Straight LIne

I have been making it a practice lately to ride my bike more. As it turns out I do not go very far!! While riding home from work the other day I was thinking of different routes to take. As my mind did it's usual meandering I was brought back to elementary school days. My brothers and I were going to go to the high school(which was behind out house at the time) to watch a baseball game. Uncle Joe Pacific came by and said he was going to, did we want a ride. I thought why of course why walk when you can ride? big bro said he would run there and beat us!! Wanna bet I said. Sure, and the race was on. While going there Uncle Joe said he that Johnny would win!! Not if you don't let him I thought. Then the math teacher in him came out. How could he beat us this car can go like 30mph there is no way he can run that fast. Yes but the shortest distance between two places is a straight line. Huh? Well we got there and golden boy was sitting watching the game before us, and Joe got out a paper and pencil and drew me a diagram to show me the straight line rule.

This has fascinated me for the past 40 years. I think from that day on I always looked for the straight line to places. I think it is an obsession when traveling with many people. Then many I heard the phrase you will go straight to hell if you do that! Yikes, I certainly don't want a short cut there!! While riding I think shortest distance, shortest distance, shortest distance... to success is... a straight line? Hmm what does that mean? There has to be a message here somewhere.

Okay this stuff is in my head for a week. Tuesday Becky comes in like usual. We have this sorta bartender relationship. She talks and I listen and talk back with my deep thoughts. Well she mentions how she wishes that she had just gone to baking school right off the bat instead of waiting 20 years. I being in my straight line mode am THINKING yeah then you would have gotten to this point years ago and have a successful baking business, now it will take to long and you may never get there(am I thinking this for Becky or me?). What I said was, "did you want to bake 20 years ago?" "No, it wasn't even on the radar," was the response. The conversation continued us coming up with the whole life is a journey thing and you have to take different routes to find yours blah, blah blah. This didn't really sit well with me, but I had to make breakfast for people and think of lunch specials so it was going to be the end of it for today, or at least till the bike ride home.

On the ride home I realized that there is no way to get from point a to point b in a straight line without cutting through someones yard or even house! I don't think that would be a good idea, Forest!! Now at home I look out the window ant think do I see any straight lines? Yes but not in nature? Or is that what I heard somewhere so that is what I am seeing? The tree trunk starts out straight then branches out? I am supposed to learn something here. But what. Oh well it is bed time, maybe I will figure it out tomorrow.

Okay it is now a month since I wrote this. I am to tired to re-read it and have no idea what it says anymore. Yet I have posted because I have not in so long. I hope it makes sense. I am also going to post one that I thought I posted months ago. What the heck!!

The picture was sent to me by two Black Bean customers. What a shiny place. It is fun to see it from a different perspective.

Off to bed now to read Moby Dick, this time I WILL make it past "Call me Ishmael"!

Not Again

I can't believe it, it has happened again. I set out to write this blog as soon as I got home from work today. The computer was not working properly, Owen was starving, Eliza is in her room wondering about prom, Liz is off working out and I am in charge.
Soup made,Pizza ordered, Eliza hugged (and lectured), computer re-booted. I am in business. We eat and chat. I sit down to do this and of course have to check out facebook and other blogs. Now it is 7:30 and time for me to get ready for bed. Wash up, read and lights out by 8:00.

I am forcing myself to get something written down. Everyday when I leave work I look around me in gratitude. The Black Bean is such a beautiful place. It is not just the space that makes it, it is every person who comes into the space. I thank... , whoever, for giving me this opportunity. I think that when we first re-opened I had reservations about the change in focus. That has subsided and I feel that we are well into establishing ourselves as a destination restaurant. This weekend we had the place blessed and smudged. This was done to bring us and the space's energy into sync. There has been a large amount of craziness surrounding this new space. I hope that this weekends energy work has put it all in its place, the past.

Here is to the future. This week Josh has a few neat things in store for us. Today we enjoyed a Roasted Beet salad. I think that Weds. we will have a grilled chicken with prosciutto and mushrooms. Liz is looking forward to us making her pork and tszaki greek salad. I want the roasted veggie sandwich with pesto sandwich. Also I will attempt to make a Loaf and Ladle bread that I always had a BLT on, Orange Cottage. This week for dessert we will have a peanut butter brownie, chocolate cake Jennifer's Lemon squares and peanut butter and jelly bars!!

Oh yeah it is open studio day on Sat.May 9th. We will be open till 4 !!!. This week also marks the return of Cindy in the kitchen!!! Oh what a wonderful life!!