A Chance For Lunch Out

 October 10, 2020

Today was a big day in our house.  Our state is pretty slow to open up the economy and life in general, but businesses have been able to open.  Yesterday, Sydney and I were able to get haircuts.  Our favorite lady was open about eight weeks ago, so the girls and I got haircuts.  And then things closed down again, and then opened if they brought their chairs outside...our lady is a tiny, Japanese Grandma.  She was not going to be able to drag her barber chair outside each day in order to cut someone’s hair.  Those of us with long hair just chose to get longer cause I’ve had my hair cut in the wind...and I did not like the incredibly short bob that I got in return.  So fast forward quite a few years...and we waited until the openings again and went to get cuts.  Madison had to work, so she’ll have to go in a few days.  The way this state opens and closes like an electric door - she better hurry just in case.  

Anyway, the restaurants have opened too.  They’ve been open for outside seating, but we haven’t been yet.  Bradley really has trouble being out in the wind, he usually gets pretty sick.  So with the fires putting so much smoke in the air and the occasional Santa Ana winds blowing through... Bradley hasn’t been out for anything but therapy.  

One of his favorite places has also been closed because they are part of the Outlet Mall.  And it isn’t that the food is so great and he asks for it or anything, but it’s a place we took the kids to for a treat back in the early days when we had just come back from Japan and were trying to get settled.  We were broke and barely getting by, but every couple months or so we’d take the kids for burgers and milkshakes.  Although Bradley prefers the hotdogs.  

Before the shutdowns, we had started to go to restaurants and have Bradley sit at the table in a chair, rather than a high chair.  Most places have the little high chairs and though he is a really little guy, he was getting to big.  So we had to start working on the skills to successfully visit a restaurant, wait for the table, wait at the table, possibly eat something (trust me - more miss than hit!) and then vacate the restaurant before the meltdown from being overwhelmed happened.  Sitting in a confined space gave him a sense of safety and possibly comfort.  Sitting at the table like a big boy was certainly a chance for him to be very proud of being a big boy...but have you ever considered all the items that are on the table at a restaurant.  It is always instinctive to grab the knives.  Not sure why, not sure how this is ingrained, but he does.  He reaches for the knives first...so we whisk those away so fast the host or hostess thinks we’re trying to hold hands...awkward!  Then there is the condiments...why are there so many condiments?  Salt, pepper, sugar, not sugar, fake sugar, super fake sugar, ketchup, hot sauce... Good Grief!  Oh, and then they bring the drinks!  Have I mentioned that Bradley was an octopus in his last life?  I think he was, I mean he can lull us into thinking he is not paying attention to anything but his movie...but wait too long after the meal is over and he starts to get bored, and he will show you just how quickly and efficiently he can enact his own little cause and effect experiment.  

Perfect example.  We took him to lunch today. We thought we were going to eat inside, but our favorite restaurant hasn’t opened for inside dining as yet.  So we were a little worried, but the day was perfect so we were able to sit outside, catch up with some of our favorite people now that the restaurant is open again.  Luckily, the times have changed the world we live in and our table was completely bare.  So Bradley spent his time watching his movie until his food arrived where he loved his hotdog and french fries.  We were doing fantastic!  We were in a corner, so he wasn’t inundated with a lot of people to catch his attention so he ate and then enjoyed his movie.  We were getting close to leaving, I had even put his water back into his cooler.  

Apparently, while I was putting his drink away, he noticed that there were drink cups still on the table.  Reaching back into his Octopus genetics, Bradley managed to grab not one but two cups and dump them quite completely all over the table.  Oh did I mention that the table is like a picnic table with the small holes in the grating.  So when my little guy managed to dump both of the drinks, they managed to spill all over the table, my legs under the table, his cooler, over my socks, finally to puddle in my shoes. 

So it was a great afternoon, just a really messy one that required a second shower upon my return home.  But at the end of the day, the family got to have lunch at a restaurant again and Bradley got to enjoy being out of the house, and ate so well.  The soggy socks were worth it in the end.  And I truly believe that Madison’s Fanta Orange soda will eventually wash out of my white sneakers...if not, I guess a slight orange tinge will be quite festive for Halloween.  

After an exciting day out, Bradley is sacked out and almost too tired to sleep.  Time to try a second time to get him to stay asleep for the night.  

Have a wonderful Saturday night friends!