Bethesda Farmer's Market

My Heart's Desire and I bought asparagus at the Bethesda Farmer's Market, a place I drive by at least five times per week, and had never been in until today.

Teeny-tiny check

I wrote a check at the library book sale for $1.

It might be true...

While I was thinking of advice to share (see right hand column), my mind wandered to some of the advice from my Grandma Rhoda. My mom's mother, Grandma Rhoda, died before I was born, but my mom passed some of her ideas down to me.

When I was a teenager, my mom took me bra shopping (I refused to wear white or lace and hated those little rosettes) and I wanted a black bra. My mom said no. Grandma Rhoda had told her that only sluts wear black bras and anklets. So my mom said no black bras were allowed. I could have any other color or pattern of bra while I lived at home, but black bras were strictly off limits! I still feel slightly rebellious when I plunk down my card for a black one.

I'm light-years away from having a daughter that needs a bra, but I wonder if I'll implement the same rule. Hmmm.

You really can get anything on Craigslist

After the success of the file cabinet, I went back on Craigslist to see what else I could get cheap or free. I saw everything from free hamsters to free spray paint to free hymnal books to set of six VCR cassettes entitled "Einstein's Relativity and the Quantum Revolution: Modern Physics for Non-Scientists." But my very favorite item available is: a rusty wok. Seriously. What are you supposed to do with this besides get tetanus!?

And the sitar played on...

Last night, My Heart's Desire and I drove out to the middle of the far-flung suburbs to pick up a $10 file cabinet advertised on Craigslist. I have lots to file and right now all of my files are in various boxes. The neighborhood was brand new, and I felt like we were driving around Agrestic.

After the file cabinet was loaded up, we went to the shopping plaza for dinner. He loves Moby Dick House of Kabob, so he had a little kubideh and I had some grilled chicken. It was after 9pm and there were only a few other tables. The music sounded like instrumental sitar elevator music and I didn't recognize any of the songs. Until I heard the slowed-down sitar cover of Toni Braxton's Un-break My Heart.

Just like Momma

I asked My Heart's Desire to hand me some Advil from my cosmetic bag, and he pulled out a small, black and white checkered bag. He sighed, pulling out a hefty, medium-sized cosmetic bag. "Yes," I said, "the Advil's in the Excedrin bottle." My Heart's Desire gave me a look and rooted around, pushing aside lip gloss and hand sanitizer and hair bands and nail polish and matches and emergency Benadryl, finally handing over two Advil. He shook my cosmetic bag and asked, "Is there anything you don't have in here?"

Just then I realized, I had a prepared-for-anything cosmetic bag, just like my Mom. Including the days of the week pill case (the letters are rubbed off the front) so I remember to take my vitamin and blood pressure medicine daily. I was just one step away from carrying a variety of pills in a Tic-Tac container. At my brother's high school graduation I asked for a Tic-Tac and she accidentally gave me a heavy-duty migraine painkiller.

Just like Momma, if I am on line for more than 1 minute, I have to chat someone up. I can't drive by a garage sale with out stopping. I rarely order sodas in restaurants (I could get a six-pack for that much money!). When I want to keep something in a safe place, I put it in a cardboard box marked SAFE PLACE so I don't forget.

What's the next step in acting like Mom? Starting sentences with Anyhoo? Carrying an old Starbucks cup and my own teabag and asking the barista for "more" hot water?

Mmm, Nummy

Here is the recipe for my new favorite meal. It's good for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Plus it's cheap and easy/fast to make.

Toast 2 Eggo waffles (I like the Nutri-Grain kind, but whatevs)
Spread peanut butter liberally
Top with fresh sliced fruit (strawberries are best, then blueberries, then bananas)
Then some Cool Whip.
Yum!

Options:
Use Nutella instead of peanut butter
Use more than one type of fruit (hey, go nuts)
Sprinkle with chocolate chips

Last night's dreams

Whenever my head hits the pillow, I dream. And I usually remember the dream, at least parts of it, when I wake up. A partial list of last night's dreams:

• Having a blue cheese and bacon omelet brunch with my mentor [who is actually in Abu Dhabi IRL]
• My boss called me into her office to tell me, "It's time to dress like a grown-up," because I was wearing jeans and flip-flops
• My husband and I watched a fancy hotel putting drapes up around the outside of the front of the hotel
• Trying to brush my teeth with two different toothbrushes

Photograph

Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, Mexico