It’s taken some time for me to slow things down the last few years. I’ve always had it in the back of my mind that there are 101 more things I have to have completed in each of my days for it to be considered a successful planet rotation.

I turned 53 years old two weeks ago. We celebrated with some take out after I worked all day and I was in my gray sweats before 7pm. The next day it was life as it should be and I went back to work with the thought “I’m just another year older”

My mind is humming with the deli most of the time. I’ve got some new things I’m reckoning with as far as food ideas go. We are hitting week 8 next week although it feels much longer than that since I practically lived in the deli for two months before. The week before I opened took my menu and mentally threw it in the trash and started over. Covid had once again punched my brain in the face but this time it was the actual virus hitting me physically and mentally. I created a new menu and couldn’t tell you how I managed to put it together in two days because I was mostly out of my mind for over a week.

This story has already been touched upon.

It took me almost a month to get my gears moving again and still to this day I find myself fuzzy headed looking for something that’s literally in my hand. Not sure if it’s just 53 years of moving and shaking my money maker or if Covid has left a stain in my brain but I’ve definitely slipped a notch in my mental patterns. I’m making a few more mistakes on orders, leaving out key ingredients in somethings I make in a hurry. My short term memory has never been the greatest the last 15-20 years but now it’s much more noticeable.

When you’re a glorified short order cook it’s frustrating. I don’t forget anything in my boxes but if there are modifiers there’s a good chance I may have to repair my box after I’ve made it. The speed is still there but that may be an issue too. Maybe I’m moving to fast to keep up with myself.

When I look at my menu I wrote I see a lot of desperation and haste. It was forced and I got lucky with a few items but I look at some of what I wrote and roll my eyes.

If there are 20 menu items on my chalkboard half of them were thrown together to open my deli. I wasn’t kidding when I say I pulled a creativity muscle 4 years ago. It was this week 4 years ago that I split with my old company. It almost took all that time to make peace with myself.

But

I have

Once I did I felt a smidgen of my creativity come back to roost. Not all of it. Not even half but I’m getting closer.

I like maybe 5 things on my deli menu. I like the hoagies they are the star of the show but there’s nothing “amazing about them”

Hate the salads or how I have them provided.

Not a fan of the build your own sandwiches. They are necessary but sometimes it may take someone a solid 2 minutes to order one. And it might take me another 2 to write all the modifiers down.

Again it’s a necessary option if you’re going to operate a deli.

I’ve sat on my new charcuterie menu the whole time. I’ve only posted two new boards and even then I have yet to advertise them after I did. Honestly I want to take the whole menu and start it all over again. Some of my plans for it aren’t flowing. Christmas is around the corner. I won’t have much time for going rogue with creativity once the holidays are here.

Still awaiting some box samples from a month ago.

Lunches were blah last week but charcuterie was the rage, if both can get hot at the same time I’d be estatic. Putting a hold on lunch specials on the weekend just not selling enough or I’m pushing some shitty specials.

There’s gonna be a lot of typos on this one. I’m wearing old contacts and can’t see shite

Went camping Sunday early morning, found my epic spot and sat under the trees all day. No hiking, no adventures I just read and cooked my myself three squares. Sat by the campfire even though it didn’t drop below 70° and gazed at the gorge. I watched the mountains by moonlight until I fell asleep.

And healed

The mountains hit different up there yall.

My intention was to camp for two days but the forecast looked a little wet so I went up north to Boone for the first time in my human career to check out the town. I had a local coffee walked around all the shops and had a snack at a local bar. I still prefer the atmosphere of old college bars when I eat. You can’t take that away from me.

My main reason for going up there was I wanted to find the home of my keychain I’ve had for the last 30 years. I’ve shared my story of this keychain that I’ve gotten quite attached to a few times. I’ve slowly absorbed it’s philosophy and now it’s a part of who I am. I’ve had a couple of friends when I found the keychain tell me that the tag line on it resembled an outfitters in Boone. That was over 20 years ago. I didn’t google anything when I got there. I pulled up, paid a parking meter to keep ticking for two hours and went on foot to see if I could find it.

Found it in 5 minutes. I saw a outdoor business and said “that’s it”. Walked in and the older man at the counter asked if he could help me and I just layed the keychain on the counter and he smiled.

“I haven’t seen one of these in years”

And I said “let me tell you a beautiful story about this keychain”

We chatted for a bit and his manager took a photo of keychain and my tattoo.

It was an oddly emotional experience for me. It was like bringing my good luck trinket home to meet her folks.

I got a handful of t shirts and stickers with my life philosophy, shook hands and left.

Mission accomplished.

Three hour drive home through all the Asheville valleys and little towns. I didn’t mind shorting my trip to one night. Chimney rock was stained with a big black cloud when I drove through. I may try to dip my feet in it next week.

I also have a little overlook in WV on my mind for a two nighter again soon. I loved being perched over Lewisburg in that farm pasture.

6 hour drive not so much

This week is dedicated to that menu reckoning. We’ll get it done when it’s ready.

Cheers