Excerpts from the breakfast notebooks:

"2/11 Monday

"...to continue - our second try at the Grapevine Cafe/Copper Skillet didn't work either -- its now a chicken/ribs take-out place and looks more shabby than ever. Where to next? Lately I've driven by 'Cap's Grille' many times noticing their new sign 'Cap's IS weekend breakfast' but it isn't a cafe - its a barbecue place.

"But Cap's proved us wrong - it was a great breakfast at a decent price. It doesn't have that cafe atmosphere (too new) but the hash browns are excellent and the pancakes and toast and eggs just right.

"There's no smoking and the decor is mostly bland antique tins and kitchen supplies like many a family restaurant. Its clean and bright, carpeted. There are hanging plants. But despite all this its much homeyer than the typical (chain) restaurant. We had a grumpy, snappy waitress. The restaurant host wore purple pants and a purple plaid shirt. And there was this strange clientele of military people in uniform. The table next to us were Nat'l Guard men & women in green jumpsuits with worn patches. A few tables behind us Marines officers had lunch. And a lone diner entered wearing camoflage pants. The Guardsmen & woman seemed to be from the South - they were trying to order iced tea but couldn't. But they all ordered HUGE barbecue beef sandwiches and french fries. There were still great piles of fries and onion rings when they got up and waited at the cash register. David almost reached over to help himself (he was still hungry!) but he stopped himself. "There must be some kind of military base near here," he said.