If You are Rude...

Before going into the title subject, I'd like to give a brief update on weather:  It's freaking' 98'F!!! No end in sight.  WTF!  What happened to spring? Well, at least it's not tornadoes here.

And now for something completely different:  A tale from the restaurant: One of the rules listed in our menu says "If you are polite, we're polite. If you are  rude, we'll  politely ask you to leave."  It's been busy since the holiday and families with little ones not yet in school have been spending time at the beach. And at Dos Locos. At some point today we went to a waiting list because there was no room in the main dining room and not enough staff available to open the private dining room. There were quite a few reservations, so those tables could not be sat.

A family of 7 arrive and are not in the mood to wait for a table. A loud woman bickers with me, pointing to various empty tables and making seating suggestions that are outside of the fire codes.  I explain the reservation situation and she is not moved.  She wants to be seated and served. I tell her to calm down and I'll take care of everything. As she continues to point and demand I try to ignore her as I handle those on the waiting list and those with reservations arriving to be seated.

She is relentless and finally I throw up my arms and tell her again that the wait is 30 minutes.  Does she want to give me her name or go elsewhere. She is indignant, puffing herself up like an old hen, but finally gives me her name.  However, though her party goes out to sit on a bench, she remains - arms folded, eyes shooting daggers in my direction -  as she watches all those tables she wanted fill up. She is not having a pleasant time. She tries to interrupt me pointing to yet another empty table.  She just doesn't get it.

Meanwhile, servers were asked to come in early so the private dining room could be opened. Minutes later as I tell her we could seat her party, she bolts through the doors (almost knocking down incoming customers.)  She doesn't care.  As I led the party to a fine table and explained the menus, she stood, arms folded, as the rest of the party sat down.  She was not done.

"I want you to know that I am not happy that you were rude to me in front of my family." There were 3 other large parties already in the room, and she was playing to an audience. I asked how she thought my behavior rude.  She clucked her tongue and said that I had embarrassed her in front of her children.  I looked at the others seated and realized that they wanted to crawl into a hole and pretend they didn't know her. "No," I said, "if anyone is embarrassed at this table it is due to your behavior, not mine. If anything, you have shown your children how not to behave in public." I thought my response a bit harsh and that she would leave. She bristled, but made no move to leave.  "Well, what do you have to say for all this?" she asked.  She is beet red at this point and wants some sort of apology.  You know, the customer is always right.  Wrong. She ain't gonna get it.

"It seems clear to me at this point that you've made a fool of yourself, not only in front of your family, but the others in this dining room who don't give a fig for your attitude, either." I looked into her eyes and said in the most calm tone I could muster,  "If you choose to dine here again, you will be gracious and allow me to do my job unhindered by your hysterical, bullying nonsense. Enjoy you meal."  I smiled and walked away.

About 5 minutes later, the boss was at the station with me as a woman appeared (she was part of that awful party); she leaned over to touch my shoulder and attempted to shove a $20. bill into my hand.  The boss noticed. "What's all this about."  I ignored him.  The woman said that I deserved this for putting up with her friend's rant.  I told her that these things happen at times, and I'm not one to step down.  She (still trying to force the bill into my palm) said she appreciated my handling of the situation, my kindness and patience with that woman.  Now, the boss is beside himself with curiosity and wants a full report.  I am not about to give it. The woman gives him a brief history.  I am not going to take this woman's money,  The boss intervenes saying, we'll give it to your server.  After all, he has to deal with her from now on."  The woman put the bill in his hand, smiled, and gave me a kiss on the cheek. Under her breath, so  the boss couldn't hear, she whispered, "she deserved what you gave her, and then some.  Thank you."

The boss was not satisfied and insisted on details.  I refused to give any. He was not happy.  He'll get over it. I took care of a situation to the best of my ability and there was no reason to rehash, or relive it. Who would want to do that, anyway?

And so it goes.

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Safety Dance: We Can Dance

Just what I needed today.  Great fun tribute to dance in Hollywood films.



More later.
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Memorial Weekend: Drained and Over It.

There is not much to add to the title.   Yes, by any standards this was the best Memorial weekend in years. Mainly due to the misfortune of those areas still to recover from Hurricane Sandy last year. There were many more visitors from NY and NJ this weekend.  They seemed puzzled by the tiny size of RB: the short boardwalk, and small arcade and Funland rides.

Still, records were broken by many stores and restaurants over the past 4 days, so aside from myself - and other worker bees - the world is a happy place. Since Thursday I have logged more than 40 hours on the job. The usual is about 24 -26, tops. But, it was all good.

Sadly, I never did connect with the bloggers visiting for the holiday weekend. I hope they had a great time and very sorry I couldn't catch up and enjoy some down time with them. I sent a text message to Sassy Bear asking about any plans. I didn't receive a reply and that turned out to be just as well. It was so busy at the restaurant that I remained on site until rather late, which would have made it impossible to be a part of whatever plans, if any, were made. I just hope they enjoyed their visit and not put off by the madness that is summer at the beach.

Gratefully, today was a bit more low key with slightly less than 200 diners served  at lunch. My relief was a no-show (he was stuck in traffic having driven visiting family members to Phila Int'l Airport in the morning.) Poor guy. I was on auto-pilot for the last 3 hours on the job tonight.

Physically drained - have the bruises to prove it - and emotionally I just feel like so many nerve endings short circuiting all at once. If you could listen to my heart right now, you'd probably hear something like rice crispies - snap, crackle and pop - with no audible heartbeat to speak of.

The place was filling up again, so I didn't stay for my after shift drink. Walked home in quiet, peaceful surroundings and about to prepare a few olives for the evening. I am not hungry nor in the mood to prepare some dazzling recipe, anyway. Maybe after I come down, a bit of cheese and small salad would fill the bill.

I look forward to my one day off tomorrow. Errands to run, but by afternoon it will be chill-time around these parts.

The next book on the Kindle is "Slaughter House Five" which I haven't read in many years.  I hope I am up to the challenge.

And so it goes.
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Memorial Weekend: Two Down - Two to Go.

Yesterday was very busy, or so I thought, but today brought in twice the crazy and in spades. The weather was no help. Cold, windy, and while sunny, it was not a beach day.  They had to go somewhere, if you get my drift. My entire body is whimpering from the long day of handling the extremely high volume of daytime diners.  We served over 300 today alone. It wouldn't surprise me if they served double that tonight.  Seriously.

Two bartenders, double kitchen staff, a full compliment of servers, the GM, the bosses, and me did (I think) a miraculous job keeping things running smoothly. Chaos and disorder were held at bay, at least today.  Who knows what's in store for the evening, I dare not venture a guess.  At least I am not part of that.

Sassy Bear, his Honey and Ron (Retired in Delaware) showed up mid-afternoon at the height of the madness when we had a waiting list 2 pages long for tables in the dining room.  ( I warned Ron in advance about the tourists and traffic - not 2 of his faves, but he didn't listen.) They found themselves a table at the hi-tops in the bar and I had only a brief few seconds with them, damn it!  Sassy had sent a few texts about this evening's loose plans, but I was so busy I didn't have time to read any til I was wobbling home at 5:30, yes, almost 2 hours past my usual shift time.

I am too beat to join them tonight - I would be no fun.  So I sent a text asking that we meet for drinks/dinner tomorrow after my shift; I really want to see everyone and have a little personal time for myself. Tonight and tomorrow were both options, but I don't know their schedule.  They're staying with Mark (Tales of the Sissy) in Lewes (I'd love to see him and his honey, too.) so I am hoping that Sassy can come up with a solution. Of course, his most famous solution involves Vodka and is called a Cosmopolitan. Stay tuned.

Speaking of work, Sunday looks to be a duplicate of today, while Monday is usually a busy lunch tapering off by 7 or 8 pm as the weekenders head home to await the end of the school year. I will be grateful for the day of rest on Tuesday.

And so it goes.
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Scrabble Caturday

Best thing for a day like this one.

More later.
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Weather I'm Right, Whether I'm Wrong...

I think I can safely say that this Winter/Spring weather has been f**king nuts! The kickoff of the holiday weekend was anything but what was forecast.  Temps didn't get above 55'F and the winds blew at a constant 25mph - all day.  It made traveling to the beaches a slow and tedious journey.

It didn't have an adverse effect here in Rehoboth; the regulars and tourists came as expected. We served more than 200 at lunch today and reservations are closed through Monday.

I believe that folks just felt the need to get away from where ever, get to the beach (even in dreary weather - a bad day at the beach is better than a good day anywhere else) and just chill.  That's what I experienced all day and it's bound to continue through the weekend. Sun or no Sun!  But I do hope the Sun makes an extended appearance by tomorrow.

I didn't hang around for my after-shift cocktail tonight; the bar was crowded and noisy. Met a few co-workers for Happy Hour nearby. Not loud and we had seats at the bar.  Sipped wine and munched on Crab dip with toasted French bread points, and a cheese platter while unwinding. Ran into a few regular customers there, too.  Seems the bar at DL was way too loud and crowded for them, as well. We enjoyed their company.

As luck would have it, the rain stopped briefly as I headed for home, then, as if on cue, began pouring again as I opened the door.  Oh, I had an umbrella, but believe me, that would have been of no use had I been caught in this deluge.

Home now, safe and dry. About to prepare stuffed mushrooms for supper. Will probably skip the cocktail and have another class of wine tonight, instead.

Cheers, anyway.

And so it goes.
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Incoming!!!

My stars! They've begun to arrive - already.

The amount of traffic on Route 1 (Coastal Highway)  more than doubled today. Getting an early start to the tan, partying, and summer seems to be the goal of everyone who walked through the doors of the restaurant today. I gather they are all shedding cabin fever from this most bizarre winter/spring.

Rental agents report a 30% rise in weekly rentals this year over last.  Seems the damage that Sandy left in New York and New Jersey will cause an influx of visitors from those states to Delaware. Many beaches in NJ are private or charge admission to sunbathe and swim. Not here.  In Rehoboth at least, they are also in for a real culture shock. Homophobes are not suffered gladly here. Welcome to Rehoboth Beach, where men are men and women, too!  Yes, it's still a family resort, but that means ALL families.

Never mind, we are ready for whatever comes our way. (I think I write that every year.)

The day off yesterday was less than productive - being thwarted at every turn in the hot, humid weather - so I decided not to pout or get pissy, and I took myself to an early dinner at Outback.  It was cool there, the two glasses of wine were buzz-inducing and relaxing, the Bloomin' Onion (cardiac alert!) was crispy heaven, and the filet & lobster tail with grilled asparagus was absolutely the best medicine for this tired ol' body - and mind.

Amazingly, the apartment was still cool when I arrived, so no need for the AC. Took a long shower and climbed into bed to read for about an hour.Fans moved the air around and as the outside temps went down, it was most comfortable for sleeping. Perfect ending to a less than stellar day.  But, I didn't care.  Everything will get done...eventually.

And so it goes.
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The Best Organ Solo Ever: Manzarek Live in Boston, 1970.

No words are necessary, they'd only get in the way.

I am feeling very young tonight.  Played a few "Doors" CDs and many events came back to life.

Alive with many memories of that time.

And so it goes.

R.I.P. Ray Manzarek Founding Member of The Doors

This is so sad. Ray was a true classic rock innovator of the 60s and gave The Doors their signature sound.
Some say he was the best keyboardist of the period. For me it's hard to say since they flamed out pretty early with Jim's death. But, no doubt about it, Ray was a unique and inventive musician. I loved his work.

Here's the obit from the Band's Face Book page:

Ray Manzarek, keyboardist and founding member of The Doors, passed away Monday at 3:31 p.m. EST at the age of 74 after a lengthy battle with bile duct cancer.
At the time of his passing, he was surrounded by his wife Dorothy Manzarek, and his brothers Rick and James Manczarek.Manzarek is best known for his work with The Doors who formed in 1965 when Manzarek had a chance encounter on Venice Beach with poet Jim Morrison. The Doors went on to become one of the most controversial rock acts of the 1960s, selling more than 100-million albums worldwide, and receiving 19 Gold, 14 Platinum and five multi-Platinum albums in the U.S. alone. “L.A.Woman,” “Break On Through to the Other Side,” “The End,” “Hello, I Love You,” and “Light My Fire” were just some of the band’s iconic and ground-breaking songs. After Morrison’s death in 1971, Manzarek went on to become a best-selling author, and a Grammy-nominated recording artist in his own right. In 2002, he revitalized his touring career with Doors’ guitarist and long-time collaborator, Robby Krieger.“I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of my friend and bandmate Ray Manzarek today,” said Krieger. “I’m just glad to have been able to have played Doors songs with him for the last decade. Ray was a huge part of my life and I will always miss him.”Manzarek is survived by his wife Dorothy, brothers Rick and James Manczarek, son Pablo Manzarek, Pablo’s wife Sharmin and their three children Noah, Apollo and Camille. Funeral arrangements are pending. The family asks that their privacy be respected at this difficult time.

Another genius gone.

And so it goes.

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Summer Staff: Always a Surprise

If you've visited here before, you know that I work with a veritable United Nations at the restaurant.  Every year new students arrive from just about any country that allows them to visit the US. This year is no different, though the level of proficient English speakers is a bit lower than past years.  Still, these young'uns are ready to work hard and get to know more English, and in the process get to know their co-workers.  In fact, it's been a whirlwind of 20 questions this week as many began their work schedules and training.

It's always a joy for me to meet these new folks and get to know them.  They are amazed that I attempt to learn to pronounce their names properly, just as in their own countries. It's something very important to me. They're in a strange country (in more ways than one) and many employers "Americanize" their names.  I won't do that, though the locosguys sometimes start out doing that, they eventually follow my lead and attempt to wrap their American tongues around the original version.

Example:  Miruslav is a newbie from Ukraine and has been working with us for 2 weeks. The Americanization of his name became "Marcel"  and don't ask, I have no idea why.  On his first day I asked what he was called at home (since many from these countries have at least 2 nicknames) and he smiled and said, "Miru" so I've called him Miru (Mee-Roo) from the get-go.  This weekend, the locosguys finally got the memo and are now calling him Miru, as well.  He noticed the change and gave me a wink and big smile when he first heard his proper name for the first time.

All Russian & Ukrainian staff past and present call me Waynechik.  It's a name of endearment and I treasure its use.  I am still in touch with some of them via Face Book and they always use that name when writing to me.

Now this weekend two new servers arrived.  One from Mexico, the other from Guatemala.   They are Carlos and Jorge-Solomon (he prefers Solomon so that's what he's called) and as usual, I was peppered with questions about everything - both job-related and personal - which was quite challenging. Why?  They asked if I had a wife and kids, grand-kids  etc.  Calmly and quietly I said no, and that I was a gay man.  Without missing a beat, they asked if I had a "partner" or "lover" ... now this threw me off for a few seconds until I realized these kids "got-it"  and they only wanted to know if I was happy.  

When I answered that I had been in a relationship for 30 years, they looked sad and said they were sorry (assuming that my partner had passed away) and that threw me, too.  When I corrected their assumption and explained the break-up, they became wide-eyed and almost angry. At least that's the impression they left with me. It took the better part of an hour after our shift to explain what all that meant.  They are now very protective of me.

Perhaps they think of me as a sort of father or grandfather figure. It's hard to tell since I don't know their cultures and customs regarding older people.  I call them kids here, never to their face.  They are all over 21 and good students or they wouldn't be allowed to come here for the summer.

If you're wondering why there are so few American students on our schedule it's because most American young'uns have no work ethic and in the past 5 years I've worked at the restaurant, almost every American hired was a disaster. If it was a good beach day, they almost always called in "well" and left the rest of the staff (and me) in the lurch. I think word has gotten out; this year not one American student applied for work.  

I am hungry and in need of an adult beverage, so bye!

And so it goes.

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Catmaflage Caturday

Can you see me?

Protecting one another. Great strategy. Click to embiggen.

And so it goes.
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X Caturday

Kitteh not impressed by Wolverine - or his claws.

YAWN...
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A & F Get a Brand Readjustment.

This is priceless.  All the DC queans are clones in their A & F tee-shirts here every summer.  I wonder how this will impact the brand locally.



Discrimination in any form is bad business.

And so it goes.
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Hit in the Head with a Can of Whup-Ass!

Now that I have only one day off each week (if I'm lucky) I have to cram everything that was for the past 8 months done in two days, into one, and I almost forgot how I did it last year.

Get out early and gas up the car.  It will sit at the curb all summer except for the errands run on that single day off.

Stock up on foodstuff especially if it's on sale. Mostly things that freeze well or that can be cooked in great quantities then frozen.  Also, the condiments for summer cooking that are always on sale at this time of year. Tuesdays off means that fresh veggies and fruit can be purchased at the local farmers market - also on Tuesdays.

Pick up a few bottles of wine - red and white - before the great hordes arrive in another week. A bottle of Gin, of course is also on the list.

Laundry - the worst part of the day.  The laundry room is just below the apartment, but that 10 trips back and forth is a killer. Five loads to do; three are to get all the heavy winter bed linens ready for storage tubs.

And speaking of storage, I have very little to spare, so I found a narrow three-shelf stainless steel cart on rollers.  It's 30 inches high, 24 inches long, only 8 inches wide and will fit snugly next to the refrigerator. Ordered it this morning and it should arrive in a few days.  It comes fully assembled so I won't damage my hands trying to use tools.  The cost added a whopping $5. to the price of the cart.  Small price to pay for such a luxury.

Unpacked the light spring/summer work drag and took it to the cleaners, not that it's been spring-like weather here lately, but the likelihood of the temps jumping straight up to the 90s is a real possibility, so I ought to be set for the season.  There are some items I can wash and iron myself, but others require professional attention, if you get my drift.

The restaurant re-opens for the 7-day lunch schedule tomorrow and I am to be there early to receive a repair tech coming to work on some kitchen equipment that must be done  before the kitchen staff arrives at 10 am.

For now it's back to being the old washer-woman (2 more loads to go) before I can reward myself with a tall, cold adult beverage as I relax and watch the day turn to evening.  A very productive day and I'm amazed that everything will have been accomplished. Whew!

And so it goes.
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What a Mother of a Weekend

This town (and most restaurants) rocked this weekend beginning on Friday morning and eventually ending late Sunday night. The restaurant was packed the whole time. We stopped taking reservations for Saturaday and Sunday via phone and Web on Friday at about 3 PM.  It turned into what we expect on a weekend in July or August.  Unbelievable!

Most of the parties were large, family affairs featuring grand-moms, and moms - and a few included great-grand-moms. It was amazing. Of course the locosguys out did themselves by offering every mom a free glass of wine, a house lime margarita, or a dessert.  You'd be amazed (I was) at how these old broads can knock back the booze and remain vertical and coherent.

My favourite story of the weekend involved a reservation for a party of 8 due to arrive at 3 PM Sunday afternoon.  At 10 AM I received a call from the son asking to cancel the reservation because the family had had dinner at the restaurant Saturday night; his mom got plastered and awoke with a screaming hangover Sunday morning.  He was laughing hysterically as he told the story and I began to laugh along with him. His final words were "oh, you wouldn't want to see her today."  Well, at least she had fun and something to remember, although she would probably rather forget it.  Heh!

I am tired from the long hours of those 3 days, but I am off tomorrow.  Wait!  Tomorrow is my only day off as I return on Wednesday to the seasonal schedule of 6 to 7 days at work. I have an awful lot of errands to run and chores to do in one day.  I am already exhausted and I haven't even begun to make the list.  Oy!

And so it goes.
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Music: Space Oddity

This is way too cool. Bowie's hit re-mix from Commander Chris Hadfield from the ISS. Truly out of this world.  Sorry, I had to write that.



Makes my Monday.

More later.
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Awesome Image of the Total Solar Eclipse

This is so incredibly beautiful. Click image to embiggen.

Shot by Czech photographer Miloslav Druckmüller from the Brno University of Technology, these amazing composite images capture the moon during a total solar eclipse revealing a vast solar corona. To achieve the crystal clear effect the shots are comprised from some 40+ photos taken with two different lenses. Additional clarity was achieved due to the incredibly remote location chosen to view the eclipse from, a pier just outside the Enewetak Radiological Observatory on the Marshall Islands, smack dab in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. You can see several more images from the project at Druckmüller’s website and don’t miss this much higher resolution version including some 209 stars. 
http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2013/05/composite-image-of-the-moon-taken-from-38-photos-reveals-solar-corona-during-a-total-solar-eclipse/ 
http://www.zam.fme.vutbr.cz/~druck/Eclipse/Ecl2009e/0-info.htm

And so it goes.
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Curious Caturday

It's always like this, isn't it?

More later.
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When Did You Choose to be Straight?

Watching these straight people react to being asked a question that gay people have been asked forever is pretty delightful. If only more people were this empathetic and understanding...

This video was uploaded in 2008, 5 years ago. From the description of the video at YT:

Street interviews conducted by Travis Nuckolls and Chris Baker (ilovechrisbaker.com) in Colorado Springs prove that asking the right question can be more important than anything you can tell someone.

What more can be said?  Nuttin' honey.

And so it goes.
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For Those Readers using Blogger....

Lately, I have noticed that when I post a comment on a Blogger blog, it isn't published - at all. No moderation messages, the comment just vanishes into the ether.

I don't know if it's happening to this site, too, but I do have "moderate comments" turned on. I've tried to comment on JayinVA, anne marie in philly, Retired in Delaware, & My New Life, without success.

I've sent a note to Blogger to find out if there is a problem.  Stay tuned.

And so it goes.
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Response to a Bigot's Response to Marriage Equality

These people are dumber than a box of rocks.  No offense to the rocks. This delicious smackdown is from Delaware Liberal:

They are calling for the immediate repeal of the marriage equality law, I suppose not realizing that the 12 Senators and 23 Representatives are not going to repeal a law they fought hard to get passed. And apparently not realizing that once civil rights are expanded to new groups and classes of people, they are hardly ever rolled back. Indeed, the Hate Amendment in California is the only example I can think of, and even that attempt is about to be struck down as unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Here is a rescued comment from one Ecia. I moderated her (or his) comments on the prior Marriage Equality thread because she (or he) started spamming the thread with this drivel. But I decided to highlight this comment to reveal how bigoted and stupid the opponents of equality are.
Here is her (or his) comment:

Calling For Repeal SB75:
As The State Government has completely ignored the legitimate concerns of the People of Delaware, there is an urgent call for A Special Election to REPEAL SB75 or to do something to correct this unjust law that Desecrates God’s Word.

Let me stop you there. The General Assembly ignored your bigotry. They did not ignore the legitimate concerns of the People of Delaware. To the contrary, they addressed a very legitimate concern: equality for all. What is it with conservatives thinking they always speak for all the people of the state or country. And they loudly pronounce that they are speaking for all the people and all the people agree with them. They doth protest too much. They know their minority and bigoted views are not shared by the majority anymore and it scares the living shit out of them, so they have to scream louder that they do speak for all, I guess thinking that if you shout a lie loud enough and often enough it turns out to be true. But I digress…
Second, a special election? Did a Representative or Senator die or resign? No. So there can be no special election. But Ecia is talking about a referendum here. Thankfully, we don’t have referenda in Delaware. Not because I fear losing a referendum. In fact, the forces of good and equality would win such a vote. I just don’t think it is right to have a vote on someone’s rights. How would you like it Ecia if we voted on whether you could get married to the one you loved?

“A just law is a man-made code that squares with moral law or God’s law” If necessary, I am prepared to go to jail before complying with any law that so blatantly desecrates the most sacred gift from God, The Institute of Marriage.

Unless you are a Clerk of the Peace, as a citizen this law does nothing to you. It does not force you to comply with anything. You do not have to become gay married now. You do not have to become gay now. You even don’t have to stop hating gays now. But I guess because you are such a hateful evil bigot you are incensed that gays get to get married and live happily and be accepted in society now, and your living with that fact without doing something to stop it is “compliance” in your book. So go ahead. Do something stupid and violent. Get thrown in jail. Your incarceration will please me greatly.

Thankfully, these folks are dying off.  

Go and read the rest HERE. Some of the comments are quite funny, too.

And so it goes.

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Techie Success! Well Kinda, Sorta

I have been unable to get the (now, twice revived) PC to recognize the printer drivers, trying everything I knew to make it happen.  It's been a long time since I've been able to print anything. So today, I took a different tack.  Searched for any file remotely resembling a printer driver file and (depending on the date) deleted those most recent files.  Now, if you know MS Windows, you know that the fucking OS stores files in many places, and some are obscure, even unknown,  to the average user. Don't ask me why.

Being far from a techie geek, I made one last ditch effort to download the driver files and get the printer working again. Although the new driver is a generic one for all of this series of printers, I got it to work. I am back in the printing business and so far, no problems with the driver on my model.  No errors or bizarre characters appearing.  Just great, solid text.  That's all I wanted, anyway.

Of course, there's still the issue of the OS recognizing my programs that were functioning before the heart attack.  Stranger things have happened. So, for now, no Photoshop, Pagemaker, or Paint Shop Pro, but MS Office is working fine.  Well, of course it is,  silly - it's from Microsoft.

Have I mentioned how much I loathe Microsoft?  Oh, I did? Never mind. The only version of Windows that ran without a hiccup was Windows95. The plug and play was without a doubt the best thing about it, especially considering MS past and present. What went wrong?  Dunno and don't care.

It's time to set out on a search for a new computer as I start my 6 or 7 day work schedule next week. If this tired ol' body doesn't fall apart, I hope to put aside enough for a holiday (not enough for the Alaska cruise) and a new computer.  Probably will be a Mac. Yes, I hear the learning curve is steep, but those who make the journey never look back.  Besides, from what I hear and read, Windows 8 is a disaster and all new PCs come with 8 pre-installed. Sounds like a rerun of the MS Vista nightmare.  Oh Bitch, please!

It's been raining all day, so all the indoor chores are done - and the additional success with the printer - I am feeling pretty good.

Well, it's 5 o'clock somewhere and I smell olives. Cheers!

And so it goes.
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Delaware is Now a Marriage Equality State.

MARRIAGE EQUALITY IS THE LAW

May 7th, 2013 • Related • Filed Under

By Delaware Dem

The Delaware Senate has just passed HB 75, the Marriage Equality bill, 12 to 9. The vote went as we expected, with Senator Hall Long deciding at the last minute to vote yes. Thank you to her. I know I and others have been tough on her, and I know her vote was not needed and so she could have skipped it or not voted, but she stood up and voted to be on the right side of history. And thank you to Senators Blevins, Bushweller, Cloutier, Henry, Townsend, Peterson, Marshall, McDowell, McBride, Poore and Sokola for your votes today. We will have your back.

Just right of center, my Rep. Pete Schwarzkopf and to his left Gov. Jack Markell.

I couldn't be more proud of my state today. Pete has been an ally and friend for years and Jack threw himself into the equality debate even before running for office as governor.

And so it goes.

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No "Month of May - Pic of the Day"

A little something else, perhaps.  I've been swamped with work since the beginning of the month - what with the three-day Cinco de Mayopalooza and the crappy weather here, and all - so to make up for my tardiness, here are a few recent shots taken in the past week.  (Click to embiggen any image.) I usually have a Canon point-n-shoot camera in my bag where ever I go.  Something I learned from Ron (the dear) years ago.  Enjoy.

New construction by the lake.

On the bar while decorating for the holiday weekend.

The decorated Dining Room ready for the festivities.

Day 2 at the construction site. Lovely stone walk and some other structure going on.

After shift Martini, dontcha know!

Followed by a Grande Golden Margarita while awaiting the guys below.

Yes, Alaskan King Crab Legs - our Friday special.

Day 3 - Finished addition features a cute little pergula, I hope a bench or two will be forthcoming.

The poor little auto - covered in tree pollen.  Yes, it is a blue auto.

So, yeah, it's been quite a busy week.  The crab legs are one of my fave dishes at the restaurant. They're half-price on Fridays and I get my employee discount, so what's not to love. It's been months since I had them. Well worth the wait. The automobile shot was taken yesterday morning before work. As you can see, it had begun to drizzle leaving streaks in the coating of pollen.

Now that I've posted these shots, I just might have one myself.  No, no, the other kind. 

A Fine Way to Treat a Steinway!

I am mystified by the fact that I have to visit the site of  a British newspaper to get this kind of information. I suppose Honey-boo-boo, the latest celebrity bitch fights, Lindsey Lohan, and the marathon  bomber's wife are more important than salvaging one of America's Music Treasures. From the Daily Mail:

A white Steinway grand piano salvaged from musician Fats Domino's home after Hurricane Katrina has had its classic looks restored and will be the centerpiece of an exhibit in New Orleans' French Quarter.The piano was damaged after water poured through a broken levee during the August 2005 storm, flooding Domino's home in the Lower 9th Ward. Its restoration came through $30,000 donated to the Louisiana Museum Foundation.
The largest gift of $18,000 came from Allan Slaight, a retired music producer in Miami. Other donations came from Sir Paul McCartney, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Tipitina's Foundation.Greg Lambousy, director of collections for the Louisiana State Museum, described the restoration of Domino's piano as "painstaking" and a years-long process.‘It was in really bad shape,’ he said. ‘It had been submerged in water for weeks.’

 There are great pics at the link HERE, including a great shot of Fats in his prime, sitting at this very piano. Check it out.

And so it goes.
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Cinco de Mayo Withdrawal

At least for me it is over.  Served 256 diners at lunch yesterday and another 230 today. I am glad to be home and resting up after these last 3 days of fun and debauchery.  The restaurant broke records this year and everyone, and I mean EVERYONE was in a happy mood.

The weather was colder than expected, but a good time was had by all.  I had a great time wearing funny hats and chatting with regulars and newcomers alike.  Now my voice is shot and I am exhausted. Still, very pleased, none the less.

More later.
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Uncomfortable Caturday

Cat people can quite easily relate to this situation. Cats & boxes = perfect together. I'm still laughing.

More later.

Cinco de Mayo Weekend

Hola! The festive holiday weekend began today and I've been up to my cojones in early revelers   Believe me, they got an early start and with all the specials the locosguys threw out there, it's going to be quite a weekend.

I was pressed into service for an extra hour due to the volume of customers and those with reservations already made weeks ago. Yes, this holiday is that big. I had 8 servers on at lunch today and I could have used 2 more.  That's how coo-coo-roo-coo-coo paloma things were. They started pulling on the door a half-hour before we open. I mean, we're very visible from the windows as we vacuum and mop the floors and get the tables setup, but that didn't dissuade them one bit.  They wanted IN, period. We finally opened (when the floors were dry) 10 minutes early and it was pandemonium  from then on. I stopped taking reservations for the rest of the weekend by 1 PM today.

Unbelievable!  Really.

As I left the building at around 5:20, I toyed with the idea of having a festive cocktail at a Happy Hour someplace nearby, but quickly rethought that one when I saw the traffic on the tiny avenue. No matter where I chose to go it would not have been a relaxing, quiet environment, so I just walked home instead.  A wise decision, to be sure. Quiet here with a festive cocktail in hand as I prepare supper.  Oven fried chicken with snow peas and a salad are on the gay agenda this evening.

Before heading to work in the morning, I have to make a run for my Bombay Sapphire Gin. I am almost out and that's not acceptable in this home. Tomorrow promises to be even crazier than today, even at lunch.  I have 8 servers on again and double the kitchen staff, so all should run as smooth as glass.  But, we all know that can change in a heartbeat. I'll probably have to hang up on rude people who will be pissed that we cannot accept anymore reservations.  I'm used to that, and it's even fun sometimes. My bad.

And so it goes.
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Memories of Bloggerpalooza: A Marvelous Party

I started putting this together right after the bloggerpalooza back in March, but with the PC crashes and much electronic drama, I am only getting to post it now.  Brace yourselves.  If you don't know the original song, I feel better.  If you do, please be gentle with me.

With apologies to Sir Noel Coward. He may just strike me dead for this:

I went to a marvelous party With Cubby and Java and Spo
It was in the fresh air and we went as we were
And we stayed as we were for the show.
Jay started talking at daybreak and didn't stop talking til four.
We knew the excitement was bound not to bore
when Sassy got blind on Cosmos & more. And scratched his veneer
like a cheap common queer - I couldn't have liked it more!
I've been to a marvelous party. We played some wonderful games.
Anne Marie disappeared and returned in a hat we all had to guess "who is that".
Someone arrived wearing armour, shells and a black feather boa.
He must have been warm in that armour for soon he had opened the door.
Poor Mark wore a surrealist comb, made of bits of from St Peters in Rome
but the weight was ungodly almost ruined his photography - well I couldn't have liked it more..
I've been to a marvelous party. I must say the fun was intense.
We all had to do what the people we knew might be doing 100 years hence.
We talked of growing old gracefully and Ron, who's 70, and more out of brevity
said if you're supple you're not such a bore then before we could laugh or sneer
he swung upside down from a large chandelier - and I couldn't have liked it more..
It was the most wonderous excitement, I've never seen such carrying on
it couldn't occur anywhere but Delaware it was most peculiar.. one had to stare.
You know people's persona who's from Arizona would make you quite shocked and aghast.
So much variety watching society scampering happily past.
You know if you had any mind at all, Gibbons divine 'Decline and Fall'
well it sounds pretty flimsy no more than a whimsy by way of contrast on Saturday last.
I went to a marvelous party we didn't sit down until six.
The food was so tasty, a few got too hasty and ate til they almost felt sick. And I couldn't have liked it more..
I've been to a marvelous party -
Ron made an entrance quite Gay. With bags that were part of the play.
You'd never have guessed as he set up the rest that his brain had been whittled away.
Fred almost got fried on some wine and talked about esprit de corps.
 Everyone filled up their glasses And saluted ourselves as they clinked
We meeting this way made us all want to stay and enjoy some more talk and more drink.
We made our retreat back up to the suite enjoying great fun that would never be done
But done we were as the Cajun did stir wrenching his back and twisted his truss
he hated to go but knew that he must - HA HA! I couldn't have liked it more!

I think I hear the earth moving.  Please, Sir Noel, I meant no disrespect...

And so it goes.
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Holly Near: "I Ain't Afraid"

I slipped her "Edge" CD into the car  player yesterday, as I ran an errand before work (it's a great CD, BTW) and when this track began I had to pull over and listen.  I remember seeing Holly perform this at a conference I attended in Toronto back in July 2001, 2 months before the 911 attack. She even signed my copy of the CD. This is the cleanest video I could find on YT.  Enjoy.



And so it goes.
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