Meeting minutes, the tolls of eating out

Friday evening when I got home from work Mama was feeling better than she had when I talked to her in the afternoon, so we headed to our meeting in Ft. Worth. It was an easy drive. Mama and I got a chance to talk on the way – more so than we would have at the house, so the trip was worth the time for just that. Gill and Debbie were already at Panera’s when we got there. They were at the counter starting to order when we walked in. Hugs and hellos were exchanged all around. Orders were put in and we found a table. The place was not too busy, so we took a table set up for six. Both Mama and Debbie are recuperating from surgeries. Mama’s knee replacement surgery is only ten weeks old at this point. Debbie’s foot and leg – injured in an accident – were operated on a little over a year ago. She is able to walk but has a special medical boot on her right foot. Friday evening, she was wearing a boot on both feet. For some reason, she is not healing up. Mama and I can celebrate her recovery by comparison. Anyway, we neede the extra space for Mama and Debbie to stretch out safely.

We talked a gambit of things while we were eating and long after. It was a good meeting for all of us. We gained a lot of insights into each other’s lives and ambitions as well as sharing investment strategies. Gill shared some very helpful tax lien auction information. Mama and I needed those practical observations. As we talked, Mama and I became more settled on the idea of investing in foreclosure properties. It will take a great deal more capital to do so. That will require some aggressive strategies to be implemented to get the money we have in various areas into an investment account – which I already have set up. We are praying about that right now but have set a soft deadline for the end of the week to make the decision on those financial transactions. We would appreciate your help in those prayers. When we left the restaurant, we made plans to meet again. I believe it is a plan we will follow through on. It was fun and informative. It is always encouraging to spend time with like minded people. When we left I found it funny that our vehicles were parked side by side in the handicapped parking area. Everyone in the restaurant seemed to be young enough or mobile enough that the spaces had not been needed by anyone else during our meeting. Perhaps the next time we meet we can use the regular parking spaces.

That was not the only time Mama and I ate out this weekend. We met the seniors from church at Catfish O’Harley’s for lunch Saturday afternoon. It is a moderately expensive restaurant. They have a very limited menu but pretty good food. The problem for me is that almost everything they offer is fried. I stuck with the salad bar and ordered a baked potato with that. Mama got catfish and crab cakes. I had to give the potato back to the server because it was cold. Not even the least bit warm. When she told me that it would be at least twenty minutes before she could bring me a fresh one, I told her I would pass. Mama gave me one of her catfish strips and the salad bar had some pretty good items on it, so I had plenty to eat. One of our friends got the fried oysters – nine of them. When she offered me one, I gladly accepted. It was only after I cut it in half that I realized the oyster did not come from the sea. It came from an animal. It wasn’t terrible, but I passed on the next offer. We had a good time eating and visiting, but that evening I did not feel good. I was nauseated, and my stomach felt bloated. Very uncomfortable.

Sunday morning, I still did not feel good but went to church anyway. I almost had Mama take me home after Sunday School, but stuck it out. I am glad I did. We had a great service. As is out custom now, we ate at the Chinese restaurant after church. I do not eat too much. I was afraid to put anything more on my stomach. But by late Sunday afternoon, I was feeling pretty badly. Mama was feeling the same. All of us stayed home from church that night. I hate to miss but it seemed best. The nausea stayed with me through the entire night and into this morning.

Mama has a busy day today. I will be meeting her for lunch at the school; not that I will eat much, but I will spend the time with Mama regardless. She will go to the school after her physical therapy appointment and stay for an hour or so after lunch. She has a doctor’s appointment this afternoon and did not feel like it was a good idea to drive home and back between our lunch and that appointment. There is plenty for her to do at the school while she is waiting to go to the doctor. Things that will be less taxing on her than shopping. Things that will be less costly for me than for her to go shopping.

It’s a win-win.