New Jersey Date

Last month, Todd and I had a date to New Jersey.  We got up at 3am on a Saturday morning (or at least I did...he slept until 3:45am), drove to Fulton to pick up two drivers at Leotta's and headed to New Jersey to pick up two garbage trucks Todd had waiting for him.  They were old junkers the guy fixed up that Todd had wheeled and dealed for.  He needed to get them because his big contract in Dewitt started July 1.

I was pretty tired, but going somewhere without the kids is so stress-free, I didn't care.  I didn't have to pack a bunch of stuff, make sure they were happy and fed and changed and all the other Mama stuff.  I snoozed a little on the way, despite the fact that Kevin in the back being pretty talkative.  As we went through Pennsylvania, Todd stopped at one of my favorite places, Perkins, which is so hard to find anymore.  I was pretty excited.  As we sat down, Todd and I both had to use the restroom and we kind of chuckled because we had been about to "take turns" as usual, realizing we didn't have to!  

Food was decent...I got an omelette because I knew we'd be eating plenty of sweet stuff later.  We got to the guy's yard before ten am.  Here's a photo I snapped of the guys without them knowing.  I didn't want to be annoying, but I knew I had to document it.  Kevin on the left, who I met that day and Ken on the right, who I've road tripped with a couple of times.  He is my favorite employee of Todd's.  He's down to earth, works hard and is raising his grandkids, who came to Abbey's birthday party. And he seems loyal to Butler Disposal.

We are walking into the office and there's Todd and Kevin.

The first thing I see when we go in is a giant dog, which I should've gotten a photo of.  I have to put stop, of course, but the guys go into the back to find Tom, the owner.  I meet them back there.  This guy is guy is all New Jersey.  Not stupid reality show New Jersey, but the real people that those show exagerate.  Waving an unlight cigar and talking a mile a minute, he takes Todd and I in is office to finish business while the other guys go check out the check.  He loves to wheel and deal and act like hes giving YOU the offer of a litfetime.  He tells me that Todd "saved his business" because of some scrap trucks he traded him.  Now, yes, it was a good deal for him, but I loved how he exaggerated.  He has a huge business and I'm sure it didn't need "saving".  But that's how he talked.  I slying snapped htis photo of him while he was telling one of his stories in his office, surrounded by photos of him with other Italians.  I'm sure my prescence brought Todd up a notch.

Here's the new old trucks.  The were trashed and Tom did his thing and fixed them.  They looked pretty decent.  The guy kept explaining to me how great they looked...how awesome a job he did.  I know Todd got his money's woth, but this guy talked BIG.  Kevn and Ken set off (garbage trucks go slower on the highway, so we let them get ahead) and our new buddy told us stories of crooked permits and deals and how he's been trying to get the new recycling part of his business for a decade going.

There was a little garbage truck there that the guys called Bobby size and had me take a photo to send to him.  Todd looked at it as he needs a small truck for some of the hand deliveries in Dewitt.  And this guy was like "Listed at $19,000 but for you, only for you $16,000."  What a REAL character this guy was!

Afterwards, Todd and I detoured to Carlos' Bakery.  We had pre-ordered again and  this time, Todd went in with me ti see it.  In just a few months, it had changed (pictures are on Todd's phone...I'll get them on here someday).  The wall of family mementos, photos and articles that had clearly been there for years was empty and wall papered over.  Despite pre-ordering, we still had a bit of a wait, which irritated us at first until we were so embarassed by some of the other people waiting with their comments.  "I know the Lackawanna factory is just five minutes away!" one yelled.  It was so awkward for the rest of us.  The employees were pretty polite and finally, about a half hour later, we got our order.

We got some of the same things and some different things.  I couldn't wait to dig in.  So that's what we had for lunch....Carlos cannolis and lobster tails.  And Ragulesh, something new and which turned out to be the best tasting thing. Here's the cake we got, kind of for Abbey.  It reminded Todd of her.  And when she saw it, she thought it WAS hers.  She tried to grab it!

 Unfortunately, it was stained as if someone had written on it and then wiped it off.  And while it tasted OK, it wasn't as good as the first time.  I wrote a letter via Facebook to the bakery about the cake and never heard back.  I expected at least a form answer!  I mean, these aren't cheap!

 Anyhow, the kids didn't care :)  Abbey was eating the filling out.  So cute.

 Mmmm....enjoying EVERY bite!

 And Adam liked it, too!  It was kind of the only thing he liked.  Abbey tried different things during the week, enjoyng the raspberry Rugalesh, the cannoli cream and sucking the filling out of the lobster tails. My little Adam didn't even want to try them.

 They both ended up preferring the chocolate side.  Adam left ALL Of the vanilla behind.

 And here's Abbey, making sure she gets EVERY bit of cream!  She knows what she wants!

It was a really nice day.  Despite most of it being in the car, it felt like a real date.  We talked about stuff, nothing big, and hung out.  I enjoyed myself and I think Todd, did, too.  We are very bonded by our kids and our family, but beneath that is a connection that we felt before there was an A-team.  What drew us together and made us fall in love is still the base beneath our family.  Dates like this are so nice just to feel that for a few hours!

As for Carlos Bakery, we both agreed we don't have an urge to go back.  The stuff this time wasn't bad, but it seemed to lose some of it's touch.  Guess when you get that big, it's bound to happen.  But it is still fun to say we've been there and when we watch the show, we can say we've tried that!