What Parking Problems???

This Sunday morning broke sunny and seemed a little warmer with less wind. (The sun and warmer temperature did not last long however.) We took our time getting ready and headed out to brunch at another place Ladd had researched on line. The place was called “Jimmy’s” and was located in a little strip mall near our hotel. As we parked we noticed people waiting outside “Jimmy’s”. Ladd went in to ask how long the wait would be. He was told about twenty minutes, and being in “retirement mode” we decided to wait. While we were waiting I spotted a neat looking “country store” and told Ladd I was going to use waiting time constructively and explore the store! It was an interesting store and I did find several things I had planned to purchase. I got talking with the woman working there, (perhaps the owner?), and was so upset by her political views and prejudiced statements that in good conscience I just couldn’t bring myself to buy anything there. (Anyone who knows my reputation as a shopper knows this was a powerful statement for me…even if the lady wasn’t aware of it.) I knew it was neither the time nor place to try to reason with this woman, plus I can guarantee she was so “brainwashed” that an intelligent give-and-take conversation would not have been possible, so I simply put down the items I wanted and left. I do not want to offend anyone by restating the things the woman said, but suffice it to say I would not go back there again. As I walked down to the other end of the strip mall to “Jimmy’s” I discovered we were being seated. “Jimmy’s” restaurant was clean, had clever, bright decorations, and the food was EXCELLENT! The wait staff and cooks HAD to go 100mph to keep up with the “full house” and the people waiting outside. They not only did this well, they did it with pleasant personalities! The first bite of my brunch made me relax and forget about the woman in the store. Ladd had a mushroom/cheese omelet, and I had a Western/cheese omelet. Both of our omelets came with hash browns and a biscuit…and bottomless cups of coffee. The portions were too big, but so delicious they made you want to finish them. I hope you don’t think I’m weird telling you about a trip to the Ladies’ Room. (You may well think I’m weird for other reasons, of course.) In the Ladies’ Room was a framed poster with a poem that I read. It spoke about how people we know for a very short time or who are with us for only a short time can make a powerful impact on us and even change our lives. I was thinking of our first son, Drew, as I read that. I am MAD at myself for not thinking of taking a picture of the poem, but at least if I record it here it will help my old brain cells remember. Most times when you see people willing to wait in line to get into a restaurant it is a good/great one, and that was most certainly the case with “Jimmy’s”.
We then drove around Ocean City and went to the National Seashore area. One of the neat things about this location is that one minute we are in Maryland and a couple minutes later we are in Delaware. We drove to Fenwick Island and found the bar/restaurant (“Harpoon Hannah’s”) we had frequented on our first trip here with my parents, Ladd’s mother, and Dean. Then we decided to try to find the house we had rented on that trip…and we did! It looks exactly the same! (Dean, I was thinking of you, and when I looked up at what was your bedroom/bath on the top floor I said, “There’s Dean’s room.”)
After a short “regroup” time back at the hotel, we headed out to the stores, rides, eateries, etc. on the Ocean City Boardwalk. Ladd and I are not sure why everyone whines about how difficult it is to find a parking place there. When we arrived only about twenty cars were in the whole, giant lot. Fifteen of them were probably cars of workers because by now it was cloudy, very windy, and down-right cold! But being from New York Ladd and I figured we would be fine, fine, fine. As we walked the boardwalk it felt a little like a “ghost town”. Only a few stores/eateries were open, no rides were running yet, and the sea gulls outnumbered the people! We did take a picture of the bench my parents and Ladd’s mother had waited on to show them. I also managed to find a “bargain” to buy as therapy for my morning-shopping-trauma! LOL
Since we’ve been eating out so much, we just brought a pizza back to our hotel room for dinner. Tomorrow we had planned to head back home, but when we heard how cold it still was in Albany we decided for one, last “extension” of our trip. We are now going to give Albany two more days to warm up somewhat. Off to Atlantic City tomorrow! If I “hit it big” we’ll buy airline tickets and head back to Florida and stay with Dean! (Since I’m NOT a gambler and since I am not lucky in matters of money, no need to panic, Dean! Ha!) Just to get in the Atlantic-City state of mind, let me close by asking: What are the odds of Albany being warmer in two days? <g>