Monster Diner

Today is the two year anniversary since we officially closed our restaurant! I feel a bit nostalgic about it--we had some really good times, but I'm also thrilled that we no longer own it! We got out of it just before the economy really turned, and now we have a baby girl that would not have happened if we still owned it!

For one of my classes at the time, I wrote about it and appropriately called it Monster Diner. We have so many stories from there, and you know if you've worked in the restaurant business, that you just can't make those stories up!

I remember "George Washington." Not a favorite customer, and everytime we saw him, he had to go into the story about how he looked exactly like George Washington, and then we'd have to find a $1 bill so he could hold it up to his face to show us.

The two young men who will remain nameless who NEVER tipped. It became a game to be extra vigilant with them to see if we'd get anything...we'd never let their glasses become 1/2 empty, brought them plenty of extras... But I do give the one guy credit, he did tip whenever he brought a lady with him. Hahaha! And, many times, that lady was his mother. She must have raised him to know better...=)

And then there are the stories of people....relieving themselves in the parking lot. Yes, several times. (Who would think about pulling into a restaurant parking lot for that?!?) One time, we sent our employee, Mitchell, outside to smile and wink at the guy.Once we watched a guy pull up in a truck when we didn't have any customers, we were crowded around the open window like a Friends episode, and we tried whistling and cat-calling to him, but he didn't seem to hear. Then he left....and 5 minutes later he returned, opened his door, and picked up something from his puddle. EEWWW!

In the middle of summer...you would hear Mitchell and Andrew belting out off-key Christmas songs from the sweltering kitchen. Then at the end of the night, water would be flying in a water fight when we would blow off some steam.

And the building itself was an ever-changing character---from the spooky basement, to the leaky roof, and even the Saturday night gas leak that forced us to close it down and boot people out. Then we spent Superbowl Sunday in a cold restaurant getting the gas leak fixed. We were never bored!

Thanks for putting up with my trip down restaurant lane! Other than today's anniversary, we remain busy with work and Emma.

She has officially become a thumb-sucker.

Her frowny face as she's gearing up to cry!




Just a picture from the front of our house, despite the horrible heat, the moon was beautiful that night.