These are the worst of times and the best of times. I'm at the stage of my life when I thought I'd retire early and cultivate a life of leisure and travel. I envisioned gourmet coffee, lazy mornings, exercise, gardening, family gatherings, beaches, books, maybe a boyfriend. Hmmm, there is gourmet coffee with Coffeemate Italian Creme and half and half. I LOVE half and half in my coffee...
Several situations occurred to short circuit that dream. It was late winter/spring 2007. I wanted a change. My son, who always dreamed of owning his own restaurant, actually found a little Italian place that was for sale. My son eventually got cold feet and fled the state. I travelled, read the book 'Honeymoon with My Brother,' rested, and decided I still wanted a change. In July, 2007, I bought the restaurant without my son and opened it with the help of my sister, cousin, and friend. My son eventually returned to lend a hand. He brought the Italian dishes, pizza, and sauces to a new level. Then, O'Bama was voted president, the economy took a dump, and my 401k, investments, and business went with it.
So, here I am. Lucky for me I'm experiencing loads of change...maybe more change than I bargained for? No, I love what I'm doing. I feed people everyday in the restaurant. The food is really, really delicious. The service is friendly and outstanding. The atmosphere is warm and inviting. Italian music plays softly in the background. When my customers leave, they are sated and content. They rave about the food, promise to come back, and we all feel like old friends.
As of November, 2010, I work full time in the cardiac cath lab. You can't imagine the relief to the patient when we locate and open a blocked coronary artery...or when cardiac bypass grafting is averted. Unfortunately, we can't fix all blockages with balloons and stents. There are those who do wind up members of the 'zipper club.'