Goodbye Week. Hello Weekend. Lessons Learned: Take 90.

Goodbye Lilly Pulitzer, whose whimsical prints and vibrant colors brightened the fashion world forever.
Goodbye Margaret Thatcher, who changed the world of politics with her wit, wisdom, and common sense approach to leadership.
Goodbye updating the fridge calendar and finally seeing what the week's ahead look like.
Goodbye enjoying a little taste of spring earlier this week as warm weather led to open windows and sheers dancing in the breeze.
Goodbye closing up those windows only 24-hours later to take shelter from all the rain and thunderstorms.

Hello April showers making way for May flowers.
Hello sweet little 2-year old birthday party celebrating with family.
Hello making arrangements to bless the house again this year and trying to clean up the place before the priest gets here.
Hello finally cleaning up the race track that has been occupying my living room floor since Spring Break.
Hello wishing we had more space but understanding it would only mean occupying more junk.

The lesson I learned this week is when you walk into a dining establishment and it smells like a dirty mop, do an immediate about face and run, do not walk, out the door from which you came because it is promised to be a bad experience. I picked up Kiddo from play practice and he made a request to go to Panera. He had a hankering for their famous Cinnamon Crunch bagel and lemonade. I didn't need a great deal of arm-twisting as it was already 4:00 PM and I still hadn't had my coffee.

We get there and are greeted by the most horrible, vile smell on the planet. It smelled more like Panera's dumpster than a bakery. I knew this was a bad idea if we stayed but apparently age and wisdom are no match for the determination and hunger pangs of a 10-year old boy. I placed the order, paid for the OVERLY PRICED cookie, bagel, lemon-sugar water, and coffee. I found Kiddo seated by a dirty table. As Kiddo inserted the straw into his lemonade, I took a double take and found a very looong, thick black hair in the drink. I just about gagged.

I took the drink and asked to see the manager who listened to my complaint and asked ME what I wanted to do?!?!?!? Seriously? Ah, let's start with a freshly made cup of lemonade! She handed it to me and sent me on my way. That was it!!!! No comp., no nothing! Panera, as your prices have skyrocketed upward, your quality has spiraled downward! Keep your lousy coffee, keep your fattening bagels, and for the sake of public safety, keep the hair out of the lemonade! The smell of the place gave it away; I should have listened to my nose.