The DeVore Business and Industrial Park

The Bloggy Part:

I put a yellow and green striped necktie with a tear-away collar on my dog and promoted him to the position of Director of Human Resources of our home, which I’ve dubbed the “DeVore Business and Industrial Park”. Now I’m not saying the COVID-19 quarantine has driven me to do this. In fact, before his promotion, he was already the Productivity Manager of my home office. However, since the new [REDACTED] office moved into the room down the hall, it felt like the natural thing to do: give my dog a promotion.

The DeVore Business and Industrial Park is like any other industrial park, of course. There is the [REDACTED] office on the second floor, next to the DeVore Freelance Writing and Podcasting office (where I work). The first floor is all about dining: The Writers Brew Coffee Bar and Joy’s Airport Diner which is not located at an airport but does serve popcorn at all hours of the day.

But after a hard day at work, we don’t head straight for the coffee bar or eat at the diner. No. We go to The Two-Headed Calf, which is the dry bar next to the theater. It is named in honor of “Doc” Carl Trenton DeVore, The Great Husbando’s great uncle, who was one of the most talented large animal veterinarians in Montana. The Harden Historical Museum has several artifacts from his estate including his Ford Model A, various veterinary accouterments—Oh, and the pelt of a two-headed calf that he delivered. The Great Husbando has informed me it is NOT stuffed like I had imagined, but instead, a pelt. Like a bearskin rug. Except it’s a calf. With two heads. Not creepy at all…

Luckily, that will be the only mention of a doctor today as we have been staying healthy.  We are staying healthy by fighting scurvy (Gin & Tonics with LIME), washing our hands, and have yet to kill each other. Our backyard has yet to become the DeVore Cemetery, so I think we’re doing just fine.

Having a new tenant in the building isn’t bad. I was used to working alone during the week and having my dog—I mean, the (then) Productivity Manager—to talk to. While I can’t chat with the new tenant during work hours, it is nice knowing there is another human being in the building. Also, my office and the [IRS] office have the same breaks and lunch so now we can meet down at the Airport Diner for some cucumber tea sandwiches or fried rice or their daily special: leftovers. Mmm… Scrumptious.

Since I worked from home before we were all “exiled for the good of the realm” due to COVID-19, this hasn’t impacted me or my work life much. I didn’t see people during the week and I don’t see anyone now. I do realize I’ve taken “social interaction” and the “choice to go out and intermingle with others” for granted. I miss being annoyed by the general public. I’ve also realized that, since I only talk to The Great Husbando now, I no longer know how to people anymore. The times we have gone out to buy groceries, my interactions with people are awkward, my conversations bumpy. It’s like I’m learning how to ride a bike all over again, which is troublesome because I never learned how to ride a bike in the first place. Figuratively or literally. I just wish I had a helmet.

Something I’m OBSESSED With:

I’ve been dabbling in needle felting lately. Previously, the only exposures I had to the hobby were those ridiculously realistic depictions of animals that (while beautiful) freaked me out a bit.

So of course, my creations are mostly chibi Lovecraftian gods, plants, or tiny octopuses. I’m still learning but it’s been pretty fun and so far I haven’t turned myself into a giant pin-cushion.

I feel like it’s similar to sculpting, only this is sculpting with large chunks of wool that shrink down like how 50 tons of spinach cooks down to a tablespoon of veggies when you stick it all in a frying pan. (WHY?!) I’ve since made a rendition of my spirit animal (a blobfish), a Cthulhu idol, Nyarlathotep, and a few My Little Cultists (though they still need cutie marks). Why these things don’t freak me out is beyond me. Maybe it’s those big ol’ eyes. Or the pink cheekies. Who would be afraid of pink cheekies?

 

30-Day Challenge Update: 

April has been such a cluster that my 30-day challenge for this month is strictly staying alive and healthy. So far, so good.

 

A Drink Recipe from The Two-Headed Calf:

The Classic Old-Fashioned

I recently watched Crazy Stupid Love for the first time (which, I loved, by the way). I kept wondering exactly what Jacob Palmer kept making/drinking during the movie. Of course! It’s an old-fashioned, with the biggest orange twist I’ve ever seen in a rocks glass. It looked amazing (even if it wasn’t Hannah’s drink) and upon some investigation (for science!), I realized that I really do like them. Of course, I went into this knowing that bourbon is one of my favorite spirits so…

Anyway, here is my favorite Old-Fashioned recipe for your enjoyment.

Things you’ll need :

• Old-fashioned, tumbler, or rocks glass
• A gigantic ice cube or a couple regular sized ones
• A muddler
• 1 ½ oz Bourbon
• A couple of dashes of Angostura (orange) Bitters
• 1 sugar cube (this is the only reason we have sugar cubes in the house)
• Some plain water (filtered, if you have it)
• Orange twist
• Maraschino cherry

What to do with those things:

• Put the sugar cube in the glass and drip the bitters onto it. 
• Add a splash of the plain water, then muddle it until it’s dissolved.
• Add the ice cube(s) and pour the bourbon over it.
• Take the orange peel and twist it, sliding it along the rim of the glass afterward.
• Give it another final twist before dropping it in the glass.
• Garnish with a maraschino cherry or (if you’re in our house) fifty cherries. Because cherries.

 

‘Til next time.

*hugs*
Joy