Thanksgiving at Marie's

Here are some pictures to give you an idea of my last few days.

Shortening, pumpkin dry mix, pumpkin wet mix and stuffing mix. This stack is about 10 feet high. Eventually, the pumpkin mix will become 1500 pumpkin pies.

Sugar, sugar, sugar, sugar, sugar.

Our wonderful cooks are geared up and ready to go. By the end of the evening, they would create & plate 102 ham dinners and 561 turkey dinners. They also prepared over 80 Feasts (complete dinners for 6-8 all packaged up and ready for the customer to reheat and serve). By the end of the night, they were pretty worn out, but they never ever stopped smiling. What a great crew!

This is a shot of the main server station, with the wait staff getting salads, cornbread and pie slices ready to serve, and the greet staff is putting together a few take-out dinners. And there's a busser running through with a tray of dirty plates. That room can get really small really fast with that many people millling around. I should stay out of there, but that's were all the fun is. I like the fun.

Our dine-in guests had to choose between pumpkin and apple pie. Meanwhile, the customers who came in to purchase whole pies had the entire pie menu from which to choose...35 varieties including 4 kinds of apple, 3 kinds of lemon, 4 different chocolates, and 6 cheesecakes. And banana. Oh my, yes.

Tina is carrying 4 slices of pie on her arm. How do they DO that?

Angel and Matt were still in the back of the house making more stuff. And smiling. Have I mentioned how great our staff is? I just love these guys!


A few extra pumpkin and apple pies for our dine-in guests. No one will leave hungry!

We don't use the salad bar on Thanksgiving, so I decorate it with lots of fall-ish things. So pretty. See the rooster in the front? He was a hit!

Here's Kevin running the dishwasher. He wore a smile all day. Except when he dropped an entire bus tray and busted a dozen plates. Right in front of the Big Boss. Yikes!

The salad station after about 20 minutes. Be very glad I didn't post a picture of the FLOOR!

I forgot to take a picture of the stack of $20 bills I got to take to the bank yesterday. It was purdy.


So that was my Thanksgiving. How about yours?

Guess who I ran into the other day...

Yeah, it was a brand-new Mercury Grand Marquis with less than 5,000 miles on it, driven by a 80 year-old-lady. Boy, did she yell at me...




...because obviously I did it on purpose.

It only makes sense...

Even the rich folks who ride around in limos enjoy a chili dog now and then...

Just in case

I heard you couldn't see the poster. Sorry.

As fair warning, the movie was Quarantine. Keep your $8.50.

Only twice in my life....

...have I walked out of a movie. This made the third time.

So awful I cannot think of enough adjectives.

I'm bad, I'm bad, you know it...

For the past month, I have been getting these phone calls from some 800 number. The read-out says unavailable, and as a policy, I don't answer phone calls that don't have any identification. That's the reason they invented the answering machine. So I hadn't been answering. But they call at least 5-7 times a day, at various times throughout the day and late into the evening. And even if the phone goes to voicemail, they don't leave a message. When I finally decided to answer so I could tell whoever it was to stop the stinkin' phone calls, they hung up as soon as I said hello. This has happened like 10 times. Anyway, they called again this morning at 8-are-you-kidding-me-AM, and per usual, hung up when I answered. Enough. So I called them back, and kept pressing zero until I got to an actual human. By then, I was so angry I had to do breathing exercises to keep from ripping into the poor guy. (inhale) He's just trying to earn a living. (exhale) It's not his fault his stupid company is harassing me. (Deep breath in...hold it....slowly out. OK.) Now...who are you? Why is your company calling me 5 times a day, not leaving a message or responding when I answer, and in the name of all that is holy, make it stop.

Turns out, one of my beloved brood is late on her department store bill, and would I, please-oh-please-oh-pretty-please go to my local store and pay them $30 before the 10th?

I told him I'd pass the information on to the kid, but that she is an adult, didn't live with me, recently moved and no, I do not have her new address or her work phone number. (I do, but heck if I was going to give it to him; I was still mad in spite of my excellent breathing) And I added that the phone calls were rude, intrusive and have become harassing. The calls would stop NOW. I took his name and operator number, and assured him if I got another call from them I would take action.

Between you and me, that action would probably be to disconnect the phone altogether and drive over it repeatedly with my car.

But don't tell him, OK? I think I've got him scared.

And I kind of like that.

a well-informed media, part II

The Weather Channel reporters, bless their hearts, wear their Official Weather Persons Windbreaker with such pride as they brave 140 mph winds and side-ways rainstorms. These are the heroes of the weather persons army.

Here in Southern California, where summer goes on and on and on, and where winter hits us hard on November 17th, and lasts from 3pm til 4:15 pm with temperatures dropping as low as 53 degrees, our weather persons only get to report 4 kinds of weather.
1. Hot. Really really really hot. We refer to this weather as "normal". The senior weather persons are too smart (or highly paid) to leave their air conditioned offices to report on the ridiculous heat, so they send the rookies out to the field, usually Blythe. (Blythe -- Average mean temperature 114 degrees. In the shade. At night. In January. Indoors.) The rookie's job is to report that we all need to flex our power, and turn down the AC and stop watering the lawn. So we go to the nice cool Multiplex and watch hours and hours of disaster movies. If the mercury reaches 110, we might even watch a Pauly Shore film. This is known as a "weather emergency."
2. Fire. This may be God's way of suggesting we not build houses in the Malibu Canyon because it spoils His view. Our weather persons call it "Fire Storm Watch 2008." The graphics and music departments design some very dramatic artwork and stirring music. We are glued to the television watching the tankers dip into the lakes and ocean for water to drop on the flames. Oh, then there are the typical interviews: the crotchety old fogey who refuses to evacuate, because he's lived in this canyon for 75 years, dadgumit, and he's not going anywhere; the rich guy who thinks he can keep the fire from his 8000 square foot home by using the lawn sprinklers and a garden hose; and the lady with her yappy little dog blocking the road with her Toyota Celica so the fire trucks can't navigate.
3. Rain. Our typical 1/4" deluge is known as "Storm Watch 2008". It is the delight of all the weather persons, because they get to put on the Official Weather Persons' Windbreaker and stand in the rain on the edge of the previously burned-out Malibu Canyon to describe the houses sliding down into the ocean. Since these houses are owned by people like Charlie Sheen and Sandra Bullock, we wait hopelessly for a glimpse of a famous person running out of their house in a ratty "I'm with Stupid" t-shirt and a side pony tail.
4. Earthquake. Not really a weather condition, but boy howdy, we really like these. If you just happen to be watching a local news show when an earthquake hits and the newscasters dive under the news desk, it's considered a personal coup. If your TiVo is going, you might score yourself a YouTube exclusive.

a well-informed media

I heard a reporter refer to the Republican nominee as John McClane. Now, he would DEFINITELY get my vote!

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

We probably spent 37% of our cruise either going to eat, thinking about eating, having a snack or meal, talking about what we ate, wishing we hadn't eaten so much, or wondering when we'd eat next. Come along as we are...

...waiting to eat...
...enjoying Animator's Palate
...providing a little dinner music
...checking out the menu
...running out of hands
...grieving over our Mickey Mouse waffles
...discussing the size of the steak
...planning tomorrow's breakfast at Parrot's Cay
...snacking on Pinocchio's Pizza to tide us over between meals
...Cam's rocking the soup
...sharing? There will be no sharing, Aunt Bee!
Sometimes you have to make it yourself
How many desserts did you order?
Golden Mickeys Awards Dinner
Hiding under the table with a hunk of bread
Here's something pretty...maybe a salad?
This is not what s'mores looked like in Girl Scouts
A non-Marie Callender's lemon meringue (good, but ours is better!)
Something with chocolate over chocolate with chocolate syrup
Cheesecake, of course
ummm...your guess is a good as mine
Ryan asked for creme brule and they gave him two! (He ate 'em)
Look at Bethany ordering meat on a bone that wasn't cow. Isn't she big? She even tasted a little bit. Mama's so proud of her!Bethany and I even tasted a bit of Krista's swordfish. Yay, us! (it'll never happen again)
Whew, taking a break between meals

And the winner is...

Our cruise took place during an interesting week. Lots of things happening in the world. We certainly had access to the news. Because Disney owns ABC, we weren't able to watch the Olympics on NBC. (we substituted the Wii Olympics...still lots of fun & it came with hot wings and nachos, but no opening ceremonies) We followed the sudden death of Bernie Mac, the invasion of Georgia, and John Edward's "mistake."* Another interesting aspect of that week was that nearly all of the summer reality shows had their finales. Before we left, I made sure the TiVo would record all those finales, then I carefully avoided any news report that might refer to the winners. Imagine my surprise when I learned that the media considers a war to be more pressing news than the Next HGTV Design Star!

By the way, may God bless and keep the inventor of TiVo, and may he and his descendants live long and prosper. Also, the fellow who came up with the oscillating fan. Love you, man,

Anyway, Monday morning I arose very early, and began watching the finales. Oh, yes; and God bless the inventor of the fast forward button.

Design Star: Loved them both. Thrilled that she won. But I would have TiVo'd his shows.

America's Best Dance Crew: semi-finals. Can I really stand one more week of Li'l Mama and her outlandish grammar? Oh, I do love the fast forward button!

Nashville Star: YES! Melissa rocks. I've already downloaded her single.

So You Think You Can Dance: Once Will was eliminated, I didn't really care who won. LOVED Katee, but I'm happy with adorable Joshua.

The Mole: My first year to watch this show, and I was confused a LOT. But I had Craig pegged as The Mole from week 3. I'm glad Mark won because he's a caring husband & father, and had expressed that his desire was for his wife to be a stay-at-home mom to their 4 kids. Awww...

Shear Genius: hasn't ended yet. Kinda too bad. What a bunch of divas.

Project Runway: just barely started. Yay! What a bunch of divas.

Oh, reality television...I confess I missed you more than my dog. You entertain me, you challenge me, you are ever interesting. Plus you don't shed on the furniture.



*Dear Mr. Edwards, A "mistake" is when you mismatch your socks or forget to add salt to the potato salad. Your actions were premeditated, selfish, sneaky, and purposeful. Shame on you.

Once Upon a Dream

We just got home from our 7-night vacation aboard the Disney Magic. We cruised the Mexican coast, and visited Cabo, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallerta. Here are a few of the hundreds of photos we took.Isn't she a beauty? When she pulls out of port, her horn blasts the first seven notes of "When You Wish Upon A Star."

Greeted by Minnie at the Port of Los Angeles. Hey, we aren't even on board yet...has anyone seen Cameron?I teared up a little when they announced over the loudspeaker, "Disney Magic, welcome the Lopez Family!" It was Ryan's first cruise. It won't be his last.Lifeboat drills really take it out of me. Well, aren't we supposed to relax on this cruise? I'll wake up in time for dinner...maybe.

Robbie and Cam hit the pools before we had set the luggage down. And they stayed in one or the other of the pools for most of the trip. They are very clean...and wrinkly.Live theater included original musicals, magicians, and comedians. We also saw Wall-E in the Buena Vista Theater. And they premiered Swing Vote.Here's Bethany reading her book. I think she finished 3 or 4 entire pages before the book was stuck back in the bag and Bethany decided she could read at home.
Hanging out on the deck. We're all red and crispy today.Cam is watching pods of whales and flying fish.

Chef Robs made salsa. Is it bueno, Robs?
Look at Ryan parasailing! Without a hard hat!
We snorkled...
...and went "cow-wacking" (thanks, Cam; that is now and forever part of the family's lexicon!)
We hiked to a waterfall with Yelapa nationals. (I didn't go; instead I slipped getting into the water taxi and broke several toes. I didn't take a picture of my black/blue/purple foot. You're welcome.
We had a few "sea days" to just relax and hang out.
Oh, yes; we ate.
And we ate.
And ate some more.
And just to be safe, we ate a little bit more.

Thanks, Disney Magic. We had a wonderful vacation.
See You Real Soon!