Prepare yourself for a long, boring post—but I’m trying to
get back in the groove, so forgive me!
Well, we’ve been home since Thursday about 6 PM It has
rained ever since, since I know my friend Anne has had such dry weather this year
I hope you’ve had some rain, Anne.
When we got home, Hubby went and got Demon Kitty and I went
up to Food Lion to “lay in supplies”. (That’s
milk and bread and –for him, Frosted Flakes:, his everyday breakfast, except when we go out for breakfast—then it’s
eggs and bacon and toast.)
Of course you know when we were at the hotel, we’d leave and
always go to--- YES—Cracker Barrel to eat breakfast no matter WHAT time it was.
One day, we did not get there til 3PM! We slept the first day til 11, didn’t leave
the hotel room til 1 PM and then we
shopped a bit at Books Million before we could get up an appetite for
“breakfast”. Well—even that late—we were “breaking fast!”
The first breakfast day, I got the bacon and eggs and
biscuits, with the fried apples on the side.
He got what he hoped would be hash browns with his, but they brought the
hash brown casserole! He asked if they
had “real hash browns and they brought them—when the eggs and bacon were about
cold. I told him he should have them heat it up in the microwave, but he just
couldn’t do it. I didn’t have that
problem. Every thing they brought me—was
COLD. Cold eggs are not a good thing to
me, and I guess I’ve gotten to the age where I don’t mind saying “Would you
mind heating the plate up for me—everything on here is cold!” And of course, they did it without any
problem. I don’t know if they thought I was a major pain—but we pay for that
breakfast and I didn’t like cold eggs and bacon!
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| Kid's House in the mountaains |
The night before we got to the kid’s house, we stopped at a
Ruby Tuesdays because the kids had gone to Roanoke
for the day and we didn’t know what they had at the house to eat. My husband
ordered the rib eye, and I ordered salmon, which I think is always pretty good
there. Well—they brought his “rib-eye” and they brought my grilled zucchini
with my salmon. It was barely even cooked, and the waitress, bless her sweet
heart, said “If they aren’t cooked—you let me know!” Well, she was right. They weren’t even cooked—they had thrown them
on the grill to make them look browned and that was all—so the manager stopped
by and asked if he could bring me another plate of them and I thanked him. Well, hubby took a bite of his” Rib-eye
steak” and there was no marbling—no tenderness, and no fat around the edges like
you see on a regular rib-eye. I looked at it, and it was barely SHAPED like a
rib-eye steak, and since that’s what he gets at the other one we go to, (and
what I cook on my own grill)—I’ve come to recognize a rib-eye pretty well. I said, “Honey—that’s no more a rib-eye steak
than I am!”
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| REAL Rib-Eye |
Instead of sending it back, he chewed and chewed on what I
believe must have been a tough piece of sirloin they had tried to shape like a
rib-eye! (What is this world coming to?)
If they didn’t have one—they should have
just said so! We called the waitress and told her—and she smiled sadly and
said, “I didn’t THINK it looked like a rib-eye, myself!” She said, “I’m going to get the manager!”
By that time, we were both unhappy we had stopped there—but
it had been so very good the time before--- (there won’t be a next time, I can
assure you!) that we felt it would be a good dinner. The manager asked if Hubby
would like another steak. Well-we were about done with everything by then, (and
he really didn’t want another fake rib-eye.), so he didn’t charge us for
Hubby’s meal, at least. Hubby told him that he didn’t like doing that sort of thing---
he wasn’t trying to get a free meal--he just wanted a decent meal he could eat.
The manager insisted and I thought it was the right thing to do. We left the
waitress a good tip—she had done everything she could to get us a good
meal---even noticing and telling us about the vegetables I got, and mentioning
that it didn’t even look like a rib-eye to her. She didn’t have to do that---I
mean—that’s her livelihood! She was an
honest girl who tried to please her customers, and we appreciated that.
The dinner meals we got—both dinners at Outback were much
better when we stayed in Waynesboro
on the way back from the kids’. Of
course, the Memorial Day meal at the kids was an extra special one.
They had gone to some market and bought fresh lobsters and
corn on the cob, and all sorts of good stuff.
They cooked the meal together (my son and his wife), her mother in law
had made deviled eggs, baked beans (with hamburger in it—something I’d never
had, but was good—but I missed the usual
bacon in it!---, and a chocolate pound cake, too!)
We had a great time, except for my
TMJ, and my DILS’ "not
very great week of the month".
We were kinda worn out from being “bouncing balls”
for the grandchildren, and my DIL really hadn’t felt well all the time we’d
been there-. Plus, they had a big plumbing problem while we were there.
There was a bunch of water on the basement wall and a heavy
“sulfur odor” down there, (I had to put the sheet over my nose when I was on
the heating pad in the den one night!) ,and even some water on the floor.
Thankfully, it wasn’t in the part where our bedroom or the big playroom/den
down there. It was in the part where they keep old furniture and Christmas
things and there wasn’t a lot of water on the floor. Something was wrong in the
Master bathroom, and they’re going to pull the floor up and re-do some pipes
and check for mold, etc. I HOPE there is NO mold—cause that is dangerous stuff
and little David has so many allergies. I hope they get a good plumber and
whoever else they need.
Thankfully, there’s another bathroom and a half-bath, too,
so we didn’t have to use that bathroom at all when we were there... but when I
told my son about the odor—he said he really was glad I mentioned it—‘cause
they thought they had smelled something before that, but he just hadn’t checked
on it as he should have,
He is so busy with the project he’s heading up at the
mill—and he’s doing such a good job on it. They’re ahead of schedule and his
was the only name that was mentioned in ALL the mills under his company to do
this project. I’m so proud of that boy (who will turn 40 in November!) He’s very conscientious about his work, his
church, and spending time with his family—and about even helping us when we
need it. He has been the order for a son
I would have put in for to God if I could have! He’s been a blessing, and I
hope we’ve been one to him. I pray we have—he’s been such a good boy…uh,
man! I guess he’ll always be “my baby boy!”
When we got home, my tomato plant was BLOOMING! If I felt better,
I’d go take a picture, but my jaw is hurting from the TMJ SO much, I’ve been
alternating the heating pad and ice, and
taking ibuprofen and using Orajel on the inside of my jaw.. I MUST have
something done about it—but they say it’ very expensive to treat, and if any of
you know ANYTHING that will help—please tell me.
Our son and DIL’s anniversary was June 1rst. While we were
there, I asked her what she wanted (usually she says, “Oh I don’t need
anything!”). This time, she said, “It’s
too expensive, but I’d love to have an eternity ring!” She has lost weight in the last year, so I
asked her what size she wore now, and she said 4 and a half.
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| K's ring--I had to adjust the color--so her skin color isn't right! |
Just before we got
ready to leave, our son was helping us load the car and I gave him the usual
big hug I give him before we leave. In his ear, I asked if he had thought what
to give Kristi for their anniversary (16 years now!), and he said “Mama—I
haven’t even had time to think, and she never tells me anything she wants. I
wish I
could give her something she
would really like instead of just something that she’ll SAY, “Oh—I love it!”
Well—I put a bug in his ear about it, and he said, “I’ll go
to the jewelers and get one—I’d love to give her one, but I don’t even know
what SIZE she wears!” I smiled and said,
“I DO!” So he hugged me again and thanked me, and said that he was happy to
know something she would really like.
She called to tell me
he’d gone to the jewelry store and bought the very ring she had looked at and
drooled over. She thanked me for telling
him.
I THINK she sort of thought I would…but how else do you get
something you’d really love if you don’t give a hint!! It’s beautiful—she sent me a picture of it on
her tiny finger. She’s been a good,
loving and caring wife ever since they’ve been married—and she’s a wonderful
mother to the kids. I’ve always loved her, and she’s a good Christian girl—one
I’d have picked if I could have!
Thankfully, God gave her to us without us having to “order one”!
Too bad though—that day of the anniversary, she had to go to
the dentist and get a cracked tooth taken care of. They put some sort of bonding on it—it had been
bothering her for a few days. They told her it was a good thing she’d come in—or
it may have cracked down to the root. Something they gave her made her sick, so
before she could even get home she had to stop the car, get out and throw
up! She had to cancel their dinner
reservations at the Cat and the Owl, and she had a headache, so her mom kept
the kids, but the “anniversary-ites” stayed home and she lay on the heating pad
and he watched a movie. It was okay—except her feeling so bad—my son said they’d
had a few anniversaries, and they could celebrate another night.
Well—that’s about it. I’ve got to get some more ice for my
jaw. Hubby went and got us a plate of BBQ—it was something soft I could eat,
and they say eat soft foods when TMJ is bothering you. I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday and a
good week—that you get rain if you need it! J
God bless you!
THE SERENITY PRAYER
GOD grant me the
SERENITY
to accept the things
I cannot change
COURAGE
to change the things I can and
WISDOM
to know the difference.
