May 11, 2009

  • A Really Great Day At Brat Farm

    It was such an amazingly nice day here at Brat Farm that it was over before I even realized it. I mean, I looked at the clock and suddenly realized that I hadn't heard the Beast or the dog for a while. I was busy playing a new game I downloaded off the Big Fish site (which was free due to Bratfink sharing that information with me). There was no rush this morning and I spent some time going through my email and playing some Tri-Peaks Solitaire on Pogo. The Beast was working on his pictures of the various falls we've seen in the last week (including his solo forays to same) and it was just wonderfully calm and peaceful.

    The Princess called me to make sure our plans were still on for going out to eat and we talked about what time we wanted to do this, knowing the restaurant would be crowded. The Princess had already inquired about making reservations and was assured she could do that up to an hour before we wanted to be there. She was waiting to find out if Johnnycakes was going with us or going to see his mother instead. She felt he might want to do that because it wouldn't be very nice of him to go out to dinner with ME and not spend some time with his own mother. He had to work today but was expected home around 1 or 1:30pm.

    The first of my kids to call was the youngest son, Markus Aurelius. We chatted for a while about a few things and what I had been doing since we had talked last. I was just getting ready to jump in the shower to get ready so we didn't talk as long as he probably wanted. Next was the older of my two boys and wouldn't you know that he would call JUST as I was getting ready to step into the shower? We chatted for a couple minutes after he, too, wished me a Happy Mother's Day and then he apparantly hit a dead zone because he was just gone off his cell phone. I took the time to jump in the shower and the called him back after I got out and was *air drying* a bit before dressing, fixing my hair and, yes, putting on makeup. I don't do that often since I don't have to go to an office any more. I find it exhilarating NOT to have to do that. I was right about him hitting a dead zone. It seems he was on his way to install some equipment today since the office was going to be empty and it made it a lot easier. It was for one of his regular customers and he had the key and the codes. He said it was a boring day for him so he would rather just get it out of the way and just show up to collect his money in the morning.

    The last to call me was Buttmunch. She had hoped that Little Orphan Annie would have called me but she hadn't and I really didn't expect her to do that. It's going to take some time to heal the breaches that the lost years when she was kidnapped by her father to be patched up and true family love and concern restored. I finally got finished getting ready and headed up to the Santa Fe Steakhouse to meet up with the Princess and Chewlee. Yes, Johnnycakes went over to his mother's even though they had been there yesterday to deliver her the flowers and card they had for her. It's just not the same as visiting on the actual day.

    It was my first time there and it was an interesting conglomeration in it's atmosphere. It had all the normal earmarks of a steakhouse with one exception. They served buckets of peanuts in the shell and guess where you were expected to put the shells once you opened and emptied them? You got it...there was a carpet of peanut shells all over the floor and sidewalk area outside the restaurant.

    They did, however, have a crew of people that seemed to be constantly working on cleaning up one part or another of the restaurant floor during the whole time we were there. The food was excellent. I had ribs and grilled shrimp with a sweet potato and cole slaw instead of the steak I had thought I would order. It just looked incredibly good as I saw it going by (and I do love sweet potato with cinnamon butter). The Princess ordered beef fajitas while Chewlee got chicken tenders and french fries. That was amazing to me because it was a large order and only cost $1.98 for kids her age. Chewlee dove into hers and did a good job of eating although she was a bit messier than she would have been at home. She was in a booster seat so she had more moving around freedom than she does at home when eating. We sat in a booth by the window rather than at a table so she was fascinated at all the people outside the window waiting for their tables.

    I got a lot more food than I expected so I brought home some for the Beast (and me, too) to eat when hungry. I didn't ask him what he fixed himself because he had been invited to join us and had decided to stay home and watch his basketball games instead.

    I came home and we talked for a bit about the restaurant and I showed him the food and made him take a rib to try it (it fell off the bone the minute you put it to your mouth). He even tried my sweet potato because it smelled so inviting and said he liked it. I know he was surprised although I have been eating it at home on occasion but he would never try the cinnamon butter. I figured to each his own and knew he just had no idea what a treat he was missing. I don't think I will have that problem in the future, however.

    I settled down at my desk and read email and then decided to play this game again that I had first played last night. It's just a different type of solitaire similar to a game on Pogo but a bit more interesting since there are *commentators* and you pick an avatar. You also *win* the right to buy various items in the Pro Shop (it's golfing based) as you go along. I think it's cute but Bratfink thinks I am *weird*....LOL.

    I got involved playing the game and semi-watching a program on National Geographic and time just flew by. I don't think the Beast said goodnight but I can't swear to it because I was so into the game. It's late now, however, and Chewlee will be here early in the morning. I need to get to bed since the darn dog woke me up a couple times last night growling at something he heard outside. Once it was the next door neighbor and her boyfriend coming home from being out with friends. I knew that because she had mentioned it earlier in the day when I was outside and we stopped to chat. She still has a couple more weeks of keeping Bozo quiet, calm and confined while he's undergoing treatment for heartworm. She feels so bad for him because he isn't used to being confined but she wants him to get well. I'm glad we have always had Baron on heartworm prevention medication since the vet first got it started. I read about the treatment and it's just awful. Plus, there's a very good chance that a dog might not live through it. If the heartworms are killed off, they could have caused enough damage to the heart that the dog would be infirm and sickly even afterward.

    I enjoyed sitting, eating and chatting with the Princess about a number of subjects we had never really talked about before....things like prejudice and gays. Even the Beast and how he's more mellow than he was when she was a teenager and his way of playing with Chewlee. I told her that Chewlee was at the age where he really started to like kids....walking, talking and developing a personality. And hers is so cute that it would be tough not to love her. She loves so unconditionally and expects it in return. Gotta love her.....

    I love you all. I hope you had a wonderful day, good weather and got to spend time with your children where possible. If you had half the enjoyment that I felt today, it was good for you, too and I am glad for you. Have a great day tomorrow (Monday) and I will keep notes. If we don't get rain, I need to venture out in the garden once again.