Sunday Rules Shattered

I have a fairly iron clad rule that I consume no adult beverages when I have to work the next day.  I’ve enforced the rule on myself since I turned 30 years old and I no longer found getting up for work as easy when I had done so.  The Army was also singularly unforgiving with officers who were not functioning as well as they should be – I didn’t want to be one of those guys.

For every rule (well almost every) there is an exception.  Yesterday we journeyed back up to New Hampshire to finally spend some time with my Keene Friend who has been trying to corner the market on work hours since getting his new job in February.  He only gets every other Sunday off and yesterday was one of those days. 

When Buddy the Wonder Pooch heard we were going to see one of his favorite humans (he of early morning walks and endless doggie treats fame) he insisted on accompanying us.  My wife and I left a little early because she decided we needed to stop at the tax free Home Depot store and start laying in her supply of flowers (be still my heart from overwhelming joy at that prospect). 

My Wife in Action

We arrived at the huge store and since we’d been in the car for a couple hours I started looking for the rest room which of course (as with all Home Depots) was as far as geographically possible from the front door.  I arrived in semi-emergency status and was achieving relief when I noticed the long haired heavy set gentleman I observed sweeping the floor when I rushed in was in fact a cleaning lady.  I gave her my best sheepish grin and I think she made a mental note to put up a sign the next time to defend against middle aged, very focused men.

My wife spent the time first acquiring a basket load of flowers and then changing her mind which meant I had to replace all the returned items as she continued her scorched earth march through the flower section.  I just got through the check out line when she rushed up with two more flowers.  I told her she would have to wait while I loaded the first batch into the car.  When I returned to the same checkout line I noticed the two flowers had grown to six – at this point I insisted she remain with me during the rest of the check-out (escape) process.  The check out guy was amused at my restraining order.

We finally made it to my friend’s house and had to unload all the flowers again as well as a very happy Buddy.  He immediately went for my friend and was rewarded by multiple treats.  Buddy went into the cage and we headed out for lunch.  We let my wife decide where to eat and we wandered down Keene’s Main Street while she tried to remember this place she wanted to go.  All she remembered was French Fries and chicken so my friend and I were kind of baffled.  She finally gave up and said we should go to Panera (Yay! – you can never get enough saw dust in your diet). 

We were a block away from dietary doom at Panera when she gave us another clue and I said, “Do you mean – 5 Guys!?”  She agreed and asked how close we were.  Not daring to look at each other to reveal our glee my friend helped me negotiate some back streets to avoid passing by Panera and arriving at 5 Guys.  It was there we revealed there would be no chicken on the menu which she took like a good sport.  My friend and I congratulated ourselves in finessing a 5 Guys lunch instead of Panera.  While our cholesterol count took a hit I figured we saved a couple of trees by not eating at Panera.

Keene Friend at Elm City Brewery

Since my wife had a very overdue date with her long neglected friend – TJ Maxx, she dropped my friend and I off at the Elm City Brewery (talk about long neglected friends).  We occupied out normal seats at the bar just in the time for the first pitch of the Red Sox game. Our normal bar tender was not on duty but her replacement was a very nice lady with a killer smile which she employed to devastating effect.  My friend and I spent the next few hours catching up, marveling at John Lackey’s rebirth as a Sox pitcher, and nursing some really good beer downrange. 

The Smile Seen From a Distance

I was once again amazed at my wife’s capacity to shop as we were feeling no pain when I saw her walking up in a completely new outfit (TJ Maxx strikes again!) just as the Sox completed their sweep of the hapless Astros.  I fielded a call from my sister whom we had apparently called at some point in the afternoon (evils of demon alcohol) and she was good sport about our inability to remember why we called. 

My Wife (New Outfit) and Friend in Dowtown Keene

Off to execute another of our signature moves – dinner at Margarita’s in downtown Keene.  We walked in on some sort of fund raising effort and were soon ensconced at one of our usual tables.  While we were just settling down, my Keene Friend was joined by one of our high school classmates who was involved in the fund raising.  She was the most sought after and beautiful girl of our high school class and can still turn a head or two forty years later.  She and my Keene Friend dated a couple times a few years ago so his “cool meter” went off the charts of all his married friends vicariously living through him.  She departed after a while when some very concerned friends came by to rescue her.

Outside Margarita's

Dinner was awesome but the company even better.  It was readily apparent that my friend was extremely rusty in his role as my official “filter” while at Margarita’s.  My observations on the waitress’ short shorts did not go over well with certain Panamanians I am married to. I survived and as we headed home (after loading the flowers again) reflecting on a long but extremely well spent day, I was glad it had been a day for rule breaking.

My Friend Had A Birthday Cake For My Wife 2 Months After Her Birthday
Because That's How He Rolls

Buddy Getting His Licks In