Chilly Brunch for Mom

I may not have slept super soundly, but the fact that I didn't have but one drink and got to bed at a reasonable hour, helped ensure that I woke feeling much, much better. I woke initially around 615am and even considered getting up, but somehow I managed to fall back asleep for another hour. Headed downstairs around 715am.

Downstairs, I quickly started a pot of coffee then gazed out at the weather. Despite brilliant sunshine, it was downright cold - only 38 degrees. Still, I was very happy to see the sunshine. I played around online while waiting on the coffee to brew. It wasn't long, maybe ten minutes.

I played around online for about an hour before heading out for a run. I dressed warmly but skipped hand and ear covers. My hands were a little cold initially but warmed quickly from body heat. Like most Sunday's, I ran three miles.

Back at the house, I poured Mindy some coffee then delivered it to her bedside. After setting her coffee on the night stand, I wished her a happy Mother's Day. She was up and downstairs about 15 minutes later. She asked if it was warm enough for coffee on the deck. I didn't think so, only 38 degrees, but we headed out anyway, albeit briefly.

I asked what time we needed to leave for brunch at CBC. Mindy suggested 1115am. By then it was already 10am and time for Jacob to get home from Josh's house. Josh hosted an impromptu sleepover after malling the evening before. to get in the shower. Mindy showered first, then me, then Bella. Jacob shower in there somewhere too. I asked Mindy if she wanted to wait and open her Mother's Day gifts later, after brunch and a stop at her Mother's. Nope, she wanted to open them right then.

Between the kids and I, we got her a couple cute cards, a bike helmet, a squirrel proof bird feeder along with a large bag of thistle seed. Bella wrote her a very sweet letter, too. Bella told me it made her teacher cry. We left for CBC just after 11am driving the Accord. Mindy put Gloria's Mother's Day gifts in the car so we could head there directly from brunch.

CBC only started serving brunch the weekend prior, so this was new for them as it was for us. I guessed that it wouldn't be largely attended. I was wrong. The place was near capacity. Wow! Still, we had a reservation and we were quickly guided to our table. Tara Paige was our server. She said we were on the reservation books as VIPs. How cool is that?

Mindy & I started with Mimosa's. The kids orange juice served in pint glasses. We ordered some calamari as an appetizer which came fairly promptly. Good thing, too. All of us complained of being extra hungry. So far that weekend, I hadn't eaten much at all.

The calamari was good but not that filling. We ordered our brunch entrees next. Jacob and I ordered the huevos rancheros. Bella, a Belgium waffle, and Mindy scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes and biscuits. She ordered a 2nd mimosa too. Lots of time passed, probably 45-50 minutes, but still no food. Hmm? And then a couple guests that came in after us were already leaving after eating. That's when we guessed that something was amiss.

Tara Paige looked a little stressed when she went to the servers window and didn't see our food. Soon, Jamie the manager came by to share that they somehow misplaced our food ticket. She said the good news was that our meal would be fully comp'd. Wow! That certainly wasn't necessary, but very much appreciated. Jamie insisted she have another mimosa while waiting. Why not? I was driving. Our food ordered were out 5-10 minutes later. By then we were really hungry and we all woofed down our meals. Mindy shared her bacon and sausage. I was craving the protein.

As always, the food was delicious. Mindy ordered their freshly made keylime pie for everybody to share. I abstained. She and the kids dug in. We flagged Tara Paige down to insist that she give us a tab so we could easily tip her. She said there wouldn't be one. I didn't have cash so I had no real way to tip her without a bill. Mindy had plenty of cash and willing parted with $30 for a healthy tip. How's that for Mother's Day brunch? I didn't spend a dime!

Mindy phoned her mom soon after we left CBC. Told Gloria that we were about 10 minutes away. Made good time arriving near 1pm. Not only was it Mother's Day, but Gloria was celebrating favorite son, Todd's birthday that afternoon too, but all the others weren't expected to show up until much later. We were the only ones there.

Gloria was in good spirits and actually pleasant. We presented her with gifts, one I needed to put together - a solar powered multi-colored poppy landscape light. We quickly debated the best place to put it in her landscape where she was sure to get a glimpse of nightly. We agreed to place it along the fence bordering neighbor Paul's place. We tested it inside before Jacob and I took it outdoors.

Jacob and I were outside only briefly before heading back inside. We didn't stay too much longer, maybe another 15-20 minutes. We were home near 2pm. The kids quickly ran off to play and I headed upstairs to change into attire more suitable for working in the yard. My plan was to plant more flowers then also cut the lawn. I invited Mindy out to help with the planting. But by the time she joined in the fun almost all the planting was complete. I think she was inside doing laundry.

I was pissed when I discovered that our tropical planters were nipped during the overnight Saturday even though the temp didn't get much lower than 38 degrees Both the mini-hibiscus and sweet potato vines were shriveled up. I didn't think they were destroyed so I moved the planters so they could receive more of the afternoon sunshine. Still, I was frustrated that I just planted these on Friday when it was 80 degrees an now we get this cold snap. Just my luck.

We planned to enjoy the late afternoon with the neighbors, Kenny & Chrissy, who were hosting a Mother's Day cookout. Around 3pm I finally got started on the lawn. It was partly sunny, chilly and breezy. Looking at the bright side, the cooler temps made push mowing that much more tolerable. Took about an hour to cut the front and then the hilly side of the back. By then, Mindy was ready to walk down to the neighbors. It was near 430pm. I planned to finish the lawn chores before joining them.

Took about 15-20 minutes to tractor cut. And I didn't bother edging or whacking. After putting away the mowers as well as my planting gear, it was after 5pm. I headed inside to freshen up. Before walking down to the neighbors I grabbed two beers from the garage fridge - a White Rajah and a Southern Tier XXIPA.

Kenny & Guy were watching the end of the golf tournament. Tiger Woods was leading but by only one stroke. Kenny always roots against him. I greeted and extended a warm Happy Mother's Day hug to all the mom's then made a plate of food. Most of the others had already eaten. I ate the other half of Mindy's burger as well as a few chips. Not a whole lot.

Tiger Woods won the golf tournament more because all the others that were close failed to make key shots over the last couple of holes. After the scoriae, there was a sink full of dishes. Without saying anything, I started washing them, saving Chrissy the trouble. Actually though, she started drying soon after I started washing. We hung with the neighbors until 730-8pm. Jacob never did join us. Said he wasn't hungry.

Later, when Mindy talked with him she learned that he and his girl friend broke up. We think it had something to do with him being at the mall with other school peeps. including another girl while she was grounded. In fact, Mindy said he was crying in his room. About 30 minutes later I went up to check on him and talk. He didn't really want to talk, so I simply told him that it would all be OK.

After Saturday night's cold temps and a forecast promising more of the same Sunday, I decided to push the large deck pots already suffering into the kitchen for the overnight and then cover the others with bed sheets. Exposing them to the afternoon sun was already having a visible positive impact. That made me happy. I figured a night or two inside was just what the doctor ordered.

Once the plants were inside, I decided to call it an early night and headed to bed. It wasn't even 930pm but I was very tired.