Best Friends/Good Food

I am lucky to have a good friend like Debbie. She use to work at Walgreen's with me. We have stayed in touch, gone out for lunch and suppers together. She is two weeks older than I am, so a lot of our thinking, values and tastes are the same. Well, she called the other night and was telling me about her raise and that we need to get together and get caught up on each others lives. She told me to pick a time and place for supper and she would pay. So, I was online looking at restaurant menus in this area and made my decision. I haven't been to a lot of the places in Durango, and found out just how expensive they are, so I called Deb and said, "Let's just go to Swing and have our chef Chris fix us up with something special." So, she agreed that going to a familiar place where we get great waitstaff and great food and decent portions/prices was the thing to do. Then we wouldn't be disappointed.
After I stopped at home to let the Manley out, I drove out to Swing. Deb actually beat me there. I think that's the first time ever!!
We had a great server, Chris. (Not the chef). Chris, the chef, came out and gave us both a big hug and chatted alittle. Then he told Chris, the server, to come back to the kitchen after getting our drink order and he'd let him know about some specials. So, we got a Lobster Dip appetizer from the chef. It is artichoke and lobster pieces in a cream sauce that you put on sliced and toasted bagettes. It was wonderful. Then we had an awesome salad wrapped in fine carrot strips, and then I ordered the Sweet Chile and Honey Tiger Prawn Shrimp with garlic potatoes. Yum Yum!! It had a Bernaise type sauce dribbled on the shrimp, which were stacked on top of the potatoes. I should have taken a picture, because the presentation was just awesome. Deb had the cod Fish and Chips. It was perfectly done! (We always give the other person a taste of ours.) Then for dessert we split a Raspberry Caramel Bread Pudding.
Chris, the server, was just wonderful. He was very debonair and stopped at the table at the right times... He just started there 3 days ago, and loves it so far. He is a professional bartender by trade but he also likes serving. His family, in Seattle, opened a restaurant when he was young and learned everything about the business that he could. Like me, he did dishes, salads, cooked and served. He is 50 years old and very funny. He invited us to come out when he was bartending tonight and Wednesday night. He also golfs and wants to go the big golf competition up in Seattle in 2010. He hopes to improve his game from a 7 handicap to a 2. I'm not too familiar with golf terms but wished him luck. I offered to go with him and drive him around in the golf cart. :) He came from Denver, where he worked in one of the larger supper clubs there. He actually worked for a guy that Chris, the chef, knew. Small world, isn't it?
There was a new server there that hadn't tasted much on the menu, so we shared out Lobster Dip and bread pudding with her. Don't tell Chris the chef though! Plus, we were all alone in the big dining room, while every one else was in the bar area. It was nice. We sat there for 2 & 1/2 hours just gabbing and eating and drinking. Deb paid the bill and I left the 20% tip. Then got hugs from both Chris's and got home by 9:00.
Today I am working at the EconoLodge then have to go get cat food and stop at the library. It is sunny out and suppose to get up in the 60's today.
My sister Joyce's flight to Wisconsin got canceled due to Mount Redoubt erupting and spewing ashes. She will hopefully leave late tonight.
Next Saturday I will be getting my hair cut. It will be layered and shorter than I have it now. More like I had it about a year ago. Less muss, less fuss.
Manley is still limping around with a cracked pad (another one) and I am applying Musher's Secret daily. I'm thinking he licks on them a lot. Maybe an e-collar would do the trick. Probably drive him even more nuts that he is now! It's hard to take him hiking when he is limping.
Did you all know that I have a guard cat??? I was in bed last night and one of the guys went through the laundry room, right outside my bedroom door, and Kalista growled. She sat there for a while waiting to see if anything was going to happen, then settled down. She is pretty serious!! Hence me always calling her 'the serious girl'.
No snow around town, but up in the mountains at 8,000 + feet there is still some. It will all be gone by May. We really need the rain though. It's alittle dry out there and the irrigation water has not opened the gates yet. I think that starts in April.
Hope every one has a great day and stays safe. Love you all!