I left Rolla, Missouri yesterday about 0730 and headed towards Springfield to see my maternal grandmother. It was a gray, drizzly day and I drove through showers heavy enough to require the windshield wipers off and on all day. After about an hour, I decided a cup of coffee would be nice and it’s always a good idea to get out of the car for a few minutes, stand, walk around, and clear my head. Plus, the Girl appreciates time on her feet and new opportunities to leave pee-mail.
So, it was a deal. Of course, it was raining in Lebanon. Therefore, the pee-mail delivery was curtailed in favor of a dry spot at a booth inside the local Waffle House.
Waffle House is a favorite stop. It was when my family was with me and it remains so now. I like Waffle House better than Denny’s in many ways. Both evoke a sense of nostalgia and wanderlust in this old man. Waffle House, though, is more the quintessential American Diner. It evokes a greater sense of the past than Denny’s, at least for me. Plus, Waffle House waffles are much better than the Denny’s offering. It is Waffle House, after all.
So I enjoyed my coffee and ordered a Pecan Waffle. The server asked about the Girl, who was pleased to come out for a greet and then return to her snooze under the table. I watched the servers work and interact with the clientele while I remembered all those times I spent with Wife and Kids on the road. Now it’s just me and the Girl, wandering a bit, a few destinations in mind but no real reason to be anywhere in particular at any particular time.
I spent time with Daughter and her family this Fall. I saw my Denver kids this summer. I’m headed to Texas to visit friends and family there for a few days. Then I think I’ll head toward Carson City to retrieve a few things from my storage unit and see Younger Son and friends there. I’m thinking I might head to Washington for Christmas to spend the end of the year with a friend there. Plus, I’d like to see the coast again and the Cascades in snow.
My waffle arrived just as I caught up with my social media and finished my reverie. It was really tasty and I’m glad I stopped, rested, and got a snack. I had a couple more cups of coffee, then the Girl and I walked next door to the Knife Outlet. They had big display cases of Case and Buck knives, far too many for me to select anything. So, I window-shopped a bit and we left to continue on toward Springfield.