Winning- adj- the act of one that wins
In semi-disgust, I dried my hands and grabbed my car keys off the table. Who cares if it required an extra trip to the grocery store just to buy dishwasher detergent? I did not have the patience to wash any more dishes by hand. Off to the grocery store I went, glad I was just heading to Bi-Lo, where an old college t-shirt, grubby shorts, and adidas sandals that had seen better days was considered decent clothing.
With detergent in hand, I headed for the self-checkout. Unfortunately, they shut down at 8:00 p.m., and I was there at 7:56. So courtesy of an overzealous clerk, my other choice was to wait in the "15 items or less" line. Thinking this would be the better alternative to standing behind ladies waiting in a regular line with way overfilled "buggies," I took my place in the express line and started reading about the Mayan's prediction for peace and prosperity before the world's end in less than six months.
A few minutes later, I was getting a little irritated. The people ahead of me did not have their little rewards card, but they desperately wanted the $.50 off their tortilla chips. So they recited just about every phone number they knew, hoping one of them would have a rewards card attached to the number. This got old after they recited the tenth phone number.
Suddenly, it hit me. They had at least five cases of beer, and I remembered that there were extra rewards points for the brand of beer they had, plus extra points if you spent over a certain amount. When the twelfth number failed to yield any results, I played the role of Good Samaritan and handed over my card. They got their $.50 cents off, I got $.05 cents off for reaching $50 in purchases, $.10 for "buying" Budweiser, and $.10 for a single purchase greater than $50. And then, I got another $.05 off on my own purchase. $.30 per gallon off my next gas purchase was awesome, especially considering I had only spent $2.49 on dish soap!
The cashier was a little suspect of my motives though- I think she could see me mentally calculating my savings, and I had also sped the checkout process along. But hey, ulterior motives aside, all's well that ends well. I was happy with myself as I walked out to the car. Topping things off, I even found a dime next to my car!
Then I went home and scheduled a trip to the beach with some friends for this weekend, because you know you have problems and need to get out of the house more when you're drooling over $.30 off per gallon of gas. Not winning.
Last but not least, I have approximately 10 days before I venture home. Winning.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Vacation
Vacation- noun- an extended period of recreation, especially one spent away from home or in traveling.
In the midst of a whirlwind of a Friday morning, it dawned on me that three weeks from that day, I would be counting the hours until my flight left Charleston for home. More accurately, I would be fretting and fussing over whether or not I could get all of my errands taken care of before my flight left Charleston for home. But either way, I would be very close to my flight leaving Charleston for home!
I always look forward to my vacations, or even days off, but lately I've been longing to do so many things that can only be done in Ohio, and the wait may literally be killing me. My kidneys revolted last week and threw a few rocks at me, but since I've sufficiently recovered, I'm back to making lists of everything I want to do. Here's a brief look at my list:
I want to wake up in the morning and hear robins, mourning doves, and red-wing blackbirds. (I do not want to hear mockingbirds!)
I want to take a nice, long walk at a park and not fear that poisonous snakes will jump out at me.
I want to sit in the backyard and hear nothing- no cars, no neighbors, no jets, nothing.
I want to go to Rocknes, eat Marie's Pizza, grab some Asiago Cheese Bread from Buehler's, and I MUST have a hot fudge sundae from Bidinger's.
I want to go to my aunt's house, where I will laugh until I cry, be covered in dirt from head to toe because I rode on 4-wheelers and ATVs all day, and watch the sun set in the south.
I want to see my best friend. I will kidnap her away from others if necessary.
I want to sit down and talk with my grandparents.
I want to catch fireflies and play with sparklers.
I want to play fetch with Chloe, let Kitty sleep on the couch with me (don't tell Sheryl!), and curse at Perro when he almost trips me while I'm walking down the stairs. I will inadvertently scare Allen and then not see him for the rest of the trip.
I want to watch Whose Line clips on YouTube with my mom and sister.
I want to use key phrases in conversation so that my Dad will start singing all of those songs he knows, and watch my sister roll her eyes in response to this.
I want to think of some grand and glorious plan for my 25th (!) birthday.
Lastly, I want time to fly in between now and the beginning of vacation, but to be the longest week on earth when the time comes. (In a good way, of course.)
I don't think I'm asking for too much. Have a great night everyone. See those of you in Ohio very soon, and if you have anything you think I should add to my list, let me know!
In the midst of a whirlwind of a Friday morning, it dawned on me that three weeks from that day, I would be counting the hours until my flight left Charleston for home. More accurately, I would be fretting and fussing over whether or not I could get all of my errands taken care of before my flight left Charleston for home. But either way, I would be very close to my flight leaving Charleston for home!
I always look forward to my vacations, or even days off, but lately I've been longing to do so many things that can only be done in Ohio, and the wait may literally be killing me. My kidneys revolted last week and threw a few rocks at me, but since I've sufficiently recovered, I'm back to making lists of everything I want to do. Here's a brief look at my list:
I want to wake up in the morning and hear robins, mourning doves, and red-wing blackbirds. (I do not want to hear mockingbirds!)
I want to take a nice, long walk at a park and not fear that poisonous snakes will jump out at me.
I want to sit in the backyard and hear nothing- no cars, no neighbors, no jets, nothing.
I want to go to Rocknes, eat Marie's Pizza, grab some Asiago Cheese Bread from Buehler's, and I MUST have a hot fudge sundae from Bidinger's.
I want to go to my aunt's house, where I will laugh until I cry, be covered in dirt from head to toe because I rode on 4-wheelers and ATVs all day, and watch the sun set in the south.
I want to see my best friend. I will kidnap her away from others if necessary.
I want to sit down and talk with my grandparents.
I want to catch fireflies and play with sparklers.
I want to play fetch with Chloe, let Kitty sleep on the couch with me (don't tell Sheryl!), and curse at Perro when he almost trips me while I'm walking down the stairs. I will inadvertently scare Allen and then not see him for the rest of the trip.
I want to watch Whose Line clips on YouTube with my mom and sister.
I want to use key phrases in conversation so that my Dad will start singing all of those songs he knows, and watch my sister roll her eyes in response to this.
I want to think of some grand and glorious plan for my 25th (!) birthday.
Lastly, I want time to fly in between now and the beginning of vacation, but to be the longest week on earth when the time comes. (In a good way, of course.)
I don't think I'm asking for too much. Have a great night everyone. See those of you in Ohio very soon, and if you have anything you think I should add to my list, let me know!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Usta
Usta- noun, Polish in origin- mouth
Last week, I lost a lot of sleep over work. Now, most of the time I enjoy my job and I only experience the little minor annoyances that come with working for the public. But last week, so many different things happened and caused me so much grief that the one night I managed to get a full night's sleep, I dreamed that I went back to Buehler's on my vacation, ended up staying, and actually enjoyed working there. Ha!
But by the end of Monday morning, all of my problems had disappeared and I was in a very happy mood. Also, I was incredibly bored due to the fact that I had been stuffing folders with inserts all morning and still was only halfway done. Finally, boredom overtook me, and as I glanced at the eightieth informational pamphlet that talked about picking the ripest fruits and vegetables, I started reading the Spanish side of the pamphlet, just so I could say I was learning some new information.
In my slap happy state, it didn't take me long to start repeating the one Spanish phrase I know that contains the word 'tomato': "Miren al tomate, no es triste? Pero no puede bailar, pobre tomate." According to Google Translate and the Veggie Tales video I learned that line from, it means, "Look at the tomato. Isn't it sad? He can't dance. Poor tomato." I probably sang "The Dance of the Cucumber" for a good hour.
Once I got bored with that song, I started thinking about all of my other Veggie Tales favorites. Over the course of the next hour, I sang "The Hairbrush Song," the "Cheeseburger Song," "The Song of the Cebu," "Barbara Manatee," and "The Water Buffalo Song." Honest to goodness, I forgot I knew the words to all of those songs, but they came back to me very easily.
At the end of the day, one of my co-workers commented on my good mood. She speculated that it must have been due to the fact that our potentially disastrous morning had turned out in our favor. I really didn't know how I could explain that singing songs I learned in my "tween" years had brought me great joy that afternoon, so I just smiled and nodded.
What really bugged me though was the one last song I couldn't remember. All I could remember was the word "usta." My entire drive home (it's only five minutes) I was driving myself crazy trying to remember the song. I even played my mom's "ABC" game. You know, the one where you recite the alphabet until it jogs your memory? The one we mercilessly tease her for? It didn't work.
Finally, finally I was able to access the Eighth Wonder of the Modern World- YouTube. All I had to do was type in the word "usta" and I was transported back in time to when I first learned "The Lip Song." I was overjoyed to find the song and I sang the entire thing for the rest of the night. It was a good evening, and I slept well for the first night in a week.
Moral of the story: I know a ridiculous amount of songs that revolve around animated vegetables, and they brought my great joy this week. Usta! Enjoy the rest of your week!
Last week, I lost a lot of sleep over work. Now, most of the time I enjoy my job and I only experience the little minor annoyances that come with working for the public. But last week, so many different things happened and caused me so much grief that the one night I managed to get a full night's sleep, I dreamed that I went back to Buehler's on my vacation, ended up staying, and actually enjoyed working there. Ha!
But by the end of Monday morning, all of my problems had disappeared and I was in a very happy mood. Also, I was incredibly bored due to the fact that I had been stuffing folders with inserts all morning and still was only halfway done. Finally, boredom overtook me, and as I glanced at the eightieth informational pamphlet that talked about picking the ripest fruits and vegetables, I started reading the Spanish side of the pamphlet, just so I could say I was learning some new information.
In my slap happy state, it didn't take me long to start repeating the one Spanish phrase I know that contains the word 'tomato': "Miren al tomate, no es triste? Pero no puede bailar, pobre tomate." According to Google Translate and the Veggie Tales video I learned that line from, it means, "Look at the tomato. Isn't it sad? He can't dance. Poor tomato." I probably sang "The Dance of the Cucumber" for a good hour.
Once I got bored with that song, I started thinking about all of my other Veggie Tales favorites. Over the course of the next hour, I sang "The Hairbrush Song," the "Cheeseburger Song," "The Song of the Cebu," "Barbara Manatee," and "The Water Buffalo Song." Honest to goodness, I forgot I knew the words to all of those songs, but they came back to me very easily.
At the end of the day, one of my co-workers commented on my good mood. She speculated that it must have been due to the fact that our potentially disastrous morning had turned out in our favor. I really didn't know how I could explain that singing songs I learned in my "tween" years had brought me great joy that afternoon, so I just smiled and nodded.
What really bugged me though was the one last song I couldn't remember. All I could remember was the word "usta." My entire drive home (it's only five minutes) I was driving myself crazy trying to remember the song. I even played my mom's "ABC" game. You know, the one where you recite the alphabet until it jogs your memory? The one we mercilessly tease her for? It didn't work.
Finally, finally I was able to access the Eighth Wonder of the Modern World- YouTube. All I had to do was type in the word "usta" and I was transported back in time to when I first learned "The Lip Song." I was overjoyed to find the song and I sang the entire thing for the rest of the night. It was a good evening, and I slept well for the first night in a week.
Moral of the story: I know a ridiculous amount of songs that revolve around animated vegetables, and they brought my great joy this week. Usta! Enjoy the rest of your week!
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Trail
Trail- noun- a marked or beaten path, as through woods or wilderness.
All I want to do is take a nice, long walk on a nature trail. I want to climb over tree roots, maneuver around ancient trees, listen to wind rustling through the leaves, breathe in the clean air, and watch the birds fly around.
Maybe I'm looking forward to coming home just a little too much and am romanticizing all the things I miss about Ohio, but lately I've been really missing all of the trails I walked when I was home.
I miss how I can walk to that one corner of Hubbard Valley, turn, and then look out across the pond. I like the fact that I can walk along a grassy lane, then traverse through some winding trails and end up by the little creek. Oh, and if I have the right people with me, we roll down the sledding hill.
I miss walking at River Styx, walking the "wrong way" around the nature trail, only to immediately come up against that hill I hate. When I get to the top of the hill, though, it's all worth it and everything is smooth sailing from there. I miss looking for the creepy carp and counting the number of frogs I can scare as I walk around the pond. Oh, and if we stopped to get ice cream from the little store first, it's heavenly.
There are a lot of beautiful parks here in SC, but they're not quite the same. I think my favorite park has to be Rosebrock park. It has long, winding trails through the woods, and a sign that says "Learn about the poisonous snakes in our park." This is right before the part of the sign that talked about wearing long sleeves and long pants to help prevent against ticks. Oh, and I don't get charged money to enter that park, unlike several other of the nicer parks in my area. But I think I'll hold off on visiting Rosebrock until the weather cools down and the snakes hibernate!
With all that said, you can be sure that I will be walking at one of these two places hopefully every day when I'm home in just a few short weeks. Join me if you want, the more the merrier! Have a great week everyone!
All I want to do is take a nice, long walk on a nature trail. I want to climb over tree roots, maneuver around ancient trees, listen to wind rustling through the leaves, breathe in the clean air, and watch the birds fly around.
Maybe I'm looking forward to coming home just a little too much and am romanticizing all the things I miss about Ohio, but lately I've been really missing all of the trails I walked when I was home.
I miss how I can walk to that one corner of Hubbard Valley, turn, and then look out across the pond. I like the fact that I can walk along a grassy lane, then traverse through some winding trails and end up by the little creek. Oh, and if I have the right people with me, we roll down the sledding hill.
I miss walking at River Styx, walking the "wrong way" around the nature trail, only to immediately come up against that hill I hate. When I get to the top of the hill, though, it's all worth it and everything is smooth sailing from there. I miss looking for the creepy carp and counting the number of frogs I can scare as I walk around the pond. Oh, and if we stopped to get ice cream from the little store first, it's heavenly.
There are a lot of beautiful parks here in SC, but they're not quite the same. I think my favorite park has to be Rosebrock park. It has long, winding trails through the woods, and a sign that says "Learn about the poisonous snakes in our park." This is right before the part of the sign that talked about wearing long sleeves and long pants to help prevent against ticks. Oh, and I don't get charged money to enter that park, unlike several other of the nicer parks in my area. But I think I'll hold off on visiting Rosebrock until the weather cools down and the snakes hibernate!
With all that said, you can be sure that I will be walking at one of these two places hopefully every day when I'm home in just a few short weeks. Join me if you want, the more the merrier! Have a great week everyone!
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Sleep
Sleep- noun- a condition of body and mind, such as that which typically recurs for several hours every night, in which the nervous system is inactive.
verb- rest in such a condition; be asleep
I thought a lot about sleep these last few days, probably because my "gift of sleep" disappeared and I was tired and cranky all week. The saying, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" is typically spoken in reference to something we desire or a love that is not present, but I felt that way about my sleep this week.
I thought about sleep when I saw the little baby in his car seat. Even though his brother was screaming as he ran down the hallway ahead of us, the baby never stirred.
I thought about sleep when a mom uttered the fatal words: "You're taking a nap when you get home." That was a cue for her three year-old to scream in defiance, "NO, I'M NOT!" I laughed and couldn't help but think that someday she would wish for those naps, just like the rest of us do now.
I thought about sleep when I saw my co-worker sleeping in her car on her lunch break. I have done the same thing on many occasions (an hour to sleep in the middle of the day, are you kidding me? Who would pass that up?). One day a few weeks ago, my boss saw me in the hallway and said, "You have no idea how hard it was for me to NOT honk my horn and try to scare you when I saw you sleeping." Normally I want to harm anyone who dare disturbs my slumber, but if you knew my boss, you'd know it's completely out of character for her and for that reason it would have been funny.
I thought about sleep in my meeting last week, when I was trying desperately to not allow my eyes to close while we went over some ridiculously monotonous statistics. I perked up when I saw a woman across the room starting the "head bob" as she too tried to stay awake. Some people have nice co-workers who gently elbow them awake. This girl had co-workers who draped seven other people's name tags over her head.
I thought about sleep when I walked in my room to find my dog asleep in his crate, stretched out on his back with his paws in the air while he snored. God still has not blessed my family with a normal animal.
And tonight, I will set up camp on my futon. I will have some popcorn and hot chocolate and put a chick-flick in the DVD player, intending to enjoy my extra night of freedom with a movie marathon. This will inevitably end with me waking up about 1:00 a.m. after I realize that I"m listening to the same soundtrack music over and over again while the DVD idles on the main menu. I will have missed approximately half the movie, including all of my favorite parts.
Well, I just noticed a spider building a web in the arm of my patio chair, so I need to go destroy the web before the spider kills anything and I have to watch a bug writhe around in the silk. I allowed one spider to build a web in the corner of my patio, the least they can do is leave my chair alone.
Have a fantastic week everyone. Take a minute (at least!) to observe the holiday, and join me in saying, "Beryl, Beryl, go away, head to sea with your skies so gray." Hey, if it's not going to hit us directly, I want nothing to do with it!
verb- rest in such a condition; be asleep
I thought a lot about sleep these last few days, probably because my "gift of sleep" disappeared and I was tired and cranky all week. The saying, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" is typically spoken in reference to something we desire or a love that is not present, but I felt that way about my sleep this week.
I thought about sleep when I saw the little baby in his car seat. Even though his brother was screaming as he ran down the hallway ahead of us, the baby never stirred.
I thought about sleep when a mom uttered the fatal words: "You're taking a nap when you get home." That was a cue for her three year-old to scream in defiance, "NO, I'M NOT!" I laughed and couldn't help but think that someday she would wish for those naps, just like the rest of us do now.
I thought about sleep when I saw my co-worker sleeping in her car on her lunch break. I have done the same thing on many occasions (an hour to sleep in the middle of the day, are you kidding me? Who would pass that up?). One day a few weeks ago, my boss saw me in the hallway and said, "You have no idea how hard it was for me to NOT honk my horn and try to scare you when I saw you sleeping." Normally I want to harm anyone who dare disturbs my slumber, but if you knew my boss, you'd know it's completely out of character for her and for that reason it would have been funny.
I thought about sleep in my meeting last week, when I was trying desperately to not allow my eyes to close while we went over some ridiculously monotonous statistics. I perked up when I saw a woman across the room starting the "head bob" as she too tried to stay awake. Some people have nice co-workers who gently elbow them awake. This girl had co-workers who draped seven other people's name tags over her head.
I thought about sleep when I walked in my room to find my dog asleep in his crate, stretched out on his back with his paws in the air while he snored. God still has not blessed my family with a normal animal.
And tonight, I will set up camp on my futon. I will have some popcorn and hot chocolate and put a chick-flick in the DVD player, intending to enjoy my extra night of freedom with a movie marathon. This will inevitably end with me waking up about 1:00 a.m. after I realize that I"m listening to the same soundtrack music over and over again while the DVD idles on the main menu. I will have missed approximately half the movie, including all of my favorite parts.
Well, I just noticed a spider building a web in the arm of my patio chair, so I need to go destroy the web before the spider kills anything and I have to watch a bug writhe around in the silk. I allowed one spider to build a web in the corner of my patio, the least they can do is leave my chair alone.
Have a fantastic week everyone. Take a minute (at least!) to observe the holiday, and join me in saying, "Beryl, Beryl, go away, head to sea with your skies so gray." Hey, if it's not going to hit us directly, I want nothing to do with it!
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Ready
Ready- adj- in a suitable state for an activity, action, or situation; fully prepared
verb- prepare for an activity or purpose
Last night, I settled onto my couch to channel surf for a few minutes before I went to bed. After skipping over a few obnoxious reality shows, Law and Order reruns, and whatever was on PBS, I came across the news just as the weather report began. Waiting for the weatherman to tell me I was going to have perfect weather for my walk at the park the next day, I was a little surprised to instead hear about the tropical storm that was spinning just off the coast. I paid close attention for a few seconds, only to quickly move on to the next channel when the weatherman said it wasn't going to come anywhere near me.
This isn't to say that I don't care about tropical weather. Earlier this week we had a couple of relatively minor storms that caused a lot of problems, and all I could think was, "If this is just a little storm, what the heck would a hurricane be like?" But there's no sense in losing sleep over something that wasn't going to affect me. Besides, I "know" that I am ready.
Last year when Tropical Storm Emily came close enough to warrant a few NOAA e-mails from our emergency prepardness director, I went out and bought EVERYTHING I needed for a hurricane kit. Then, when Hurricane Irene came close enough to scare everyone, I went out and bought just a little bit more.
Like I said- I tried to cover everything- many gallons of water, juice, canned fruits and vegetables, canned chicken, some granola bars, applesauce cups, and plastic silverware. I had enough food to last for a week! To top it off, I used some old "disaster" menus I made for school and tailored it to make my own personal hurricane menu. When Irene came around, I stocked up on batteries, dog food, and the last three gallons of water on the shelf. I also had a blank book, ready to start writing a book during the three days that the power would be out (I was trying to be optimistic!)
Then, when Irene didn't stop by, I gradually started picking at my stores. First I took the juice, the applesauce, and the granola bars for my lunch. Cooper gnawed on a couple of jugs of water, allowing them to slowly leak into my carpet. No wonder I couldn't figure out where that musty smell was coming from. He also ate my honey nut Cheerios. I figured out once and for all that I hate, with a capital H- Hate, canned meat of any kind when I went to use the chicken in a recipe. Slowly but surely, the canned fruit and vegetables made it into various casseroles and baked desserts.
So come January (when I first discovered the emptied and shriveled jugs of water), I looked down into my hurricane basket and sighed. What had been a full basket that would carry me through the h-e-double hockey sticks that would be a category 3 hurricane was now a pink basket with a container of Purell and a box of mixed cutlery.
Since then, I've started adding back to my little stash. Like I said- I hate canned chicken, but I now have a few cans of beans, a container of peanut butter, a can of almonds, and some Ravioli for protein purposes. Triscuits are in still in the box, and I added some club crackers. I found some high fructose-free applesauce cups for half price with a coupon, and I decided to make my peace with the canned peas and carrots. (Somehow they will get mixed in with something I actually like.)
The water is now on the top shelf, far away from the dog's fangs. I found out that Bi-Lo offers a "buy the name brand, get our store brand free" offer for some yummy granola bars, and I splurged on more juice boxes and Capri Suns. I figure if I'm going to be cowering for protection in my closet, I may as well have all kinds of yumminess nearby. Speaking of that...maybe I should get a little chocolate?
All in all, Alberto is far away tonight, so I have probably have at least another two months or so before there's any more mention of a hurricane. Also, the reality is, no matter how ready I think I am, I will still probably be scared out of my mind if anything heads toward Charleston. Additionally, I have set my hurricane category limit to "2." Anything more than a category 2 and I will be taking an impromptu vacation to Ohio. Or maybe Tennessee, since driving to Ohio would violate my "never driving 77 North alone again" rule.
In any case, I have a strawberry rhubarb pie to finish baking. Hopefully it will be as delicious as I am imagining. Have a great week everyone!
verb- prepare for an activity or purpose
Last night, I settled onto my couch to channel surf for a few minutes before I went to bed. After skipping over a few obnoxious reality shows, Law and Order reruns, and whatever was on PBS, I came across the news just as the weather report began. Waiting for the weatherman to tell me I was going to have perfect weather for my walk at the park the next day, I was a little surprised to instead hear about the tropical storm that was spinning just off the coast. I paid close attention for a few seconds, only to quickly move on to the next channel when the weatherman said it wasn't going to come anywhere near me.
This isn't to say that I don't care about tropical weather. Earlier this week we had a couple of relatively minor storms that caused a lot of problems, and all I could think was, "If this is just a little storm, what the heck would a hurricane be like?" But there's no sense in losing sleep over something that wasn't going to affect me. Besides, I "know" that I am ready.
Last year when Tropical Storm Emily came close enough to warrant a few NOAA e-mails from our emergency prepardness director, I went out and bought EVERYTHING I needed for a hurricane kit. Then, when Hurricane Irene came close enough to scare everyone, I went out and bought just a little bit more.
Like I said- I tried to cover everything- many gallons of water, juice, canned fruits and vegetables, canned chicken, some granola bars, applesauce cups, and plastic silverware. I had enough food to last for a week! To top it off, I used some old "disaster" menus I made for school and tailored it to make my own personal hurricane menu. When Irene came around, I stocked up on batteries, dog food, and the last three gallons of water on the shelf. I also had a blank book, ready to start writing a book during the three days that the power would be out (I was trying to be optimistic!)
Then, when Irene didn't stop by, I gradually started picking at my stores. First I took the juice, the applesauce, and the granola bars for my lunch. Cooper gnawed on a couple of jugs of water, allowing them to slowly leak into my carpet. No wonder I couldn't figure out where that musty smell was coming from. He also ate my honey nut Cheerios. I figured out once and for all that I hate, with a capital H- Hate, canned meat of any kind when I went to use the chicken in a recipe. Slowly but surely, the canned fruit and vegetables made it into various casseroles and baked desserts.
So come January (when I first discovered the emptied and shriveled jugs of water), I looked down into my hurricane basket and sighed. What had been a full basket that would carry me through the h-e-double hockey sticks that would be a category 3 hurricane was now a pink basket with a container of Purell and a box of mixed cutlery.
Since then, I've started adding back to my little stash. Like I said- I hate canned chicken, but I now have a few cans of beans, a container of peanut butter, a can of almonds, and some Ravioli for protein purposes. Triscuits are in still in the box, and I added some club crackers. I found some high fructose-free applesauce cups for half price with a coupon, and I decided to make my peace with the canned peas and carrots. (Somehow they will get mixed in with something I actually like.)
The water is now on the top shelf, far away from the dog's fangs. I found out that Bi-Lo offers a "buy the name brand, get our store brand free" offer for some yummy granola bars, and I splurged on more juice boxes and Capri Suns. I figure if I'm going to be cowering for protection in my closet, I may as well have all kinds of yumminess nearby. Speaking of that...maybe I should get a little chocolate?
All in all, Alberto is far away tonight, so I have probably have at least another two months or so before there's any more mention of a hurricane. Also, the reality is, no matter how ready I think I am, I will still probably be scared out of my mind if anything heads toward Charleston. Additionally, I have set my hurricane category limit to "2." Anything more than a category 2 and I will be taking an impromptu vacation to Ohio. Or maybe Tennessee, since driving to Ohio would violate my "never driving 77 North alone again" rule.
In any case, I have a strawberry rhubarb pie to finish baking. Hopefully it will be as delicious as I am imagining. Have a great week everyone!
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Quiver
Quiver- verb- A slight trembling movement or sound, especially one caused by a sudden strong emotion.
I stood in the middle of my living room, lip quivering and eyes blinking hard to hold back the tears. I thought to myself, "Get it together, Kate! You're an adult for goodness' sake!" A few seconds and a couple of deep breaths later, I had calmed down enough to return to the project I had been working on, but the emotion of that moment stuck with me for a while longer.
I like to think I'm "big and bad" in trying times, meaning that I have control over any situation and can handle any problems that come my way in a cool, calm, and collected manner. I like to think that in difficult situations, I always act like I did last Wednesday. That day I had clients angry at me, the regional education director wanting to know why we hadn't started utilizing our new lesson plans, project managers pressuring me to finish a project I had no control over, and the new trainee playing "Twenty-One Hundred Questions" with me. Oh, and I was having a bad hair day and my shoe was starting to fall apart.
But it all ended up being just fine- the clients may not have left happy, but they were treated politely and fairly in a timely manner. My director was accepting of the reasons why we hadn't started the new lessons and left the clinic smiling. The project manager and I reached an understanding as to what I needed before I could finish my part of the project, and the new trainee ended up following another co-worker. My cute new headband took care of the bad hair day and a piece of Scotch tape fixed the shoe long enough for me to make it through the day.
With that said, what I want isn't always what I get, and how I think I should act isn't always what happens! Monday was a stressful day at work- we had no electricity, internet, or phones when I got to work and my car battery died and needed replaced when I left work. I handled the work problems professionally, but broke down and cried when it came to the car. I was emotionally spent by the time I got home and sat down to dinner.
More frazzled than ever at this point, I was sitting at the computer and trying to focus on an article I was writing, when all of the sudden a loud boom sounded directly over my head. My new neighbor, whose existence I kept forgetting, had dropped something on the floor. The loud noise, coupled with inattention to my surroundings, startled me so much that I jumped out of my chair, screamed, and ran into the living room. That's why I was standing in the middle of the room fighting back tears. After the shock wore off, I was so mad at my reaction that I was no longer crying from fear, but from frustration.
The latter is an example what typically happens when I come up against conflict, fear, or frustration- a quivering lip, followed by a flood of emotions. It's a maddening process. Thankfully, with some prayer and persistence, I'm starting to skew towards a more calm approach to trials and tribulations, as well as being able to accept my shortcomings and laugh at myself more. (It's a slow transition, to be sure!) By bedtime Monday, I was laughing at my reaction and I had even shared the incident with my sister, who also laughed at me!
For the time being, I'll settle for a happy medium- like Wednesday night. After my marathon day at work, I came home to an eerily dark and still apartment. Turns out my building had been directly struck by lighting and had tripped the main breaker to my apartment. After consulting with my neighbors, I called the office and waited for maintenance to come help, all the while bemoaning the fact that I'd have to spend my ENTIRE day off working with State Farm to file a claim for my damaged electronics after I got rid of all the spoiled food in my fridge and freezer. I was mostly calm, with just a little bit of doom and gloom. As it turned out, with one flip of a switch our maintenance worker restored power to my apartment and the food and electronics were all just fine.
As we draw to a close today, I would like to convey well wishes to my maternal unit. Since it's been raining most of the afternoon, I've been thinking back to a Mother's Day about ten years ago. We had been enjoying our tent, but due to some heavy rains it had become inundated with water. We crammed ten people into a friend's camper for the night in order for my family to escape the flood. The next morning, all ten of us went to brunch at a local restaurant. Unshowered and wearing our slightly damp and grungy camping clothes, we sure were a sight against all of the moms in their floral print Sunday best! Ah memories!
I stood in the middle of my living room, lip quivering and eyes blinking hard to hold back the tears. I thought to myself, "Get it together, Kate! You're an adult for goodness' sake!" A few seconds and a couple of deep breaths later, I had calmed down enough to return to the project I had been working on, but the emotion of that moment stuck with me for a while longer.
I like to think I'm "big and bad" in trying times, meaning that I have control over any situation and can handle any problems that come my way in a cool, calm, and collected manner. I like to think that in difficult situations, I always act like I did last Wednesday. That day I had clients angry at me, the regional education director wanting to know why we hadn't started utilizing our new lesson plans, project managers pressuring me to finish a project I had no control over, and the new trainee playing "Twenty-One Hundred Questions" with me. Oh, and I was having a bad hair day and my shoe was starting to fall apart.
But it all ended up being just fine- the clients may not have left happy, but they were treated politely and fairly in a timely manner. My director was accepting of the reasons why we hadn't started the new lessons and left the clinic smiling. The project manager and I reached an understanding as to what I needed before I could finish my part of the project, and the new trainee ended up following another co-worker. My cute new headband took care of the bad hair day and a piece of Scotch tape fixed the shoe long enough for me to make it through the day.
With that said, what I want isn't always what I get, and how I think I should act isn't always what happens! Monday was a stressful day at work- we had no electricity, internet, or phones when I got to work and my car battery died and needed replaced when I left work. I handled the work problems professionally, but broke down and cried when it came to the car. I was emotionally spent by the time I got home and sat down to dinner.
More frazzled than ever at this point, I was sitting at the computer and trying to focus on an article I was writing, when all of the sudden a loud boom sounded directly over my head. My new neighbor, whose existence I kept forgetting, had dropped something on the floor. The loud noise, coupled with inattention to my surroundings, startled me so much that I jumped out of my chair, screamed, and ran into the living room. That's why I was standing in the middle of the room fighting back tears. After the shock wore off, I was so mad at my reaction that I was no longer crying from fear, but from frustration.
The latter is an example what typically happens when I come up against conflict, fear, or frustration- a quivering lip, followed by a flood of emotions. It's a maddening process. Thankfully, with some prayer and persistence, I'm starting to skew towards a more calm approach to trials and tribulations, as well as being able to accept my shortcomings and laugh at myself more. (It's a slow transition, to be sure!) By bedtime Monday, I was laughing at my reaction and I had even shared the incident with my sister, who also laughed at me!
For the time being, I'll settle for a happy medium- like Wednesday night. After my marathon day at work, I came home to an eerily dark and still apartment. Turns out my building had been directly struck by lighting and had tripped the main breaker to my apartment. After consulting with my neighbors, I called the office and waited for maintenance to come help, all the while bemoaning the fact that I'd have to spend my ENTIRE day off working with State Farm to file a claim for my damaged electronics after I got rid of all the spoiled food in my fridge and freezer. I was mostly calm, with just a little bit of doom and gloom. As it turned out, with one flip of a switch our maintenance worker restored power to my apartment and the food and electronics were all just fine.
As we draw to a close today, I would like to convey well wishes to my maternal unit. Since it's been raining most of the afternoon, I've been thinking back to a Mother's Day about ten years ago. We had been enjoying our tent, but due to some heavy rains it had become inundated with water. We crammed ten people into a friend's camper for the night in order for my family to escape the flood. The next morning, all ten of us went to brunch at a local restaurant. Unshowered and wearing our slightly damp and grungy camping clothes, we sure were a sight against all of the moms in their floral print Sunday best! Ah memories!
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