Business is increasing and Carrie finds a check

Heart disease must be well maintained in Bradenton, because the cardiac cath lab was slow on Friday and we were all kicked to the curb by 1200, even the call team. I was part of the call team. There was a scheduled case for Saturday, and I was hoping not to get called in for the rest of the weekend. So much for hope, because we were called in at 2215 on Friday night, just as I was unwinding and considering a shower. Perhaps heart disease isn't so well maintained after all.

On Friday afternoon, I called Deb at the restaurant around 1640. I was due to be there by 1700. There were torrential rains in Sarasota at the time of my call, so I was reluctant to leave. I can drive in torrential rains, as well as snow, sleet, hail, and whatever else Mother Nature throws our way, but the rest of the Floridians, not so much. We've already covered the weavers and creepers on another post. Deborah had a delivery pending. Since that was the case, I told her I would leave and recommended she stay in the restaurant to keep things under control in case it got busy.

When I pulled into the restaurant, all the parking spaces were taken, except for one space down by Bruce's Taxi. I parked there. For some reason, I figured all the spaces were taken by the accounting office, which is weird, since it isn't even tax season.

Imagine my surprise when I walked in the restaurant and all the tables were full! I made an announcement thanking everyone for coming in and stated, "I can cry because I am so happy to see all of you!" Everyone was pleased and the night continued in the same way...and into Saturday and Saturday night! So, we just completed the best week we've had since early May. Thank you God and people. We are all very grateful and elated!

This is Frank and his family. They come in every Friday night. We put table one and table two together to accommodate what is typically a party of seven to eleven people. On Friday, there was a table of two sitting at table one which prevented putting the tables together. The diners graciously offered to move to table three, and we comped their beer. Everyone was happy!

Frank Jr's face lights up as soon as he sees Ralph. In fact, he looks clear through me to see Ralph, which is a blow to my ego. I consider myself to be a beautiful woman....but then Frank Jr isn't there for a beautiful woman; he's there for great food, so thus his joy in seeing Ralph!

                                    Is this not the face of a beautiful woman?
                                                     OK, NOT.
                           But this was right after donating blood and I just wanted to die!

Frank Sr times me when I go on delivery. Once when I left on delivery, I told him I would take a long time because this particular customer loves me and hasn't seen me for awhile; therefore, the customer would want to hug and talk to me. Yes, there are some customers who prefer me over Ralph! Anyway, the whole table awaits my return and Frank Sr gives me my time. I threw him for a loop this week when I got back in two minutes. I hand carried food to Bruce's Taxi, which is right down from us. Of course, I'm not telling, I just let them think I am super fast.

In addition to all that, we previewed the new Great Balls of Fire appetizer. They were a big success with the customers who tried the free samples. Of course, Ralph, Deb, and I loved them because we love hot and spicy food! It also comes in a sub and pasta dinner.

                                    Great Balls of Fire Appetizer for $5.29

Some of you will remember my biking travails from last month. After the warranty work was completed by the Village Bike Shop, I sent email to Mark, the customer service rep at Nirve, requesting reimbursement. He agreed to send a check. I remembered all this on Friday night as I was trying to fall asleep. It seemed like the check should have been here. I have this penchant for throwing mail unopened into the recycling bin. I figured there would have been a Nirve return address that I would have seen and I would then have kept that piece and not recycled it.

When I came down from my room on Saturday morning, I saw a white piece of paper laying the the drive way. I thought it must be a flyer from someone offering to spruce up my zen garden and didn't give it another thought. A little later when I was in the garage and getting ready to leave for MMH, I saw a post card that I must have dropped when I brought in the mail on Friday night. It was at that point that I reconsidered what the white paper was in the middle of the driveway and went out to retrieve it. Right, it was the check from Nirve. I don't know how it wasn't blown away in the torrential rains we had that night, but I'm sure happy it wasn't.

So, with the dramatic increase in business at Carmella's Casa Italiana and finding the wet Nirve check in the driveway, I pretty much believe that God is watching out for me. Sometimes I tend to forget that. How about you?

Stay out of the left lane

I'm on call this weekend at Manatee Memorial Hospital for the cardiac cath lab. We were called in this morning for a STEMI alert (ST elevation myocardial infarction, heart attack, in layman's terms) around 9:45 am. I got ready really fast and was on my way in a flash. We are allotted 30 minutes to arrive at the hospital then the standard is 90 minutes from door to balloon time. That just means no more than 90 minutes can elapse from the time the ST elevation is seen on the EKG until blood flow is established in the blocked coronary artery by a balloon or stent that is advanced in the cardiac cath lab. That 90 minutes isn't usually a problem.

For me, the 30 minutes is the issue. Although I'm out the door in five or 10 minutes, I live 11.6 miles from the hospital. I don't know how it is where you live, but Florida drivers just don't understand the concept that the left lane of traffic is for passing, or at the very least, people going the speed limit or faster. What the heck are the octogenarians in their Monte Carlos; the tree trimmers hauling branches, leaves, and other yard debris; and the trucks transporting boats doing in the left lane? Makes for an interesting road trip to MMH for me when my stress levels are already over the top because time is of the essence, or as we say in the business, time is muscle.

According to the research, there's a heart attack happening every 34 seconds. I collected and analyzed the research, put it on a spreadsheet, extrapolated the information, and applied it to Bradenton, the city where I work, thus where Manatee Memorial Hospital and my restaurant are located.

Since there are 86,400 seconds in a day, a heart attack every 34 seconds means that there are roughly 25, 412 hearts occurring per day. Of those 25, 412 heart attacks, 7.5 should be occurring in Bradenton. Since there are 2 major hospitals in Bradenton, we should be seeing 3.75 heart attacks per day coming to our emergency room. I didn't count Lakewood Ranch Medical Center because that's our sister hospital.

I'm just not seeing those numbers. So, I can say unequivocally that Bradenton is a healthy place to live, except maybe for on-call staff who have to navigate the left lane of traffic with the octogenarians, yard waste haulers, and boat transporters. One of these days I fully expect that a thick branch will fly off the yard waste truck, turn into a harpoon, and if it doesn't come spiraling through my windshield pinning me to the headrest, at the very least, it will scare the crap out of me. This will cause a 47 car pile up because tail gating is a way of life in Florida. The Monte Carlo will be under the boat and there will be trees and leaves all over the place. My air bag will deploy and I'll be trapped in my Rav4. It will create Carmageddon and I won't make the 30 minute window for arrival to MMH for the STEMI.

Further more, upon more extrapolation and research, I discovered the really healthy people are the ones who eat at my restaurant because never has one of my customers also been my heart attack patient at Manatee Memorial Hospital.

You know what that means. You better get over to Carmella's Casa Italiana, just avoid using the left lane. Then all bets are off.

Stephen King is invited

Ralph took a 3.5 mile bike ride today in the 90 degree temperatures with the 90% humidity. I was working at Manatee Memorial, so I couldn't ride. Plus, I got home too late to ride after work.  When he returned from his ride, he was sweltering and jumped in the pool. He said he thought he was having a heat stroke. Remember me on Sunday with my heat stroke and his chatting it up about feeling exhilarated? Hmmmmmmm, sorry I wasn't here for his drama! *LOL*  Right, he's fine.

He took my bike out for a ride to determine the source of the grinding and screeching. He noticed lots of free play in the pedal crank. I sent email to Nirve and got a prompt reply. Mark from Nirve said it could be a bad clutch in the rear hub. Only way to know is to take it to a bike shop to access it. Going to do that soon, because the noise is too disturbing and I won't be riding till the noise is gone. All that racket harshes my mellow.

Deborah and Tim are working tonight. Looks like they had a little more action tonight than they did last night. There was a six top, a five top, and a scattering and smattering of other one and two tops, one delivery, and some take-out. My mother and her husband stopped in unexpectedly. He brought in his own toppings for the pizza. More things that make you go 'hmmmmmmmmmmmm.'

As one of the customers was leaving last night, he told Deb that we make the best marinara sauce he ever tasted. Last Friday, there was a take-out of two Stromboli. After the Stromboli were eaten, that guy called us and said they were the best Stromboli he ever tasted. He said he felt compelled to call since typically the only reason people call back is to complain. Anyway, we certainly appreciate the positive feedback and hope that it is accompanied by positive word of mouth to friends and loved ones. We need more customers to feed and please!

I've been reading that new businesses are saying that things are looking up in downtown Bradenton. And that "Bradenton's newest restaurant, Tarpon Pointe Grill & Tiki Bar, truly shows the beauty that downtown has to offer." Bradenton mayor Wayne Poston says, "The river has been the asset of Bradenton for a long time, and has never been taken advantage of." He's right about the river. The view from Manatee Memorial Hospital is breathtaking.

I already told you my thoughts about the Tarpon Pointe Grill & Tiki Bar. They have a long way to go to measure up to the customer service rendered by Carmella's Casa Italiana and The Twin Dolphin, to name two! You know I'm right!

Anyway, very nice for downtown; however, we are not in downtown Bradenton. I'm hoping someone remembers us! Like you, and your family, and your friends, and your loved ones, and your neighbors...I don't care, your enemies. Come one, come all.

Don't forget, Deborah is in the process of planning our fourth year anniversary party to be celebrated on July 29. If the parties from years prior are any indication, it's going to be lots of fun featuring food, games, and other surprises. Wouldn't it be great if Stephen King stopped by? He's partnered with the Suncoast Community Blood Bank. And I partnered with the Suncoast Community blood bank ( http://scbb.org/ ). So why can't he partner with me? I want him to stop by! We can be partners!

And on that note, I'm signing off. See you soon. Now go find out!