I like Jason’s Deli because the nice lady with a LOT of 80′s purple metallic eyeliner does not flinch when you order a California Club without bacon, without turkey, and without mayo, and change the bread, substitute the chips, and leave the pickle spear off the plate please.

Caden-7yr has been known to react, though. One time in the last 6 months he was standing behind me when I ordered that and he turned to the people behind him in line and proudly announced (as only he can), “I am not even embarrassed when she orders like that.” When I turned to give him a look he said, “WHAT!? I said I am NOT even embarrassed, Mom!”

Today he didn’t do that. Today – as only he can – he ate macaroni and cheese in the messiest possible manner and in quiet disbelief, said, “WOW! I really am the Messiest Man. I have noodles in my hair.” And he did.

But nothing beats the trip to Jason’s Deli when he spilled 5 drinks. FIVE. Not at once. That would have been easier. This was 5 drinks at 5 different times requiring 5 different cleanups, 5 different apologies to splashed diners nearby, and 5 different opportunities for all of us to thoroughly go insane. Which I did. Spill a cold drink on me in a cold restaurant in winter and I will take a deep breath and clean it up. Spill 5 and I will lose my mind.

One time we were there, eating outside, and witnessed a car accident on the freeway in front of us. No one was seriously hurt, but it was really loud and we had an unfortunate front row seat. That was so pivotal in the boys’ lives that they must re-live it every time we go there and they have to figure out how old they each were at the time of the accident and then suggest NEW theories on the cause of the accident.

Today was a complete success, given our Jason’s Deli history. We ate outside because it’s always freezing in there and I told Ethan-11yr it was not really okay to take a large blanket with us “so we could snuggle”, but that was a sweet idea he’d had.

Now I’m trying to get Seth-5yr to take a nap before he realizes he has a game today and then gets an upset stomach and a World Series level adrenaline rush that I’ll have to contend with. Normally he knows when it’s game day and he’ll stagger in, half awake, first thing in the morning and put on his deeper than usual ‘business voice’ and say, “Where’s my uniform? Is it clean? I have my hat and my glove ready, but is my uniform ready?”

I’ll try to shh him and tell him we have ALL DAY before his game, go and act like a 5 yr old or something, but that usually doesn’t work.

First the successful lunch. Now the successful nap. I’m getting lots done, and this day is going pretty well. (Hope yours is, too.)

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