They better have coffee at STAR-BOX

Michael and I decided to go check out our hopeful new neighborhood today. We are expecting to close on the house next Friday, but are holding back the sharing of our glee until we actually have keys in hand. Once we know this is a done deal, we'll post pictures and descriptions. We fully expect some people to think we're nuts to pick this house, so we won't be offended if you are one of them. 

The house is in a true urban walking neighborhood with shops, restaurants, a huge park and lots of things to do. With our new life and our quest to spend more time together this is obviously very appealing. I have to speak for both of us here and say that it has been about 7 weeks since I last returned from Manila and we are really enjoying each other's company. We haven't spent this much time together in years so I was a bit apprehensive and it is good to know that concern was unnecessary. I admit that I thought he'd be completely exasperated with me, but he seems more entertained than anything else. In turn he is making me giggle on a daily basis. 

We were sitting at a stoplight this afternoon when Michael sees a common chain coffeehouse and attempts to make a comment about us being able to walk there. The first part of the sentence came out fine, but he totally butchered the name. In fact, he unintentionally spoke it in this weird mechanical voice that I had never heard out of him before. "We can walk to STAR-BOX". It actually had a little Optimus Prime flavor. "Did you just say STAR-BOX like a robot?" I ask. "I did, I did, I don't know what just happened! It's Starbucks, it's Starbucks." And then we started laughing like we were going to roll out of his truck. I am just thankful we were at a stoplight because I doubt he could have driven for a few seconds there. I know I will giggle each time I pass that place. It's only a block from the hopeful house and a neighborhood that makes you smile like that is a damn great place to live.

The Waffle House experience

Do you like the Waffle House, the Waffle House, the Waffle House? Do you like the Waffle House, because I do too.

On our drive from LA to Raleigh, it seriously seemed like there was either a Waffle House or a Cracker Barrel at every major exit along the 40. Neither of us had ever been to a Waffle House and they were always mildly intriguing with their simple box design and unassuming yellow and black signs. The parking lot is always three times the size of the actual "restaurant" as if they are expecting loads of buses at any minute to drop off the waffle-aficionado crowds. Well, my wait has ended and I have had THE WAFFLE HOUSE EXPERIENCE.

This morning a friend of mine invited me for breakfast in Durham. Per usual, the Waffle House was right off the 40 and easily accessible for all vehicle sizes...the larger the better. As soon as I entered the building I was welcomed with a "hi, hello, hiya" from everyone behind the counter. It was fabulous. Shortly after we arrived my friend plugged the Music Machine with a tattered $5.00 bill (new ones apparently don't work) and started off our 35 song repertoire with "The Waffle House Song". At this point two of the waitresses started singing and dancing while the rest of the place clapped along. Again it was fabulous.

Although the diner is very minimalistic, the booths are small, and there is a lot of smoke to contend with in the morning, it is an interesting social experiment with a lot of characters. One look around the place and you realize you have a slice of every race, income bracket and education represented. The food is also decent and the service was spot on.

My friend also has an approach with the Waffle House staff that is certainly worth sharing. He has taken the time to know the people there and learn a bit about their lives. Almost all of them are supporting someone else and depend on this minimum wage job to earn a living. They work hard and seem to have fun doing it. He completely believes in giving back to his community and leaves $20 each time he goes there. If he invites you to breakfast, he'll leave $20 for you too. That is a pretty cool way of making someone's morning.

Ironically he wasn't feeling very well about an hour after we left the diner. I guess the Waffle House wasn't satisfied, and wanted him to give just a little bit more back today. Whatever you do, don't make the Waffle House gods angry.

Thank you for puppy ears

Earlier today I was thinking about our move out here and what an exercise in organization the entire ordeal was. For those that don't know, almost all of our worldly belongings were picked up between two and ten days prior to us leaving LA. We had packed everything in PODS (thanks to Michael's lab-mates) and spent the last week on an air mattress and eating from plastic. (Actually Michael spent six weeks eating on plastic as I had packed up all the dishes before going back to Manila one last time!) We rotated the air mattress from room-to-room as we emptied and cleaned. We had the carpets steam cleaned in our bedroom and didn't want the cats in there...so we moved into the den. Then we had to move furniture and boxes out the back door and into the PODS...so we moved into the dining room. It was here that we spent our last few nights in LA. On a blow-up mattress. In the dining room. Romantic.

Then there was the 2,546 mile drive across the country on the 40. Michael drove his truck with the two cats as passengers and a small U-Haul in tow. I drove mine with Iona. Of course both vehicles were as stuffed as possible with supplies, luggages and the miscellaneous things that we didn't have packed in time to fit in the PODS. Every night we would pull off the 40 into our pre-selected town (Flagstaff, Amarillo, Little Rock and Knoxville) and look for the welcoming lights of a La Quinta Inn. They are one of the few hotels that accepts pets and does not charge extra for them. Trust me, that is a big deal when you've driving for 10 hours and you have three pets that are anxious to get the hell out of the vehicle. This is the only reason to stay at a La Quinta. Trust me again...if you have pets, great. If not, just don't.

So each night I would pull in first, check-in, scope out the parking for the truck and trailer, feed and water Iona and begin the unpacking process. Then Michael would arrive and we would start on his vehicle. A 1/2 hour later we would be exhausted and ready to find some dinner. Some nights Denny's was the best we could find (Amarillo, TX and Moons Over My Hammy...may that be the only time I put those together), and others we actually had a great meal in a nice city.

There are lots of stories from that week and I look forward to reliving the tale. In the meantime, here's one of the best things from the trip. This was my frequent vision in my rearview mirror and it made me laugh every time. And yes, I did take this picture while driving about 85 down the 40. It was worth it.