An Unsuccessful and Successful Dinner

On By Rob GIn Close to HomeLeave a comment

An unsuccessful AND successful dinner? Huh? What does that mean? Am I trying to be silly? The answer to the last question is always simply this: I am not trying to be silly. I just am. I had an idea for a sandwich for a few days, and I decided to try it last night. I had some leftover spinach dip, and wanted to do something with that; along with a chicken patty and some flour tortillas. Sounds simple enough, I guess.

When I was thinking about the tortilla shells, I wanted to have a slightly crispy tortilla. Not too soft, since it would be very mushy. Not too hard, since the crispness might cause it to break too easily. Looking more for something in between. So I took some soft taco shells and cut them so there would be a top and bottom layer that would fit the chicken patty. I used a drink cup lid as the stencil and then used a knife to cut around to get the circular-ish shape. Since there were still some tortilla leftover, I decided to cut them up into bite-sized pieces. I then baked these in a 250 degree oven for about 15 minutes or so. I wanted to cook them at a lower temperature since my oven might cook things too fast if I tried it at 350. When they were the right texture (mostly solid shell, with slight flexibility), I took them out.

Once the chicken patty was cooked, the sandwich was ready to assemble. I put a light layer of spinach dip on both pieces of tortilla, so there would be some on the top and on the bottom between the tortilla and chicken patty. The sandwich assembled the way in which I was hoping. Then, I took a bite. The flavor of the spinach dip and the chicken patty worked well together. The tortilla, though, was another story. The baking caused it to be a little tough, so it took extra effort to bite through the tortilla. The extra effort of biting through the tortilla caused the chicken patty to occasionally slide around, which meant that when the final clamping of the teeth was finished, it was just the tortilla and spinach dip, without chicken, for some of those bites. So it wasn’t exactly what I was hoping for when I first had the idea. But I am okay with that. I learned something new. So… there was success even with the lack of success. And the little bite-sized pieces were the perfect consistency to snack on with the little spinach dip that remained. So I could do the same thing with the tortilla pieces in the future to use with a dip. Not quite the same consistency as a fried or packaged chip. They still had a nice crunch, but since they were slightly thick, I still got some good flavor of the tortilla and a little bit of softness on the inside. So a perfect consistency for the spinach dip (for me).

Things don’t always work out the way we plan. Sometimes, they turn out better than expected. Sometimes, they turn out worse. But if we learn something from the bad experiences, that’s always a good thing. Stay positive!

Caffe Bene – Ellicott City

On By Rob GIn Going PlacesLeave a comment

Today is going to be a hot one (mid 90s), so I wanted to get out early and run some errands before the heat came. I went to Caffe Bene and had a Mocha Frappe. They use espresso shots, so this had a nice, bold flavor to it. This is a thick drink, but it’s not too icy. Since they also have boba drinks, this came with a thick straw, which works well with the thicker blend. I usually go here 3 or 4 times per year, so it was a nice little treat and good to have the thicker drink on a day with hot weather. I was able to run a couple of errands afterwards. I did some shopping at H Mart and some shopping at Sprouts, and the drink was still nice and thick, which was a plus.

Caffe Bene has a signature drink, Misugaru, which is a multi-grain drink. I did not get it this morning, but I’ve had it in the past in frappe form. It has an earthy, malt-type flavor which is good. Not something my tastebuds would normally enjoy, but good nonetheless.

When Caffe Bene opened up in Ellicott City, I was a happy camper. It reminded me of my time in California. When my sister and I first started going on our walks/runs, one of the routes we would take would have us going to Seattle’s Best Coffee on the final leg of our run. The store had really good coffee and good seasonal options. Their sweets were great, especially their pumpkin loaf (with icing) and chocolate peppermint loaf bread with peppermint icing. When I really wanted to indulge, I would get their espresso shake. Fresh brewed espresso mixed with ice cream into a thick, creamy milkshake. Not something I could have all the time, but definitely worth it when I ordered it. The staff that worked there was fantastic. I still remember Molly, Lola, Alice, Liz, and Valerie, to name a few. They made the experience even better with our conversations. We were regulars there and they all made us feel welcome, even if we had just finished up a 6 or 7 mile run in hot weather. Watching Alice make coffee drinks was magical for me. She was very systematic and methodical, which I really appreciate. Everyone there had a fun time and enjoyed what they were doing.

When Seattle’s Best stores closed, I was sad (they also had locations inside Border’s Books, which went out of business a number of years ago). At the particular location where my sister and I used to go after our runs, the location switched over to a Caffe Bene. I was hesitant at first, since I had a loyalty to Seattle’s Best and the people who worked at that location. But it wasn’t the fault of Caffe Bene that it shut down, so we gave it a try. We were able to go there a few times before I moved away, so being able to go to Caffe Bene here in Maryland makes me feel a connection to the times we had in California. It brings back happy thoughts and positive memories, which helps me have a good start to the day.

Firehouse Creamery – Sykesville, MD

On By Rob GIn Going PlacesLeave a comment

Firehouse Creamery is another local ice cream shop. It’s a small town, and we have two Ice Cream shops (Norwood is the other). They are both good, and each have their own unique offerings, so it’s good to have the ability to choose. I was in a milkshake mood yesterday with hot weather, so it’s what I went with.

There were plenty of good flavors from which to choose, and I decided to go with Chocolate Peanut Butter, which is an oldie but goodie for me. The milkshake was the right consistency. Not too thin and not too thick. Good enough to suck through the straw without straining and not so easy that it comes through like milk. The flavor of the milkshake was also good. You could get the flavors of the chocolate and the peanut butter coming through. Since they added a nice touch of peanut butter sauce along the inside of the cup, it made some flavors more peanut buttery as I scraped my straw along the sides for some sips.

Milkshakes and cold drinks are definitely must haves for me, as I tend to gravitate towards them. The only downside is the amount of calories. If it means that I have to exercise a little bit more, then I think it’s worth it.

Firehouse Creamery can definitely do milkshakes (and ice cream) right. It’s why I’ve been there many times in the past and will go many times in the future. And what a nice way to provide temporary relief from the hot temperatures!

Food Truck Tuesday – 10.01.19

On By Rob GIn Going PlacesLeave a comment

The West Friendship Volunteer Fire Department’s Food Truck Tuesdays will be winding down, so I decided to head back there again yesterday. Since the temperature was going to be in the mid to upper 80s, I figured that I would also be getting a milkshake (I’ll write about that soon). Knowing that I would be eating a lot of food for dinner, I decided to have a health bar for lunch.

I arrived at the event shortly after it opened (4PM), so there was plenty of parking and not too many people around. There was a good selection of Food Trucks, but I decided to try two of them (it was originally going to just be one).

I ordered from the Taco Bar Food Truck first. Since the Mexican Street Tacos allowed for multiple selections, I got an order of three tacos – one with Char Grilled Chicken, one with Carnitas, and one with Carne Asada. The tacos came with fresh lime, green sauce, and red sauce.

I started with the Carne Asada. This can be tricky for me. Sometimes, the steak can be too chewy or too crispy. Sometimes it can have a very dull flavor. The steak in this taco was good. It was easy to bite through while maintaining the properties of a well cooked steak. The soft taco had nice flavor and held together well. It didn’t split or break, which can be one of the downfalls of tacos. The onion and cilantro mix added a nice blend for a traditional taco taste.

I went to the Char Grilled Chicken next. This was much better than I was expecting. The chicken had really good flavor to it, and the texture was fantastic. It was shredded chicken and was very juicy. Much better than the grilled, sliced chicken breast that has a tendency to dry out. This ended up being my favorite of the three tacos.

The last taco I tried was the Carnitas. I am a fan of pork, and this did not disappoint. There was a nice little kick to it. Not so spicy that it hurt your mouth but enough to let you know that there was something there.

The sauces both had nice flavor. The red sauce was spicier, but not enough to hurt. The green had a milder flavor, but there was a good combination of flavors in the sauce. Both of the sauces worked well individually and collectively on the tacos, which made for an overall positive eating experience.

The second truck I went to was the Cup O’ Dough Food Truck. This truck has edible cookie dough in multiple flavors. The Fluffernutter flavor caught my eye, and I decided to try it. The flavor was very good. The peanut butter cookie dough had the right texture and consistency to it, and the marshmallow swirl added a nice layer of sweetness and smooth consistency that provided a balance. I got a small size, which ended up being more than I should have eaten in one sitting. It was good, though, and I was happy to have tried it.

I’m not sure if I’ll be heading back for any more Food Truck Tuesdays this year. If I don’t, I’ll definitely be on the lookout for them next year. It’s nice to have these types of events, since there are options out there to try and experience new foods, or try familiar foods from new sources. With the heat bearing down, having options like this help to keep things positive.

La Bonne Boulangerie – East Norwich

On By Rob GIn Going PlacesLeave a comment

While I was visiting Long Island, I was able to go back to La Bonne Boulangerie. I got two things from there this time. One was the chocolate rugelach, which was still very good. The other was a Chocolate Yogurt Loaf Cake. That was also good. Two days later and it still tastes good. This is a yogurt cake with a chocolate streusel swirl and a crumb topping.

The cake itself is massive. When you slice into it, you are able to see the nice swirl of chocolate streusel in there and the layer of crumb topping.

Front View
Side View

There were three main elements that I focused on while I was eating this. The first was the cake layer. The cake was very moist, not too dense. A good pound cake consistency. The next part was the streusel layer. This did not have a heavy chocolate flavor to it. The chocolate was barely noticeable, but the overall flavor was good. The consistency worked well with the cake layer. The last part was the crumb topping. I’ve enjoyed this bakery’s crumb topping on other treats, and this is no different. There wasn’t a thick layer that took away from the flavor of the cake. And the crumb topping wasn’t a hard crumb topping that hurts your teeth when biting into it. This actually worked really well when combining with the cake and the streusel.

When I ordered this chocolate yogurt cake, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I thought I would like it based on previous good experiences, but I wasn’t sure if it was something I would order again. This definitely is worth a repeat, when there are a lot more people to share it with.

I look forward to my next visit to Long Island my next stop at La Bonne Boulangerie in East Norwich. I might get the same thing, or I might try to enjoy something new. A happy stomach helps me keep positive thoughts. Stay positive!

Traveling Again

On By Rob GIn Going PlacesLeave a comment

Sometimes timing can work out, so I took the opportunity to travel again for a few days up to Long Island. On the drive up, I was looking at the trees that were to my right. There were some nice shades of green, a couple of yellows and oranges, but reds and browns were sparse. It was still nice to see the scenery of the drive.

I made a stop at the Grover Cleveland Service Area on the New Jersey Turnpike. I decided to order something that I’ve had a few times at this stop, the Gobbler Sandwich. This was purchased at reFresh & Co. The sandwich has gridlled bread, gridlled turkey, stuffing, gravy, and a cranberry aioli. The standouts of this sandwich are the stuffing and gravy. The bread is gridlled, which is the only thing I’m not enthusiastic about. Heating the bread on a griddle makes it greasier than if it were toasted. The bread is thinly sliced, so the butter that was put on the griddle makes the bread a bit soggy. The flavor is good, but the texture was not of my liking. I’ll still get the sandwich again, because the overall flavor is really good.

When I was on Long Island, I was able to get a couple of good meals. I had a gyro from Greek Cove in East Norwich. This has very large portions, so I was able to share about half of the gyro meat and still had a huge sandwich. The pita bread and tzatziki are both really good. The red onions have a nice crispness to them and add good flavor. The seasoning on the gyro also added to the traditional flavors. There are two good Greek places nearby – this one and It’s Greek To Me in Syosset. They both bring back fond memories of living in Greece when I was younger.

I also had the opportunity to go to La Bonne Boulangerie again, but I’ll write a separate post about that. I also had a slice of white pizza and a pepperoni pinwheel from Mario’s in Oyster Bay. The white pizza has a nice combination of flavors with the Romano, ricotta and mozzarella cheeses.

When I drove back down from Long Island, I was able to look at the trees on my right (opposite side of when I drove up). There was more color on this side. There were the multiple shades of green, yellows, orange, some yellowish-orange, some vibrant browns and some dashes of red. If I wasn’t driving on the Turnpike, I would have stopped to take some pictures. Very nice scenery. My playlist was going, so I had some good music as well. I was very happy when “Sir Duke” started playing. Good sing along music, as well as the dancing while driving which was probably a sad spectacle to see.

There were a couple of stops on the way down. I stopped at the Thomas Edison Travel Plaza and got a brownie bite from Pret a Manger again. Still as good as ever. I also stopped at Chesapeake House in Maryland. I once again went to Earl of Sandwich. I asked about the Holiday Sandwich, but they don’t have that one yet. They let me know it will come the end of October or early November and will be there through the beginning of the year. I’ll have some opportunities to get it, so I’m not worried. I was going to ask for the Original 1762, but the words that came out of my mouth were The Full Montagu. I probably ordered it since I got the Original the last time. I’ve had The Full Montagu before, so I know it’s good. Roast beef, turkey, swiss, cheddar, lettuce, tomato and mustard sauce. The sandwich was still good. The roast beef was easy to bite through and the combination of flavors with the turkey and the cheeses were perfect. The bread had a nice flavor, texture and bite through. The mustard sauce brings it all together. I kept the tomatoes in for the picture, but took some of them out while eating (not always my thing).

I still consider myself fortunate to be able to travel and to eat at all these places. Some of these places are repeats – but that’s just because they are good. I’m also grateful that I’m able to visit with and spend time with my family. It helps bring out the positives.

French Toast Crepes – French Twist Cafe

On By Rob GIn Going PlacesLeave a comment
French Toast Crepe

I happened to notice that the specialty crepe at French Twist Cafe was the French Toast Crepe. I’ve had this before and enjoyed it, so I wanted to have it again while it was still available. It was delicious, as was the pumpkin frappe that I ordered.

The French Twist Cafe has a small shop on the first floor, and you are able to watch as the employees make your coffee drinks or your crepes. The crepe making process is always fun to watch, but today it was even better.

I enjoy when someone is very structured in their processes, whether it’s putting items on a shelf, doing a training, making food, or anything else. The person making the crepe was very structured and focused on their job, which I enjoyed watching. There is a poetry to the way the food was made, and it was a captivating poem to watch.

They started out be putting the batter on the crepe griddle and using the batter spreader for even distribution. Once this was done, they waited until the bottom was a nice brown and then they flipped the crepe over.

Next, they cracked two eggs on top of the crepe. They then started lightly spreading the eggs all around. The best way for me to describe this is as a light scramble. Not to get the eggs fluffed, but to combine the yolk and whites to add a nice layer on top of the crepe. Once this was complete, the cinnamon sugar mixture was swirled on top of the eggs. A swirl of maple syrup was next, but before that, the employee made a slight adjustment to make sure everything looked good. This is something that is going to be on the inside of the crepe and not visible to the person eating the food, but it’s something that makes me really appreciate how much someone truly enjoys what they are doing. To me, it is artistic to consider the aesthetics of something being done in the middle of the process, even if it won’t be seen or viewed in the final product. It’s an attention to detail during the creation of the food that makes me appreciate it even more. Once the swirl of maple syrup was put on, the crepe was folded in half.

After about 10 seconds (just my guess), the crepe was ready to be folded into thirds. Powdered sugar went on top, then a maple syrup drizzle, followed up with three dollops of whipped cream on the side. It was a beautiful piece of work, which I hope you can see in my first photo. But more importantly, the crepe was delicious. The combination of the eggs, cinnamon sugar, and maple syrup truly gave this a French toast flavor to the tastebuds. And adding in just a little bit of whipped cream on some of the bites gave it a tinge more sweetness, which worked really well with the cinnamon.

The crepes and the coffee drinks at French Twist Cafe continue to make me go back for more. The employees who work there give it a family feel, and their care and dedication in everything they do makes for an even better experience.

This was definitely a great way to start the morning. Stay Positive!

The Smell of Rain

On By Rob GIn Random ThoughtsLeave a comment

Since Autumn/Fall has arrived, I hope for there to be an increase in rain activity. Not just because it reminds me of the B.J. Thomas song – written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, but because it reminds me of the smell of rain.

I spent a large chunk of my early years on the East Coast. We had plenty of rain and I never thought too much of it. I enjoyed it at times and was annoyed by it at times. When I was in college in Maryland, I remember getting hit with rains that were so hard that you didn’t really need to use your windshield wipers (I still used them). The rain came down so hard and fast that it was almost like another layer of glass that you could see through. Heavy flooding would cause major puddles and driving over the hidden potholes were nerve wracking, but I enjoyed it. Not something I would want to do all the time, but for those moments when there was a massive rainfall, I found joy in the experience.

When I moved to Southern California, things definitely changed. I drove across country and when I arrived in Southern California, they were at more than 200 days without any real rainfall. I think they had broken a record at that time. So that was quite a shock to the system.

After I had started to get used to living in California, I was able to recognize the smell when rain was coming. It was something I never paid attention to in my time on the East Coast, but I finally started to recognize that there was something familiar about the scent. The first time I mentioned the coming rain to my co-workers, they snickered at me. They couldn’t smell anything and didn’t believe I could smell when the rain was coming. But…I was right. It did rain. And then there was another smell that came after the rain.

I remember going on walks/runs with one of my sisters in California and we would talk about the smell of rain coming and the smell after the rain falls. We both knew it was a thing, even if other people thought I was completely off base on this. And we both really enjoyed the aroma, even if it meant we were going to be rained on sometime during our runs.

When I moved back to the East Coast, I decided to drive across country again. When I drove across country the first time (from Maryland), I took a Southern route, leveraging the I-40. I drove through Oklahoma, Northern Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, so there were definitely some nice sites to see. When I drove from California back East, I decided to take the I-80, which took me through Utah and Colorado. I was fortunate to witness some incredible rains during that drive. Not only was the rain coming down hard for good portions of time, but there were some flashes of lightning that lit up the sky. I had a feeling of pure amazement as I could see those bolts of lightning in the sky some 2 miles ahead or 1 or 2 miles behind me. I might have had very different feelings if those bolts were a few feet away, but being able to see them from a distance was something that I can still picture in my head, four years later.

You can look things up on the internet pretty quickly now, so you can learn that the smell before rain is the aroma of ozone that is being picked up by the winds. And after the rain hits the ground, the scent is known as petrichor. I’m not a scientist, so I won’t go into the chemical and scientific meanings for these experiences.

Now that I’m living on the East Coast again, the smell of impending rain and the smell of rain falling on the ground is something that I gladly welcome to my senses again. Some people hate the rain. Some people tolerate the rain, but don’t really like it. Some people like the rain, but only from a distance. Some people absolutely love the rain and would sing and dance in the rain all the time if they had the chance. I appreciate the rain. Not just for what it does, but for what it means on a personal level. It reminds me of past conversations. It reminds me of past moments when I’ve had those same smells. It reminds me of some fun times driving I’ve had in the rain. It keeps me positive.

Kismet Cafe – Eldersburg, MD

On By Rob GIn Going PlacesLeave a comment

This morning I took a short drive to another place that I frequent, Kismet Cafe. I have always just gone there for a coffee drink, but today I decided to try one of their bagels as well. The last couple of times I went there, I noticed some of their cream cheese flavors, which is what made me decide to try them.

I’m not the biggest fan of bagels. I will get them every so often, but it’s not normally a food I crave. When I walked into Kismet Cafe this morning, I knew the coffee drink I would be getting: Pumpkin Spice Kismeccino Frozen Coffee. I perused the bagel options and one definitely stood out for me: Challah bagel. So I ordered that, toasted and then had to decide on the cream cheese. There were some good options, but it was ultimately between garlic herb and bacon horseradish scallion. I opted for the garlic herb today, but might try the other one in the future.

The Kismeccino was a good coffee drink. The flavor blend of the pumpkin was nice and the overall consistency was good, with just a little iciness to it. The bagel was really good. The outside had a nice crispness to it, and the inside was very light and not too chewy. It was not like the bagels that I’m used to eating. The garlic herb cream cheese was also really good. There was a definite flavor explosion, but it was not so overpowering that I couldn’t enjoy the bagel. I will get this cream cheese again, but I will also try the bacon horseradish scallion (if they have it).

I didn’t realize it until it was too late, but they have also started baking pumpkin bagels. I might try one of those in the near future. I already know which specialty cream cheese will be a great complement: honey walnut. So I’ll take a future trip here and know that the food will be worth it. I already knew the coffee drinks were worth the visit, but it’s good to know that I can enjoy their bagels as well.

Stay positive and enjoy the day!

Enjoying New Freedom, and Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania

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Earlier in the week, I thought about a possible destination for Saturday, and I followed through with it. I took a scenic drive up to New Freedom, Pennsylvania. The drive was beautiful. I passed by some cows and some horses, which were so close that I would have been able to pet them if I was walking next to the road. I took the long way, so there were some parts of the trip where there was only 1 1/2 lanes, so I was fortunate that I was the only one on the road. There were also some spots of gorgeous scenery.

There was one part of the drive where the road was winding quite a bit, but then there was a curve to the right and it was the perfect visual spot. The road opened up a bit and there was a slight valley and then a low mountain full of trees. Seeing those trees along my sightline made my eyes happy. I was fortunate enough to drive through some small towns and very out of the way places.

My first destination was New Freedom, PA. I planned on going to the New Freedom Rail Trail Cafe. The last time I was there was about 2 1/2 years ago, when I was looking for houses (ended up getting one in Maryland, but there were some in Southern Pennsylvania that almost won me over). When I arrived at the cafe, there was a lot of hubbub going on. The town was setting up for their Fall Fest. I got there too early to stick around and see it, but I did go to the cafe.

I had wanted to get the Boxcar Tourist, but they had a special menu for Fall Fest, so I had to improvise. I’ve had the Boxcar Tourist before, and it was really good. It’s sausage gravy on biscuits with a fried egg. I ended up getting a pumpkin spice muffin and a hazelnut/chocolate coffee drink. The muffin was good. It was a bit heavier due to the pumpkin and had a slight spice flavor. I enjoyed it, but would have liked a little more nutmeg or cinnamon in there. The coffee drink was really good. I know I’ve been getting the pumpkin drinks everywhere, but I had a Nutella type coffee drink on my mind, so that’s what I went with. I ended up heading out after I was done, since I didn’t want to wait another hour or so for the Fall Fest to start. It looked like it was going to be pretty fun, though, just based on all the setup they were doing.

My next destination was The Markets at Shrewsbury. This is another Amish Farmer’s Market that is only open Thursday through Saturday, which is why this was on my agenda for today. This Farmer’s Market is huge. It looks bigger than the one in Annapolis. Although there are some similarities with the products, there are some distinct differences. I did enjoy visiting and plan on coming back again. I bought some items at the bakery, and will go back for more when the weather is cooler and the food that needs to stay cool will make the 1 hour drive back home.

I know that this picture isn’t clear, but I’m okay with that. It’s a huge building and I couldn’t capture everything at once. But I like how the sun is shining on top and the rays are coming down over the building.

These are some pictures from inside the building. The first one is just to show how deep this market goes. The other two are pictures I took at the bakery. I was tempted to buy some donuts, but was already full from the pumpkin muffin and had some other desserts in mind for purchase. There are a lot of vendors to choose from, which is why I plan on visiting again. Now, onto the bakery treats.

This first one is called Angel Food Flips. My pictures don’t do it justice, but it definitely tastes better than it looks. You’ve got the nice texture and consistency of the Angel Food cake in a taco shape, with what I believe is a whoopee pie filling on the inside and then drizzled with chocolate. This was something I haven’t seen before, so it was definitely worth the trip.

Next up is a Homemade Butter Cake. I’ve had Butter Cakes before, and they can be hit or miss. I’m not just saying this because they don’t have chocolate in them. 🙂 This Butter Cake was fantastic. The bottom layer was cooked perfectly and the top layer was a little gooey, but not so sticky that you couldn’t enjoy the bite. There was also a slight brown butter taste to it, which helped make it a more well rounded taste. Sweet, but not too sweet.

The last thing I got was a Chocolate Coffee Cake. They had several options for coffee cake, but I wanted to try this one. Sometimes a chocolate coffee cake can be too dry, especially on the chocolate layer. And when you have a huge amount of crumb topping like this one had, there is a tendency for the crumb to dry things out. This was not the case with this treat. The chocolate cake layer was moist. The crumb layer was nice and crisp on top, but it maintained it’s moisture underneath. I was able to bite through the entire coffee cake, instead of having to crunch through the top and have a crumb disintegration issue. Hopefully, you’ll understand what I’m trying to convey.

Today involved a lot of eating, but I’m okay with that. It was good food, good scenery, and good people. And as an added bonus for me, when I was driving up in the morning, “Always” by Atlantic Starr was playing. It’s been a while since I heard that song, so I was quite happy to sing along to it. And since it was a 1 1/2 lane road and I was the only one on it, it’s better that there was no one around to hear or see me while I was enjoying the music and enjoying the ride.

There are days when I get to just drive around, and I really enjoy them. I get to see places and scenery that not everyone else has a chance to see. I get to eat things and try things that others might not be able to experience. So I appreciate and enjoy these opportunities while I still have them. Stay positive!