Yesterday was a bit of a rough day.
There was that whole no cookie thing at the commissary that threw Sara over the edge of 'I've had enough today' and 'A tantrum seems like a great idea, thankyouverymuch'.
That, in turn, led to a rough hour between the time we got home and she caught the bus for school. I could recap the whole thing, but the shortened version of it is that a hungry, tired, disappointed four year old = the demanding of my undivided attention and when that wasn't entirely possible, things got a little ugly.
I had put a pizza in the oven for myself (Kashi now makes a line of frozen pizzas and they are delish), and when I walked back in the house from putting Sara on the bus, the timer went off. Perfect! I opened the oven door, carefully grabbed the edges of the aluminum foil and lifted the pizza off the oven rack. The foil ripped and the pizza bounced off the side of the oven door and onto the floor. There was sauce, cheese, and diced tomatoes all over the oven door, the floor, and the cabinet.
Bummer.
I didn't have time to clean up the whole mess, I had to be at the kids' school in 20 minutes to put up a bulletin board, and the oven was too hot to clean. I picked up the pizza off the floor and most of the big pieces that weren't sizzling into perma-seal on the oven door and rack and off I went.
The bulletin board took longer than I expected, so I got home about 10 minutes before Sara. When I walked out to meet her bus, one of the kids that got off before her told me the bus driver wanted to talk to me. Sara was sobbing hysterically and had been since she got on the bus that afternoon. I carried her home, snuggled up with her on the couch, and she was asleep within 10 minutes.
I finished cleaning up the pizza carnage, threw together a quick dinner and by 6:45, I was asleep on the couch myself which meant I missed Zumba.
Bummer.
I was dreading today because the schedule was hectic. I was volunteering with Sara's class this morning, getting her a quick lunch then off to her afternoon preschool. Housework, followed by picking the kids up at school so that I could get to the Y to volunteer from 3:15-7:30. Then rushing to a local church to see the kids perform a song from their bible study class.
Somehow, everything today went perfectly. I had a blast (per usual) with her preschool class, she actually ate lunch instead of picking at it, she was happy to get on the bus to go to her afternoon preschool class, I got almost everything done at home today that I wanted before I had to leave to get the kids.
At school, I got there in enough time to pick up Sara before Tucker got out of school, we made it to the Y in plenty of time, Robert picked up the kids with enough time to get them some dinner before they had to be at the church to rehearse. I was worried I'd miss their program because it started around 7 and I wouldn't be finished until 7:30, but I got to church just as they were taking the stage. They did well, and Tucker was so into it that the local radio station host (who was the emcee) singled him out and introduced him. So freakin' cute!
Afterwards, I was starving since I hadn't eaten since lunch and it was now 9pm. I told Robert and the kids I was going to go grab something to eat and I'd be right home. As soon as I got in the car, I remembered that I saw a Jersey Mike's in a nearby shopping center. I figured I'd swing by and see if it was open yet. Jersey Mike's was my absolute favorite sub shop in NC. I don't think I'd eaten at one since before Sara was born.
I got there at 9:09. JM's was open for business! The open sign was still on, there were people in there, but no cars were in front. I got out of the car and was walking towards the door when I noticed that the hours said they closed at 9. Oh, well. At least I know it's open for business.
I was heading back to my car when another vehicle pulls up beside mine and a guy gets out. He says something about the store being closed, I quip back "I KNOW! It's nine o'clock on a Friday, what's up with THAT?!?!"
Welllll.............
At which point he pulls out his keys, tells me he's the owner, and to come on in and he'll make me a sub.
Say what?!?!?!?
I'm really touched. But, having worked in the food service industry, I don't want them to have to stop the closing process to make me a sandwich. Last minute customers, no matter how nice or well meaning, kinda suck on a Friday night from an employee perspective.
But he insisted, and as I apologized profusely to the employees for interrupting them while they were trying to close down, he actually made the sandwich himself. And then he wouldn't let me pay for it. So I tipped what I hope was the equivalent, introduced myself to the owner, whose name is Greg, and told him how much I appreciated it and how psyched I was that a Jersey Mike's finally opened in our area.
Then I drove home and savored every single bite of that amazing sandwich. I even offered some to Robert, but he didn't want any.
So thank you Greg, owner of the Shiloh Jersey Mike's, for making what was already an awesome day that much better...especially after such a yucky day yesterday. And thank you for the best sub I've had in oh...five years or so.
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