I started out the day late because I couldn't find my office keys. When I got to the office my boss's boss, Herself, patiently listened to my tale of woe of lost keys. early spring snow storms and weather reports. I won't bore you with the details, Let's just say that CaDiva's report that the weather was clear from Muskogee on left me with that damn song running through my head and I'm going to have to sing three verses of Kung Fu Fighters to get rid of it.
I don't think Herself actually plots to tweak my day, but she has an unerring instinct about this sort of thing. So when she told me she had a brainstorm...I was afraid, very afraid. I should have just closed my eyes and dreamed of long drives and good food but instead I looked her straight in the eye and smiled as she told me of giving 1/4 of my staff another manager for an untold period of time.
I hear ya, but I'm a good little soldier and I said I thought it would give the employee a great chance of development and enrich my entire unit. OH put your feet down, you can't step in that just reading a blog. Sheesh!
Well my day started late, in the snow with a Merle Haggard song in my head. It made perfect sense to give one of my staff her annual appraisal. Yeah, it went just as well as you expected. See, we are a new team, everyone needs to get the feel for each other, oh who am I kidding, I am a notorious hard ass manager and I broke her heart.
Well the day continued as days are wont to do and I find out that I don't have nearly enough hours to get the work done. Yeah, I know I should have seen that coming but it tends to just catch my attention at the odd moment. And the moments became odder still when I somehow confused my 12:00 meeting with a 2:00 meeting and I didn't know it until my 1:00 meeting started in the same room and only to find the 12:00 meeting was still there...AWKWARD.
What can I do but finish my 1:00 and go see my boss, Kettle, to tell her I broke my employee's heart and missed my meeting and wouldn't be able to finish the approvals she assigned me before I left on my two week vacation.
This is the point at which we discover she was not aware she granted me two weeks, she thought I was only going to be gone a week. The conversation went something like this...Oh no, dear Kettle, I am on two weeks vacation. I beg to differ, Ms Pot, she retorts, I only granted you one. Well that's going to be difficult because on Saturday I'm going to the Wedding and Sunday Whale Watching so a Monday start time is going to be nigh on to impossible. Well, Kettle replies, I hope CaDiva has a nice time at the wedding.
At this point I haul out the "I'm the one who is covering the Holidays because I'm so loyal and you asked me" card. And that seemed to solve the confusion.
The rest of the day was a paper storm of approvals and designations and time sheets but I was ready to go almost on time. CaDiva arrived near 5:00, had me mail a few letters, pour my coffee as she began a litany of her day of packing, loading the car, paying bills, doing laundry, and perhaps a few minor furniture adjustments. There was something about weeping with fatigue, if we don't have it in this car we don't need it and amending the girl trip rules to cover one party doing all the packing and who has to drive during the dark, in the rain, and through mountains.
Well, for at least now, it was light and not raining. The snow even stopped.. BTW I found my keys, thank you for asking. All was right and we were on vacation. Onto 235 to west Mixmaster and south on 35. We drove about 50 miles before we needed to fill the tank and empty the bladders.We found the only gas station in 200 miles not charging $3.399 per gallon. Ah what's an extra dime a gallon on vacation, beside's along the drive I saw several hawks and one with a golden breast that I can't find in the pictures but I don't care, I just love driving through the Midwest..
We were on vacation, loving the early spring drive and we would be in Kansas City before bedtime which means only one thing...Sheridan's Frozen Custard. It used to mean two things, Backyard Burger and Sheridan's Frozen Custard. But things happen. Particularly favorite food places close or McBKize and break your heart. But I don't have to worry about that this time, no I'm going to get a five scoop cake cone chocolate custard.
Have you ever had frozen custard? You need to. I mean the first time I lapped a lip around that velvety smooth lusciousness I wondered why I wasted my life with ice cream. (sorry B&J but you know it is the truth). Even when CaDiva asked me to take up the driving, in the dark and the fog and the mist...See amendment to girl trip rule regarding leaving your partner to pack for two weeks all on her lonesome...I knew I was on my way to a six inch high cool sweetness (did I say something about avoiding hyperbole?)
Understatement or Embellishment, it doesn't matter...a foodie's heart breaks the same when the uncaring corporate structure decides to "improve" something. But I was blissfully unaware of this as I drove through the misty darkness in Friday night KC traffic, the interior of the Highlander lit only by my loyal GPS device, Jillian, as I made a legal u-turn at my next opportunity only to see a devastating vision...a "Coming Soon" sign where my Sheridan's drive through should be...Unforked Eats and Sweets, Sheridan's Frozen Custard...Yes, that's what I said, my Sheridan's Frozen Custard is becoming a healthful food choice targeting the new ecologically aware consumer...and they are three weeks late doing it.
After three and a half hour drive with nothing to eat except Bethany Country Kitchen's
Country Fried Steak & Eggs
Breaded, seasoned beef smothered in peppered country gravy. Served with two eggs any style, seasoned hash browns and your choice of fruit, toast, bagel, English muffin or two of The Best Pancakes in Town.™
I took the pancakes but we didn't stop at the Russell Stover's outlet. And still I was to be denied my five scoop cake cone. Oh would the horror never end?
We limped back to the Pear Tree hotel for the night. The way young dark-haired desk clerk told me where there is another proper Sheridan's but ... alas, they don't open until 11:00 on Saturdays and we'll be well into the Kansas Turnpike by then. Oh she also told us the KC Masterpiece closed too. What is this world coming to? This just proves what I have always said, Life is Uncertain, eat what you like first and don't tell your brother where you hid the last Ding Dong.
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