Hang on to your hat...today's going to be a bumpy ride!

The wind is blowing about 60 mph down here and we've had a rocky night. Trash is strewn all over town from trash cans blowing over, signs were flying around last night...we have one sucked into the parking area next to my place and that friggin tin sign kept being picked up and slammed against my stairs until 2:00 a.m. when my next door neighbor had finally had enough (I had enough at 11:30 pm. but refused to go out and do anything about it.) I took the family out to Ruth's Cris Steak House last night for a Mother's Day dinner and when we left the wind had really picked up. By the time I pulled into the house it was gale force winds and rain. An interesting Mother's Day dinner. We all worked all day and looked forward to going out for a nice dinner...unfortunately things didn't work out quite the way we planned. First, Solomon, my 8 month old grandson is teething (seems perpetually), and hasn't been up to snuff...so he hasn't been sleeping which makes him a little cranky at times....(when he's awake). Anyway, poor little guy hadn't sleep well for nights and Sunday he wouldn't take a nap so I told Mary to take him home at 3:00 and see if he couldn't fall asleep (he didn't), however, the minute we put him in the car he fell fast asleep. So when we got to the restaurant I didn't want to wake him so Mary and I decided to take turns in the restaurant. First she stayed with Solomon and I went in and ordered the drinks, stayed for a couple of sips and then when appetizer time came I went out and she came in. Mary ate some of the appetizers then she came back out and told me to go back in, which I refused to do since I didn't really want any. So she went back in and ordered the dinners for both of us and eventually she came back out and said for me to go back in. ...so I did. Meanwhile, Sara, Vernon, Michael and C.J. are sitting at the table watching us trade places on a rotating basis. Sara of course, asked to take a turn, but I really felt someone should enjoy the dinner in a normal fashion so I kept her out of the loop. However, before I got back out here came Mary with Solomon and the festivities began. He was a good little boy, however, service wasn't really that great this time so there were many lag times. Sara jumped in and would take Solomon for walks while the rest of us enjoyed our dinner. By the time we were to dessert we were all in cranky mode. First it appeared they only had one waitress with 2 men helping her for the entire dining room. So we had to wait for everything. We asked for Tartar sauce for Mary's crab cakes and I swear at first they didn't bring it, so we asked again and it must have taken her 15 minutes (time for the damn cakes to get cold) to bring it. If you ordered ice tea at the same time as the drink order they never brought it. One of the support staff was good and the other just kept walking away instead of helping. We sat and waited about 20 minutes to see a dessert menu, which the adults would have said the hell with but we had two young people who wanted it. So when she finally came for the dessert order I told her I wanted the dessert, to go containers for what wouldn't be eaten of the dessert and the check at the same time. I was taking no chances after all Survivor finale was at 8:00 pm. Now when she brought the desserts she forgot to bring spoons for the Creme Brulee so we ate it with a fork. Now that just isn't right, is it? We got out of the restaurant at 7:45 (we arrived at 5:30). I know many people like to linger during a meal and after, but I don't. I'm there to eat and leave. Over 2 hours for a dinner is excessive to me....makes me a nervous wreck especially when you have a baby in tow, and children who want to move around. And the check...well let's just say if fell a little under $500 but not much and for that much money for a friggin dinner, well, I think I should have been served in my own house for that. But that's just me. I'm moving on, but it will be a long time before Ruth's Cris Steak House sees me again (I didn't say never...just not too soon). I cannot believe it, but I put a note on the door of the shop saying we were closed due to the weather, but working next door and they were welcome to come into the lobby to get into the shop. And that note wasn't up there 5 minutes when someone came in. And it wasn't even for Salty Yarns (I understand our stitching emergencies and the fact we'll go through hell's fire to buy floss), the child wanted a stuffed seahorse she saw yesterday. I know I go through hoops for the grandkids, but honestly on a day like today (it's unbelieveably miserable down here), the grandkids would have to wait another day or two. I'm sorry it wasn't for the needlework shop as I'd use any excuse at this point to go over there and just stitch. When I got up this morning all I could think of is this should be a "snow day" for us. But with foreign students working, etc., we all came into work. Sara mentioned getting our stitching and making it a stitch day, but I felt too guilty with a desk full of work. And then my dentist called to cancel the friggin appointment because their electric went out. Crap....I was prepared for the friggin appointment. I did forget to go to church to count, but fortunately Bruce was sick and didn't show up either. Today is just not going according to schedule this morning. Survivor UpDate: I slept through part of the Survivor finale, but it was the end result I was interested in since I felt certain of who would be going to the finale. But I have to say, I couldn't have been more surprised as to who won. I always though Amanda would take the money...the person I least suspected won...that should tell you one thing...never go to Vegas with me!