Lunch on the Terrace

We still haven't settled on what to call what is essentially the only part of our back yard which is level. One thing we have determined is that this was the perfect time of day for the table to be shaded by the umbrella. The way we wound up here was a bit of a saga.  We have a history with Anne and Harold of forgetting the fact that our plans coincide with a long holiday weekend. This weekend was no exception. We set off for lunch at VJB, an old standby with a nice outdoor piazza. We are used to wandering in, and finding a table, often bringing a dog with us. We did find a parking place, but were greeted at the entrance by a greeter who told us that it would be a half hour wait before a table was available. We elected to move on, but where...

After some discussion we decided on a deli near our house that makes nice sandwiches which we could take home and eat in our own garden as the weather is perfect today. Alas, the deli was shut today, so we wound up...where else? at the Trail House. All the outdoor tables were full but we found a place inside to wait, John ordered lunch to go, including a Reuben sandwich and when he was finished the young lady, who took his order said, 'thanks, Reuben'. He said, 'I'm not Reuben. That's a sandwich'. Eventually they got it straightened out, we got the food and a discussion ensued as to whether to eat there or take it home.  

In the end, we enjoyed a rather late lunch on our very own terrace. It was pleasant (and quiet) and Spike thought it was a good decision too.

This evening we are going to cook a paella on the barbecue for Jim's birthday, despite the face that when they came to pick up Blake last night they revealed that they had had dinner at a tapas restaurant in Berkeley and had...paella. There's a reason why I thought Jim would enjoy paella for his birthday. Hope he enjoys it two nights in a row. It will still be warm enough for all of us to sit out on the porch with our drinks and direct John...