The Russell Ranch

Mark 'n Di

Mark 'n Di

Friday, January 15, 2010

Coffee * Tea * and Mom

Ahhh ~ don't you just love Fridays?

My house guests had a very early start today ~ leaving the house @ 6:30 a.m. and not returning 'til after 3:00p.m. I did not get up with them, but Mark did (bless him!) and they followed him to Moffitt, where Miss Peggy saw the physician and had some tests done and got some plans laid for treatment of her disease.

My day started with a lovely, leisurely cup of coffee (with liquid pumpkin spice creamer)and a look at the "to do" list. Library, post office, grocery store, pick up Mom, go to lunch, gather the "stuff" for the sing tonight....

The library was the first stop ~ and there were no cars in the parking lot! Wait! Did I miss Friday? Was I working on the wrong "to do" list??? Let's see what the sign says on the door... "All Hillsborough County Public Libraries closed today due to budget restraints. All employees are off without pay." Well, isn't that hunky-dory? They then listed a Friday each month that the same process would be followed. Hmmmm. Well, since I had no overdue books and part of the reason for going to the library was to GET more books, I went on my merry way to the post office. THAT was open, so the card got mailed.

Now to the grocery store. Can you ever go the store and get ONLY the things on your list? I find it nearly impossible! However I did get everything on my list, plus a few more items that "should have" been on my list. *wink*

On to pick up Mom. We loaded her things in the car and went to lunch. She suggested a new little place in Zephyrhills, called "Two Minutes." It is owned by a Tibetan monk, who left the monestary and went into business. He had a restaurant just out of town on State Route 54, and CVS wanted his property, so bought him out for a pretty penny. Now he has this little place in town ~ and on Fridays he has an "all you can eat fish" special. The fish is Alaska polluck, which is a north Pacific species of the cod family. Aren't you glad I've done my research? And it was quite tasty! And his little place of business was packed to the gills and the waiting line was out the door! I think the little Tibetan monk has done well for himself...although I'm sure the people in line waited more than "Two Minutes."

Mom and I headed out for the sing at the Smalley's Italian Wagon around 6:45. Mark suggested that I travel some back roads to Seffner, since the highways were backed up with traffic due to construction, and just Friday night volume...so here we go, in the dark, on a new venture, which Penelope (my GPS) knows nothing about. You must understand that I am VERY directionally challenged, so this could be interesting. The first turn I make was the wrong way ~ okay, who's surprised? I call Mark and he's not answering his phone. I really need to make him understand that when I call, he is to answer! So I call again, and he answers! I find out that I have turned the wrong way (my first clue was not seeing anything familiar) and get turned around and head in the right direction. Next turn is only supposed to be a "dog-leg" turn ~ you know, right then left then right again in rapid succession, but I missed the last half of the dog-leg. Turn around again and then I'm home free. Oh yeah? Well, I make the next two turns correctly, then call Mark again (and he answered!), and asked which way to turn when I get to the street the Italian Wagon is on. He says right ~ I turn right and get to the Interstate, which is what I was trying to avoid, so was I going in the right direction? I called Mark again ~ no answer. Three times ~ no answer. Well, I just know it's not the right direction, so I turn around and head back the other way, and sho 'nuf ~ I find the Italian Wagon. THIS has not been a happy trip ~ and I'm supposed to sing and smile all the rest of the evening. I'm just sayin'...

We are now safe and sound back home ~ I came right up I-75 and made it without a hitch. Sleepy Time Tea hits the spot...and soothes us to sleep. Mark is still not home ~ wonder if he turned right ~ or should that have been left? I'm not gonna answer the phone. (hehehe)

Friday is coming to an end for the
Russells at Richmond Place

1 comment:

  1. Cute pun, Mom, the restaurant that was stuffed to the gills was serving fish. :) Sometimes I wonder if bumper to bumper traffic on the beaten path is better and less time consuming than getting lost. Just wondering...

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