The Romeo
Gang had lunch on Wednesday, June 10 at Jules by the Water in Methuen at
12 noon. Jules by the Water is located at 478 Lowell
Street (Route 110). Go to www.julesbythewater.com for
more information.
There
were seven Romeos present: Joe Pignatiello, Steve Winter, Mark Ryan, Joe
Lapiana, Ed DeShuytner, Paul Girard and Jim Terlizzi. You can
see photos at the Picasa link below ... Romeo Lunch 6-10-15
I got
there early at 11:30AM along with Joe L. The waitress had set a table inside
but Joe asked for a table on the deck outside. The place started to fill up
with patrons quickly. When Joe P. arrived with Steve at 12:10PM. he heard the
waitress say there was a 45 minute wait. It pays to be early.
The
waitress brought bread and dipping oil to the table and took drink orders.
Margaritas, beers and diet cokes. We also got some appetizers of calamari and
mussels with cocktail sauce. We then ordered from the lunch menu, baked haddock,
steak tips, seafood chowder and salads.
The
chowders came quickly but accidentally Steve got mine. It took me a few minutes
to remind the waitress about the mix up but I finally got mine too.
The food
and service was very good and of course the conversation better.
Our table
on the deck overlooked the Merrimac River and you could see small pleasure
boats dotting by. Joe P. walked over to the railing to see if he could spot any
fish in the water. He returned shortly and said he didn't see any but mentioned
that there are a lot of large carp in the upper Merrimac which some people like
to eat.
I said
that I had been looking for a public boat ramp along the Merrimac to put in my
boat. I Googled boat ramps and found the Rourke Bros. State Park Public Boat
Ramp a few miles west in Lowell. Joe L. also mentioned the Sampras Pavillion
with the Rourke Ramp a short distance further west.. There is also the Lowell Boat Club on the
south side of the river but you have to be a paid member.
The
conversation bounced around the table about sports, news and trips. Joe L. had
just returned from a Mediteranean cruise, Steve is planning a Viking River Boat
Cruise and Jim is taking a trip to Iceland. My God, these Romeos are becoming
world travelers.
Ed and I
talked about the cost of college education. I said that it was a shame that
foreign students can come to the U.S. and get a free education while American
students have to pay the full boat. Of course there are grants, scholarships
and loans but some kids are excluded because their family income is right on
the line. The rich get richer and the poor get what's left.
Now Jeb
Bush is advocating raising Social Security retirement age to 70 years old. Isn't
life grand. Glad I retired early and I am still in good health.
By the
way, are you ready for two years of political ads with 12+ Republicans and 2+
Democrats telling us how they will work miracles running for
"Presidente". Maybe the millions spent on advertising could be put to
better use. Feed the hungry. Shelter the homeless. Cure the sick. Educate the
less fortunate. "Just saying!!!!"
We then
talked about the two convicts who escaped from prison. A women prison worker
was just implicated in helping with the escape. A nation wide man hunt has
still not found the two although dogs have found a sent of their trail.
Everyone is on edge. People at the campground that I go to in NH were worried that
the convicts could break into empty homes and trailers close to NY, VT and NH.
Jim said
that a tree fell down in his neighbor's yard and just missed his house. This
was after he repeatedly called the town about how rotten and weak the tree was.
Proactive or reactive???? Ed talked about snow removal from his roof and how he
used small bags of ice melt that he threw up on his roof to melt the ice dams.
You can use the feet of old nylon stockings filled with ice melt too.
Paul said
he likes watching "Wicked Tuna" on the National Geographic Channel.
It's about tuna fishing out of Gloucester. I said I liked "Life Below
Zero" on NGEO Channel. It's about how people survive in Alaska by fishing,
hunting and trapping. Jim said he liked Larry David shows like Entourage, Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Someone
then said they didn't like Reality Shows. I then said aren't all movies and TV shows a
little reality and fixed. Everything is scripted in a way. We see what the
Movie Director wants us too, even Documentaries. Oh well, some say potatoe and
some say POTATO. I just like "MASH". HaHa!
We then
talked about where to eat next month. We decided on Augustino's in the north
end on the 29th. Jim will send an email.
Comments
always welcome... Markryan82@comcast.net
