Thank you Walmart ~ I think

While making my errand and grocery list for Walmart list this week I decided to reward myself for doing very well with not eating a bunch of junk food lately. ( Check out my other blog here for the details.)   I decided to pick up a pint of Starbucks Mocha Ice Cream.  A delight my sister turned me on to about a year ago, but I havent had it in a few months. 

So I made my list and picked my items up all the while looking forward to the afternoon when I would get home and have me some chocolately coffee yummy ice cream.  I waited to get it until last so it wouldn't melt. As I picked up the more healthy items on my list, I felt a twinge of guilt but I quickly rationalized that I deserved the ice cream.  When I reached the ice cream aisle, I looked for the shelf for the Starbucks.  It wasn't there.   I looked up and down the whole aisle thinking they moved it to a new location.   

It wasn't there because it they no longer carry it.  Darn!  So,  thank you Walmart for keeping me true to watching what I eat.  I think.   *sigh*

Spring Break

The week I have been looking forward to is finally here - Spring Break!
Enough said!

Welcome Spring - Snow!

It was the first day of spring today and what better way to welcome the new season in but to have the white fluffy snowflakes falling all day long.  The ironic thing is that yesterday the temperature was near 70 degrees and lovely outside.   Nothing like Missouri weather for you!

Road Rage (almost)

I'm usually pretty level headed.  This morning though, I got me a taste of what road rage must feel like.  It began with a sinple trip to McDonald's to treat myself to a breakfast sandwich.  Now a few months ago, our local McDonalds remodeled and did a funky thing with the drive-thru.  The drive-thru lane splits with a bypass so there are two order boxes. After ordering the cars merge again into a single lane to pay and get tehir food from window 1 and wndow 2. 

In theory it is a good idea.  It will serve more people.  I have always wondered though how they know which car orders what.  I wonder if they ahve a little camera taking a picture of your car so they know what price to give you at window 1.  Even though I don't go to McDonald's often, since this new remodel, they have never messed up and given me someone else's order, so it must have a sytem in place to keep it runnign smoothly.  But I digress.  This blog is about my road rage.

This morning I am waiting patiently in the drive-thru lane as it was busy.  The split was 2-3 cars ahead of me.  All of a sudden a car comes up behind me, pulls along side of me (where it is clearly NOT the drive-thru lane) and pulls up behind the car ordering at the second order box.  Hello---  Does he not see that there are 3 cars waiting their turn and as soon as the order box #2 is available the next car in line will go to it?   I rationalize that perhaps this poor fellow doesn't understand the new configuration.  Or mabe he is from out-of-town ( a favorite excuse of mine for poor driving manners). 

But then.....  ANOTHER CAR pulls up outside of the drive-thru line.   I shoot the driver a dirty look and mumble under my breath....well, maybe not so under my breath, that they are not following the rules of the lane.  I had an urge to get out of my car and go explain to them exactly how this was to work.  There is a reasn for the lines painted on the road.  

If you are going to drive people, use courtesy and follow the standard rules and signs of the road!!!
Whew.   I feel better now.

Goodbye to my Thea

My aunt dies this week.  She was elderly and had told her grandaughter months ago that she was ready to go whenever the Lord called her.  Well, this week she was called. 

My Regrets:
Everytime I saw my aunt in the last few years she would ask me to come over to her house to visit.  I was too busy, but even more, I couldn't picture myself  just showing up at her house.  Now it is too late to make a visit.

My Fears:
My uncle whose age nears the century mark is now alone.  He has a daughter who will be staying with him and taking care of him, but his partner of 63 years is gone.  Statistics show that many times a left spouse will pass away within months of their spouse dying.  I fear my uncle dying soon.

My Surprise:
I found out from reading the obituary that my cousins have a step sister that I never knew about.  How was that kept such a secret from me?  

My Joy: 
In the busy culture that we live in, we don't take time out.  Reunions might be set, but some will not take the time or money to set apart that time for family. But when a loved one dies, most will make a diligent effort to return home out of respect if nothing less.  Seeing cousins from different branches of the family and having the time to visit with them gives me joy.

May my thea's memory be eternal.