Last day of the month. Last day of November.
I'm not ready to say good-bye to fall -- to brilliant autumn leaves, blue skies and sunshine, mild days and crisp nights, bonfires, pumpkins, turkey, brussel sprouts, cranberries . . . .
November had its up and downs. We ended the month with two health crises. But the good memories from Thanksgiving still linger.
It was a good month. Good-bye November.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
It's always something
One minute everything is going well. The next minute it's all gone to h*ll.
Why does that happen?
Last night we got a call that G's stepfather was on his way to the hospital. He was in extreme pain and was also experiencing intestinal distress. G met his mom and C at the emergency room and stayed with them until almost 1:00 a.m. When G finally came home, C was still waiting to move from the ER to a room on the 4th floor.
Tonight we visited C and he is much improved. His doctor thinks he knows what the problem is and how best to treat it. G's mother is much less worried than she was last night (when she was convinced she was going to be widowed for the second time). It has been an intense twenty-four hours for C, but it seems like he is going to be okay.
It's also been an intense twenty-four hours for our youngest daughter, M. This morning she called her father and said that she was sick and had been sick since yesterday evening. She was also experiencing intestinal distress and was very worried that she might be heading toward the same problems that had landed her in the hospital this summer.
Around noon M called me and said that she felt achy all over. She felt like she was going to throw up but she also still had the same lower intestinal issues. Needless to say, she hadn't been able to venture far enough away from the bathroom to even consider going to her morning OT observation or either of her power hour classes.
When you're in college, there's never a good time to be sick and miss class, but two weeks before finals is definitely one of the worst times times to be sick. Tomorrow is an especially crucial day for M to feel well and be at her best since she has an early final (no idea why it's not during finals week) and two labs.
I hate it that my child is in so much pain and there isn't anything I can do to make her feel better. I'm a little angry (at God?) that M is sick again. It breaks my heart to hear the fear in her voice and know that she wonders if she will always be dealing with this problem.
I know there are other families who are dealing with much more serious issues with their children, and I wouldn't want to have to bear the burden they do. But M is my child, and when she hurts, I hurt.
I hope that tomorrow is a much better day for M.
Why does that happen?
Last night we got a call that G's stepfather was on his way to the hospital. He was in extreme pain and was also experiencing intestinal distress. G met his mom and C at the emergency room and stayed with them until almost 1:00 a.m. When G finally came home, C was still waiting to move from the ER to a room on the 4th floor.
Tonight we visited C and he is much improved. His doctor thinks he knows what the problem is and how best to treat it. G's mother is much less worried than she was last night (when she was convinced she was going to be widowed for the second time). It has been an intense twenty-four hours for C, but it seems like he is going to be okay.
It's also been an intense twenty-four hours for our youngest daughter, M. This morning she called her father and said that she was sick and had been sick since yesterday evening. She was also experiencing intestinal distress and was very worried that she might be heading toward the same problems that had landed her in the hospital this summer.
Around noon M called me and said that she felt achy all over. She felt like she was going to throw up but she also still had the same lower intestinal issues. Needless to say, she hadn't been able to venture far enough away from the bathroom to even consider going to her morning OT observation or either of her power hour classes.
When you're in college, there's never a good time to be sick and miss class, but two weeks before finals is definitely one of the worst times times to be sick. Tomorrow is an especially crucial day for M to feel well and be at her best since she has an early final (no idea why it's not during finals week) and two labs.
I hate it that my child is in so much pain and there isn't anything I can do to make her feel better. I'm a little angry (at God?) that M is sick again. It breaks my heart to hear the fear in her voice and know that she wonders if she will always be dealing with this problem.
I know there are other families who are dealing with much more serious issues with their children, and I wouldn't want to have to bear the burden they do. But M is my child, and when she hurts, I hurt.
I hope that tomorrow is a much better day for M.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Thankful Thursday . . . and Friday and Saturday and Sunday
Sing with me! "Over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house we go."
Well, I didn't go through any woods, but I did go over five rivers -- the Des Plaines, Kankakee, Mazon, Mackinaw, and Money -- on the way to Grandmother's (known to me as Mom and to my kids as Mimi) house. And Grandpa lives there too. : )
Well, I didn't go through any woods, but I did go over five rivers -- the Des Plaines, Kankakee, Mazon, Mackinaw, and Money -- on the way to Grandmother's (known to me as Mom and to my kids as Mimi) house. And Grandpa lives there too. : )
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
A Baskin-Robbins day
Today was a Baskin-Robbins day, but it didn't involve ice cream or any other treat from the famous 31 Flavors store.
Instead G and I had vegetable samosas, vegetable pad Thai, spicy shrimp bao, and Chinese BBQ pork buns for dinner. Well, G didn't have any of the pork buns, but I did, and they were delicious -- just like the ones we have in San Francisco at Yank Sing. For dessert we had vanilla bean cupcakes.
In case you're wondering -- do they always eat like this? -- the answer is NO. But today was a special day, a Baskin-Robbins day, because today was our 31st wedding anniversary.
Baskin-Robbins -- 31 Flavors -- 31 years of marriage. Get it?
November 22, 1980 to November 22, 2011. That is definitely something to celebrate!
Instead G and I had vegetable samosas, vegetable pad Thai, spicy shrimp bao, and Chinese BBQ pork buns for dinner. Well, G didn't have any of the pork buns, but I did, and they were delicious -- just like the ones we have in San Francisco at Yank Sing. For dessert we had vanilla bean cupcakes.
In case you're wondering -- do they always eat like this? -- the answer is NO. But today was a special day, a Baskin-Robbins day, because today was our 31st wedding anniversary.
Baskin-Robbins -- 31 Flavors -- 31 years of marriage. Get it?
November 22, 1980 to November 22, 2011. That is definitely something to celebrate!
Monday, November 21, 2011
Caught off guard
I went to the laundromat today. It was a long overdue trip.
After I got the washers going, I walked next door to the dollar store. I intended to buy a Coke, but I wandered over to the greeting cards instead. I picked out five Thanksgiving cards, then grabbed a Coke from the very back of the cooler (I always want to have the super-coldest bottle possible) and headed to the checkout.
The guy who was working the register greeted me and started to scan my cards. I was fishing in my handbag to find my coin purse, not paying attention to anything around me, so it really caught me off guard when the cashier said, "I really like people like you."
What? People like me -- would that be middle-aged, overweight women with menopause-induced acne? Surely not.
The guy must have noticed the puzzled look on my face because he held up one of my greeting cards and waved it toward me. Still puzzled, I thought maybe he was referring to the humorous card that I purchased. So . . . he likes people who get a laugh out of Thanksgiving?
"It makes it so much easier to ring up the cards when they're turned the right way," he said with a smile.
Ohhh, now I get it. He was commenting on my habit of flipping the front of the card upside down so the UPC code is facing up, unobstructed by the flap of the envelope.
People like me . . . we rock. : )
After I got the washers going, I walked next door to the dollar store. I intended to buy a Coke, but I wandered over to the greeting cards instead. I picked out five Thanksgiving cards, then grabbed a Coke from the very back of the cooler (I always want to have the super-coldest bottle possible) and headed to the checkout.
The guy who was working the register greeted me and started to scan my cards. I was fishing in my handbag to find my coin purse, not paying attention to anything around me, so it really caught me off guard when the cashier said, "I really like people like you."
What? People like me -- would that be middle-aged, overweight women with menopause-induced acne? Surely not.
The guy must have noticed the puzzled look on my face because he held up one of my greeting cards and waved it toward me. Still puzzled, I thought maybe he was referring to the humorous card that I purchased. So . . . he likes people who get a laugh out of Thanksgiving?
"It makes it so much easier to ring up the cards when they're turned the right way," he said with a smile.
Ohhh, now I get it. He was commenting on my habit of flipping the front of the card upside down so the UPC code is facing up, unobstructed by the flap of the envelope.
People like me . . . we rock. : )
Sunday, November 20, 2011
A confession
Everyone's entitled to their opinion . . . until they share it, and then it's fair game for ridicule and derision.
I have a definite opinion on a current situation and I'm willing to bet that I'm probably the only person in American who feels the way I do. In fact if my feelings on the subject were known, many, many people would undoubtedly accuse me of being hateful and downright unpatriotic.
Wow. What opinion could I hold that would draw such strong animosity?
I confess that I am sick and tired of hearing about (being bombarded with, really) every detail of Rep. Gabrielle Gifford's life. Gabby, as her husband, family, friends, and every news anchor/talk show host in America calls her, has been all over the news lately. It seems like she is getting almost as much press now as she was 10 months ago when she was gravely wounded by a crazed gunman at a meet and greet with her constituents in Tucson, AZ.
Last night when I was at Barnes & Noble, I realized why there has been such a resurgence in all things Gabby -- she and her astronaut husband, Mark Kelly, have written a book, Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope. I find it fascinating and exquisitely timed that Giffords chose to grant her first post-shooting interview (with ABC's Diane Sawyer) to coincide with the release of her book. Surely that wasn't planned? Nah, couldn't have been.
Now before you think that I am a truly heartless jerk, I fully admire the determination that Rep. Giffords has shown as she has struggled to regain the ability to walk, talk, and reclaim the daily functions and freedoms of life that I so blithely take for granted. Her recovery has been nothing short of miraculous, especially since she was very close to death.
What I bristle at is the "it's all about Gabby" attitude that oozes at every turn. If for some reason you had lived your life in isolation for the past year, and suddenly you emerged to be confronted by the Gabby feeding frenzy, you might conclude, wrongly so, that Giffords was the only one who was shot that morning in January 2011. Even at the time of the shooting, the other victims -- 6 people were killed and 12 (not counting Giffords) were wounded -- received little press.
Two shooting victims who did receive a bit more than a passing mention were a chief federal judge and a 9-year old girl who was the granddaughter of a former MLB player and manager. Obviously the child's death, because of her age, was incredibly tragic and grabbed the attention and heartstrings of the public. The fact that she was related to a sport celebrity also heightened the curiosity factor. Predictably the media made the most of her story. As a public servant, the judge also garnered a decent amount of press. But the remaining victims, whether wounded or dead, were largely ignored.
Today if you were to ask someone if they remembered anything about a victim other than Giffords, few would be able to come up with a name or other details. It's as if Gabrielle Giffords was the only one who was shot, the only one worth remembering.
It's all about Gabby.
It doesn't seem right to me that everyone else has been pushed aside. Don't their stories matter? Couldn't the nation also be inspired by their accounts of triumph over tragedy or encouraged by their determination to regain health and wholeness?
Why does our society value celebrity so much -- to the point that the struggles and afflictions of the common man fail to move us to the same degree (or at all) that we feel when the same misfortune happens to someone famous? WT* is wrong with us?
I truly am glad that Rep. Giffords is making a strong recovery. She still has a long way to go, but she is surrounded by an incredible support team and, as a member of Congress, she has access to the very best medical care that taxpayer money can buy. Hopefully her story will inspire someone else who is struggling to recover from a traumatic injury.
But there are lots and lots of stories out there. Stories from school teachers and cabdrivers, artists, farmers, and accountants. Stories worth hearing from people who aren't usually accorded the power, position, and privilege that's reserved for politicians and celebrities.
I've heard enough about, and from, Gabby. It's time for someone else to have a turn to tell their story.
I have a definite opinion on a current situation and I'm willing to bet that I'm probably the only person in American who feels the way I do. In fact if my feelings on the subject were known, many, many people would undoubtedly accuse me of being hateful and downright unpatriotic.
Wow. What opinion could I hold that would draw such strong animosity?
I confess that I am sick and tired of hearing about (being bombarded with, really) every detail of Rep. Gabrielle Gifford's life. Gabby, as her husband, family, friends, and every news anchor/talk show host in America calls her, has been all over the news lately. It seems like she is getting almost as much press now as she was 10 months ago when she was gravely wounded by a crazed gunman at a meet and greet with her constituents in Tucson, AZ.
Last night when I was at Barnes & Noble, I realized why there has been such a resurgence in all things Gabby -- she and her astronaut husband, Mark Kelly, have written a book, Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope. I find it fascinating and exquisitely timed that Giffords chose to grant her first post-shooting interview (with ABC's Diane Sawyer) to coincide with the release of her book. Surely that wasn't planned? Nah, couldn't have been.
Now before you think that I am a truly heartless jerk, I fully admire the determination that Rep. Giffords has shown as she has struggled to regain the ability to walk, talk, and reclaim the daily functions and freedoms of life that I so blithely take for granted. Her recovery has been nothing short of miraculous, especially since she was very close to death.
What I bristle at is the "it's all about Gabby" attitude that oozes at every turn. If for some reason you had lived your life in isolation for the past year, and suddenly you emerged to be confronted by the Gabby feeding frenzy, you might conclude, wrongly so, that Giffords was the only one who was shot that morning in January 2011. Even at the time of the shooting, the other victims -- 6 people were killed and 12 (not counting Giffords) were wounded -- received little press.
Two shooting victims who did receive a bit more than a passing mention were a chief federal judge and a 9-year old girl who was the granddaughter of a former MLB player and manager. Obviously the child's death, because of her age, was incredibly tragic and grabbed the attention and heartstrings of the public. The fact that she was related to a sport celebrity also heightened the curiosity factor. Predictably the media made the most of her story. As a public servant, the judge also garnered a decent amount of press. But the remaining victims, whether wounded or dead, were largely ignored.
Today if you were to ask someone if they remembered anything about a victim other than Giffords, few would be able to come up with a name or other details. It's as if Gabrielle Giffords was the only one who was shot, the only one worth remembering.
It's all about Gabby.
It doesn't seem right to me that everyone else has been pushed aside. Don't their stories matter? Couldn't the nation also be inspired by their accounts of triumph over tragedy or encouraged by their determination to regain health and wholeness?
Why does our society value celebrity so much -- to the point that the struggles and afflictions of the common man fail to move us to the same degree (or at all) that we feel when the same misfortune happens to someone famous? WT* is wrong with us?
I truly am glad that Rep. Giffords is making a strong recovery. She still has a long way to go, but she is surrounded by an incredible support team and, as a member of Congress, she has access to the very best medical care that taxpayer money can buy. Hopefully her story will inspire someone else who is struggling to recover from a traumatic injury.
But there are lots and lots of stories out there. Stories from school teachers and cabdrivers, artists, farmers, and accountants. Stories worth hearing from people who aren't usually accorded the power, position, and privilege that's reserved for politicians and celebrities.
I've heard enough about, and from, Gabby. It's time for someone else to have a turn to tell their story.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Thankful Thursday
Over a month ago, a distant family member was bitten (unknowingly) by a brown recluse spider. Unfortunately he didn't realize the bite was serious, so he didn't see a doctor until a few days later when he was in excruciating pain and his arm was swollen to more than twice its normal size. Waiting three days to seek medical attention almost killed him.
Just this week, more than four weeks later, D is finally moving from ICU to a critical care room where he will be able to get intensive physical therapy. He has lost forty pounds in addition to muscle mass and function. D's triumphs for this week include actually taking a small assisted walk and eating half of a hamburger! For someone who has been fed almost exclusively by a feeding tube, suffered unrelenting pain, and only dreamed of being able to walk again, it is a miracle that he has achieved these milestones.
Some people, genuine Christians, believe that miracles are a thing of the past. They feel that miracles -- the signs and wonders described in the Bible -- were used by God and Jesus to bring people to faith. While these believers do not dispute that there are many occurrences today that are unexplainable and definitely of God, they stop short of calling them miracles. Instead they describe them as evidence of the providence of God.* I'm not 100% sure, but I think their reasoning is that in our present time, faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17 We are privileged to have the Bible, God's words to us, a witness more powerful than any sign or miracle.
For me the debate is of a semantic nature. Whether one calls it a miracle or providence, I think we all can agree that it comes from God. The steps that D has been able to take, literally and figuratively, can only be attributed to God's healing hand.
I am thankful that God has blessed D with renewed hope and a sense of His presence. There are many people who are praying for D and God has definitely heard those earnest petitions. Both D and his wife are sustained by the prayers of so many on their behalf, as well as the minute to minute providence of God as he guides D toward healing and wholeness.
It is almost certain that D will never be the same person that he was before he was bitten. Among other things, he may never regain full use of his arm and he will likely need to be on insulin for the rest of life. But in spite of the losses he has suffered, he has also been blessed in ways he could never have imagined. Through this trial D has gained a greater dependency on, intimacy with, and sense of reverence for his awesome God. By grace, the Lord has made Himself known to D in ways that would not have been possible if he were still going about his active, pre-incident life. In this time of affliction, D and his wife have been given the blessing to "be still, and know that I am God." Psalms 46:10
D's experience is a testimony that out of adversity, the Lord brings blessing. Thanks be to God!
*A few years ago I was in a small group where two women almost came to blows over their differing opinions regarding miracles. By the grace of God, one of the women chose to focus on what she had in common with her sister -- their unity in Christ -- rather than dwelling on the issue on which they differed. I have great admiration for this women, because her older sister in Christ was definitely not backing down on her opinion. The younger woman's gracious attitude allowed our group to continue to focus on our study of God's Word, avoiding the evil one's attempt to sow dissension and division among the saints.
Just this week, more than four weeks later, D is finally moving from ICU to a critical care room where he will be able to get intensive physical therapy. He has lost forty pounds in addition to muscle mass and function. D's triumphs for this week include actually taking a small assisted walk and eating half of a hamburger! For someone who has been fed almost exclusively by a feeding tube, suffered unrelenting pain, and only dreamed of being able to walk again, it is a miracle that he has achieved these milestones.
Some people, genuine Christians, believe that miracles are a thing of the past. They feel that miracles -- the signs and wonders described in the Bible -- were used by God and Jesus to bring people to faith. While these believers do not dispute that there are many occurrences today that are unexplainable and definitely of God, they stop short of calling them miracles. Instead they describe them as evidence of the providence of God.* I'm not 100% sure, but I think their reasoning is that in our present time, faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17 We are privileged to have the Bible, God's words to us, a witness more powerful than any sign or miracle.
For me the debate is of a semantic nature. Whether one calls it a miracle or providence, I think we all can agree that it comes from God. The steps that D has been able to take, literally and figuratively, can only be attributed to God's healing hand.
I am thankful that God has blessed D with renewed hope and a sense of His presence. There are many people who are praying for D and God has definitely heard those earnest petitions. Both D and his wife are sustained by the prayers of so many on their behalf, as well as the minute to minute providence of God as he guides D toward healing and wholeness.
It is almost certain that D will never be the same person that he was before he was bitten. Among other things, he may never regain full use of his arm and he will likely need to be on insulin for the rest of life. But in spite of the losses he has suffered, he has also been blessed in ways he could never have imagined. Through this trial D has gained a greater dependency on, intimacy with, and sense of reverence for his awesome God. By grace, the Lord has made Himself known to D in ways that would not have been possible if he were still going about his active, pre-incident life. In this time of affliction, D and his wife have been given the blessing to "be still, and know that I am God." Psalms 46:10
D's experience is a testimony that out of adversity, the Lord brings blessing. Thanks be to God!
*A few years ago I was in a small group where two women almost came to blows over their differing opinions regarding miracles. By the grace of God, one of the women chose to focus on what she had in common with her sister -- their unity in Christ -- rather than dwelling on the issue on which they differed. I have great admiration for this women, because her older sister in Christ was definitely not backing down on her opinion. The younger woman's gracious attitude allowed our group to continue to focus on our study of God's Word, avoiding the evil one's attempt to sow dissension and division among the saints.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Wednesday Wisdom -- a good reminder
After Bible study this evening I stopped at Target and Meijer to pick up a few items that I wasn't able to get at Valli's and Jewel. As usual, I bought too much.
When I left Meijer, I noticed the moon. It was beautiful -- bright white and a little more than half full. I caught a few more glimpses of it as I drove home. Safely in my driveway, I got out of the car and glanced up again at the sky. This time I couldn't see the moon, but what I could see very clearly were hundreds of brightly shining stars.
In spite of the lights from the streets and houses in the neighborhood, the stars stood out distinctly, glittering like brilliant diamonds on a vast expanse of darkest navy velvet. I was tired and cold, and even though the warmth of my house beckoned, I stood transfixed, head tilted back, gazing at the beauty strewn across the heavens.
Whenever I look at the stars, I can't help but think of a verse from the first chapter of James:
When I left Meijer, I noticed the moon. It was beautiful -- bright white and a little more than half full. I caught a few more glimpses of it as I drove home. Safely in my driveway, I got out of the car and glanced up again at the sky. This time I couldn't see the moon, but what I could see very clearly were hundreds of brightly shining stars.
In spite of the lights from the streets and houses in the neighborhood, the stars stood out distinctly, glittering like brilliant diamonds on a vast expanse of darkest navy velvet. I was tired and cold, and even though the warmth of my house beckoned, I stood transfixed, head tilted back, gazing at the beauty strewn across the heavens.
Whenever I look at the stars, I can't help but think of a verse from the first chapter of James:
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
What a beautiful word picture! James describes God the Father, the Creator of the Universe and all that inhabits it, as "the Father of the heavenly lights." And so He is, for on the fourth day He brought them into being and set them in place.
14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. 16 God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17 God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:14-18
The breathtaking stars that I was in awe of this evening are the very same stars that the Lord God placed in the heavens to light the night sky long ago on the fourth day of Creation. And moreover, each one of these stars is visible proof of God's good and perfect gifts to the world.
All of creation testifies to the reality of God's goodness and perfection. His good, perfectly chosen gifts for man are on display everywhere we look -- and even when we don't look, even when we aren't able to see God's good provision for us, it is always present. God's goodness toward us never fades or disappears.
James also tells us that the Father does not change like shifting shadows. We can completely trust God because He is constant and unchanging and there is no darkness in Him. Likewise, we can know beyond any doubt that the gifts he gives are always good and perfect because He Himself is good and perfect and accordingly, his gifts to us will flawlessly reflect his character.
I pray that I will never take God's good and perfect gifts for granted or turn aside from them to seek the counterfeit "gifts" of the world that masquerade as good but lead instead to sin and death. As I look at the night sky may I always be reminded of my good and perfect Father, the Father of the heavenly lights, who has given the most perfect gift of all to those who choose to receive it -- the gift of salvation through Christ Jesus.
James also tells us that the Father does not change like shifting shadows. We can completely trust God because He is constant and unchanging and there is no darkness in Him. Likewise, we can know beyond any doubt that the gifts he gives are always good and perfect because He Himself is good and perfect and accordingly, his gifts to us will flawlessly reflect his character.
I pray that I will never take God's good and perfect gifts for granted or turn aside from them to seek the counterfeit "gifts" of the world that masquerade as good but lead instead to sin and death. As I look at the night sky may I always be reminded of my good and perfect Father, the Father of the heavenly lights, who has given the most perfect gift of all to those who choose to receive it -- the gift of salvation through Christ Jesus.
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
How do they stay in business?
I went to Jewel tonight. It used to be my go-to store for just about all our groceries, but now . . . not so much.
When I pulled into the parking lot, there weren't very many cars. The last few times I've been to Jewel, that has been the case. In the past, the parking lot would have been fairly full and the store would have been busy. This evening I was able to park in the second spot from the door and the store wasn't even close to crowded.
I think I might know part of the reason that it seems like business has fallen off at Jewel. Their prices are so darn high!
As I was strolling up and down the aisles, I couldn't help but notice that almost all of the prices were higher than what I pay at Target, Valli's, and Meijer -- way higher. I've known for quite some time that Dominick's is overpriced, but it was sad to see that Jewel has gone down that path as well.
The Jewel that's closest to my home is just down the street from a Costco and not all that far from Meijer and a SuperTarget. I imagine that a lot of shoppers are buying the bulk of their groceries and other supplies at those stores instead of at Jewel. Sad day.
When I first moved to Chicago, I always shopped at Jewel because it was just like Eisner's, a grocery store chain I grew up with. I was a newlywed and I really missed my mom and dad and my hometown. Walking into Jewel, I could almost imagine that I was still in central Illinois and then I didn't feel quite so sad.
Now I shop at Jewel if there's a really good sale or if we need toilet paper. I really like a brand of toilet paper that they carry and I can't find it anywhere else. I used to buy paper plates there too, but we've decided that we can live without paper plates.
G and I have put two kids through college, married off one, and are still working on college for the third kid. We need to be careful with every penny we spend and that means not paying $3.49 for a half pound of cheese from the deli when I can get a pound of cheese for $3.99 somewhere else.
There will always be a special place in my heart for Jewel, especially for how it was a familiar face that helped me adjust to life in a time of transition. I wish I could afford to still shop there more often, but a sense of loyalty based on sentimental memories just can't justify the extra cost.
: /
When I pulled into the parking lot, there weren't very many cars. The last few times I've been to Jewel, that has been the case. In the past, the parking lot would have been fairly full and the store would have been busy. This evening I was able to park in the second spot from the door and the store wasn't even close to crowded.
I think I might know part of the reason that it seems like business has fallen off at Jewel. Their prices are so darn high!
As I was strolling up and down the aisles, I couldn't help but notice that almost all of the prices were higher than what I pay at Target, Valli's, and Meijer -- way higher. I've known for quite some time that Dominick's is overpriced, but it was sad to see that Jewel has gone down that path as well.
The Jewel that's closest to my home is just down the street from a Costco and not all that far from Meijer and a SuperTarget. I imagine that a lot of shoppers are buying the bulk of their groceries and other supplies at those stores instead of at Jewel. Sad day.
When I first moved to Chicago, I always shopped at Jewel because it was just like Eisner's, a grocery store chain I grew up with. I was a newlywed and I really missed my mom and dad and my hometown. Walking into Jewel, I could almost imagine that I was still in central Illinois and then I didn't feel quite so sad.
Now I shop at Jewel if there's a really good sale or if we need toilet paper. I really like a brand of toilet paper that they carry and I can't find it anywhere else. I used to buy paper plates there too, but we've decided that we can live without paper plates.
G and I have put two kids through college, married off one, and are still working on college for the third kid. We need to be careful with every penny we spend and that means not paying $3.49 for a half pound of cheese from the deli when I can get a pound of cheese for $3.99 somewhere else.
There will always be a special place in my heart for Jewel, especially for how it was a familiar face that helped me adjust to life in a time of transition. I wish I could afford to still shop there more often, but a sense of loyalty based on sentimental memories just can't justify the extra cost.
: /
Monday, November 14, 2011
I'm getting too old for this
OMG Boilermakers.
Do. Not. Do. This. To. Me.
Even though I watched the game on replay and knew that Purdue won by 2 points -- really, 2 points after they won by more than 30 on Saturday??? -- I was still sweating bullets as the last few minutes of the game played out.
If this is how the college basketball season is going to continue, I don't think I will make it to March Madness.
: /
Do. Not. Do. This. To. Me.
Even though I watched the game on replay and knew that Purdue won by 2 points -- really, 2 points after they won by more than 30 on Saturday??? -- I was still sweating bullets as the last few minutes of the game played out.
If this is how the college basketball season is going to continue, I don't think I will make it to March Madness.
: /
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Girls' Day Out
Today was Girls' Day Out. Not all the girls though -- that would have been awesome, but E and M weren't able to join Mimi, K, and me for a day of shopping, a museum, lots of food, and fun hanging out in Chicago.
We missed you E and M!
We missed you E and M!
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Thankful Thursday
It snowed today -- NOT thankful for that.
I finally went to the DMV and renewed my driver's license. G was nice enough to drive me there.
He also drove me to the grocery store yesterday so I could get stuff to make a cold appetizer for Bible study. Then he drove me to and from Bible study. It was cold and windy yesterday and I'm sure he would much rather have stayed inside and worked and watched television, but he didn't complain about having to chauffeur me around.
I hate the DMV. There has probably only been once (maybe twice) when I've had a good experience on my visits to the Secretary of State facilities. Today was not one of those good experience days.
The woman who processed my renewal was not very nice. She was snippy. I'm sorry her job requires her to ask the same questions over and over and over, but she knew what she was in for when she signed up and you better believe she is extremely well compensated for her boring, mindless, and so easy a third grader could do it (faster and more competently) job, so I don't have any pity for her. No pity. None.
One thing that bugs me about everyone who works at the DMV -- they only have one speed. And that speed is S . . . L . . . O . . .W. These people are even slower than Bill and Karolyn Slowsky, the annoying Comcast turtles.
When I walked through the door of the DMV, there were five people working and only two customers. By the time I finally left, there were only three employees and twelve customers. I really felt sorry for the people I left behind. Who knows how long they had to languish there before they finally got their drivers license or the sticker for their license plate.
But the good news is I do have a valid license and I won't need to renew it until 2015. Yay!
So today I am thankful that it will be quite awhile before I will have to endure the torture of a visit to the DMV. But more importantly, I am thankful that for the more than three months I unknowingly drove around with an expired license I was not involved in an accident or stopped by a police officer or state trooper for any sort of violation. It wouldn't have been the end of the world to have been ticketed for driving with an expired license, but it wouldn't have been great either.
Next time, when I get my renewal notice in the mail, I'll pay more attention to the renew by date instead of waiting until the last minute (or beyond) to join the ranks of legal drivers in the state of Illinois.
I finally went to the DMV and renewed my driver's license. G was nice enough to drive me there.
He also drove me to the grocery store yesterday so I could get stuff to make a cold appetizer for Bible study. Then he drove me to and from Bible study. It was cold and windy yesterday and I'm sure he would much rather have stayed inside and worked and watched television, but he didn't complain about having to chauffeur me around.
I hate the DMV. There has probably only been once (maybe twice) when I've had a good experience on my visits to the Secretary of State facilities. Today was not one of those good experience days.
The woman who processed my renewal was not very nice. She was snippy. I'm sorry her job requires her to ask the same questions over and over and over, but she knew what she was in for when she signed up and you better believe she is extremely well compensated for her boring, mindless, and so easy a third grader could do it (faster and more competently) job, so I don't have any pity for her. No pity. None.
One thing that bugs me about everyone who works at the DMV -- they only have one speed. And that speed is S . . . L . . . O . . .W. These people are even slower than Bill and Karolyn Slowsky, the annoying Comcast turtles.
When I walked through the door of the DMV, there were five people working and only two customers. By the time I finally left, there were only three employees and twelve customers. I really felt sorry for the people I left behind. Who knows how long they had to languish there before they finally got their drivers license or the sticker for their license plate.
But the good news is I do have a valid license and I won't need to renew it until 2015. Yay!
So today I am thankful that it will be quite awhile before I will have to endure the torture of a visit to the DMV. But more importantly, I am thankful that for the more than three months I unknowingly drove around with an expired license I was not involved in an accident or stopped by a police officer or state trooper for any sort of violation. It wouldn't have been the end of the world to have been ticketed for driving with an expired license, but it wouldn't have been great either.
Next time, when I get my renewal notice in the mail, I'll pay more attention to the renew by date instead of waiting until the last minute (or beyond) to join the ranks of legal drivers in the state of Illinois.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Lawbreaker
I never thought that word would describe me, but for the past three months, that's what I've been.
A lawbreaker.
Every time I got behind the wheel of my car, I was a lawbreaker. I didn't need to speed or roll through a stop sign or change lanes without using my turn signal. Nope, all I had to do to break the law was drive to the mall or the grocery store or Bible study or even just around the block.
And the worst part of it all? I didn't even know that I was a lawbreaker. Not that my ignorance would have made any difference if I had been stopped by a police officer, especially since I'm way past the age where a sparkly smile or tears could sway a male in uniform with a ticket book in his hand.
So what's my crime? What have I blithely been doing for the last three months that could have landed me in jail?
I've been driving around with an expired drivers license!
Today I was looking for a check that I should have cashed last week (I found it) and I came across a notice from the Illinois Secretary of State informing me that my license would expire on July 29, 2011. Jesse White wanted me to know that I could renew my license by mail or in person at any conveniently located DMV office.
Thanks Jesse. Too bad I didn't rush right out and renew my license when I received your friendly reminder.
Tomorrow my husband will drive me to the DMV in Wheaton -- I don't want to risk driving myself -- so I can finally be legal again. I hope there's not a penalty fee for late renewal.
: /
A lawbreaker.
Every time I got behind the wheel of my car, I was a lawbreaker. I didn't need to speed or roll through a stop sign or change lanes without using my turn signal. Nope, all I had to do to break the law was drive to the mall or the grocery store or Bible study or even just around the block.
And the worst part of it all? I didn't even know that I was a lawbreaker. Not that my ignorance would have made any difference if I had been stopped by a police officer, especially since I'm way past the age where a sparkly smile or tears could sway a male in uniform with a ticket book in his hand.
So what's my crime? What have I blithely been doing for the last three months that could have landed me in jail?
I've been driving around with an expired drivers license!
Today I was looking for a check that I should have cashed last week (I found it) and I came across a notice from the Illinois Secretary of State informing me that my license would expire on July 29, 2011. Jesse White wanted me to know that I could renew my license by mail or in person at any conveniently located DMV office.
Thanks Jesse. Too bad I didn't rush right out and renew my license when I received your friendly reminder.
Tomorrow my husband will drive me to the DMV in Wheaton -- I don't want to risk driving myself -- so I can finally be legal again. I hope there's not a penalty fee for late renewal.
: /
Monday, November 7, 2011
Cranky
I have been cranky lately (sounds better than saying pissy). I'm not sure what my problem is, but every little thing, not to mention all sorts of big things, sets me off.
I really don't know how G puts up with me, especially since everything he does bothers me. Even when he makes an attempt to be nice, it ticks me off. If I were him, I would tell me to get lost (actually I would tell me something else lots less polite, but he's fairly polite, so he would probably say "get lost.").
And that's another thing . . . language. Mine has been out of control. When I was at Target tonight I should have bought a pretty roll of pink duct tape for my mouth because that's the only way I'll be able to keep from spewing out an almost constant stream of profanity.
I don't want to be a cranky b*tch, but I don't know how to get out of the funk I've been in. It is way past time for an attitude adjustment. : /
I really don't know how G puts up with me, especially since everything he does bothers me. Even when he makes an attempt to be nice, it ticks me off. If I were him, I would tell me to get lost (actually I would tell me something else lots less polite, but he's fairly polite, so he would probably say "get lost.").
And that's another thing . . . language. Mine has been out of control. When I was at Target tonight I should have bought a pretty roll of pink duct tape for my mouth because that's the only way I'll be able to keep from spewing out an almost constant stream of profanity.
I don't want to be a cranky b*tch, but I don't know how to get out of the funk I've been in. It is way past time for an attitude adjustment. : /
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Thankful Thursday
Tomorrow G and I are picking up K and heading for Indianapolis. Later in the day, E, N, and M will meet us at the Hard Rock Cafe for dinner. Then hopefully we will all get a good night's sleep in our room at the downtown Embassy Suites, so we will wake up rested and ready to go to the . . .
Indianapolis Monumental Marathon!
E is going to run the marathon (her second time) and G and K are running the 5k just for fun. If we had planned ahead, M could have run with them, but she's a faster runner so she probably would have left them in the dust. : / Nate and I will be happy to find a Starbucks and chill until G and K are done, and then we'll all pile in the Suburban and head out to find E somewhere along the course, hopefully around the halfway point.
I am thankful that our family has this pre-Thanksgiving opportunity to be together. Usually I see K at least several times each month and I just saw E a month ago in Decatur, but it's been almost three months since I've seen M. The last time we were together, it was the week before fall semester started at Purdue -- that was a long time ago and a lot has happened since then.
It will be good for us to be together again, even if it's only for a brief time. : )
Indianapolis Monumental Marathon!
E is going to run the marathon (her second time) and G and K are running the 5k just for fun. If we had planned ahead, M could have run with them, but she's a faster runner so she probably would have left them in the dust. : / Nate and I will be happy to find a Starbucks and chill until G and K are done, and then we'll all pile in the Suburban and head out to find E somewhere along the course, hopefully around the halfway point.
I am thankful that our family has this pre-Thanksgiving opportunity to be together. Usually I see K at least several times each month and I just saw E a month ago in Decatur, but it's been almost three months since I've seen M. The last time we were together, it was the week before fall semester started at Purdue -- that was a long time ago and a lot has happened since then.
It will be good for us to be together again, even if it's only for a brief time. : )
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Bring back the Pony Express
On Friday I mailed a padded envelope to my daughter in West Lafayette. Enclosed were two pieces of mail that had arrived for her at our address, four Walmart gift cards to use toward groceries, and a Halloween card I made for her.
Today she thanked me for the card and other items. I assumed that maybe she had forgotten to thank me for everything when we talked on the phone Monday or Tuesday.
No. She had just received the the package in the mail today.
West Lafayette is approximately 175 miles from our house in the western suburbs of Chicago. I can drive there in just under three hours. If I had to, I feel fairly confident that I could walk from our home to M's apartment in less time than the five full days it took the USPS to deliver one small piece of mail.
Sadly, M told me that she had made and mailed a Halloween card to me and her father last Tuesday. We never received it. : /
Funny, the USPS seems to have no problems delivering my junk mail and bills.
: //
Today she thanked me for the card and other items. I assumed that maybe she had forgotten to thank me for everything when we talked on the phone Monday or Tuesday.
No. She had just received the the package in the mail today.
West Lafayette is approximately 175 miles from our house in the western suburbs of Chicago. I can drive there in just under three hours. If I had to, I feel fairly confident that I could walk from our home to M's apartment in less time than the five full days it took the USPS to deliver one small piece of mail.
Sadly, M told me that she had made and mailed a Halloween card to me and her father last Tuesday. We never received it. : /
Funny, the USPS seems to have no problems delivering my junk mail and bills.
: //
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
November
I love November! It's one of my favorite months, in spite of the fact that it is the month when the weather really gathers steam on the inevitable downhill slide to the horrible ice, snow, and cold of winter. : /
Thanksgiving, one of my favorite holidays, is in November.
My middle child was born in November -- in an ambulance on the way to the hospital no less!
My husband and I were married in November.
I hope to truly live in the present this month, to savor its sweet moments and celebrations. December will be here soon enough. For now, I intend to enjoy November.
Thanksgiving, one of my favorite holidays, is in November.
My middle child was born in November -- in an ambulance on the way to the hospital no less!
My husband and I were married in November.
I hope to truly live in the present this month, to savor its sweet moments and celebrations. December will be here soon enough. For now, I intend to enjoy November.
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