Dining directions -- according to me...

I love little diners.  I never feel rushed in a diner.  They don't even seem to mind when you're taking silly pictures inside. 
They probably think you don't get out enough.  They're right!

 



Is it rude to play with one's phone at the table?

 Can you tell Nate loves taking pictures with his phone?  He loves to take pics and then send them to the kids.  They are often random -- not the kids, the pics.  Take that back.  The kids are often random too. 
I'm certain our girls never know when to expect a picture he has taken of a sunset, sunrise, their mom, a grandbaby or a cheeseburger.  I own a dinosaur phone.  They do not make my phone anymore.  I am awairing the day to get a chance to road trip to Antique Roadshow and see what my cell is worth.  Anyway, Nate cannot send pics to me because my phone is not capable of accepting them.  It is bearly capable of ringing. 
I am sure one day, when I get a new phone,  I will unexpectedly receive a picture of something beautiful. 

I am certain cloth napkins are envioronmentally appropriate, if you're Mr. DiCaprio or Clooney or Brittany.  Green.  That's the thing.  Why clutter our ozone with trying to dispose of paper products?  But my environment would flow right down the drain, much to my dismay, if paper napkins were banned.  Where would I jot my thoughts while, "Hi, my name is John, I'll be your server" scanters back to bake the bird?  I do promise to recycle.  Each note I make I will send to my paper collecting box inside my closet. 

Forgive us, Dr. Atkins.

Another little diner where we had breakfast on the way to Rodanthe.  Our waiter/server/cook's name was Jason.  The diner was cute.  As you can see they had the whole beach-boy thing going on.  I was so hoping when he introduced himself he would say something like, I dunno, maybe "Hi, my name is Moon Doggie.  Gidget will be your server.  She's just stepped out to do the mashed potatoes or the twist."  No.  He was pleasant enough.  Don't think he would know what a Moon Doggie, moonpie or maybe even the moon walk is.  Owners of diners just get younger and younger. 

 


 I do not like to go out to eat just to eat.  If I want to eat, I might as well stay home.  Go out to savor.  Most people do not dine out alone.  I, however, have been guilty from time to time of dileberately going it alone, just to see how it feels.  Just to see if I can make myself comfortable enough to order and eat in public, as if no one would notice.  They probably didn't.  If I  dine with someone I really want at least an hour.  I  need that time to chew, to taste, to listen, to laugh or cry with my companion, whatever the occasion.  Nathan finds this difficult.  If he slows to my pace, his food gets cold.  He moves it around alot with his fork.  He doesn't know what to do with food on a plate.  He inhales his food.  I often ask him if his taste buds get angry because the food is passing them at the speed of light.  This question puzzles him.   So we have somewhat resolved this issue by taking our time to order.  This seems to annoy some servers.  But when we take our time to order, we can chat and play or plan and then when the food comes, I'm okay if his taste buds are deprived, for mine are satisfied.  I think my dining companion and I do not merely share a meal,  We share our time.  I do not like to go out to eat with people I don't want to spend time with.  Like someone from the IRS I somehow do not feel I would find a compatible dining companion, or a used car salesman.  I want to savor the food, the time.  That's probably why I do not care for fast food.  I mean, the name itself implies hurry up and eat.  How is that a good marketing tactic? 

Is it rude to plan your next destination at the table?

P. S. We do not order slow, play with our phones, read our books or take a nap if there are other patrons waiting to be seated.  Just so you know.