A Tuesday Evening at the Local Diner and Some Late-Night Pie

Hey everyone, it’s been a hectic start to the week with some looming deadlines at work, so by Tuesday evening I was more than ready for a break. Ren suggested we head out for a low-key dinner at Millie’s Diner over on 5th Street. It’s one of those places that’s been around forever, with the red vinyl booths and the jukebox that only plays songs from before we were born. I’m not complaining, though. There’s something comforting about a spot that hasn’t changed since my grandmother used to take me there for milkshakes after school.

We got there around 7, just as the dinner crowd was thinning out. I love how the place smells like coffee and fryer grease, even if it’s probably not the healthiest combo. Ren went for the classic burger and fries, while I decided to switch it up with their chicken pot pie. It’s not something I usually order, but the special board had it listed with a little star next to it, so I figured why not. It came out steaming hot, with a flaky crust that I probably shouldn’t have eaten all of, but I did. Ren kept stealing bites of my carrots, claiming they were better than his fries. I’m not sure I believe him.

We sat there for a while, just chatting about nothing in particular. Work stuff, weekend plans, whether we should finally tackle the overgrown hedge in the backyard. It’s nice to have those kinds of evenings where you’re not rushing anywhere. At one point, the waitress came by with a tray of desserts, and I couldn’t resist asking about the thimbleberry pie. She said it was made fresh that morning with berries from a local farm out near Cresshaven. I’d never heard of thimbleberries before moving here, but they’ve got this tart, almost floral taste that’s hard to describe. Ren wasn’t sold on trying it, so I ended up with a slice all to myself. Worth every bite, even if I’ll probably regret the sugar rush when I’m tossing and turning at 2 a.m.

After dinner, we took the long way home, driving past the old grain tower on Mill Road. It’s been lit up in blue this week for the annual Dusk Bloom festival, which I always forget is a thing until I see the decorations. Apparently, it’s tied to some old tradition about marking the first evening flowers of spring with colored lights. I don’t know the full history, but it’s kind of cool to see the tower glowing like that against the dark sky. Ren snapped a quick photo on his phone, but it didn’t really capture the effect. You’d have to see it in person.

By the time we got home, it was pushing 9:30, and I still had a few emails to send for a client project. I’m working on a mood board for a bedroom redesign, and of course, I’ve second-guessed every color choice at least twice. Typical me. I ended up staying up way too late scrolling through Pinterest for inspiration, with a rerun of The Office playing in the background for noise. I’m pretty sure I’ll be dragging tomorrow, but that’s a problem for future Maren.

Anyway, that’s all for now. I’m hoping the rest of the week slows down a bit, or at least that I can squeeze in another quiet night like this one. Maybe I’ll even try to recreate that thimbleberry pie at home, though I’m not holding my breath on getting it right. My baking track record is questionable at best. If anyone’s got a good recipe or knows where to find those berries around here, drop me a note. I’d love to hear.