I Need Me A Life!!!!! And I Hate December

(The wait staff of Dinner Theater waiting for the doors to open and the hordes to wash in.)









I've referred to December as Hell Month in the past and I still stand by that declaration.


I ended up working in the Dinner Theater last night. This was after many phone calls, from the inn, to me at my regular job constantly switching me back and forth from Theater to regular dinner. I haven't worked a Dinner Theater yet this year and especially wanted to work the Christmas show as I heard it's really good.

So after being stuck behind a salt truck for about 10 miles and zipping along at 30 miles per hour, I breathlessly arrived at the inn and was told, "Oh you're working Dinner after all."

I was not a happy camper.

Anyway one of the other Dinner Theater workers hadn't shown up yet so I bravely marched into the Mrs's office and pleaded my case (a dangerous feat I assure you).

I hadn't worked a Dinner Theater yet. I really wanted to work a Dinner Theater. I left my regular job an hour and half early to get here. I had to switch cars because of the weather (Baby Girl's old car has better tires than mine) and I was here but Jared who lived close by the inn was not here yet and couldn't he work regular dinner instead?!

I was almost in tears.

Mrs. said that she didn't think it would be a problem but then she yelled at me and said it wasn't her fault that I have a full time job.

So I worked the show and yes it was good but I can't help but feel like every time I beg and plead for something and actually succeed in getting what I want, I also get punished because it was a crazy night.

We drew straws for the tables we would wait on and I got the 4 most difficult tables in the house. The furthest from the kitchen with horribly narrow aisles, 2 of them on the top third tier, and right beside the bar where it would be impossible to maneuver through with my tray.

Then one of the buses bringing quite a few of our 228 reservations phoned ahead and said because of the weather they were running a half hour behind.

Guess who had 2 tables of these people?

It wouldn't be a big deal but the show has to start on time so that meant that when they finally showed up, I literally threw their food at them. Salads were already on the table and before they could get to their seats I plopped their soups down too, then out came dinner served family style (on platters that they have to pass around on their own). At this point there was no room on their tables and they were balancing soup cups on half eaten salad plates and trying to figure out where to put the platters.

And then on one of my trips to Siberia I knew I was in deep trouble. Balancing a loaded tray on my shoulder I had to come to a grinding halt because one of the bus ladies was in front of me, with a walker, and she couldn't navigate the 2 steps it would take to get her up to her tier. Before it was over, and even with too many people pushing and pulling her, she slowly sank to the ground and was literally rolling around on the floor. I could feel my back bending into such an S shape that I feared I may never straighten out again. Finally someone rolled her to the side enough so that I could step over her and deliver my food.

They used a wheel chair to get her out at the end of the night.

Of course everyone ran out of gravy at the same time and at one point one of my tables asked for a third refill and with out even thinking I blurted out, "Again!?"

Now, I've posted about Cassie, one of our waitresses, who has sex on the brain 24/7, and last night was no different. During our 2 hour set up, no matter what the conversation, Cassie injected either a sexual innuendo or just a plain old blatant sexual comment.

Examples: "Oooh give me a hug, I want to feel your big boobs!" "If I back into you will you goose me?" "I didn't know you could swallow so much!" This was after one of the waitresses ate a spoonfull of whipped cream. These are the mild, printable remarks, believe me there were many others and they would make you cringe.

I was madly clearing dishes so the show could start when I heard Cassie's voice behind me at one of MY TABLES. She started by asking how the ladies at the table managed to snag such good looking men wink wink. These were elderly, mostly deaf people and I don't even know if they heard half of what she was saying and I couldn't bring myself to stick around and listen to the rest of it.

It occurred to me then that I probably wasn't going to do well in the tip department.

After 7 hours of setting, serving, and cleaning up, we managed to get out the door and I was incredibly relieved that Baby Girl's car (who has developed a bad cough) actually started and I was home in time to share some Gouda with Chlorox.



I was stuck waaay in the back, but you can't really appreciate it from this picture.
















The 3 tiers of dining in the Dinner Theater.















A view down the hallway of the inn to the back lobby.




















The front lobby of the inn and the landing to the upper floors.

A view of the main lobby as seen from the main dining room.

The main dining room. This is where I spend most of my time at the inn.

The main dining room as you walk in from the main lobby.

A while back I asked for tonight off from the inn because we're going to Hans' Christmas party and I'm glad I did. My back and neck need a visit to the chiropractor and my 'tray lifting' arm is actually sore today.

I think I'm getting too old for this stuff.