When the weather got warm, I said cool, maybe we should go somewhere. Stay at a fancy hotel, eat some fancy food? Just a little overnighter to shake off the first 100 days. We’re losing money like everyone else, but I thought, what the hell, smoke ‘em if you got ‘em.
That’s a military expression that might translate to spend it before you die.
It was good to get away, but I guess we’re not fancy people. The hotel was just OK, and the restaurant sucked. The whole trip felt like one giant rip-off. We couldn’t wait to head for home.
The kitty was happy to see us, mostly because the weather turned cold again, and the heat quit while we were gone.
I called the HVAC people, and a cheery little voice answered, “Thank you for calling California Heating and Air, how can I make you smile?” Well, you could skip all that for starters, but I did not say that in my outside voice. I explained the situation, and they scheduled a technician for Saturday morning.
But then the heat started working, and we were not eager to have someone in our space. I called back and canceled.
Then the heat quit working. I could not bear the thought of hearing that cheery little voice again and was prepared to ride out the storm, but Dale convinced me to call and see if we could get back on the schedule. Yes, they said, we would be second up on Saturday morning.
The guy arrives and goes up into the attic where the unit resides and comes down with a dead bird in a plastic bag. Something about a clog in the system. We paid almost $100 for the visit.
But then the heat kept cranking and cranking. Dale turned it off completely, but it wouldn’t quit. Within a few hours, the temperature was 80 and rising. I called back, and they still wanted to know how they could make me smile.
As it happens, the guy could come back later in the afternoon. I almost smiled but not quite.
We really didn’t think he would show, and the only thing we could figure out was flipping the breaker. It was after 5 p.m. when he arrived, and he headed straight for the attic. He mistakenly left what looked like baby jumper cables, which I presume helped him start the system manually. Except it stayed on manual.
Once he retrieved the cables, the heat returned to normal. The guy was nice, and it was the end of the day, and I was about to pour a shot of Jameson Black Barrel. Enjoying it before the tariffs kick in. I offered him a shot, but he said he had two more stops to make. I guess his Saturday sucked more than ours.
I made stacked bison enchiladas loaded with melted cheddar cheese and topped with a runny fried egg, and we watched the season finale of Matlock. I said, well, this week turned into kind of a bust. Dale said, well, yeah, but that counts as a jazzed up couple of days for us. Pathetic but true.
Once again, I need to re-think our travel strategy. We really aren’t that eager to go anywhere, but we both find the change of pace and scenery is good for us. There are plenty of great places within a short drive. But we need to figure out what makes us happy, and fancy ain’t it.
I believe our days of fine dining are over. As foodies, our expectations are as high as the prices, and the quality of food just isn’t worth it these days.
On the reading front, I enjoyed Jar City, the first in a crime series by Icelandic author Arnaldur Indriðason featuring Inspector Erlendur. I liked it very much, and it looks like there are 11 of them! Iceland uses first names for phone books and such, so my library catalogues these books under A for Arnaldur.
A couple of nearby places if you haven’t been. Inn at the Presideo in SF is nice and historic. A couple of good restaurants a short walk from the Inn. They also have a nice breakfast buffet and a very generous wine and snack offering in the afternoon. You may find no need to go to dinner, considering how much food and wine they provide. The other place we visited was Cavallo Point on the Marin side of the bay. Also a renovation of a historic Army base. Very beautiful. They also have higher end Lexus models you can check out to drive around the area for a couple of hours. Kind of a nice perk. Lots of hiking and you can go through the tunnel and out to Ft. Chronkite on the ocean for more sightseeing.
But yes, restaurants have gotten quite pricy. And not just places that aspire to be high end. When the credit card companies offer installment payments on restaurant visits it makes us reevaluate our eating habits. Cheers!
I hear you, Donna. I’m reluctant to eat out these days when I can often cook better at home. I like staying at home so much I’m starting to wonder if it’s pathological! Would a nice B&B suit your fancy?