring me a bill. I ask how much is the drink. When she says ten dollars, I say no thank you and I drink some of the free wine and free soda. The food starts to come out. There is some bruschetta, some mozzarella and tomato, fried calamari, pasta in a vodka sauce and then a salad. Finally after all that the main dish is served. I ordered chicken francese, Elena asked me to order, so I ordered her chicken parm. Nastia had salmon.
   
My review of the food and the night was mostly disappointment. I was looking forward to an open bar. I don't drink much, but I couldn't pay ten dollars for a screwdriver. It was way way way over priced. I'm not a bruschetta fan, but I had one and it was good. I also had the mozzarella and tomato, it was OK. The fried calamari was awful. It was over cooked and tough. The coating falling off it. The dressing on the salad was good as was the pasta in a vodka sauce. The main dish, my chicken francese was tasteless. The highpoint of the evening was getting the trophy. And even that was not as fun as I thought it would be. For some reason a night with my daughters that should have been really really great turned out to be a disappointment.   
















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