susartandfood posted: " Yesterday Richard treated me to a lovely surprise. The night before, he told me there was one forthcoming which would require us being gone a good part of the following day. Oh boy, I do like a good surprise. In the morning, I asked where we were going, " Susartandfood's Blog
Yesterday Richard treated me to a lovely surprise. The night before, he told me there was one forthcoming which would require us being gone a good part of the following day. Oh boy, I do like a good surprise. In the morning, I asked where we were going, to which he replied, "Women don't seem to get to the root of the word surprise." Fine, so I looked it up to see what I was missing. According to Webster it is '"the state of being strongly impressed by something unexpected or unusual". I don't see anything in there about not knowing what the surprise is, simply being impressed once you do. Just sayin. Finally, he said he had a dermatologist appointment in Sacramento. Now, I am too long in the tooth to display a boo-boo lip, but I have to say I could feel my lip twitching slightly below my left nostril. Was he having surgery? What other appointment would take all day? At any rate, not wanting to be a poor sport, I dressed in my best attitude and off we were to town.
Since living in Northern California, I have been to Sacramento many, many times. As is typical with people who live in an area, I haven't seen everything to see there because I usually have a specific destination in mind when visiting. I waited in the car, while Richard went into the medical building. The homeless situation in downtown Sacramento, like so many bit cities across the country, is beginning to be alarming. On the opposite street corner a man was waving his arms about like those floppy displays in front of car dealers and screaming at the air. Another man just across the street, was sitting completely covered by a blanket looking somewhat like human statuary, and a third guy was going down the street knocking on car windows. When he came to my window he looked in and held his hand out. A little right handed banking.
About an hour had passed, when Richard emerged from the building once again with a coin shaped bandaid stuck in between his eyebrows giving him the look of someone observing a religious holiday. Instead of getting in and putting his seatbelt on, he came to my side of the car and signaled for me to open the door. Holding out his hand, I stepped out and he led me down the street. About a block down from where his appointment was, is a museum housed inside what remains of Sutter Fort. I had mentioned on our last trip in, I would be interested in taking a tour some time. Ahhhhh, this must be my surprise. What an interesting place. I am continually fascinated with how our forefathers day to day lives looked, and this was to be a nice glimpse into California life in the 1800's. Those brick walls had quite a story to tell. The Donner party survivors actually came to Sutter Fort when they were rescued. The guides at the gate were helpful and informative.They told us since the fort is currently under construction, admission was free, but limited to where the construction wasn't in progress. Okie. What we could see, was great. What struck me immediately was how low the doors were. Richard, about six feet and change, had to bend to enter each room so as not to knock himself out. People were shorter back in those days. I imagine he would have been a bit of a conversation piece during their time, as my grandma might have said, Richard is, "a long drink of water".
We spent about an hour touring the rooms. The kitchen was by far the most interesting to me. How they prepared meals without benefit of electric ovens, or electric anything. We are most likely more than a bit spoiled in this day and age with all the modern conveniences at our fingertips to help make life easier.
Walking back to the car, being around lunchtime, he asked if I was hungry. This is a question that comes with a yes answer in my world about any time of day. Nodding my head, he said he had a place in mind. Weaving our way through the downtown streets we came upon the Capital Building. In all my time up here, I had never laid eyes on it, and like a little kid at the merry-go-round, I was bouncing up and down. There were buses lined up all along the street in front of the impressive structure and a peaceful protest being staged on the front lawn. Government in action, I would suppose.
Full of surprises, Richard pulled up and parked in front of an unimposing building bearing a sign reading Jamie's. Never heard of it. The front door opened up to a dark room with a bar to the right, brimming with patrons lined up on stools, and to the left a nearly full dining area, where we were seated. While looking over the lunch menu, Richard explained the restaurant had been featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. For those of you unfamiliar with the show, chef Guy Fieri tours the country sampling delicious menu selections from featured restaurants. I passed a framed poster with Guy Fieri downing a cheeseburger on my way to the ladies room, confirming Richard's story.
On the wall behind us hung a huge stuffed bison, or at least the impressive head of the beast. It was the center of attention when you entered the room. Every time I looked at it's glassy eyes, it reminded me I'd most likely be seeing one up close and personal in the next several weeks when we were in Yellowstone.
After a most delicious lunch, we paid our bill and headed back out the door. A note here, I often comment on customer service. Truthfully, good customer service is disappearing before our very eyes. At a gas station there are no attendants other than then the clerk who rings up your corn nuts and lottery tickets inside. The other day we were in Lowe's, all they had were self service machines as a way to pay for your items, oh and one harried looking clerk trying to help frustrated customers because the machine's weren't working properly. One customer said exactly what I feel. "It's not enough we pay exorbitant prices, have to pay for the bag our items goes in, but now we have to check the items ourselves. What happened to customer service?" The eternal question. I think of this, because though our meal was good, our waiter was not. His attitude sucked, really, and with everyone. No smile, terse requests, etc., etc. I used to stress public relations with our servers. I will remember the attitude as well as the meal before going back there.
At any rate, I figured my surprise was done at that point, but nooooo. Richard was simply full of surprises yesterday. Next thing I know we're pulling into the parking lot at Old Town Sacramento, and purchasing tickets to the Railroad Museum. It's been years since I've done that. I love touring the old trains and listening to the stories the well versed docents have to share in each one. What an elegant way to travel trains were in their day. Beautiful dining cars, dishes served on lovely English bone china, and eaten with sterling silver place settings. I've mentioned in previous blogs my mother and I traveled to Vancouver on the Canadian Pacific Railroad. Though I was only five, I can still picture that trip in my minds eye. Tea being poured from silver tea pots by porters at our table covered with a white linen tablecloth while the countryside whizzed by beyond the windows. I will forever remember that special time with my mum.
The Railroad Museum was the perfect ending to a lovely and most unexpected day. Surprises are such an easy way to keep a relationship fresh and vital. We all get mired in our routines on occasion, going to work, cooking dinner, turning on the TV, following the same routine from one day to the next. It's nice to shake things up a bit occasionally and give your partnership a fresh coat of paint.
Two weeks and counting before our trip OMG. Happy Wednesday. Surprise someone, surprise yourself. Take a different route to work, try a new dish, take a class. Have a great day!!!!
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