I had to get up early on the morning after attending the Gay Pride events because I had a baby shower brunch to attend. Oh, it didn't start until 10:00, but it was in Manchester, NH! Both my mom and I were attending, but she won't drive anywhere that even comes close to Boston, let alone drive for two hours, so I caffeined myself up in time for our 7:30 departure. (I allow extra time for rest stops, so I can smoke, grab a coffee "for the road, and "just in case" sort of delays.)
The shower was at a restaurant called The Yard, not too far from the Manchester Airport, and I knew EXACTLY where it was. That's why I couldn't find it! I found the Best Western Hotel ok, it was right where I knew it was, but darn I missed the restaurant somehow and had to turn around. I turned around in the Best Western parking lot and headed back the way I came with my eyes searching around like I was a hawk.
Yep, sure enough, I was now just outside of the city center...hmmmm, so I headed up South Willow because I KNOW I can get to Mammoth from there. That must be why I couldn't find Mammoth!
Ok, it's still early, but I'm starting to run out of caffeine so I did what men don't usually want to do, I asked someone for directions. Hah, it was easy, just go down here, turn there, at that light, bear this way, go around to that way, turn right at the light and it's South Mammoth. Yep, I've got it now! That's why I couldn't find it.
It's 9:45 now, I need caffeine...Mom and I are silly with laughter and giggles, though, so I also need a ladies room. But, I pushed on and, lo and behold, I was back on South Willow! I had no choice but to travel down the road a piece before I could safely turn around, head back, and try desperately to retrace my route back to somebody else who might have directions to confuse me with.
I turned around, started heading back, came to a fork in the road...one way led onto Mammoth, the other was still South Willow? I won't get lost on South Willow (if that's what it really is), I said loudly, so I chose that side of the fork. Right smack ON the fork sat a restaurant...it was called THE YARD!
But, did I see it in time? Heck, no! I had to go past it so I could turn around somewhere and come back. Aha! A parking lot! I turned in to turn around and, ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I wanted to scream, it was the Best Western Hotel!
Hey, it was easy going from this point! Out of one parking lot and into another, park the car by the door, grab the gifts, run into the restaurant, and walk into a FULL room of smiling faces (like, I mean, EVERYBODY was already there) because it was 10:30! Do you know what a room full of women can do in half an hour? Eat! Thank goodness there was SOME food left!
I think my cousin Lori felt bad for us. She let Mom and I go relieve ourselves while she fetched us cups of coffee. Then we made our way to the buffet table and picked from what was left of the eggs, bacon, ham, home fries, pancakes, fresh fruit, and toast. We ate as Christine, the mother-to-be, opened her gifts.
Once we had food in our bellies and a couple of cups of coffee in us, it was like the day had gone smoothly all along. We talked to other people we knew, I went outside with my cousin Lori to have a smoke, and then again later with my cousin Louise (the mother of the mother-to-be) for a smoke. Between the yummy breakfast, the good company, the cute gifts we saw opened, the pink and lilac balloons all around us (yes, it's going to be a girl!), we and everybody else were ready for a piece of the beautiful cake that was there! Wow, that really was good cake!
When the shower was over, Christine's husband and some friends came to haul the gifts away. Everybody was going home, but Cousin Louise insisted that Mom and I go to her house to visit, along with Christine, some cousins, and a good friend. So, we did, we had more coffee (the caffeine for the ride home), and then we headed out. No, we didn't have any problems on that trip, so we had a nice, easy ride home.
Christine will be a mom soon.
Me, having a great time and holding my balloon and favor. (There was a York Peppermint Patty in that favor! Yum!)
8 comments on A Baby Shower Day
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Hi Robin...hope you enjoyed my little story.
Your sense of direction is just like mine. This could have been written by me
Oh, but, I know (or used to know) Manchester (and most of New Hampshire) like the back of my hand! And, nothing much has really changed there! I also used to have a great memory for getting around places and traveling to places once I had been there. That's part of what made me so good at being a travel agent...I could actually, from memory, give them directions around most of New England, New York City, the state of Virginia, around amusement parks, etc. And, there I was, lost right next door to the building I wanted!
LOL — for your next adventure, I'm sending a Caffeine Care Package from the cafe!
LOL...the caffeine was the fuel I needed that day for sure! I tend to have other days like that...caffeine is definitely needed and most appreciated!
It sounds like I was the one navigating. I always get lost!
Sounsd like it was a great party, though.
AJ
LOL! But, AJ, I can understand me getting a little "mixed up", seeing I had not been to that restaurant before and have had very little reason for ever being in that particular area before...but it's basically a city that I know well enough to negotiate better than I did! The next time I want a real "let's get lost" experience, I'll take you along with me...between the two of us, we ought to end up somewhere in a state we never knew we were near!