This morning we were still sulking from that. And the miserable rain continued. But then I found a key and some money trays and a money box for the café And then Naomi successfully re-programmed the cash register. She was able to do this because she's actually been assigned to the station she's normally at! And we got to open up the cash register and change all its button labels so now it's so much more simple to operate! (Before we had to punch all prices in individually by their actual prices.) And it has a proper tray to hold money! And the café has a proper box to carry money with so it won't fall all over!
And the rain began to slow. Naomi went on her break. Lu came and not much for her to do but teach her the basics of the cash register and mop the floor. Then the first tour set ended, and people entered for dinner. It turned out it was one of those unusual (cold and miserable day where) almost all the guests came into the café so they can get a hot meal. One after another they ordered food, and just the first run it was 3 chowders, 1 tomato soup, 1 quiche, 3 salmon melts, 2 soup/sandwich/beverage special (they chose chowder/salmon melts/hot chocolate). So first run it totaled to 5 chowders, 5 salmon melts, 1 tomato soup, 1 quiche, 2 hot chocolate. And while Lu was busy taking orders making drinks and taking out food I was busy trying to make everything at once. Then more orders came in for 2 additional tomato soup, 1 veggie sandwich, 1 chowder, and 2 more hot chocolate (I think it was). Obviously it was impossible for me to make everything at once. Lu also didn't write down the orders so it was also confusing. Haven't quite finished her training yet. But anyway I put all my past kitchen experience to the test, and was preparing soups and sandwiches all at once. Luckily only a little ways in Naomi came back on break.
Quickly finishing 4 soups and their biscuits. I asked Naomi to take over soup, veggie sandwich, and quiche (stove/microwave) while I made salmon melts (toaster/counter). Had great fun trying and successfully making 5 salmon melts all at once. Well 2 first 3 later but in very quick secessions. Also cut up cucumbers and tomatoes and putting dressing on them for plate decoration for 7? different plates. Naomi was used to the mayhem and quickly got the quiche and veggie sandwich and most of the soups ready. Lu was great support in making drinks, putting out plates for us, and taking out the food. All in all I stayed a bit over an extra 15 minutes. But in that time we got almost all the food out. Everyone got everything they ordered within 20~ minutes of placing the order, with the first dish out by 7~10 minutes. This is (I think) acceptable speed even for Vancouver cafés, and great for us! And definitely worked only because I had stayed behind.
And I am happy. =) As I walked out the café, being complimented on my cookie by guests on the way out, the rain had stopped.
And while sitting down relaxed, playing freecell, and enjoying my break, I get a frantic knock on the door. First thought was "oh no, kitchen rush".
But no. It was some guests who wished to talk to me! And the guests was ACE BLAZER, fellow administrator on Creative Assembly's Total War forum, and his family! And they were the people I cooked for and they were the people who complimented me on the cooking! And it only gets better! I talked to them about me, about here, asked them about their trip, and invited them to watch SRS.
And when I went to the front to prepare for SRS, there was the lady who wrote the newspaper article I was in! And her children was there too! And I had a large crowd!
I was all energized and began my performance. The crowd was not the biggest I've performed for, but certainly the most reactive I've ever seen. Even in parts usually no one react to, they laughed. And the more the laughed, the more energized my performance was. And the more they laughed. It was just great!
And just when I thought it couldn't get any better, Susan told me that she had invited Ace and his family to dinner with us! We're all excited now! The sun was coming out! It was warming up too!
And Naomi was able to reprogram the cash register so it gave as an end-of-day receipt too. Now café stats would be SO much easier to track!
It was all sunny now and slow enough that I got everyone to take their break! Relaxing! And with Lu and the front desk, Susan giving tours, we were back to normal, productive setup! Productivity returned!
After work we quickly went into food preparation mode. Lu was main chef and cooked salmon and eulachon. Susan added to Naomi's veggie soup and made a salad. Anne and I set up tables. Then Ace and family showed up with broccoli and cauliflower and a desert pie which Lu stir-fried.
We had too much fun telling our guests about our time up here and watching their expressions. Ace and his brother Daniel was relatively quiet, but their facial expressions were simply too good to miss as we told them Lu and Susan's adventures in town, Lu's obsessions with rapists, Anne and her mom getting lost on the single road in Haida Guai, and many, many stories.
We took out the pie and divided it. There was three pieces left of the pie. And we saw two strangers on the boardwalks.
First Lu went over to tell them they can't be here. Then Susan, being even more hyper than ever, dragged them in to join us. 5 staff 4 tourists 2 Prince Rupert local kayakers had phone around a "ghetto" (as Susan would say) table, sitting on benches and old chairs, laughing at everything!
Had too great of a time that I forgot to take pictures :'(
It was sunny! I could see white clouds and blue sky! O(^^)O
雨後天晴 The After-Rain Sun. It's 雨のち晴れ Alicemagic Style =D
Oh yeah got these two pictures side by side. Saw them in this order too. Thought it was meaningful =)
Parallel Pain
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