Tonight's picture was taken in August of 2007. I know this fountain very well. It was located at a restaurant my parents went to every Friday in Los Angeles. In fact, I even went to this restaurant when I was in high school! That is how long a connection we had with this establishment. The restaurant had an enclosed patio and Mattie preferred to sit out there because it featured this lion fountain. In fact, Mattie wanted to sit right by it! What a charming smile, what a beautiful moment in time, and how unfair that this amazing boy isn't still in my life.
Quote of the day: Women are like teabags. You never know how strong they are until they are in hot water. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
I came across tonight's quote and I absolutely love it! I love it because I am a tea fan and I think the analogy is spot on. Speaking of tea, my tea journey continues. Now that I found my very fine tea strainer, I am enjoying all the loose tea I have been gifted. Until I found this strainer, I used to get frustrated because no matter what I did, I would be drinking tea leaves in my cup! Now nothing gets through with this strainer! Seriously the difference between loose tea versus tea from a tea bag is like night and day. Yes it is a bit more work, as I have to measure out tea and clean the strainer, but since this is something I enjoy drinking, I have rationalized with myself, that YES I can take the few extra minutes in my day to brew something I would prefer to drink! I am always so worried about making others happy and meeting their needs, that mine fall through the cracks.
I did my usual Friday routine, of going grocery shopping after dropping my dad off at his memory care center. When I grocery shop, I move at a clip! I am not roaming around! I always take the smallest shopping cart, but I strategically pack it! Apparently the store employees (at the self check out area) get a kick out of me, but today, a fellow shopper stopped me. He wanted to tell me how impressed he was to see how I had things stacked/packed in the cart. Today was one of those days were I had to buy tissues in bulk as well as toilet paper in bulk. So I assure you, when I tell you I had things highly stacked, I am not kidding. Back to this fellow, he was pushing a bigger cart and I am sure in his mind he was thinking.... why is she using a small cart!? Before he could continue his line of questioning, I literally told him the small cart enables me to smartly shop, without having to push a big cart. In addition, no matter how much I plan on buying, I am going to the self check out area. I always bag my own groceries, and bigger carts don't fit in the self check area!
I have gotten to know most of the employees who monitor the self check out area! One woman, Shelly, chats with me every Friday. I have learned about her parents, her sister, and the chores she does weekly to help her parents maintain their home. Tomorrow she is going to the county dump and she told me she would be coming back next week to give me a full report of what they accepted from her clean out of part of her parent's home. I don't view my connecting with people as unique, but from what others are telling me, NOT all customers are like me.
Case in point, I took my mom to Starbuck's today for tea. I know every person who works there, including the general manager. They know that I am a full time caregiver and they observe me with my mom. I have been going to this Starbuck's since 2023, when I became separated. Back then I was completely traumatized, and I am not sure how I functioned. To make a long story short, after I order things at our Starbuck's, do you know that they hand deliver me the teas and food right to the table? This is not a service provided to most customers, but again, I have been told that everyone there loves me. The general manager and I got to talking today because I commented that the store was practically empty compared to Wednesday. Wednesday it was like standing room only! In any case, given what I was reporting to him of my observations in front of and behind the counter, he asked me..... do you want a job application? He was being funny, but he is aware of my knowledge of what goes on there from week to week. I suppose in life if all else fails, I can always work at Starbucks! After all, just like every employee there, I never sit still and I am constantly managing issues and problems.
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