It's All Greek To Me

Hello World, Happy February! Well, now we really are in the unheralded dog (sled) days of winter, when even the Super Bowl is behind us, as well as the Pro Bowl, which used to be something to look forward to after The Big Game, but no longer, alas. They already went ahead and played the Pro Bowl, at Camping World Stadium, of all things, in sunny Orlando, Florida, where the AFC bested the NFC by a somewhat humdrum score of 20-13. And speaking of Super Bowl LI, it apparently turned out to be anything but a ho-hum affair, by all accounts, with the unflappable New England Patriots roaring back from a 25-point deficit to win in dramatic fashion, in overtime, no less. Of course, this is old news for the Pats, winning their 5th trophy in 9 chances - 9 being the most repeat trips of any team since the very first Super Bowl in 1967. Unfortunately it was a bitter pill for the poor Falcons, who have lost twice in their only 2 Super Bowl appearances in franchise history. That's not any kind of a record, since Denver has already lost 5 times, and another 4 teams have lost 4 times, including these very same New England Patriots, oddly enough. So I would advise the good folks of Atlanta not to give way to despair, since they're just as likely to get another shot at it, and better luck next time. In this day and age of parity, it seems that every club has an equal opportunity to hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy - that is, as long as they're not the Jets. And speaking of disasters of a local nature, I regret to report that yet another computer died right out from under me, with the usual result of throwing everything into total disarray, and making it just about impossible to get anything done. This time it was the external hard drive I was using, so that if the computer actually died (and I don't mind saying, it had been showing signs) all of my data would still be safe and secure on the mighty Desk Hammer from our friends at Hammer Storage, and nothing to worry about. Not so fast! Unfortunately the joke was on me when it was the external hard drive that died, instead of the CPU as expected, and took all of my precious data right along with it, and it goes without saying, thanks so very much not. While it was still just barely limping along, I enlisted Bill's help and tried to sign up at the double trot with the famous online backup service Carbonite, in a great big fat hurry or else. They were quick to oblige, and took our money in a flash, so we could download the software that we needed for this to happen. Unfortunately, they neglected to inform us that the program did not support Windows XP, so that turned out to be nothing more than a long and frustrating bust, at a time that we were already under the gun, and pretty much stressed out, right up to the breaking point, and I ought to know. Never one to take being thwarted lightly, our tech maven Bill flew into action, and leaving no stone unturned, came up with IDrive, and I am happy to provide this unsolicited testimonial for their service, because they were a lifesaver when we really needed one. They're not only way cheaper than Carbonite, but they still support XP (which was the key thing) and are happy to cover all the equipment that you care to add to your account with them, including mobile devices, for complete peace of mind. They automatically backup all of your files on a regular basis, so it's not up to you to remember this critical step, not only all the time, but especially when there are any changes. Retrieving your data later is a snap, because they store it on their servers in exactly the same order that it was on your computer in the first place, so you don't have to go searching around for it in some screwy proprietary system that you don't even recognize - and which is usually a depressing reminder of how much junk you have cluttering up your hard drive to begin with, most of which you have no idea what it is, or how it got there, I dare say. Luckily our good friends at IDrive do not judge, and will stoutly protect all of your chosen information, whether it's the most sensitive confidential documents, or goofy videos of kittens riding robotic vacuums. If nothing else, I'm sure this will come as a great relief to the KGB agents monitoring my email, and whose name is legion, heaven knows. In other local news, and not to mention, totally out of the blue, we just got a Christmas card from one of our neighbors, well into the first week in February, although nonetheless welcome for all that. I must admit that I haven't made a study of this up to now, but I'm pretty sure that has to set some sort of record, at least around our household, for the least on-time holiday greetings ever - missing not only jolly old St. Nicholas and his special day, but even Boxing Day, all of Kwanzaa, New Year's, the 12 Days of Christmas, and the veneration of The Magi on Epiphany besides. Of course, good tidings are always appreciated, however belated they might be, so you know that I made a point to thank them for their felicitations, and left it at that. Here I'm thinking, if they had sent it as an Abraham Lincoln birthday card instead, it would have been right on time, and that's not just a load of Lincoln Logs, believe me. Very, very alert readers may recall that a small Indian restaurant had opened up near our neighborhood, and Bill and I took a shot at it, as a way of supporting local merchants, and lived to tell the tale. In fact, we went there a couple of times, and it was not half bad, although we wondered how they managed to stay in business with no parking, and what appeared to be a distinct lack of customers. Well might we have wondered, since it wasn't long before they were gone - and what to our wondering eyes should appear but another Indian restaurant in exactly the same spot. We tried that one also, which had some good points and bad points compared to the first one - but in another short while, that one was also a thing of the past. Then last week, the newspaper printed a glowing review of a new Greek restaurant that took over the space, so we pointed our noses in that direction once again to check it out. Tzatziki Grill has a very unassuming air about it (Bill described it as a pizzeria) but at least it seemed popular enough when we were there, with most of its 45 seats filled with happy patrons. The review identified their cuisine as Greek-American, not traditional Greek, and specifically mentioned their vegetarian and vegan menu options, so we were ready to climb on board. (And please do feel free to go right ahead and check out their web site at www.tzatzikigreekgrill.com and see for yourself.) We started with spanakopita bites and tzatziki dip, and a big basket of tasty fries with lemon and feta cheese, which were a real treat. I found my falafel wrap a bit too spicy for my tastes, and I was disappointed at their vending machine beverage options, rather than anything more interestingly authentic. But there is no way to quibble with their wide-ranging dessert menu, it is literally heaven on earth from top to bottom, and you don't have to be Greek to appreciate its sweet and delectable goodness. Bill opted for the baklava cheesecake, while I took their galaktoboureko for a spin, and it was worth every soft and syrupy bite, I can assure you. On the other hand, we did find the service somewhat perfunctory, and they still have the same parking problem as the Indian places before them, so it remains to be seen if they can make a go of it in this star-crossed location or not. But at least we got there before it went belly-up, and once again, lived to tell the tale. Anyone in the local area might consider giving them a try before it's too late. Tell them Abraham Lincoln sent you. Elle