red chimney in the Garden

Today's birthday celebration was a luncheon in a new place. No, wait, that's not quite true. The building itself is not any different than it was the last time I dined there, but the name and ownership had changed. Once, it was Muther's Old Timey Bar-b-que; now it is called The Red Chimney and has gone by that name, and these owners, for five years. Hard to believe that much time has passed!
I had the pork rib sandwich special of the day. I found out the sandwich was full of the meat taken off the ribs - no bones! It came with a drink (I had unsweet tea mixed with lemonade) and one side. I chose the green beans and added some fries. Then, just as I was closing out my order, the cherry winked at me. I swear, it did! And that's when I SAW the pineapple upside-down cake slices, mixed in with the lemon pound cake and some chocolate thing. Pineapple upside-down cake. So, I would not be dining alone after all!
I took my time with the lunch, tasting the four house barbeque sauces, chewing each bite thoroughly and savoring the flavors. The folks who ran the place didn't try to rush me, allowing me to dine on my own time. I didn't realize until I was leaving that the place was supposed to have closed at 2 PM. When I finally was sated, even going so far as to get a "to go" box for my slice of cake, the time was about a quarter of three. Oops! But the man who was clearly the owner was quite pleased that I was so obviously enjoying the meal that he had settled in on the porch with some friends to just wait for me to finish. Very nice!
The meal had been too much to allow room for dessert, so I waited for a while to enjoy the cake. A good move on my part! Topped with carmelized, crushed pineapple, and that lone, winking, maraschino cherry, the cake was rich and very satisfying to both my palate and my soul.
Glad you could join me, Sam.

I finished up the evening with the Sand Gnats, on as pretty a night as one could hope for! I was joined by two of my favorite men, the inimitable Mr. Willie and my middle brother, on a warm summer's night with a light, cooling breeze and a clear sky. Ah, very nice, indeed! And my boys of summer won the game, too! Such joy!
Such a balm to my soul to watch as the sky darkened to a deep blue and met the dark green waves of the trees below. The beauty of that sight always reminds me to breathe again, to calm my outlook, and to remind me that life is about these small moments spent with those I love.