Eating in an Igloo or Oven-like Temperatures.. your choice

Sara struck on a topic on her blog that drives me nuts. Actually a side topic. Her topic was in response to someone's dismissal of crocheted and knitted shrugs; For those of you who don't know, a Shrug is an off the shoulder type sweater (or just covering the shoulders and long sleeves.)It is open at the front, or semi-open and is meant to keep mostly arms and shoulders warm.

The topic she hit was: people being air conditioned to death inside when temperatures are like an oven outside. Even with it being almost 100 degrees here lately, there is no need for every restaurant, business establishment, store, etc. to run their air conditioning on literally 50 or 60. You can't go out to eat around here without carrying a jacket or asking the manager to turn the air down. Doesn't matter if the outside temperature is 20 degrees or 120 degrees. The inside temperature will be about 65 in most restaurants.

Remember last Dec. 23 when we got about 15" of snow and it lasted for a week?? We were one of the handful of people who could get out in a 4 wheel drive that morning when there was about 5 or 6 inches already on the ground and a blizzard outside and decided to find some breakfast at Cracker Barrel. What did we find? Besides being short on help due to the storm that is, there was a very small fire in the fire place and freezing cold air blowing from the vents and fans running full blast. Their response?? Some people were complaining in the kitchen about overheating.

OKKKK.... All I can say to that is.... DUH!!! If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen!! Literally!! There's a raging snowstorm outside and they've got the air on cause people are hot in the kitchen?? My dad loves to write on their little table inserts where it says Why we have a fireplace at our place; His answer: so we can run the air conditioner in the wintertime!

Even in 100 degree Heat, you better take a sweater with you! A list of the worst places around here about freezing you out?

Cracker Barrel (and that goes for just about every one I have ever been in, here in town or out of town)

O'Charley's (who once told us the management and help liked it that way and they wouldn't change it. Needless to say it was a LONG time til after management changed before we went back.) Hasn't been too bad in a long time.

Applebee's- though I love their food (known for being cold on one side of the restaurant and hot on the other)

Kentucky Oaks Mall in Paducah (will either be sweaty hot or freezing cold)

and the all time #1 worst igloo? ** Drum Roll Please**

HOBBY LOBBY

Yes, that's right... our favorite craft hangout.... if you're going in... you'd better have your eskimo gear on winter or summer!


Now see what ya did Sara? Ya got me started! Seriously this is a hot topic .... unless the restaurant (or state depending on where you are) is a non-smoking place many also run the air to draw out cigarette smoke from smoking sections. Or at least they use that as an excuse. It seldom helps air quality.. just makes the restaurant cold and smoky. Which is hard on those of us with breathing problems. Then you freeze to death on top of it.

May I also mention the idiots who design restaurants with non-smoking sections at one table and smoking sections in the next.. no distance or barrier between them. Either you want to breathe smoke or you don't. Most of those that smoke don't much care if someone is smoking next to them but those that don't or who can't be around it don't want to breathe it... hence the purpose of smoking and non-smoking sections. Irates me to no end when restaurants put them right together.

Not much I can do about the air quality issue in restaurants but I'd better make myself a nice sweater or shrug- mine is getting worn out. Wouldn't want my top half to freeze off while I'm eating. But like an idiot where will I usually go with my parents to breakfast? Cracker Barrel of course.. there really isn't much other place to get a decent breakfast in town other than fast food.

OK I'm stopping here before I freeze myself to death. Just stay warm when you go out to eat! Or Shop!