Spring is a great time to try new adventures. Things I’d thought impossible are now routine, such as a morning drive 45 minutes west to meet up with girlfriends for lunch. I can hardly believe these gals have been my besties for eight years now. Time moves on. VST and I became Nevadans in May 2014 when we purchased The Dun Movin’ House in Virginia City.
The girls and I chose a favorite upscale chain restaurant in which we all vowed to eat our factory-produced cheesecake first. Only one of us stuck to that promise, and it wasn’t me. I went for their signature chopped salad. Such a disappointment all the way around. This lovely, lovely building sat empty at 11:45. A restaurant that was once sold out every day at lunch and dinner. The booths and bar sat empty and waiting. With only a handful of customers inside, one would think we we’d have the best meal and service ever.
Wrong.
Our waitress was having a rotten day, and the restaurant had barely opened. Miss Happy snarled at us when we weren’t quite ready to order. The menu at this place is pages long, with delicious and exotic choices. That’s part of the fun of eating there. The menu. We weren’t shaping up to be a good team, this waitress and her three girly customers.
“I suppose you want bread and butter with your meal?” the waitress snarled with attitude. Alrighty then. Yes, we certainly did.
Nearly throwing the stale bread on the table, she snapped again.
“What’ll it be?”
Now, we WERE dining in a cow-town. But, couldn’t this beautiful restaurant with blown glass lights and polished marble floors do better than this woman. Surely they could. But, with empty booths all around, maybe not. What is with the lack of help these days? Where are the college students with their big loans that need re-paying?????? I’m not feeling too sorry for those that aren’t working three jobs while paying off their very real debts. Nobody rides for free. Well, silly me. Maybe that’s just not true anymore. I, like many of you, certainly remember filling every college day with work and studying. Not much time for naval examination.
We each ordered meals that collectively cost $77.00. For lunch. For that amount, we had two salads, a tiny cup of soup, stale bread, two cups of tea, a cup of coffee, and one piece of cheesecake. The haphazard presentation of the food went along with our waitress, Diner Dolly. How sad that even the experience of having a nice lunch out is no longer something special. Next time, we’ll bring bag lunches and sit by the river for lunch. With everything being so expensive, we could prepare and enjoy a much better lunch for the $$$.
The girls filled me in on the gossip of my old home town, Virginia City. Yes. People really live nice quiet lives above the craziness of “C” Street. I’ve never missed moving off Mt. Davidson with it’s dangerous blizzards and wild tourists. Two million people a year visit one tiny part of “C” Street. The dusty wide spot in the road that I now call home is much more fitting for me. If I have one walker a day go by my house, it’s a busy one.
In Virginia City, any reason could be good enough for a parade through town in which Highway 341 would be closed for the duration. The white lines of the Highway are painted green for Saint Patrick’s Day. The state highway is the sight of the Outhouse Races, along with the Easter Pet Parade. The high school athletes climb atop the town’s firetruck and ride proudly down “C” Street after winning their state divisions with horns blaring. It’s quite a sight to see the entire football or baseball team atop a working fire truck. Nowhere else are such antics normal occurrences.
One of my friends excitedly talked about my favorite coastal town in California. It seems she and her husband will be RVing there next week in their rig. Talking about the route they’d take brought back many memories. VST and I traveled there so often, it seemed like our second home. A solo ten hour road trip to the coast is something that remains just beyond my limits for now.
After all the news had been shared, it was off to shop. The girls each had a blast buying new clothes for spring. Not finding anything for myself, I had fun watching them choose their bright colored blouses and shorts, giving them encouragement. You know what they say — “Some days you’re the windshield and some days your the bug”.
After a fun day of visiting, it was time to hit the interstate and get back to Oliver who waited patiently at home.
Stopping for a my own small Blizzard at the DQ, I smiled. The biggest little city is right there waiting for the next time I need a little retail therapy. Just a 45 minute drive away, I only need to get in the car and go.
Have a wonderful day doing whatever it is you love doing.
More tomorrow.