The Long Post

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!

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!”

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.

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.