Not a huge amount to report about Monday, anyhow. We were awakened at 6:30am by a call from my dentist office, reminding me about next week's appointment. Geez, lady, when Don told you a few days ago that we were out west, did you not think about the time change?!? Ugh...
I am the master of falling back asleep. Don, not so much... When the alarm went off, he wasn't in bed. A few snooze buttons later, and I realized he was nowhere to be seen, either. Saw, finally, a note on my laptop that he'd gone back to 23 Main Street for breakfast with his laptop. I had just sent him an e-mail to ask him to bring me a coffee and a treat (remember those coffee-in-the-morning wedding vows?), when he came in the door. Empty Handed. So much for the wedding vows...
We packed up the car, checked out of Capone's Hideaway, and found the Starbucks. Where I bought the coffee. Hmmm... maybe I should take the same kind of liberties with the whole "forsaking all others" part?!?
And yes, this man was about to be stuck in a car with me for seven hours. Foresight was never Don's forte...
And so, Mr. & Mrs. Grumpyputz made the journey from Moose Jaw to Winnipeg. Descriptions eliminated so as not to upset small children or other mortals. Started with Don driving, me working. Then me driving, Don sleeping. Then me driving, Don playing Solitaire. Then Mrs. Grumpyputz having a bit of a snarkyfit. Then Don driving, me working. Then Don driving, me navigating us in to Winnipeg.
We got to Sam & Susan's place pretty much on schedule -- we had been running early, but construction on the way in had slowed us down at the very end. It was yet another glorious evening. The front door was open, so we loaded in our stuff and called our hello-s. Silence. Hmm... We heard running water -- maybe they were in the shower? Nope, that was the dishwasher. Maybe they'd been kidnapped by aliens or those guys in the purple-blue shirts (long story -- see below)? Maybe they'd heard about the snarkyfit and were hiding?
I looked out the back window and saw the top of Susan's head down by the water. We made our way down the lawn and found both of them back there, enjoying some rye & gingers and watching the water. Susan sat me down in one of their new "gravity chairs", and Sam sent Don to get us our rye & gingers. Balance was restored. :-)
OK, the story of the purple-blue shirts: When we were staying at Sam & Susan's on our way west last month, Don was walking back to the house after getting his nails done, when an older guy on a bicycle asked if he could speak to him for a moment? He pointed to Don's shirt, and said "I just wanted to say that I know about all you guys with the purpley-blue shirts. I just wanted you to know that I'm aware of what you're doing, and even though it's top secret I think it's a really good thing you're doing it, and I support what you're doing. I'd really like to help you out, but I have some things to do first, you know, I have some mental health issues I have to sort out first, but I wanted you to know that I'm totally in agreement with what you're doing, and I thank you guys for doing what you're doing." [Whatever that is.] Don said "thank you very much, I appreciate your support," and off he went.
So, back to Monday...
Rye and gingers finished -- well, actually, I had been sipping daintily, but was ordered to "chug", because people were hungry ;-) -- we got ready to head out. We'd offered to take Sam and Susan out for dinner, to thank them for putting up with us yet again. A discussion ensued (we aren't the only ones!): Sam wanted to go to Colosseo, Susan to Civita. Sam was driving, so he appeared to be winning...
But, once the parking spot was found, we had to walk by Civita first. The menu was looking pretty darned good, so we decided to head there. It was fairly quiet, being a Monday, and there was only one water on staff -- she somehow covered TWO patios and the inside dining room, where we ended up. Sam said if we were getting dinner, they'd get the wine, and ordered a litre of Fat Bastard -- I think, just so he could say "Fat Bastard" and get away with it. :-)
Unfortunately, Susan had already had a large lunch, but the rest of us went to town. :-) Don started with a prawn cocktail -- the prawns were bigger than his fist! -- I had a spinach salad, and Sam had bison chili, which he shared with Susan. For main course, Don went for ribs, I had a sweet potato ravioli with smoked cheddar sauce -- decadence! -- Susan had mussels in garlic and white wine sauce with yam frites, and Sam had the pulled lamb (so many jokes, so little time...) and fettuccini special. All amazingly delicious. The waiter had brought Don the wrong prawn appetizer (there were two, but he didn't care, he just took what she brought), AND she'd overheard it was his birthday, so she offered him dessert on the house. He picked the chocolate lava cake and two forks, and Sam and Susan had hazlnut torte and two forks.
We definitely needed the walk back to the car.
And when we got home, we still needed a walk -- more like a waddle. So we took a waddling tour of the neighbourhood, before coming back to crash into the kitchen chairs and moan a little. :-)
Sam and Susan had an early morning the next day -- you know, that whole working a real job thing -- so headed to bed, with us not too far behind.
Zzzzz...
Musically -- even when asleep,
Alyssa
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