I am a softy, but I didn’t use to be. I got that letter from my Sacramento Bee delivery person, that is supposed to remind me to leave a tip for Christmas. In the good old days, I was a stingy SOB and wouldn’t have left him or her a tip. My friends use to call me a slimy Bast--rd, and I took it as a compliment. I mean when you strive to be a despicable businessman and you achieved that goal, I do believe you should be proud. I mean I use to have a portrait of my hero, Ebenezer Scrooge, on the wall of my office. Then I met my social worker wife and all that changed. I became a nice guy. Now I tip everybody and donate to everybody. I get close to 40 letters a week from different organizations asking for money. When I get 4 letters on one day from the same company requesting money, I begin to miss the old days. Oh well, I will send my paper girl a tip for Christmas and even write her a nice note. The problem is, the last time I sent a tip, the Bee carrier quit the next day.
Folks, we are doing what we think is right. We are serving outside in the cold. Mind you, we have spent tons of money on heaters and it still isn’t enough. However, many restaurants are still serving inside. I wish things were different and everyone abided by the rules, but it is what it is. I have heard stories of restaurants packing people inside. There are some that just can’t afford to close and I understand that they just can’t afford to lose their business, but some restaurant owners have the money and are just slimy SOBs.
Nov 23 - 29
So it just came to me that during my covid test a couple of weeks ago the nurse gave me a very peculiar look, and then she started talking to me like I was a child. It appears that when she put the swab in, it went in so far I thought it went all the way to the back of my head. Unfortunately, I think I now understand what she discovered, which I have always suspected. I don’t have any brain cells left, none, zero, nessuno (Italian for none). The swab wouldn’t have gone that far if there was some tissue still up there but alas, there was none. I mean I thought I had a dozen cells up there maybe, but it looks like I was way off. If you see me, try and keep the conversations very simple. If possible try to use only one-syllable words with me like "hi", or "How are you?" or "Boy, you look sharp" and of course "Do you like ice cream?". Please don’t tell my employees, yet. I am sure when they see me riding my grandson's bike through the restaurant, they will know.
OK, folks, we are going through the toughest time of the pandemic. Of course, I just installed UV virus killing equipment in the heating units of Flapjacks, Country Waffles, and Taylors right before they made us serve outside only, but closing inside seating is the correct thing to do right now. We will get through this, and I appreciate all of you so much.
Nov 16 - 22
This family time is getting old. My wife is ready to have me move into the goat barn, because I don’t do enough chores around the house. That is part of the reason I have 3 restaurants is so I can avoid those chores, but during quarantine I had no place to hide. Anyways, my family and I all tested negative when we came back from Santa Cruz and everyone is well.
We are now serving outside only at Flapjacks and Country Waffles for the next few weeks and likely will stay outside until after the Holidays. Bring some warm clothes and enjoy the clean air. We are working on getting heaters outside and hopefully some sense of normal will follow in the spring months, Hopefully. Right now I caution everyone to not let down your guard, case loads are increasing everywhere. We have gotten through 8 months of this so we are nearing the finish. What is that saying “We will overcome”, and we will.
Thanks to everybody for hanging in there.
Nov 9 - 15
I am in quarantine, in fact, I don’t even think you should read this email. You know there are conspiracy theories that believe that is how the virus spreads. Oh, never mind, that is right, I forgot I purchased computer antivirus software, so you should be ok.
Anyway, we finally decided to let our kids go back to school one day a week. We don’t let them take the bus, my wife drives them both ways to Auburn. We decided to get away and go to Santa Cruz and meet up with my oldest daughter and her family. We are down there walking on the beach waiting for them to arrive when we get a phone call from our kids’ school telling us that someone at the school tested positive and that we should quarantine. We now have to call the oldest to cancel and we have to then run back up home to get tested. By the way, I had no idea that your nasal cavity went all the way to the back of your brain.
So if you don’t see me for 2 weeks you will know, why, and if you see me in 3 days you will also know why. It is amazing how much better you can breathe when they clean out that nasal canal.