The weather has been hazy all day, and a thunderstorm was expected. Our hotel is owned by a Chinese family, and they serve Swiss food and Chinese food in the hotel restaurant! Crispy Sichuan Duck and Tofu Stir Fry please.

Shortly after the food arrived, we felt raindrops, and the owner extended the awning. Within ten seconds, we heard the owner’s wife screaming for help because the seat cushions, and salt and pepper shakers were getting blown away. Then, we realized things on our own table were getting blown over too.

Kenric brought some stuff indoor while I held down as many things as possible. All the restaurant staff was screaming as they tried to gather stuff. The family next to us had a small child so they were flustered too.

The owner retracted the awning because the sudden wind was extremely strong. After we brought our stuff in, we went back out to gather things like place mats and tablecloths. Even when inside I had to use multiple ashtrays to hold down the place mats.

Where’s Kenric? I went outside and saw a few people trying to untangle the last awning that didn’t retract. The wind was so strong it blew the hinge backwards, so it didn’t retract nicely like in one of those “Sunset Retractable Awning” commercials.

The owner’s son was standing on a chair at one end; the mother and another person were excitedly telling him what to do; the father was standing on a railing at the other end to keep the awning from blowing away; and I see Kenric holding the skinny uncle’s waist very tightly just so he didn’t fly away.

Thinking back, it was pretty funny seeing Kenric hug the uncle so tightly like he’s saying, “Papa, don’t go!” But the uncle looks down at him and say, “I’m not your Papa.” Sorry, no photo comment for this special embrace because it was very scary at that time! I managed to get a picture of the waves on the lake though.

They finally got the awning untangled and retracted. That’s when the boyfriend came back to finish his dinner, feeling quite happy that he was able to help out. I also teased him about travel hair.