Monday, March 13, 2023

Sunday With Stella--Sufferin' Succotash!

Where do I get these "friends"?  After I partly finished the so-so Sunday crossword, Stella texted me about 9:30, asking if we could meet. After a lot of back and forth, we decided on a late lunch on the patio at Pierano's, across from the mission. Met at 2:00, but a combo was playing there and it was very loud; I suggested we go to Paradise Café a few doors down instead, and we did. 

I had an unusual and really delicious grilled turkey/pesto sandwich and a terrific "Purple Rain" IPA. With the first sip, it became my new fav (although I'm not sure I can find it anywhere else). I liked their glasses a lot, too--small, slender, and comfortable to hold. They have a shop attached and actually sell them, but when I found they were ten bucks each--ha! They can keep their glasses, I have plenty of others. So the meal was delish, but...

...being with Stella can be an ordeal for a variety of reasons and what happened after we ate is an illustration. While we were still seated, she suddenly took out of her purse a case with one hearing aid in it. She wanted me to try it on (she was wearing the mate). At first, I refused--try on a damn hearing aid in a restaurant?--but she was so insistent, I finally took it to shut her up. Tried to fit it in my ear and just heard a kind of chirp (I'm sure I didn't have it in right). Stella took out a brochure about some freakin' hearing aid place and kept telling me I should go there--"it's not far from where you live," "look, it's only a hundred dollars," and on and on. 

Damn! If there's anything that infuriates me, it's somebody telling me I should do something they think I should do and they don't wait to be asked; they're going to guide me along because I'm too feeble-minded to do it myself. I already know plenty about hearing aids and I'll get one when I'm ready. Incidentally, Stella is one of the people I find difficult to hear because she speaks in a very soft voice and a droning monotone. I finally got her to take it back and shut up about the topic.

After, we went across to the Mission gift shop because Stella wanted to get a "golden rosary" for her sister--don't ask me why (she didn't find one), The shop seemed akin to the new-age-y one in Ojai. Both have all kinds of items to pay homage to benign supernatural beings and to protect buyers from evil spirits. Actually, they did have some lovely Christmas ornaments--not all religious--and I might go back and buy a few for next year's...(Mimi, are you nuts?  you don't need any more Christmas ornaments!)

We then went across the street to The Coalition and darned if Stella didn't find glasses almost identical the ones at Paradise Café and much less expensive; I bought two. She then went home and I stayed in town a bit longer. Home about 5:30, pleased to see it was still light out, thanks to DST.

3 comments:

I love AC said...

People often speak too loud or too softly when they have hearing deficits and it can be a pain to be trying to converse with them. I gather they believe they are sounding AOK. Can be a challenge to tell them to lower their voice of to speak up. Often they just continue in their soft voice. We have people here who need hearing aids but refuse to believe they have a problem and that is also a pain in the neck for the rest of us.

Mimi said...

I know what you mean, Pat. It's funny that I can hear some people perfectly well--others, not and it isn't always because the ones I can hear speak up. Do you have any problem hearing?

I love AC said...

Not that I"m aware of. I think that system is still OK.

Tuesday

At nine, I called the Access Van to take me to Ellen's retirement party today and was horrified to learn they don't go to her school...