BenSpark Family Adventures

Photo-A-Day #02662 At the PRetzel Factory they are getting ready for Mother's Day! There are a couple of things that they are doing for this. One item they are making are heart shaped pretzels and the other are these giant flower shaped pretzels. Today Tim and I were experimenting with how to bake them properly without over cooking them and also not burning the outsides.The other challenge is keeping them together. We were able to solve the problem of baking them but the next was getting them off the parchment paper and keeping them intact. I had a bunch of pretzels tonight after work and so I messaged my friend Aaron. We had gone out for dinner last week and I had mentioned the pretzels. I said I had a bunch and I'd stop by on the way home so I did and gave him some of the cinnamon sugar rivets and regular rivets and a 5 of pretzels. I still had the whole flower and another 5 of pretzels and a giant bag of rivets to bring home. I'm going to bring them in to work tomorrow n...

Photo-A-Day #02661 Eva's getting the shirt that she's wearing to prom ready. She's been working on it for weeks and is down to the finishing touches. I can't tell exactly how much work she has to do on it but it seems like a good amount to get it to where she is very happy with it. I know that she'll get it done, however, we are getting close since Prom is in two days. She takes after her Aunt in this way. so much going on and coming down to the wire on things. I'm reminded of Tara finishing her wedding dress on the wedding day. We'll see if Eva is still sewing on Friday.

Photo-A-Day #02660 It was another one of the days where I forgot to take a photo. I was a both thrown off today because I was scheduled to work at the Pretzel Factory but when I got here I got a message from the boss (I have 2 there), letting me know that they had kept me on the schedule accidentally and that they were on their way in and I can go home.  My dad was up from the Cape today and he stopped in to see the place. Of course I was running all over the place baking multiple items because when I get in I just get to work and try not to stop the entire shift. I ended up leaving a bout 10 minutes after dad left and he was already back to the Cape. I was a bit annoyed that I was scheduled and then sent home especially after having no hours last week. I was looking forward to having 18 hours this week especially after having been paid recently. The money will certainly help. It isn't a ton but it helps. I can understand that they have a business to run and if it is slow and they ...

Photo-A-Day #02659 Tonight Eva and I participated in a podcast that my friend Chris produces called The Dad and Daughter Connection. He doesn't often have both the father and daughter on the show but we were both available so we did the show together. It was a lot of fun. I am looking forward to it being posted so I can share it. We talked about our relationship and how we cultivate it to be connected. We talked about the things that we both enjoy and things that we've learned. Setting up for the show I realized that I had no way to hear the show so I went through my ziplock bag of wires to find a headphone splitter. I did not have one. Eva had one so we used that. I have way too many wires and have no idea why I am still keeping them.

Photo-A-Day #02658 On Friday Allison and I went over to Briggs Nursery because she had a bunch of gift cards that she had gotten from her kids at the end of the school year. We decided to get these little Candy Corn Shrubs. They are called Double Play Candy Corn and have a nice color. We are going to use these at the corner of the house to surround the stump from the tree that was taken down. I'll have to go and get the bag of compost that we get this year before I plant these. Maybe get that done sometime this week.

Photo-A-Day #02657 I made a random Temu purchase of an Omega Supreme figure. It is a third party figure and so it came with a different name other than Omega Supreme. It was called Miracle God Robot. I did not try to transform it I'd rather keep it in robot mode for display. It isn't huge but it is decent sized.

Photo-A-Day #02656 Tonight we went to Providence for a comedy show at The Vets. It was Ronny Cheing and Hasan Minhaj for their comedy tour called "HASAN HATES RONNY | RONNY HATES HASAN". It was something a bit different than any comedy show we'd ever seen. The two of them came out to have "debates" with each other and battle on many topics. It was funny. Different, but funny. We had dinner at 579 Benefit before we went to the show. A good meal all around.

Photo-A-Day #02655 Today was the opening day of Snappy Dogs. We decided to run there on our way home from The Cape. We had another errand to run and then headed to Snappy Dogs. there were a bunch of people there including a motorcycle club that was probably on their first run of the season, too. Lisa and Teresa were thrilled to see us there for their opening day. Andy and I got Great Dane hot dogs, Allison got a Big dog and Eva a chicken sausage.

Photo-A-Day #02654 Because I did not have work at the Pretzel Factory we had time to head to the Cape for a quick overnight. I had a quick eye exam in the morning and then we headed to the Cape. We had lunch with Mem and Grandfather and then headed downtown to go to Eugene Henry's Gastronomical Delights. Andy had wanted to go there over Easter but we didn't get a chance.  We had dinner that night of meatballs and pasta. It was very good. We stayed overnight.

Photo-A-Day #02653 Allison and I went for a long walk today around Attleboro. At the Balfour River Walk we came across this interesting bench that was made from a bunch of guard rails. We are on April break this week and I am not working at the pretzel place this week.

Photo-A-Day #02652 Tonight I went out for dinner with my friend Aaron. He is a much more adventurous eater and I am and he took me to Pho Horn in East Providence. He ordered our appetizer which was a shrimp item with raw sugar cane. For dinner I got a beef bowl that included brisket, meat , tendon and tripe. I tried it all and bypassed more of the chewy stuff but the brisket was incredible and the flavor was excellent. It was so much fun to hang out with Aaron. It had been far too long.

Photo-A-Day #02651 Andy made three Focaccia breads today. One was plain with salt on top, the second was Garlic and the third was tomato and onion. These were excellent. Andy is getting better and better at making this bread, too. 

Photo-A-Day #02650 Andy made this clay bowl at school. They added a little face  to it but part of the face is covered by a handle. I do like when the kids go and make cool things like this. Quirky fun things. Both kids are artistic in their own ways. Andy with foods and Eva with all sorts of textiles and fibers. I can't wait to see what they come up with next year as they both go on their own ways into new adventures.

Photo-A-Day #02649 Today Allison, Eva and I went into Boston for Accepted Students Day at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. We were there early for a special breakfast for scholarship students. Those students who had received presidential, provost and other scholarships. Eva received one and so was honored at the event. We walked in and got registered. Eva was given a tote bag with a water bottle and a few other items. We went to the smaller auditorium which must have been an old gymnasium for breakfast with the college president. I guess she came over to chat with our table when I went out and got more bacon.  At the breakfast they had a presentation and showed artwork from each student present and give them each a certificate and a pretty nice coffee mug. We sat wit a family from Vermont and a young man from Newton.  After the breakfast there was a presentation in another, larger auditorium. There we also had an address by the president but also from other members of ...

Photo-A-Day #02648 Eva made her own tension loom for weaving. I had no idea what this way but it is a contraption that she made using online tutorials to make a mini weaving loom using playing cards and other things. She's been able to make that weaved pattern that is about an inch in width. This is a similar weaving technique that she learned recently and made on a much smaller scale. She's planning on using something like this for a future costume idea.

Photo-A-Day #02647 Work this week for The Pretzel Factory has been interesting. Last week I worked mornings so I twisted pretzels and cleaned the stringer. This week I did clean the stringer once but doing a closing shift. This means cleaning the whole place at the end of the shift. I'm starting to get everything down. I've learned that there are two ways of doing things. This place is run by a husband and wife. The husband does things a specific way that is more loosey goosey and the wife wants things a very particular way. Since I'm being trained mostly by the husband I find myself being re-trained by the wife.  I'm fine with either way, whatever way they want it done is the way I'm going to do it. So, with that being said I'm making sure to do things the wife's way since if I do it her way I'll get no complaints. I know that much is true.  I photo graphed my work shirt and pants since I only have two work shirts and I work 3 days in a row. This means ...

Photo-A-Day #02646 Had a regular day at work with my new schedule. I'm doing 1:30-6:30pm Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. that means closing up and that means taking pretzels home. I can't be eating these and there are only so many that the family can eat. Allison took two bags to school and I tossed the rivets into the compost. Eva took a few for her friends as well.  Today at the end of work we had a bunch of stuff that had been baked and Tim, my boss, had me take a bunch home. I was planning on having one of the pepperoni pretzel items, it was baked almost right before we left for the night. I had it in the bag of all the big pretzels. On the way to the car I saw a UPS driver eyeing me and my big bags of pretzels. I asked him if he wanted one. I said, take whatever you'd like and he saw the pepperoni and grabbed that. I had not specified that I had wanted that but it is probably for the best since that has a lot of carbs. He was very grateful and happy so that is good.

Photo-A-Day #02645 They really do an amazing job photographing items on Temu. I thought I was getting a much bigger Optimus Prime in toxic colors. It is super tiny but really well detailed. It does come with some attachments like additional hands for posing and also the energon axe from the first episode of the show. I have not transformerd it yet but it is a bit loose. For now it is just in there for display.

Photo-A-Day #02644 It was beyond time for a new chair in the office. I had so many extra attachments and lumbar things added to my old chair that it was barely the chair that I had pre-pandemic. So I ordered a new one and this one has a footrest for when I really want to lay back and relax when I'm working late at night and the sleepiness strikes. I'll try and fight it but can't always. So at least I can be in comfort. I did keep a few of the extras that I had bought like the lumbar pillow and the special cushion for the seat. It is a good thing, too, this new seat is like sitting on a concrete bench. 

Photo-A-Day #02643 At work tonight I decided to do osme movie watching and started with the 2025 movie The Running Man with Glen Powell and then once that was over I went for the 1987 one with Arnold Schwarzenegger. We can now make popcorn at work again. So I had some as I watched the first movie. Of course, 1987 was peak Arnold movie time. He was in many movies over the 80's including doing both Predator and The Running Man in 1987. Interestingly enough Jesse Ventura was in both movies with him. I really enjoyed the original movie but the remake was very entertaining as well.

Photo-A-Day #02642 My sister, Tara sent me a gift card for Amazon and I used it to buy myself a fun LEGO set. I picked up the Toothless figure from How To Train Your Dragon. It was a great build. I made it while I watched the crew of the Artemis II return to Earth. It was amazing to watch. Really was something to see. I watched until the very end when the crew made it to the med bay of the naval ship.

Photo-A-Day #02641 I turned 52 today. When I came downstairs Allison showed me the fridge. Overnight one of the bottles of milk froze and exploded. I'm glad that I did not have work today because the whole morning was taken up with taking everything out of the fridge and cleaning up the spilled milk. Quite the metaphor for growing up Gen X. Not to cry over spilled milk because it can always be worse. Once the fridge was fully cleaned and everything was put back in I was able to get a little time to myself to relax. Played some Styx and some Fortnite and got to enjoy my new office chair. It had been far too long in replacing that one.  I headed over to have lunch with Mom and Dad. We ate at The Tavern. I had short ribs and mashed potatoes. They were excellent. Then I hung out in the Shaw's parking lot until it was time to pick up Eva. Running home would not have made much sense. So I picked up Eva and we headed home. Mom and Dad finished all their errands and then met us at the ...

Photo-A-Day #02640 Today after work at The Pretzel Factory I took a box of 50 pretzels over to Saint Mary-Sacred Heart School for the teachers. Today at work I made the pretzel cheese dogs. When I arrived the owners were in the middle of making 300+ pretzels because they had a big order for one of the local school districts. We ended up making 4 batches of dough through the morning. Michelle was still twisting pretzels when I left for the day. 

Photo-A-Day #02639 Today after work I made some Birria meat in the Instant Pot. I had ordered a couple of Birria Bombs to add to a roast and some short ribs. Then into the pot at high pressure for a few hours. When it was done we had a delicious dinner. It was so good that I ate it and forgot to get any photos whatsoever. I didn't get the preparation quite right but it ended up tasting great. Today was my second day at the Pretzel Factory. I wasn't there as long as the first day but did plenty of work. When I got in it was oven stone cleaning day. Each week the stones are taken out of the oven and scraped clean of excess salt and char. It was actually pretty satisfying to scrap away the layers with a putty knife. Each stone is $600. That blew my mind. Also, I wish my boss had not told me as I was holding one.

  Photo-A-Day #02638 Today I started a part time job at the Philly Pretzel Factory. They just opened up a week ago and I went in then and talked with the owner and asked about them needing help. He did and I waited a while and didn't hear so I went back and talked with his wife and filled out an application. I got a call to come in the next day and I did and the owner gave me my hat and shirt and said I could come in the next day, Friday which was their grand opening. I did say, are you sure you want to be training me during a grand opening? So he rethought that and had me come in today. I worked from 7am to 3pm. I learned how to prep the place, twist up pretzels the factory way, baked many pretzels, got trained a bit on the register and even helped the owner change out the wax seal on the bathroom toilet. He needed someone to help lift it. It was a good day and I am back tomorrow and Wednesday. Next week I'll be working afternoons into closing.

Photo-A-Day #02637 We spent our Easter on Cape Cod with Mem and Grandfather. I finished work today at 7am and went right to bed thinking that I would wake up around 11 like I normally do but I slept until everyone got back from church. I heard the alarm on the door go off and that woke me. I was so zonked out that once my head hit the pillow I was out plus it is The Cape so the air makes me sleep all the longer. When I woke up we hung out a bit and then had a very tasty Easter lunch with the ham that I got from work. That is our Christmas gift from the company. I've gotten many things like that over the years for Christmas and this year decided on ham because we never need the turkey after Christmas and I'd rather not have it take up space in the freezer for a long time. This way we get a really good ham for our Easter and the freezer gets some space. Later in the afternoon my Aunt Cindy and Uncle Wayne came by to visit. We enjoyed visiting with them and then we headed home in ...

Photo-A-Day #02636 We are on the Cape for the Easter holiday. We got down and had lunch then I took a nap before work. Got up and we had pizza from Paul's for dinner. Andy had everyone watching Atlantis: The Lost Empire after dinner. Andy has been watching lots of old Disney animated movies. I like that Andy has been exploring these old movies. After dinner I set up for work. When I am anywhere but home I have to set up a ton of stuff including an additional screen. I completely overtook the sun porch table. I have it all down to a science. My parent's got a new router and that has caused a few things to stop working. Mainly the Sonos speaker. I figured that out and got that working again so now they can play whatever music they like from Spotify. Then there was the general updates for my dad's computer and also trying to figure out why Quicken accounts were looking all sorts of strange with charges showing as credits and vice versa. I think I got that figured as well.

Photo-A-Day #02635 I've had this LEGO set with me at work for a few months and tonight I built it. I don't think I've ever been so disappointed in a LEGO set before. You can see in the photo that the roof of the car does not line up well. I tried for a very long time to get everything in place but it just is a wonky build. I've done so many other LEGO car builds and this is by far the worst one. I really thought i was going to be good but in the end the very last bits did not fit together well or even securely. It was very frustrating.

Photo-A-Day #02634 Yesterday I went by the Philly Pretzel Factory and filled out an application. I had been in there a week ago and gave the owner my name and number but wanted to follow up. He called me and asked me to come in this morning to chat and he hired me to work part time. I'm going to have to use a lot of self control not to eat pretzels on every shift. I start training on Monday.

Photo-A-Day #02633 We got a message from Feehan the other day that they had commissioned lawn signs through Signs by Tomorrow. I ran over there today and picked one up.I made sure to drive Eva by the front yard even though we came in the wrong street to pass by the front yard cleanly. I went very convoluted to get there but wanted her to see it. She did and was happy that I had picked one up.