Haines His Way

And the word of the day is: ONIOMANIA!

ONIOMANIA.  What I almost developed when I first discovered eBay.  I started back in 1999 before you could "watch" an auction.  You had to either bid or bookmark the specific link to keep track of it.  I don't think I should post what my very first eBay purchase was ...so I won't.

And I don't even smoke!!

I got home just in time to watch "Medium."  I recorded "Lost" and will watch it after I watch last week's episode.  After "Medium," I watched a couple of episodes of "It's All Relative" that I recorded on Logo.

It is usual to book for a Restaurant in Australia- or at least for an evening meal.  Lunch would also usually be booked if the restaurant is upmarket.
I've never seen a queue for a restaurant here. The busy weekend nights would see most of the better restuarants booked.

Lunch time eateries can be busy but there are usually alternative eateries if no table is available.  

My worst experience is really a lack of service in "Denny's" many years ago. We walked out and wrote a letter of complaint which was at least acknowledged with vouchers. (I consider the Denny's type establishment not really much more than "fast food"outlets) If a restaurant does not please me I usually will not return. I'm old fashioned enough to write a letter of complaint - and in some cases thanks - to restaurants.  We are also fortunate enough to have "middle range" eateries here - based more on the pub/bistro idea in Europe.

I can think of no situation where there would be the offer of a tip pre meal.
We've discussed the tipping concept before. Australians will only tip for service that is more than "Expected". The tips do not constitute part of the normal pay of an employee.

I can't think of a situation where my meal has been unsatisfactory.

And with that, I am off to the shower and then promptly to bed!

Another vote for very bad service at a Denny's restaurant.  I will also add the Bob Evans chain as one where we waited almost 50 minutes to be served....our orders were taken quickly, and then we were left alone.....

I don't go to either "restaurant" any more.

Good morning Gentlemen

Since my presentation was cancelled yesterday I am back to the Ford Foundation. One more day and then we are off to an island off the west coast of Florida for a week!!!

A sumptuious birthday dinner on Monday, snorkeling, biking, swimming in the private pool, looking for shells, sleeping late, reading, etc., etc., etc. all at the luxurious

Sandhurst Estate

There will be only 15 good friends celebrating a dear friend's 50th birthday.

Hoo and Ray!

Good morning, Jack, Tom, and Ben.

I'm off to do the deed.

I missed DR TOMovOZ!

Good morning DR TCB!

Cancelled?!!  Rescheduled?  I guess I missed that post yesterday.

Did I cancel something?  Or was that addressed elsewhere?

A good friend sent me this pre-Mother's Day story.  I have never heard it before, so here goes.

We had this great 10 year old cat named Jack who was a great cat. The kids would carry him around and sit on him and nothing ever bothered him. We have 3 kids and at the time of this story they were 4 years old, 3 years old and 1 year old. The middle one is Eli. Eli really loves chapstick, LOVES it. He kept asking to use my chapstick and then losing it. So finally one day I showed him where in the bathroom I keep my chapstick and how he could use it whenever he wanted to but he needed to put it right back in the drawer when he was done.  

Last year on Mother's Day, we were having the typical rush around and try to get ready for Church with everyone crying and carrying on. Everything is a mess and everyone has long forgotten that this is a wonderful day to honor me and the amazing job that is motherhood. We finally have the older one and the baby loaded in the car and I am looking for Eli. I have searched everywhere and I finally round the corner to go into the bathroom. And there was Eli. He was applying my chapstick very carefully to Jack's . . . rear end. Eli looked right into my eyes and said "chapped."

If you have a cat, you know that he is right--their little butts do look pretty chapped. And, frankly, Jack didn't seem to mind. And the only question to really ask at that point was whether it was the FIRST time Eli had done that to the cat's behind or the hundredth. And THAT is my favorite Mother's Day moment ever because it reminds us that no matter how hard we try to civilize these glorious little creatures, there will always be that day when you realize they've been using your chapstick on the cat's butt.
 

WOD: