tidbits

well, let me scatter around a bit of news from today at the restaurant.
Found out that the lovely Kathy will be on vacation for 7 months, which is
really actually lucky for her, as there was the potential for up to 5 YEARS.
Hopefully this will be the last time she takes these extended leaves; just
hope once her time is done she can stay on the straight and narrow, as
that extra suspended time will be hanging over her head. Then we got an
update from another former waitress, I'll call her Faith here. She is actually
one of the few girls, maybe only now that I think of it, from the restaurant
in a long-term stable relationship with the SAME guy....high school sweet-
hearts from what I understand. Well, Faith had been trying for some time
to have a child, and unfortunately had 3 miscarraiges in the past. But
finally this time things went right, and now she is expecting in October!
She dropped by the other day, showing off her belly; she seems really
happy and I just pray all goes well for her....she's having a girl! Let's see,
next I want to mention that traffic in town is gradually increasing, and
will be full blown by the weekend, as the local university students begin
to return; classes start next week. Weekends will be busier for sure,
especially with football season less than a month away. However, some of
the local regulars will drop off or even disappear; I have had more than
one person come up to me mid-August to practically say 'goodbye', that
they will see up when the students are gone again! A lot of the locals just
can't abide by the increased traffic and general chaos of the university
area, so don't even venture to that side of town. That I can kind of
understand. What I don't get is the local who are downright nasty and
derogatory towards the university and the students. Folks, this is a
college town, the city was basically built around the university, and it
has been here almost 200 years, in other words, before you got here.
The economy of this town revolves around the university, the jobs it
provides, and the out-of towners who visit it for one reason or another
(study, tourism or the hospital)....take it away, and we are a rest-area on
the way to Richmond or D.C. Yes, the eminent domain thing can be a
pain to some folks, and sometimes is appears they are buying too much
to build too fast, but love me, love my cat, it is the price we pay to live and
work here. And if you don't like it, well you can always join my friend
Lola in Alaska next month! I haven't heard from her in a few days,
wonder if her plans are still on track. A part of me hopes she changes
her mind about doing such a drastic and long move, but a part of me
also understands that a free spirit needs to be on the go, experiencing
a new life adventure, I just hope it works out for her and she will be
happy, more news on that as things develop. If anything, we need to
worry about her dog, a very bony, skinny greyhound.....he needs a
blanket if the air-conditioning is up a tad too high, what on earth is
he going to do in single digit temps?!?!? Don't think he'll mush with
the Huskies or Malamutes up there!