Our day started off a little earlier than we usually like, but we had a goal in mind--breakfast at CRACKER BARREL in Baton Rouge.  We haven't done that in quite a while, and we wanted to give Randi a special treat while she's here.  She and I had planned on a trip to Piccadilly's, but Sid suggested this; we had no problem with that, so off we went.

The atmosphere at Cracker Barrel is something we always enjoy, and the food and service are usually excellent.  The lady who brought us to our table was a real sweetie; she seemed to have a hard time walking, but she was very welcoming.  She started drying our table and, I think because of her age, she said something about not wanting us to sit at a table that was still wet because it wasn't properly tended to.  When I said something about the fact that people our age would notice that, but youngsters sometimes don't.  Her answer:  "It's not that they CAN'T do it correctly; they don't WANT to do it correctly."  Well, I didn't want to say much about that, so we thanked her and sat down.

Our waitress was really nice, perhaps a little shy.  She came over to our table almost immediately and began taking our order right after she brought our drinks.  I think Randi thought she was drinking a shake or something because the milk was NOT her usual 1% or 2%--it was the full strength milk!  Sid and I got water, but he got milk with the meal and I got some OJ.

We all got the same basic meal, but Randi got bacon, I got ham, and Sid got sausage; then, Randi got fried apples, Sid and I got the potato/cheese casserole.  Everything else was the same--and delicious.  I think Randi thought the grits didn't meet her specifications, but after I mentioned that she should add a little salt, she was fine.  As you can tell, we enjoyed our little outing very much.

After leaving the restaurant, we stopped at SAM's to pick up something for Bec and something for us.  We also filled up our car while there--$3.81/gal instead of $3.99/gal here in town.  It wouldn't pay to drive all the way over there to get the gas at that price, but since we were there--hey!  We know how to save a little bit of money!  Right?  Right!

Sid has been working steadily on our carport, and all the posts are in place.   Right now, he is preparing the cement for the last two posts, after which he's done with that.  Next, he will start with all the framing of the roof.  I can't wait!

Sandie and I are finalizing our plans for her next visit.  If things go the way we want, she'll be coming back with me after Mom's appointment on the 15th.  She'll stay with us until we return to the Lockport area for a meeting in St. Charles Parish.  We had such a good time last visit--and I know the same will be true this time.

On a more somber note:  Channie's little half-brother, Blade, was injured yesterday when he fell out of a tree he was climbing.  From the news I got, he broke his femur, requiring surgery this morning at Ochsner's in New Orleans.  Again, according to what I was told, they put in some kind of rod going from his hip to his knee on one side and from his knee to his hip on the other side.  Now, this news may be different when we get more info, but that's what we were told thus far.  Please keep little Blade (just finished kindergarten) in your prayers.  I'm sure he's having a rough day today, even though he is surely sedated.

That's it for tonight!  Hope you had a great day and that tomorrow brings lots of sunshine and love into your lives.

HEARTFELT BLESSING:  "By being yourself, you put something wonderful in the world that was not there before."    --Edwin Elliot

NOTE:  In giving yourself to the world, you must BE YOURSELF, not what others think you should be.  Let your outside be an image of your inside.  Be a gift to others!  When I worked in our church parish as Director of Religious Education, one of my nun friends gave me a plaque that said:  "I am not who I think I am; I am not who you think I am; I am who I THINK you think I am."

In other words, we have an idea as to what people think about us, and that is usually how we respond.  And yet, that may be totally different from what they actually think of us.  BE YOURSELF; be who YOU want to be, and that is your gift to the world.