How to frustrate me!

So, yesterday I finally got ashamed enough of my non-posting status that I spent an HOUR writing a bulleted list of everything that has happened to me in recent weeks. Nothing big, really. Just lots of small stuff that seems to fill my hours and days.

And then I promptly overwrote the whole thing with a blank file. I know better. What the heck was I thinking? Maybe it was subliminal…because maybe I said some things I shouldn’t say. I really do think sometimes someone’s looking out for me. I just let it go. Maybe in a day or two I’ll do that catch-up thing. A few things actually were interesting.

Today is hotter’n the hubs of hell. Again. But, I got out fairly early to drive DD to her gig at the mall, since her car air conditioner is kaput. Since I was out, I decided to go to Sears to get a new battery. My current one is really, really old, and every time I get the oil changed, they remind me of that fact. Since I’m about to take a small vacation, I figured it was time to invest in a new battery – before I get stuck somewhere on I-40 with a car that won’t start.

So, the guy at Sears fiddled and fiddled with my car and then came in and told me he couldn’t get the hood open. What the…? It seems that the handle has been lost from the hood opener thingy. The Sears guy told me that I need a new hood opener thingy before the hood can be opened…and the battery replaced. And then he sort of just dangled my keys at me in a lame way, as if to say, “Come back when your hood opens.” Bummer. Seein’ as how the Honda dealer was about two blocks away, I moseyed over to see if their service department was open on Saturday morning. It was!!!

So, Honda Service Guy says…”Well, we COULD replace the cable assembly, but that’ll cost you some bucks. OR…you could just use a pair of pliers to grab the end of the cable (which sticks out of the hole where the knob used to be) and it’ll come open just fine.” Now…why didn’t the goober at SEARS know this???? I ask ya! So, I let the Honda people sell me a very expensive new battery. I just hope it lasts as long as my old Die Hard did. I learned a valuable lesson about this Sears Automotive Center. And met some nice people at the Honda place. So, that piece of frustration didn’t turn out so badly.

Then I went shopping. My target was a place called “1/2 of 1/2.” CHEAP clothes! You just have to watch for rips and stains and such, but when you find a good item…you can get a real deal. I loaded up on new stuff for this coming season’s performances. We kinda dress up with sparklies and shineys and stuff on performance nights. Cheap sparklies and shineys are always good. It took me something like 3 hours to sort through the trash to find the treasures, and that was frustrating to this non-shopper. But, the grand total at the register helped to soothe the ruffled feathers.

Then I went to the supermarket. It was really, really hot by that time. I picked up the small number of items we needed – including a package of sugar-free Fudgesicles. Hey! They’re one of life’s essentials in this weather! Then I remembered that we needed marshmallows. Now, you must understand that marshmallows are a major food group at our house. They are just that important. Do you know how many different places supermarkets can invent to stash marshmallows? Being a major consumer of marshmallows, I pretty much know where all the hiding places are – but you never know which of those places the store you are shopping in will choose to use. Since I was in a strange store, I had no idea where the baking supplies, cocoa or candy actually reside. The search can turn very frustrating. Quickly.

Fudgesicles are melting….melting…melting…while I searched out all of the likely hiding places for marshmallows. I finally found ‘em (in the candy aisle this time) and managed to get out of the store without leaving a trail of chocolate soup. If I ever shop in that store again, I can go straight to the marshmallows. At least that’s progress!

I’m so glad I replaced my battery this morning. Today would have been the day it gave up the ghost, if I hadn’t. I’m convinced of it.

Pickin’ and Chickin

After nine years of wandering in the wilderness, I recently settled on a church. Back home in Texas, we were deeply involved in life at our church. It was a big part of our identity. These past few years, we have been missing that connection and fulfillment. Finally, we’re on our way back to “belonging.”

Yesterday was our new church’s annual picnic. “Pickin’ and Chickin” it’s called. Both the pickin’ AND the chickin were outstanding. I wish I had gotten a picture of the chicken. It was maybe some of the best I had ever tasted – and it looked it!

There were two buffet lines, and both were heavily laden with bowl after bowl and platter after platter of good, Southern cooking.

The church is set in an older, affluent part of Memphis, and the grounds are just lovely. Scattered among the huge old trees, families staked out their territory and prepared for the feast. I love little girls in springy church dresses, don’t you?

Here’s my little girl. It literally seems like yesterday that she was wearing frilly little dresses herself.

Elsewhere, boys were being….well…boys.

The first order of business were the sack race heats. I didn’t stick around for the finals, but I’m thinking one of these girls must have won it. They were so focused!

It was a beautiful day. A great way to start the summer. Have you had YOUR first picnic of the season? I sure hope so.