In or Out?

Last night I went to league with my boyfriend so I could get out of the house.  Due to my Mom's passing, I don't like to be alone there, so I tagged along and was the Official Score Keeper for the night.

We went to a shady side of town, to a pool room I had never been to before.  It was really a very small bar with four coin tables.  It had a dozen regulars there and the two pool teams, and not much room for anything else.  When we pulled up, it was kinda in a strip mall, but I didn't see any other stores or businesses and some diesel trucks were using the parking for overnight stays.

I admit it was a scary atmosphere in and out of the bar.  I am sure everyone is always very nice but being a white female with blond hair, I do stand out in my slacks and blouse, lol.

Right before the first game, it dawned on me that my cue was in the car.

Yikes!

I asked my boyfriend, and his teammate overheard my question, "I left my cue in the car.  Should I go get it and bring it in so it doesn't get stolen?"

The both look at each other and laughed as they look around and said almost in unison, "heck, we could get robbed in here!"

LMAO!

My Momma

My beloved Mom who had been struggling with emphysema for the last four years passed away on August 19th.

Her breathing became much worse over the last three months and she was struggling every day to "catch her breath" as she would say.

On August 16th she slipped in our home in the kitchen and broke her hip.  That was a Tuesday.  On Wednesday she had successful hip replacement surgery.  On Thursday she had complications.  On Friday I had to put her in hospice and she passed away with me by her side that night at 9:45pm.

She told me I was the love of her life.  She was mine as well.

The last week and a half have been the hardest of my life.  But my friends and loved ones are keeping me going.  I am blessed to have so many friends who truly care for me, as it was only my Mom and I.  I cared for her the last 4 years and we were best friends.

I appreciate you all more than you know.  The kind, loving, and encouraging words I have received and keep receiving are the only reasons I have been able to endure this extremely tough time.  

I will miss her FOREVER.

I wanted to share a few things with you.

A blog entry I wrote on my personal blog about ensuring you know the wishes of your parents, and also the difference between being an only child or one with siblings during tough times:  http://personallymeonline.blogspot.com/2011/08/only-child-or-siblings.html

My friends held a Celebration of Life for my Mom and I on August 28th and I wrote a "speech" so I could share some wonderful memories about my Mom:   http://personallymeonline.blogspot.com/2011/08/speech-for-my-mom.html

And finally, I also wrote about a crappy experience with the funeral home you can read if you have time:  http://personallymeonline.blogspot.com/2011/08/funeral-home-blues.html

 Mom's obit: 

Toni J. Leach Bailey died peacefully in Fort Worth, Teas on August 19, 2011 after a long illness.  She is survived by her daughter, Melinda Gayle Bailey, the love of her life.  She will be cremated and her ashes scattered privately.

In lieu of flowers, you are welcome to pick one of Toni’s favorite causes to give to (http://www.savethemanatee.org/ and http://www.elephants.com).  Most of her life revolved around animals and a small donation from a friend would be her fondest desire.

We miss her more than we can say

Change Please?

At the beginning of one of my recent straight pool matches, I needed change for a $20 so I could tip the waitress a dollar for my free water and also have a five dollar bill for my league dues. The new waitress pleasantly obliged.

I would find out later from one of the regular waitresses that my waitress thinks I'm mad at her.

What? Why?

OMG. Really?

I barely spoke to her and didn't order anything but a water so far. Yea, and I'm losing my straight pool match badly, but I didn't take it out on her. I didn't SPEAK to her.

Wow.

Later on that night after dinner and a few drinks (yes, I was very pleasant to her), I gave my waitress a hundred dollar bill to pay my nights' tab. (Can you tell I just came from a casino over the weekend - I had no small bills!)

I didn't know what my total was, as I gave her the hundred before I saw my tab and simply told her "Can I pay my tab please?" She comes back over and lays down "the change" and says "Thanks, Melinda, hope your night gets better."

I sit there a few minutes jabbering with a couple of friends and decide to count my change. And the amount of money sitting in front of me is $100. Yep, change for $100. Four 20s, a 10, a 5 and five 1s.

What?

I call the new waitress over, "um, I wanted to pay my bill with the hundred."

"You did," she replies back to me.

"But I have $100 in change here. "

She stands there, just looking at me.

So I count the money out for her so it makes more sense, "20, 40, 60, 80, 90, 95, 96, 97..."

"Oh, ok, I'm sorry! I'll be right back."

Of course my friends are watching this show down.

She comes back and tells me my bill was $41. So she puts my change down on the table and I pick it up to count it.

And now I'm $5 short. I'm confusing myself. Let's see, 100-41 is ? Yep, I only have $54 in front of me.

I call her back over, "Um, you still owe me $5."

You aren't going to beleive this, but I have to count the money again in front of her to prove I'm now $5 short, when I just helped her by not just taking the $100 "change."

She gives me the $5 and apologies yet again and adds, "this is my first mistake, I am so sorry."

Huh? Really?

I'm thinking to myself, "damn, you're a lucky woman then." Even tho it's obvious she made a few mistakes this night just with my change.

One of the guys sitting at my table tells me, "she's fortunate you are honest or that you didn't just put the "change" in your purse or else she'd be out $41."

I suppose so.

I'm picking on this new waitress with this blog and I'm sure she will be great in the long run but don't be nervous around me. I'm a good patron. We'll figure this out together.