Restaurants and the Festival

If you remember, I changed jobs last summer. I didn’t change careers, just jobs. I left the high-stress world of building commercial projects, for the slower pace of building homes. I changed jobs to build not one, but two high dollar cabins down the road from my house. As my luck would have it, it didn’t work that way.

Oh, I knew the cabins wouldn’t start construction until sometime this coming spring. I knew I would need to build something before the cabins started, but I didn’t think I would get back into the high-stress world again. Surprise!

I was asked to take over management of a restaurant project that the site manager had moved on. I thought, “What’s the big deal?” I’ve done plenty of restaurants in my career. I left Elaine and the kids at home doing a service to my country making sure America had plenty of pizza and burgers. I traveled to Louisiana (Yes, Jana, that one), Iowa, North Dakota, Nebraska, Virginia and I will stop listing, even I am getting bored with myself.

So, I agreed to help finish a restaurant. When I arrived at the project, I soon found out there was more than one restaurant. “Hey, we’re building this other restaurant across the courtyard. You might as well take over that one, also. Oh yeah, here’s the deal, both restaurants need to be open before the festival.” I looked around. In spite of the fact, I have several yarn dyeing projects coming up; I thought the jobs were doable. (The yarn dye was back ordered, thank God.)

I jumped into the jobs.

Restaurant Owner (RO): Hey, can we move the microwave over here? Me: We don’t have electricity there. RO: I really need the microwave here. Me: Hey RO, you supplied the sink, where is it? RO: That’s it. Me: That sink doesn’t fit there. RO: Oh, (Culinary language) I will get another sink. Me: OK, but hurry, we need to get it installed before the festival.

The other restaurant.

RO: That’s the wrong tile. Me: (construction) language) Are you sure? RO: Here’s a photo of the right tile. Me: We will change the tile.

Back to restaurant #1.

Worker Bee #1: Worker Bee #2 is in my way. Me: Yes, yes he is and you are in his way. Find a way to get your job done. #1: I’m going home!

Me: This (construction language) is going home! #1’s employer: I’ll take care of it.

Back to restaurant #2

Worker Bee: Can we move your truck? We need to get the ambulance in. Me: What happened? Worker Bee: That guy fell off the scaffold. Me: The guy standing there? You called the ambulance for him? Worker Bee: I didn’t. Someone called, he has a cut on his chin. Me: Here’s my keys, move it yourself. Plumber: Hey Monner, that dude was smoking pot (the safer alternative) by the outhouse (Port-a john) before he fell.

At Your Daily Fiber.

Ivy: Dad, the back ordered dye is in. Me: (CONSTRUCTION LANGUAGE)

You know what? I’m kind of digging this. Just a shot of potato vodka (made from the finest Idaho potatoes. Buy American) calms me down and I can sleep, without wondering what is going to happen tomorrow, and wondering if Ivy can stall the yarn dyeing just one more day.

The restaurants are opening soon. Some of you have figured out where they are. I have seen interest on Spacebook. We will try to get them open for the festival; we’re trying. Go have dinner when you see they are open. Go buy some freshly dyed yarn. You can knit while you wait for your table. Everyone wins.

Our crazy lives!

Monner