Jim picked me up at noon and off we went to the Olive Garden in Oxnard. I had gotten directions from Mapquest and carefully instructed him where to go, mile by mile. We got there, were seated, and what ensued is documented in rant #2 below.
Home about 1:30; Jim came in and we sat and talked and talked, on a range of topics from religion to philosophy, Schopenhauer to Eckerd Tolle, Krishnamurti to Dr. Besant. He didn't leave until 5:00, after which I looked into Suzanne's patio to see if it was okay. It was. Noreen called while Jim was here, so I said we'd talk later. Talked to Ellen and Greg, who were on their way to dinner and we made a tentative date for Jim and me to go there for one of Greg's wonderful lunches.
At 7:20 last night, I was annoyed to receive an email from Olga F-S, who had failed to show for the first session, asking to be removed from the group because it interfered with her volunteer duties. I now have a carefully planned meeting which convenes in a few hours, that I'll have to reconfigure almost on the spot. I'm beginning to wonder why I ever thought this was a good idea.
But on the bright side: I had bought an enormous bag of bird seed at Von's, put some out, and enjoyed seeing the little avian darlings pecking it up. Here's one on my patio wall, wide and up close:
Rant Warning #1: The Olive Garden website lists pictures and names of "lunch-sized portions" and each one says "currently unavailable." I couldn't understand that, so called, and was told that on weekends, they serve only dinner-sized portions (at twenty bucks and up), unless you tell your server you want to order off the lunch menu. I consider that another outrageous example of corporate-think, which goes "how can we squeeze the last penny out of our customers?" Of course, many already require patrons to stand at a counter and order when they first arrive and to add a tip and to suggest an amount or a percentage of tip, starting a 25 and to get their own napkins and utensils, but this is beyond the pale. Next, we'll be told we have to go to the kitchen and cook the stuff.
Rant Warning #2: Got to O.G., sat down, and told the server we wanted lunch portions. She objected, pointing to the menu. I told her I had called and was told that was permitted. She continued to object and I asked her to talk to the manager. She did, came back, and finally agreed to serve us lunch. I foolishly ordered shrimp scampi pasta, just what I had had at Casa Bella. It had been so good there, but the Olive Garden version was truly mediocre and very sparse.* I should have ordered what Jim did, eggplant parm, which was excellent, he said, plus it was substantial and came with a side of spaghetti. Of course, there was the side salad and breadsticks, which were okay. Jim had a glass (half a glass, that is, they never fill it) of cabernet which, incredibly, was $9.25; I don't spend that much for a bottle. My Blue Moon, the smaller size, was $7.79--and I complain about the Stone Fire Grille, where they charge five bucks! Anyway, the bill came to an unbelievable $54.96. Worth it? Guess.
*Reminds me of the old joke: "Waiter, I have a complaint: The entree was terrible and there wasn't enough of it." 😁
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