Today was the 20-year reunion of my high school class, Northridge High. This year, the event was held at Timbermine Steakhouse in Ogden, the same city where I attended college (started in 2008, about two years after high school; graduated in 2015, shortly before Dad died). I consider spaghetti and meatballs my most favorite kind of dinner but steak comes pretty close, about number two. So this was a rare treat for me, and I decided to buy my ticket while the price was still relatively cheap.
My friend Melissa (who still gifts me a horse calendar every Christmas) was my means of transportation. Today was also Temple Day but I got permission to leave a little early; I'm usually there until 5:00 but I headed out at 4:00. Melissa's folks ended up driving us because Melissa wasn't too keen on driving in the dark, and it turns out they both know the Ogden area just about all over.
So there was at least one familiar face there, though I recognized quite a few other people and they recognized me, too. Timbermine Steakhouse is a very quaint little place with a nice rustic feel to it. Above all, the food was absolutely excellent. We had a choice of chicken, salmon, or ribeye steak; I was briefly tempted to choose salmon at first. There were special tags for those who'd reserved a plate of chicken or salmon, as well as for those who were purchasing alcohol. I stuck to plain ice water and fruit punch, though the punch was pretty good in itself. I even asked one of the servers if this juice was non-alcoholic, just to be safe.
People had a little hard time staying in their seats, which I guess was understandable because they were so excited to see certain old friends and to socialize overall. But I joked with Melissa, "Now we know how our teachers must have felt back then."
When at last the food was served, I gotta say it sure tasted expensive, in a good way. They had these wonderful rolls that were a little crisp on the outside but soft and good (and still warm) on the inside with all the pats of butter we wanted, and it turned out Melissa doesn't really care for salad, so I had her share. And the steak...oh man, it was among the best steak I'd ever had, with a scrumptious baked potato to go with it. With just a little extra butter and a dash of salt and pepper, along with the bits of parsley or whatever seasoning they used, my taste buds were singing. I managed to eat every bite and took my sweet time to do so, and I even had a little room left for dessert (some kind of blueberry cheesecake square, cut to just the right size).
Melissa and I left not too long after we'd finished eating, though we shared a few more hugs and interacted a bit with a few other friends. I saw my friends Trent, Jenna, Tashina, and Brittany, and everyone who recognized me remembered me for my artwork and writing. I told them I was still drawing and writing today but I haven't been officially published just yet. Only time will tell.
Now that I'm safe and sound at home, dinner is still settling and I can still taste it. I'll let the rest of you know right now that the place isn't cheap, but it's pretty cool (especially if you like a country vibe) and you'll definitely get your money's worth and then some. I sure did.
And of course, I took plenty of pictures while I had the chance. At least two or three people sitting at our table said they liked my phone case, a sort of old-fashioned Nintendo game console.
Here's wishing them all well. While a part of me kind of longs to be in school again, the greater part is glad to have that over and done with. Melissa told me she liked math but absolutely hated P.E., whereas I never cared much for math (my teachers were fine; it was the subject I struggled with for the longest time) or Driver's Ed., but I positively adored Creative Writing. Mrs. Kay Cannon, who sadly passed away in 2018 not long after retiring, was one of the teachers out there. You really didn't get much better than her.
And believe it or not, my own niece Lizzie will be starting high school this fall. Wowser Bowser!
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