The Three Chicks Part II

If you have never been to the Cheesecake Factory, you need to be sure you go there at least once in your lifetime. Be sure you have plenty of time, because everybody in the world apparently wants to go there and is willing to wait for a seat. We thought with a late lunch (after 2:00) we wouldn't have to wait long, but it was nearly an hour. However, you can go shopping in the mall while you're waiting.

You also need to be sure to bring reading glasses. The menu is many pages long, and Mim was concerned about my squinting. (I left my new reading glasses in the car, unfortunately.) I ordered Shepherds Pie, and it was fabulous. The cheesecake decision was extremely difficult. We each ordered a different kind. Mim's was white chocolate raspberry, Becky's was a chocolate fudge brownie concoction, and mine was a white chocolate macadamia nut caramel creation. We tasted them all, and it was unanimous - the white chocolate raspberry was the best. But they were all delicious.

We had a lovely young waitress who shared her father's 50th birthday midlife crisis experiences with us (he bought a BMW and got really buff from working out). She brought us our cheesecake on decorated plates with candles burning.

After we stuffed ourselves, we did some more shopping. Didn't find quite the bargains we found earlier in the day.

As we headed home, Mim thought Marge should join us. I think Becky was tired of Marge bossing us around and she wanted to be in charge for awhile, so she just pretended to be Marge and directed Mim home!

Mim was very responsible at protecting Marge all day. From the parking lot at breakfast to the high class Lake Oswego garage sale to Becky's driveway when we returned in the evening, she faithfully concealed Marge's existence by casually draping her jacket over the dash every time we left the car. She told us that those navigation systems are the number one reason that cars get broken in to. I'm confident that no desperate thieving car burglar will ever guess that the black jacket is hiding such a desirable item!

As we drove through the beautiful countryside and city that day, we commented many times abut the beautiful reds, yellows, and oranges of the fall foliage. Reflecting on that, I realized that we are entering the autumn of our life. Spring and summer are over. The fiery colors of the mature foliage put to shame the dull green of spring and summer. We are heading into the most beautiful time of our lives! We are more interesting, more intelligent, and funnier that we have ever been. Our hair color may be enhanced to a hue different than it was 32 years ago, and someday we will have to decide when to allow it to return to its natural shade, which now includes touches of silver. (Perhaps we can postpone that decision until winter.) We look pretty good for women our age, but we are well aware that true beauty comes from within. We are blessed with excellent husbands who have survived and thrived with us, and now we get to enjoy the wisdom and stability that comes with this season. Mim pointed out that we need to spend time doing things that bring us fulfillment (and it's ok if cooking isn't one of them.) We know that God, family, friends and laughter are the basic ingredients to life.

Is my mid-life crisis about to hit?