Just One of Those Days

Friday is my "Library Day."  I've been on vacation for 2 weeks so haven't been here in a while.  I'm eager to arrive and "help" the folks who value and need my somewhat limited computer skills


I've got time to stop at the Mac & D's drive-through window to grab lunch so that I don't die of hunger during my shift.  Even though, there isn't much chance of my wasting away to nothing if I miss a meal, I continue to believe it may happen - allows me to eat those great skinny fries and other Mac & D grease-laden delicacies without a lot of guilt.

When I reach the "speaker," planning to order a chicken wrap and a coke, silently applauding myself for resisting the urge to order those fabulous skinny fries, I'm greeted by a hurried (and harried) "Voice" advising that Mac & D's credit card machine is not working and they are accepting cash only.  Not a problem for me, although I do notice several cars behind me pulling out of line after getting up to the speaker.  We do live in a plastic world.

After placing my order, I pull forward to "pay at the first window," as directed,  and am greeted by two women who look as if they'd rather be anywhere than where they are.  One asks me what I ordered.  When I tell her, she asks me if I happened to notice on the screen what my total cost was.  Realizing that more than their credit card machine is down, I am tempted to say, "Hmm ... twenty cents," but that darn Catholic guilt kicks in (I just KNOW God is watching and recording any of these temptations to which I might fall).  I tell her I didn't really pay a lot of attention, but I "think" it was about $3.88 - in actuality, I'm pretty darn sure that's what it was .. the "think" is my way of messing with God a little bit to see if He (She?) is keeping track of "almost sins." The two women confer and agree that sounds about right. What WOULD they have done if I had said "Twenty Cents?"   I'm given change for my $5.00 bill and sent on to the pick-up window.


You guessed it ... Mac & D's WHOLE computer system is down.  So at window #2, they have no idea what I ordered.  The young man apologetically asks me what I ordered, and then directs me to a waiting area where my food will be delivered. I'm starting to wonder if I should leave a tip for all of their trouble.


A few minutes later, I arrive at the library and notice a sign posted on the door:   "Restrooms out of order."  This normally isn't a problem, but, of course, now that I know there isn't one, and I have just finished my Coke, I have to go!  More importantly, the restrooms at the library are a big attraction to folks .. and this is spring break, so there will be a lot of moms and kids today.  I visualize a lot of little kids running around crying "I have to pee .. poo-poo ... tinkle, etc."  Should be interesting.


I ask the librarian what the alternate restroom arrangements might be ... the gas station across the street possibly?  You guessed it -  the gas station doesn't have water either.  Seems there's a leak in the street water main, and the city is hoping to have it fixed by 2 p.m.  Note of interest:  It is 2:38 p.m. as I am writing this and we still have no water; ergo, no restrooms!


I settle into my assigned area in the library and peruse the clients using the computers.  Everyone seems to be doing fine.  I ready myself for an easy day, despite the few quirky events this afternoon has served up so far.  


Soon, an elderly patron working on a computer beckons me over saying "I need some help."

I hurry over to him, ready to serve, trying to anticipate his needs.  Is he going to need help with Microsoft Word?  Searching the Library catalogue?  Printing to our master printer/copier device?  I'm filled with answers.

"What can you tell me about the restrooms? I need to pee."


And I thought it was going to be the little kids we'd be dealing with!

It's going to be one of those days!!

There's No Place Like Home

14 days ... 4,000 miles ... $3,000 (give or take a dollar or two) ... and we're back home from our first postretirement winter getaway!  We had a great time but, were happy to get back to Minnesota ... just in time for our FIRST winter storm, which left about 6 inches of the heaviest, wettest snow we've seen in years.  Real heart attack snow .. thankfully, outside of my getting stuck in it a block from home, everyone survived.


Our trip was delightful.  We didn't kill each other ...  the car didn't break down and was very comfortable ... I finished a good book and crocheted a poncho for a granddaughter ... Ed's health was good ... we ate a lot .. drank a lot ... and laughed and visited with good friends.


Lessons learned from our vacation:


     Never pay a $50 upcharge for an "ocean front" room at the Beau Rivage Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi, unless you know you will arrive before dark and it won't be foggy in the morning when you look out the window at the ocean (boy, did they see US coming!)


    Don't expect really warm weather in northern Florida in February ... it's cool and damp there, even though it's filled with friends from home and we had a great time visiting with them (and shopping on the rainy day)


     Never say you're too old to try something new ... like sleeping in a Murphy Bed while visiting a friend for 5 days in Sarasota, Florida.  They are comfortable as well as practical!


     Don't take it personally if the waiter who took your order at a well-respected and popular Florida restaurant walks off the job before he delivers your food.  Seems cigarette breaks are extremely important to some people ... however, it would be nice if the replacement wait person would have known that Ed ordered a deviled crab cake sandwich and not a "Gator burger." We did see a "gator" in the pond outside the restaurant window as we waited for our food to be delivered ... hope that Gator burger was shipped in and not freshly caught!


     Expect the unexpected ... like a golf score of under 100 for 18 holes .. only the second time in my life I've done that.  And it was in Leesburg, Florida, where we spent several lovely days with friends enjoying their hospitality including a trip to the flea market!  Ed actually bought something, despite complaining that this was not his "cup of tea."


     Just because a restaurant is called a "fish camp," don't be surprised to find hundreds of stuffed exotic animals gracing the ceiling, walls and various platforms placed throughout the establishment.  There was a lot of fish on the menu, and one room was heavily decorated with painted wall plates (as in dishes) with fish on them, but the rest of the place was filled with lions and tigers and bears .. oh my!  Along with snakes, giraffes, bison, deer, antelope, monkeys, etc., etc. I do have to say it was a bit unnerving staring up at the undersides of a number of male animals (all anatomically correct!) while you ate ... makes Red Lobster seem very tame by comparison.


      Always have a flashlight with you when you travel ... even if it's just an app on your smartphone!  It came in handy when we had dinner at The Olde Pink House in Savannah, GA, and the bar/eating area we were in was so dark I needed to turn on my cell phone flashlight to read the menu.  I was a little embarrassed and was trying to do a quick "read and run" when I noticed the young woman sitting next to me doing the same thing ... ahh, technology!  The dinner was delicious and the ambience wonderfully romantic ... and I continue to believe it was Ed who put his hand on my thigh during dinner and not the guy at the table next to me!


      Mistletoe is a parasite that attaches itself to a host tree and grows wild in the south.  Very interesting to see and once it was pointed out to us, we spent a lot of time identifying it as we drove the southern roads. Additional lesson learned:  the driver should not be the person scanning the treelines looking for this growth .. especially when driving 70 mph on the Interstate in Florida!


      Never assume that you've heard it all until you overhear a trucker in a truckstop in Mississippi talking on his cell phone to his "beautiful baby boy!"   For the entire restaurant to hear, he acknowledged that he was happy his son was heading home for a visit and that Baby Boy would probably arrive before Daddy did, based on their geographical coordinates at that moment.  So, Daddy advised Baby Boy ... "you'd best call ahead to your momma and let her know you're comin'.  Otherwise, she's liable to get out her gun and shoot you since it's been so dang long since you've been home."  


We loved our vacation and we are so glad to be home.  And, yes, I did call ahead and let my Momma know we were comin'!

On The Road Again

I know it's been a long time since I've blogged. My excuse? I returned to work part-time on Jan 3. So noooooo time to blog.

I'm on temporary hiatus from work as we spend 2 weeks on the road to and from Florida doing what retirees do. Which, as far as I can tell, is not much more than eat, drink and spend money. And what, I ask you, is wrong with that picture? Not a thing.

Today.

5:15 a.m. Left home. I had slept NOT ONE wink all night and that is no lie. I've always been like a little kid when it comes to anticipating something fun in my life. Sleep is secondary to the anticipation. Apparently, Florida qualifies.

So, Monday night, in bed at 10.

At 11, wide awake and my mind repeating over and over the words of the Rosary, with no real meaning attached to them. At that point, I got up and went downstairs to play cards on the computer until midnight. If you can't pray, play.

Back upstairs to bed at midnight.

In our dining room on the main level, we have a Westminster Schoolhouse clock. Chimes every 15 minutes. It's downstairs. Our bedroom is upstairs. I'm partially deaf in both ears. Didn't matter. I heard the chimes every 15 minutes. At 1:00 a.m.,I was praying to every dead person I knew to help me fall asleep. By 2:45 a.m.,I was praying to the same people to keep me awake. After all, we were planning to leave shortly after 5 a.m., so falling asleep at 3 wasn't a good idea. My second set of prayers was answered. At 3:15 a.m.,I got up.

Background: Ed had prostate cancer surgery 11 months ago. It left him with an overactive bladder. Or so he says. We were on the road for 4 hours this morning when I finally asked him if we could stop so I could go to the bathroom. He agreed,p since he was hungry ... apparently, his bladder was just fine.

What we discovered was that there aren't many restaurants or rest stops on the road in Iowa (friends had advised us to go via Chicago if we wanted to eat ... but did we believe them? No, no, buckaroo!)

Ed finally pulled into a "Go America" on the Iowa turnpike. I didn't really want or need ALL of America to GO with me, but at that point I didn't care. We were hoping for food as well, but, apart from some overfried chicken under a warming light (and heavily advertised free oatmeal on Tuesdays), there wasn't much to choose from. We left ... sure there would be a Perkins right down the road. Wrong.

200 miles down the road, we finally found a little family restaurant that served a great breakfast. Best "extra crispy" bacon I've ever had. Apart from the guy with the mullet who came walking through, we were pretty sure we had died and gone to Heaven!

Tonight, we are in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, at a comfy Hampton Inn. Right next door is an Outback restaurant where we had a delightful filet mignon and shrimp dinner to celebrate Valentime's Day. Ed is asleep in the bed next to me and I am celebrating the most romantic night of the year by writing to all of you. 46 years of marriage will do that to you.

Tomorrow, we head to Biloxi, Mississippi, and a night at the Beau Rivage casino. More to follow.