Go to www.bellinos.com for
more information.
There were seven
Romeos present including Joe Lapiana, Jim Terlizzi, Steve Winter, Paul Girard,
Ed DeSchuytner, Mark Ryan and Joe Pignatiello.
We changed the intended lunch from Artichokes in Wakefield since it was
not open for lunch. Jim thought Bellino’s was a good alternate choice since it
was also in Wakefield. We were last here
about a year ago (8-12-13).
You can see
photos of the group at the Picassa web site ……. Click below
We sat at a long
table at the far end. The waitress asked about drinks and we decided to get
some wine to go with the Italian meals. We chose a couple of bottles of red
wine from the wine list and toasted a good and healthy life.
Bread and
dipping oil was served at the table as we looked at the lunch menu and made are
selections. They included a Chicken, Broccoli and Penne, a Chicken Marsala,
Shrimp and Artichokes, Pesto Pasta, and a Fusilli Pomodoro. We also got some
salads and soup. The meals came quickly and were very good. After we had coffee
and espresso and some desserts to share with spoons all around.
The conversation
was lively as usual and included the regular fare about, movies, news, sports,
and trips. Joe P. said he booked a river boat cruise in May in Europe ending in
Normandy. Joe L. said he was also taking a river cruise in Europe in April.
We then talked
about the cost of taking college courses on campus and online. The cost is
almost the same and going up each year.
Ed D. still teaches an online course at NECC and says that the quality
of students varies. Although he makes it
clear at the outset that doing homework and passing in assignments on time and
online will almost guarantee a “C” grade, there are always some who miss a few and there
grades suffer. He also has to have at
least 14 students signup to run the course.
We also talked
about how publishers use to give teachers examination copies of new textbooks.
Now they just give out a sample chapter to examine. The books are also updated
every two years and the online student software that goes with the student text
is only good for one year and password protected. The cost of a new Biology
Book at NECC is over $260. Students use
to be able to resell them back to the bookstore but the book and the software
are not useable after a year.
Ed also said
that one of his sons dropped out of BC after three years and wanted to change
his major. Ed told him that he couldn’t just sit around and had to take a few
classes at NECC in the meantime.
Besides taking a
few courses, he also got a job at the college working in the maintenance
department. In addition, he took a humanities
course and just loved it but Ed said that there were not many jobs for students
graduating with a history major. His son consequently took a few IT (computer
tech) courses so that he might graduate with an IT degree. These IT jobs are so in demand that his son
was able to get a job in the IT industry even before he graduated.
Joe P. then said
that Bob Siggens was going to attend the lunch today but was tied up working on
a rental house that he owns in Somerville. We also have invited a few other
Romeos through email but have few takers. It must be the deodorant that we use.
Jim said he was
thinking about upgrading the kitchen appliances at his house which are nearing
twenty years old. I said my sister who lives in Florida just updated to all
stainless kitchen appliances at her house that she is trying to sell. Maybe that will attract more buyers.
I said that I
just bought a new Amana electric stove from Home Depot. They have good buys and
free delivery as well as free take away. Joe L. then said he just bought a
Bosch stove. Jim likes gas and wants to replace his with gas.
I then said gas
has its problems and is safe most of the time and it depends on what you are
used to cooking with. I then told them
about my recent experience with GAS.
“I volunteer to
feed the homeless at a soup kitchen in Woburn called the Dwelling Place. Last Saturday I was in the kitchen of the United
Methodist Church where we run the soup kitchen. I was standing in front of the
old gas stove heating some gravy and said I smelled gas. The woman next to me
tried to light another burner and the whole stove blew up in front of us. I was
on the side and felt the gush of hot air whoosh by my head. Unfortunately the oven
door blew out and hit the woman in the legs. We quickly evacuated the church
and called 911. Two women were taken to the hospital for examination but I was
ok and just startled. I was lucky this time but I am now quite nervous about
using gas stoves.”
Jim mentioned a
few good movies he has seen (Whiplash and Foxcatcher). He also said that Unbroken
and American Sniper looked like good ones to see.
We then talked
about the upcoming cold weather and sub-zero temperatures. It’s predicted to be (-25 F) wind
chill in some areas. Gas prices keep
dropping and its $2.19 a gallon today in Wilmington. You can check Gas Buddy
online for the best prices in your area.
There is a new Swiss
Bakery in Reading that Joe L. is interested in. Click below to get the info …..
Comments are always
welcome …… markryan82@comcast.net
