Wednesday, January 4, 2023

It Was So Fine

This morning, what felt like warm air bumping into cooler air resulted in great sky grumbling, electricity in lightening form, tornado warnings, and of course rain. The whole thing felt like a good representation of the mishegoss which has been our weather lately here. 

Take all the weathers and toss them in a bowl and see what happens. Or alternatively, take all the weathers, put them in a test tube and set them over a bunsen burner for a few seconds. 
Stand back! Wear your goggles! 

I texted Liz to see if she still wanted to go on our small adventure and she said that if we just left a little later, the rain and wind would clear out according to the radar and she was right. So we headed up to Metcalfe. She drove and I took my embroidery and we talked a blue streak on the way up. We're never quite sure that Mary's will be open and we gave a little cheer when we saw that it was. 



The parking lot was filled with cars which seemed odd when we walked in because there only four other people at one table. We asked Mary about this later and she told us that people had parked in her lot to pick up pecans nearby. 
Of course. 

The inside was bright and cheery, still with the Christmas decorations up, candy canes on the placemats. 


Don't know if you can read the menu but you get a choice of two different meats and several sides or a variety of different hamburgers. The meals cost $8.50 and come with bread and a drink and dessert. 
You will not leave hungry. Also, at the bottom of the menu it says, "Quote- God is love." 
The music playing was both gospel and blues. Also a bit of James Brown. Perfect. And not too loud. 

A man from the corner table of four stopped by to say hello to us on his way out. 
"Now how did y'all find your way to Metcalfe?" he asked. You may wonder how he knew were from out of town but the fact is, I feel quite certain that everyone in Metcalfe knows everyone in Metcalfe. He did not know us therefore we weren't from Metcalfe. 
He introduced himself as Judge Whatever-He-Said-His-Name-Was and told us he lived up the hill. 
And there you go. 

We both chose the roast beef with gravy and rice and fried okra. I got the lima beans and Liz got the green beans. I don't even like lima beans but I knew I would like Mary's lima beans. I was right. It was all delicious. For dessert Mary brought us out pound cake with chocolate sauce. Homemade, of course. 

We talked and ate and talked and ate and it felt so good to be together, to catch up some, to be eating at Mary's. When we paid the bill, I asked Mary if she'd had a good Christmas. 
"It was fine," she said. "I don't really like Christmas." 
"I don't either!" I said. 
She told me that although she loves Jesus and she knows it is better to give than to receive, Christmas always makes her sad, thinking about how many loved ones she has lost over the years who are not with her at Christmas any more and that we have Christmas all twisted up with this giving presents thing. 
"Christmas should be every day," she said. "And not in this crazy way we do it now. We should reach out to those who are not as blessed as we are."
If Mary didn't own a restaurant, I think she should start a church. Or maybe she has one. I don't know but I would not be surprised. I believe that if she did, her preaching would be as genuine and nourishing as the lunches she serves and I have no doubt that she does more good in her community than any preacher could. 

Then we drove on home through the still-gray day but the rain had stopped. It is already feeling cooler and it will be cooler tonight for which I am grateful. 
I worked on Maggie's name embroidery some more when I got home. I have part of the I and the E to do and then it will be a simple thing to sew the name part onto the quilt. I can get that done tomorrow with any luck. 

It's been a very good day for my soul. I'm trying to remember how long I've been friends with Liz. I met her at the birth center I worked at for awhile many years ago. She, too, was a nurse and took call there as an assistant. I fell in love with her immediately and that love has not waned. I feel that there is nothing I cannot tell her, nothing that has ever once risen up to make me doubt our friendship. Not for one second. She is an amazing person and I stand in awe of her energy, her sense of adventure, her willingness to help a friend or a stranger in any way, her absolute dedication to saying "yes" to life. 

There are people who avow goodness and light and there are people who quietly go about spreading those things. 
Liz is one of those. 
She is also as profane as I am, as funny as I would like to be, profoundly knowledgable on subjects ranging from wildlife to river systems to proper English teas. And the list of people who love her dearly is too long to even try and comprehend. 

She is simply and truly a splendid human being. 

My life is so much richer for knowing her. As so many others' are as well. 

What a beautiful day it has been, crazy weather and all. I am fortunate to have had it. 

Love...Ms. Moon


27 comments:

  1. What a wonderful friend! This whole post made me smile.

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  2. I think Mary's restaurant is as close to a church as can be, only better. And what a friend Liz is, how wonderful to know her.

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    1. Boud, I came down here to say the same thing. She has a church.

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    2. You're both right. Any place that satisfies the soul along with the body is a rightly called a church.

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  3. that little cafe is right up my alley! Your lunch/dinner sounds just right as well as the company of good old dear friend. I would love to have been the candy cane, listening...

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    1. You wouldn't have had to be the candy cane. You could have been sitting right there, Linda Sue.

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  4. yes, a perfect day! Does sound like better than church! Love all around......and good company and food. Glad Jack was *rescued* from his 2 day entrapment....poor guy. He's a scrapper tho....... at least it wasn't 2 weeks! LOL
    susan m

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    1. Better than church by FAR!
      Jack is indeed a tough old thing.

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  5. Your post was wonderful! Have a sweet night. Raining buckets here.

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    1. I bet it felt good to get some rain. I hope it did.

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  6. It sounds like a wonderful day. I love friends like that, you can just be yourself and they love you as you are.

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    1. Yes. They know all the rotten things about you and love you despite. Such a peace in that.

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  7. 37paddington:

    “It's been a very good day for my soul.”
    Well, that says it all.

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  8. Well that, my dear, sounds like a perfect day. There should be more of them. And more Mary's in the world.

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  9. What a wonderful day you two had. I got happier just reading about it.

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  10. What a lovely day you've had - Liz and Mary's place all in one go!

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  11. I lost my best friend of 48yrs on Christmas morning...my life is now a little more empty... Rejoice in your friendship...make a lot more memories.
    hughugs
    Donna

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    1. I think that probably your life is now a lot more empty. I have lost some of my best friends over the years and it does not get easier. But I certainly cherish the friends I have.

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  12. I am glad you had such a terrific day, Mary. Friends like that are treasures for sure.

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  13. Days don't get much better than that.

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  14. That sounds like an amazing day. I'm glad you got to see Liz and you took your Metcalfe adventure. I'm sure you're right that an out-of-towner is immediately obvious in Metcalfe!

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.