Welcome To My New World

Here's my new home away from home away from home. It was a hard decision to make, starting a new job in my mid fifties. Old dogs don't learn new tricks easily.

I was way out of my league with this restaurant and knew it but stepped out of the box and did it anyway. I had to forget about MY fears and worry about what was best for MY family.

It's been a tough road, thought at times I'd never make it through training but somehow did and after working out all the maneuvers of navigating, working in the world's busy airport and learning the ropes of using public transportation and every shortcut imaginable have fallen into the groove of things.

In other words, "Now I'm groovy!"

I still feel tremendous gratitude to my Mama Lucia's family and always will. Without them, we wouldn't have survived these past four hard years.

I came across this job almost by accident but at the exact precise time. It was a blessing from God and the answer to my non stop prayers.

My husband was out of work and was simply spinning wheels and tumbling deeper into debt. As the mortgage company threatened foreclosure I simply took a deep breath and huge leap of faith.

It's now almost mid August and have had only five days off since the end of May.

On the upside of my exhaustion, since going on the floor at this new place have caught up not only our mortgage but every other bill we were behind on...and several were REALLY behind.

I'm staying on at my old place too out of respect, love and gratitude. They are short staffed now and wouldn't be right to leave them high and dry. I worked seven days a week for the first couple of months. Five at the airport and two at Mama's.  Once the mortgage was caught up and threat of foreclosure was gone simply had to tell my old bosses I needed to cut back to one day a week. They of course complied.


It's been tough joining the big leagues but something I had to do. It had nothing at all to do with Mama Lucia's but had everything to do with saving our family. We have a daughter beginning her sophomore year of college and a home less than five years away from being paid off and ours outright.

I have almost tripled my salary working five shifts a week at the airport. I don't mean to sound like my old restaurant was lame because they aren't. They are a wonderful family owned place with the best food and ambiance in Newnan.

Now I am working for a huge corporation in a really exclusive place, the new international terminal at the busiest airport in the world. It's a no brainer when you are as broke as we were.

Yes getting to and from is a hassle, considering I've been borrowing a vehicle the entire time and is twenty five miles from home, but being able to pay all our bills feels wonderful after well over five years of struggle.

So let me show you my new place.

As my mother in law would say "It's swanky".

I've had to tone myself and ways down quite a bit but has been well worth it.

It's a beautiful place and hands down the only legit restaurant in the airport. I quickly learned if you have enough money to fly to Amsterdam, Paris or Italy you probably have enough money to eat in a fine dining establishment.

 They have a nice Gelato stand on one end of the place facing the atrium where passengers can buy a cup without even coming in. They make their own and flavors vary from day to day. Nutella, chocolate chip mint, peanut butter, pistachio, tiramisu, butter pecan, vanilla bean, black chocolateand also limoncello or mango sorbet.

The fried goat cheese balls, tempura style battered and lightly fried are drizzled with clover honey and topped off with cracked black pepper. They will melt in your mouth!

They have a new Vidalia onion tart with Ossau  Iraty cheese, served with an arugula-stone fruit salad. Onion and peaches both local from Georgia.

So I'm in a swanky new place and finally starting to feel it, for real!

I only had to fake wine knowledge but have quickly picked that up too. Now that I'm not so nervous feel more comfortable making suggestions and actually have even impressed myself!

The executive chef kinda likes me because I'm old school and every time  hear him ask for a food runner always go by the window to help. The manager seems to like me because he seems to like everybody but is an awesome guy to work for.

Me... I'll always be Granny Clampett, skinny with my gray hair, wrinkles and glasses perched on my nose so can see.

My family will always be Clampetts too, still searching for that Black Gold, Texas Tea.

I don't need or want to be a millionaire, neither did they.

I simply just want to be as happy (already there) and not afraid to answer the phone or door. (almost there)

 Til next time...COTTON