Sit, Stay!

Scott (Delivery Guy) called in early morning to say he'd be here between 9:30 and 1.  I said that was fine.  With the Ladies coming in the evening, I not only dusted, I polished(!) while waiting and looking out the windows and door for the big semi DG said he was driving.  The darned vacuum cleaner quit again halfway through the living room and I put it in the closet for a time out.  About 12:30, the phone rang again.  "Where are you exactly?"  "Where are you, Scott?"  "I keep ending up at this park."  "Sit, stay, Scott.  I'll be right there."  Many of the roads up here loop around and it can be confusing.  Off I went to the rescue, found DG and led him back.  He'd been circling around and missed my road every time.  He unloaded John and gave me a crash course.  "This is where the gas goes.  This lever does this.  That button does that.  That is for cruise control (cruise control?!).  Only pull this rod out if you need to push the tractor somewhere."  Nodding dutifully, I tried to ask semi-intelligent questions while following him around as he quickly pointed to this and that and talking a mile a minute.  My mistake was not having a hands-on demonstration.  "Can I go online and get a manual?"  "Oh, sure, and you can print it out."  (I really, really like manuals.)  After giving DG a soda and offering the use of the bathroom (it's necessary up here to do that), he rumbled off and I immediately went to the computer.  To my dismay, there are no free manuals and I'd already spent my allowance.  Sigh.

How hard could it be?  Turned out to be pretty doggone difficult.  I could start the engine.  Period.  None of the other buttons or levers would cooperate.  I pulled, pushed, and turned this knob and that switch.  Nada.  And so John sits exactly where he was parked.  This does not bode well for our future relationship, I must say.

Leaving John sitting there to sulk, it was back to the kitchen for me.  The Ladies arrived and I must say that dinner was, as Linda said, fabulous!  The pork roast topped with caramelized onions and balsamic vinegar was done to perfection.  Lidia's mashed potatoes cooked together with green beans and garlic, drizzled with olive oil, was a tasty change from the usual.  Linda's crisp green salad was delicious, and Arden's fruit salad was a perfect ending to the meal.  Good company makes everything taste better, and I was in fine company last night.

"Sit, stay, John.  We'll talk about this tomorrow."