A Happy Birthday

Mom claimed to have E.S.P., you know. Often, she would "have a feeling" about something even if we were very careful about keeping information from her...especially information that would cause her to worry. Sometimes I deliberately wouldn't tell her that Hannah was en route from Johnson City after dark or in the rain. She "knew" it, anyway.

Because of this extraordinary psychic talent, Mom was really hard to surprise. "Mom" and "surprise" didn't even belong in the same sentence until her birthday last year...exactly one year ago today. At the last minute, the 5 of us conspired to...well...surprise her...with a new TV for her bedroom. She'd been pondering a new one for quite some time, but putting off the decision for some reason. Eventually, everything on the screen had a delightful red tint to it. We couldn't stand it any longer even though she brushed it off. I suppose we had it in our minds that it was adversely affecting her reality television experiences in some way. At the last minute...only days before her birthday...Fred had the brilliant idea of biting the bullet on mom's behalf. He suggested it and the rest is "Mom was actually surprised" history. Everybody was on board...there wasn't time for hints or leaks or a "feeling"...we all (except Andrew & Kristi, of course...and I think maybe Lucy wasn't there) gathered for Mom's birthday and brought in only a simple small gift bag with a remote control inside of it. Once Mom pulled out the remote, I think she was actually more shocked than anything that we pulled one over on her. That, really, was the best part. Of course, she was thrilled with the new TV--without red tint and a slightly bigger screen than the old one. It made us happy to make Mom happy...triumphant to have surprised her. That may have been the only time ever.

She would have been 70 today. Happy Birthday, Mom.

Happy Easter

Enjoy the celebration and the time you may be fortunate enough to have with family.

My love to all.

A New Dining Adventure

Ruth's Chris Steak House has come to town. Ruth's Chris fine dining offers steak, seafood and an award-winning wine list. Of course, Barbara and I had to try it...we were due for a steak and any time I'm tempted with steak AND good wine, I'm there.

The website says "prepare to taste the best steak you've ever eaten." It goes on to say "we're...serious about making sure you have a good time. So you won't find the stodgy, uptight attitude you might find at other steak houses."

The restaurant is on the river downtown near the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame where Riverside Tavern used to be...up the Boulevard from Calhoun's on the River...around the corner from the Coliseum. It's a very nice restaurant--comfy chairs, good view, lots of light and relaxing atmosphere.

I cannot say that it's the best steak I've ever had. Seriously...I've had better. I was not impressed by the fact that they use a special customized-for-Ruth's Chris 1800 degree oven, nor was I wowed by the steak being put on a 500 degree plate that comes sizzling to the table so that grease can splatter all over you unless you're warned by the wait staff what's about to happen. I was even somewhat unimpressed by our wait staff (a team of two) who, to me, seemed a bit out of their element (perhaps trying too hard?), but who seemed to forget about us from time to time.

I know Ruth's Chris says "Stay a while.", but there didn't seem to be a good balance of attentive service. Don't get me wrong. I don't want to be constantly bothered, but I would like to be asked if I want dessert while I'm still in the mood...and to be offered coffee instead of having to say, "Excuse me!" while the server runs away to put our dessert order in.

I'm willing to give it another try sometime, but in comparing similar restaurants I'd have to say Fleming's is my preference.

Barbara quickly straightened me out after my negative "I've had better" and reminded me that we stepped outside of our box, tried something new and enjoyed the evening talking and catching up. That's really what dining with good friends is all about...staying in touch and enjoying the company.

By the way...even after paying upscale prices for my meal (everything is a la carte) and buying a nice glass of wine, I was still charged over $2 for a cup of coffee. They didn't get my memo about coffee, did they?

P.S. I had dinner with friends Friday night, too. I'm pretty sure the food was fantastic as was the company, including Jack. I swear somebody slipped me a mickey...I didn't drink any more than usual. Sherry and Shalane made sure I got home safely without getting behind the wheel of my car. It's been a fun weekend!

How much further (farther?) can we sink into the depths of ineptness?

Is it really so difficult to wrap a hamburger that on the inside of the wrapper it's necessary to print a circle to show the hamburger wrapper-person where to actually place the hamburger so as to have proper burger placement followed by proper burger wrapping?

Is this necessary, because our young workforce struggles that much with such simple tasks?

Is this necessary, because our fast food joints are wasting so many valuable seconds wrapping and rewrapping burgers when the printed burger placement circle is absent?

Is this necessary, because there are really people out there who would wrap a burger any other way? (maybe placing the burger at the edge of the wrapper and then rolling it up like a fajita?)

Hmmm...totally by accidental stream of consciousness rambling, I think I've figured it out.

Actors Who Look Like They Smell Bad

I guarantee that at least two of the people who immediately come to your mind are on this list...Quick--just for fun, make your mental list and then check it out here. The first person I thought of is at the top. The next person I thought of is on the list, too; however, one person is listed who I think would just smell like good ole sweaty goodness...you can't go wrong with Matthew McConaughey...mm.mmm.good.

What happened to February?

Surely a month didn't go by without a word from me...

I think of all kinds of interesting tidbits to write about as I drive to and fro...ya think I can remember them when I sit down in front of the computer? Heck no!

Via e-mail, my longtime pal, Jennifer, and I swap all sorts of amusing stuff. Jennifer and I are bonded by the special need to make fun of stuff (and, yes, people...I'm not even really ashamed to admit that). Jennifer knows all my secrets. We were roommates during the time when I was at my worst as a wild child...she knows things I never want anyone to know and I know that she will take them to her grave. Jennifer currently lives in the Denver area and we're on about a once a year visitation...One day she'll come home and we'll live happily ever after. In the meantime, I look forward to our frequent e-mail exchanges and the laughs they inevitably bring.

Okay...so you know a little about Jennifer. Two recent amusing items from Jennifer are sure to amuse you, as well:

How stupid do they think we are?
I just started to fix a frozen pizza Thank God I read the instructions. Did you know I should not eat it unless I cook. "DO NOT EAT UNCOOKED PIZZA" & I was going to eat a frozen uncooked pizza.

E-mail on Wednesday
Knoxnews.com today "Fallen Tree Kills Woman" what happened did she trip over it? If it had already fallen how did it hit her trailer?

One of my notes to Jennifer:

Double Dipping:
It spreads bacteria…no shit. One of these days I want to get lots of grant money to study stuff that’s really obvious from a common sense conclusion standpoint. Wanna help?