Dude... where's my car?

Last Friday I was running late for work..... again.   

Again, despite my futile attempts to the contrary.  Drat my alien teenagers!

 

It was 7:45 am and I still had to stop by Publix.  It couldn't be put off.  

I pulled into a spot and hurried inside to get what I needed. 

As I hurried back out, I noticed a man standing right where I had parked my car.  My first thought was, "Okay, why is this guy standing right where I parked my car?"   My second thought was, "Wait, WHERE is my car?  I know I parked it there!"

I looked to the right and saw my car "parked" on the next row over.  Parked against another car.  Apparently had I left my baby in neutral and naturally it rolled downhill into another car. 

I walked over to it wondering what to do.  It was about 8:10 am and no one was around.

I went back inside Publix and headed to the first manger-type person I could find.  I told him what happened.  

Ryan immediately began helping.  He went back out with me and told me to call the Sheriff's department to report the accident.  He told me that Publix employees generally park in the same area of the parking lot (which coincidentally was NOT where my car ended up) so it may be a car belonging to one of the other businesses sharing the same complex.  But as a precaution, he said he would do a page over the system.

Turns out that the car belonged to the cashier, Sheree, who had checked me out.  IRONIC, YES??

So Ryan took over Sheree's duties so she could come outside with me to wait for the Sheriff to come and do a report.  Believe me I was impressed... totally impressed.  Publix is awesome on so many levels.

But isn't it funny how my life keeps messing with me?

A driving lesson

Jessica just turned 15.

That means, of course, she is ready to learn how to drive... and boy is she ready.

She has been ready since she was two.

Of course, her wanting to drive immediately prompted Jason to ask to drive again. He hasn't driven since he got his restricted license eight months after his 15th birthday. He just hasn't had any interest.

So I took him out for a lesson yesterday. He started out great, remembering the clutch/gas feel from all those months ago, and we were off. We headed down my street toward the park. At the stop sign he had to either turn right or left. Straight meant running through a fence and into a tree.

He opted for left and proceeded into action. As he released the clutch, he floored the gas faster than he was turning the steering wheel and, as you can imagine, my heart stayed back at the stop sign.

SLOW DOWN!!!... STOP THE GAS!!!... BRAKE!!!

I can't remember what I yelled but I yelled and he made the turn just shy of totaling my car.

We continued down that road and, after getting an earful of advice, he turned left at the next road up. We travelled up that road with no problems until another car appeared. I could see panic sweeping over his face. To compensate for the approaching car, Jason began to inch the car toward the right side of the road. After a few "inches," however, I couldn't help notice how close we were to hitting mail boxes and such, so I told him to move over.

move over.... Jason, Move Over... MOVE OVER!!!

The car made it past us but the recycle bin on my right didn't.

I got out of the car and walked to the recycle bin. As I lifted it back up to a standing position thanking GOD no one saw the incident, I looked up to see a teenage girl staring at me from the porch and asking me if the can was okay.

I told her it wasn't dented, that it was okay, and explained that my son was a new driver.

She laughed and said, that's okay... "when my younger sister began driving she took out a mailbox on the street over," pointing to the street just behind her.

As I listened, I remembered an incident several years earlier when I lived on that 'street over' and had come home from work to find my mailbox in three million pieces. And I remembered the young girl who was so upset and was literally shoving money in my face to replace it and I said...

...that was me.

Ironic. Don't ya think?

Honestly, I can't think of anything

Okay, I know I have been lax in blogging lately. For those who read me I apologize but I have to be in the mood ya know?

Here is an easy way out for me.... a quiz called the Honesty Meme.

1. What was the last thing you put in your mouth?
Beer.

2. Where was your profile picture taken?
On my couch at 1:30 am.

3. Can you play Guitar Hero?
No and I have no desire to.

4. Name someone who made you laugh today?
There are many, but the classic one for today was Amanda from work... she asked me if I got married while out in Colorado.

5. How late did you stay up last night and why?
I stayed up until 10 pm because I wasn't tired until then.

6. If you could move somewhere else, would you?
Well funny thing you asked.... Yes, I would move to the Colorado Springs area.

7. Ever been kissed under fireworks?
I can't remember. I was too busy looking.

8. Which of your friends lives closest to you on Facebook?
Other than family, I would say Rich.

9. Do you believe ex’s can be friends?
No. But having said that, I am friends with my ex.... or rather we are friendly which is good... but I do not believe a real friendship can continue with an ex because you need to separate lives in order to move forward.

10. How do you feel about Dr Pepper?
I thought it was Sgt. Pepper.

11. When was the last time you cried really hard?
A few weeks ago when I thought Dale and I were broken up.

12. Who took your profile picture?
Me.

13. Who was the last person you took a picture of?
Dale wearing his awesome new coat (seriously, it's a chick magnet but don't tell him).

14. Was yesterday better than today?
No, but that's not to say that today is worse.

15. Can you live a day without TV?
Yes... but only a day!

16. Are you upset about anything?
Constantly.

17. Do you think relationships are ever really worth it?
Yes. But only if they are worth it.

18. Are you a bad influence?
Absolutely.

19. Night out or night in?
Usually in.

20. What items could you not go without during the day?
Toothbrush, makeup, hairspray, diet coke, Facebook (okay I know it's not an "item"), beer.

21. Who was the last person you visited in the hospital?
Technically "hospital" it was Dale's brother Dusty. Untechnically, it was Dale's uncle Malcolm in hospice. (RIP to both.)

22. What does the last text message in your inbox say?
"Where are you?".... sent by my dear daughter who was waiting for me to come pick her up from school because she missed the bus and felt the need to call me every 4 minutes to see how much longer I would be before arriving at the school. Yeah my life rocks.

23. How do you feel about your life right now?
My life is very hard right now on many levels, but then it's always been hard... I would say it's a mixture of good and bad and hope.

24. Do you hate anyone?
Not truly hate.

25. If we were to look in your Facebook inbox, what would we find?
Well, there's nothing in my "inbox" but I do have two Farm Town gift requests.

26. Say you were given a drug test right now, would you pass?
Absolutely... but that doesn't really mean anything does it?

27. Has anyone ever called you perfect before?
No, not in those exact words.

28. What song is stuck in your head?
Right now it's Rock-N-Roll by Eric Hutchinson.

29. Someone knocks on your window at 2:00 a.m., who do you want it to be?
Ed McMahon trying to surprise me after receiving bad directions to my house.

30. Wanna have grandkids before you’re 50?
Hell no (however, my Nana was 49.8 when I was born).

31. Name something you have to do tomorrow:
Wake up, drive home, get the kids out the door for school, get ready for work, drive to work, sit at work, have lunch, sit at work, drive home, clean up, cook dinner, watch tv, deal with teenagers, deal with cats (7 cats people), eat dinner, go to bed. Oh and maybe fold a load of laundry.

32. Do you think too much or too little?
Too much.... but about too little.

33. Do you smile a lot?
Yes and I try to laugh even more. Disclaimer: many people think I am mad when I have no expression on my face so while it doesn't count as a non-smile it does count as a non smile moment.

Unbelievable

There are times when I am thankful I have a digital camera handy because some of the stuff that happens around here is unbelievable.

It's hard to see (click pic to enlarge), but Jessica "colored" Stinky's nose with a pink crayon last night.

Unbelievable.

All in the family, part 1

Okay, I know the sizes are off. I can't fix them because I am at Dale's and not on my laptop, but look at the faces of me (at left) looking all 60s and my mother (above middle) who was all 60s.

Tell me we aren't related!

Guns, Ammo, Corn

I had this idea to post a picture of a scene I see daily.

There is a strip mall I pass daily that advertises three signs on the grass next to it.  Each sign bears a single word...."Guns," "Ammo," "Corn."  The first time I saw the signs, I knew I had to get a picture for my blog.  

But I didn't.  

I continued to pass the signs every day for a month before actually putting my digital camera in the glove box. And every day after that, I passed them without taking a picture. It was either raining or the traffic wasn't good or I was in a hurry or I just wanted to get home.  "There would always be a chance tomorrow," I told myself.

So the perfect opportunity came about yesterday.

It was Sunday and I had the time.  And I had my camera handy.  Perfect.

As I approached the strip mall, I reached into my purse to grab the camera.  I slowed down in order to pull into the parking lot, only I didn't see the signs.

They weren't there.

How could they not be there?  They have been there for months... years maybe.  Sometimes moved into different positions but there.  I couldn't get my picture.

I  blew it.

Today on my way home the signs were back.  

I don't know if I'll ever get a picture of those signs now.

Hmmm

Isn't it funny how as teenagers we had no problem telling our parents how the world worked because we knew everything..... and as adults we have no problem telling our teenagers how the world works because we know everything?