The Salad Days

Yesterday, I arose at 10AM, did some things around the house, and took breakfast at the Famous Al's Breakfast. Al's Breakfast is a local institution in the Dinkytown neighborhood of Minneapolis. I have never been in a smaller restaurant. The place consists of a bar with 14 stools. That's it. I sat about 2-3 feet from the cook making my pancakes. The pancakes were great. Also, I was in a hurry. Since I had to drive back across town to go to work, the turnaround time of 15-20 minutes suited me. The pancakes wre just right-slightly crispy and fresh. And the place is so small that it is hard to not strike up a conversation with your neighbor if you are alone as I was.

The week is going faster than I thought it would. Work keeps things moving. Fortunately, though I miss my family, I have a personality that keeps busy pretty well, so staying occupied hasn't been a problem. It is strange to not have to be quiet when getting home from a night shift. I can thrash around the house at 12:30 since no one else is here.

The funny thing is not so much missing my wife (which is pretty constant), but the moments when I miss the kids. Usually, I begin missing them when I see a squirrel, or when I see a baby at work. The things that make me think of them usually involve things that I know would make them happy. Apparently, all three of them are having a lot of fun in California, and I am certainly making the best of my time here alone. God is good to us all.