be-musings

My step-son Ben (who is 17) got married a few months ago. He and his wife had a baby boy named Lyric. He also had a baby with a friend, and his wife doesn't mind.

Ben's friend Beau recently married someone a few years older than him, straight from Scotland. By the way, Beau is Lyric's godfather.

Ben's ex-girlfriend asked Scott to have a baby, but he said no. He couldn't do that to me.

Sound like a Payton Place? It's called Facebook Life. I'm amazed at the detail of the lives they lead there. Even Lyric has a full description and his beginning of life bio.

This is a sophisticated playing house game, up several notches from when I was a kid. I'm a little old to join, but maybe I'll have a baby too. This one will be a girl. I'm taking name requests, if you have any.

I moved into the Williams guy's household over a year ago. I brought a guy of my own. Before that time I liked eating balanced meals at the kitchen table, unless I was skipping supper for a bowl of popcorn or cereal.

I have been indoctrinated into guyland. Tonight it was MY idea to buy pizza, and Nathan, Matthew and I ate it standing in the kitchen, straight out of the cardboard box. And Coke? I almost always refuse it, but without any thought I poured myself a glass and as it passed my lips I laughed at becoming one of the Williams household.

Maybe one of them will start wearing a dress to balance the gender scale once in a while. Oh yeah, Nathan has worn one of my lingerie teddy's before. I haven't been able to wear it since. Just seems too................

If you've been checking my blog and wondering why I'm not writing, I have another handy excuse. We opened the restaurant October 5th after an intense 4 day reno. We operated for 5 days (closed Thanksgiving) with a lot of food prep work happening many hours a day, lots of trips to the grocery store, learning the menu and advertising with clients. Then a water connection in the sealing burst apart overnight and we closed for 4 days. Oh, you would think that means a break, but there was food to throw out because of the fridge that shorted due to water pouring on it, inventories to be done, and new batches to be prepped. We make our sauces and baking and calzones in house, so that stuff takes time (but I think it's worth it for the most part). There was water to mop, floors, walls, appliances to clean, and other electronic items were sent out for fixing or will now need to be replaced. Much of the floors will need to be redone (again) and some walls might have to be torn out and replaced because of internal moisture affecting the gyproc composition. You can't tell too much when you glance at it. It looks pretty good from the outside.

But we know what has happened and the work that we still need to do, once the insurance company and restoration crew are ready to rebuild. We hear the squeaks because we know what it was like before the damage.

This reminds me of the delicacy of our lives. Something happens to people sometimes which causes an "interruption in service". I experienced that myself a few years ago. Only those who knew me could see what was happening inside - how things were different. And now I'm rebuilding, even though the beginning was tough. Have you experienced this?

You know, God knows us. He sees the squeaks and the leaks and the damaged walls. Walls...maybe the damaged ones should be torn down and not replaced. Perhaps an "open concept" is best for you anyways. Scary, because people can see the things you might not want them to or your messy areas. But sometimes that can be the best.

I haven't blogged much about the new restaurant and the behind the scenes stuff. Just a couple examples are the menu sampling nights every Thursday, where our family and usually 5 other people ate what we were considering using on the menu. Josh (the chef) and I cooked together for 3 hours each of those days, making doughs, pastas, and desserts from the foundation up. There were also Bible study nights, where I tried new desserts. Countless trips to the grocery store, so much licensing legwork, utilities to hook up and decor to be planned and purchased. Scott and Lori handled all that stuff. Mat has researched food industry service and management ideas, and Ben has written up the coffee service menu, along with descriptions of how to make the items. Briant (the cafe owner who sold us the place) has provided valuable advice, and given us pointers on navigating the licensing and day to day operations.

This has been so much work, and it looks like the load will be so much heavier now that we're open. As clients have packed the restaurant at times over the last two days, and we've been crazy busy in the kitchen, I've wondered how we got into this restauranteur position with no experience. I've thought that it's one thing to plan for and another thing to have people to serve. It can be overwhelming for someone like me, who isn't a risk taker. But I also find it exciting to be in the kitchen, things swirling around me, my brain ticking to time things just right (I really need to work on that).

Josh and I were talking yesterday about what I like about this. I used to be a person who ate only to exist and ate only a few kinds of items - just ask my mother who had to deal with my peculiarities. But lately I have been enjoying the array of flavours that come with taking a chance in the kitchen. For me, I see the relationships and memories and emotions that happen when people gather together over the table. I enjoy being part of that experience, through the food that is provided. It is warmth to the soul. Josh calls it fellowship.

Last night I had a moving moment during church. Instead of being on stage this week, I was helping in the kitchen. I missed being out there, but we had people to feed on our first club night in the place. I could hear the music in the kitchen, and Josh and I were singing along to the songs. We had moments of our church in there too. I could hear enthusiasm and comradery, as I have on many occasions. I was feeding them. It was community. This is what we have hoped for with club, and it continues to be that.

I don't know what God has in mind for this business and this ministry. It may succeed in measurable standards, or it may not. We'll move with what we figure He says to do. That's all we can do, and let Him take care of the rest.