Romeo 6-10-15

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