More on bits of this and that

No one for class today. Hence, the opportunity to write a blog at 5:45 in the morning. I came home feeling a little bit defeated, even after belting out the lyrics to "What's Up" by 4 Non Blondes. You know, "...I said hey, hey, hey, hey, what's going on?" That one. So, I came home and created my own little nook filled with pillows and my laptop, blogging by lamplight. The coffee pot, an ever giving source of comfort, is hissing and burping its way through the creation of my favorite morning beverage.

Just went and put my coffee in a Life Net Medical Services mug. Something my brother received at a training conference during his time as a Critical Care Nurse. Sometimes I search for this mug, digging it out from a place in the back of the cabinet; it reminds me of all the other little funny things he would bring me from work like an obnoxious amount of ballpoint pens or pen lights, one produced from his pocket each time I saw him. These things meant something to me because in a weird way it meant that he was thinking about me. I still remember when I started nursing school and he came to my work with a bag for me. I opened it and it had essentials like a clip board with a calculator, pens, sticky notes, etc. I looked at him with tears in my eyes, and he stared back at me like, "please this is a far cry from a situation that requires such emotional behavior". I could just tell that he was excited for me and had taken the time to specifically pick some things out that he thought would be helpful and useful. So, that is why I dig for the mug. I dig for the mug because it is comforting and it reminds me of that quirky relationship we have with layers and layers of humor, beneath it lying a strong and unspoken bond.

I don't think I ever had the opportunity to blog about the roasted heads of garlic that I made for a recipe. The recipe itself was not that spectacular, but the garlic turned out to be amazing. It is really much more simple than I imagined it would be (so are many of the great mysteries in cooking). If you visit this website http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/roasted_garlic you can get the recipe for yourself and enjoy. If you love garlic, you will love the way this whole process makes your house smell. It is glorious. The website also recommends some great ways to use the garlic such as spreading it over warm french bread or mixing with sour cream for a topping on baked potatoes. Yum.

Blogging has been secondary to a lot of other things I have been doing lately. I learned from briefly reading "The Pioneer Woman's" blog that you should nurture and water your blog daily just like you would a house plant. My house plant would be crispy and brown by now. Let me tell you the kinds of things I have been experiencing that have kept me away. I was at a clinic last week, sitting by myself, when a prospective customer came into view. He walked over to my table and asked, "Is this where I can get my rabies shot?" Wow, did it take self control to respond to that one. It just smacked me upside the head with unexpectedness. Then, bam, without time to recuperate, this woman wheels her cart up, parks it in front of my table, and begins trying on sweatshirts, asking my opinion. She lays her hangers down on the table top. Guess I wasn't really using it anyway. She also insists that I examine the two shirts she has tried on that say they are the same size, but could not possibly be. Labels are folded out so that I can verify, shirts are held up together at the same time so I can experience a baffling visual of the difference in size. During that week I also served as translator on a cell phone, dressing room director, and got asked several times where the Halloween items were located.

One thing I did enjoy about being so still and observant was looking at what people were buying. I particularly liked the baby doll in the older gentleman's cart. He looked so sweet and so patient. It reminded me of the things that my grandfather would buy for me. He volunteered at the hospital for years and would often bring me things from the gift shop. I still have this Ty brand bear, dressed in a clown suit that he gave me. I was probably too old for it at the time, but I loved it and have kept it all these years. It wasn't what he bought me, it was that he thought of me. I could just imagine him standing in there wondering what in the world a young girl would think was a neat gift. I have noticed that older people have a tendency to pick gifts reminiscent of their generation. This fresh perspective has the potential to introduce us to part of their past as well as giving us something new to try or experience. Yesterday, my dad and step mom and I were discussing some of the stories my grandfather used to tell. One of my personal favorites was about when he quit smoking. During this time he took the cash he usually spent on cigarettes, and stashed it in the top of the hall closet. He said week after week and month after month it collected, until eventually he opened the door and money just cascaded out around him, hundreds and hundreds of bills. He was a bit of an exaggerator.

One last thing about Walmart. Sitting there, I had the opportunity to see several female college students and observe how they were dressed. I remember those times, hair in a large knot on top of the head, Ugg boots went with anything, lot of sweat pants and sweat shirts. Looking at it now, though, it is pretty ridiculous. Running shorts must be like the new cotton Soffes, which is fine. What is not fine is that they are being paired with everything from boat shoes, to uggs, to rainboots, to these sporty and masculine looking strappy sandals that I had not seen before. I am by no means the guru on fashion, but these odd pairings are just that...odd.