A Simple Twist of Fondue
I wasn't on last night or the night before due to computer problems. Or more specifically, as it turned out, mouse problems. The right-click wasn't working. I was able to use the keyboard, but not right click the mouse. I finally borrowed two older PC mice from Dad and my cousin Mark tonight, and they do work. I thought it might have been a virus, but it would appear to be a mouse that has never been replaced.
I did finally get my new glasses on Friday. I got quite a shock when, between the coupon and the Union benefits, they only came to $25 (and they were originally 280)! And not only that, but I could see so much better. Everything is amazingly sharp and clear, and the colors are so much brighter and crisper! I guess I hadn't realized just how old my last pair was.
I finished And Then There Were Five on Friday and started a genuine vintage 1948 pirate swashbuckler novel, The Golden Hawk, yesterday. I'm going to have to look for more Melendy Quartet books. The Melendys are four kids living in a huge old house in the country with their dad and housekeeper during World War II. Their adventures - holding a fair and auction, canning, meeting their eccentric neighbors during a scrap drive, fishing with a nice old man, adopting a local teenager after his cousin dies in a fire - are fun and exciting. While the story of Mark and his cousin gets a little melodramatic, the subsequent fire and adoption are handled somewhat realistically and with care.
I spent most of yesterday and today working and cleaning. I also got to the farm market for the first time in almost a month yesterday. The blueberries are gone, but the apples and pears are out, and I was able to get blackberries, celery, carrots, a small loaf of bread (since I still have some of my home-made rye left), cranberry-pear butter, and peaches.
When I went over to Dad's to borrow the mice, I ran smack into a fondue party. Jessa had apparently been begging Dad and Jodie for fondue, and since fondue is largely party food, Dad and Jodie made it into a small Labor Day bash for me, Dolores, Uncle Ken, Mark, Vanessa, Jess, Brittany, and Jess' buddies Crystal and Alexis. Dad sliced up broccoli, French bread, and apples to dip in melted swiss. Vanessa contributed a massive five-pound zucchini. Jodie brought potatoes, sliced beef, and shrimp for a second pot filed with olive oil. It was tasty and fun...and far more interesting for a Labor Day bash than your ordinary barbecue!
Life is a lazy river - no matter where you are. Movies, musicals, mysteries, pop culture, and lots of other great stuff.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
We're Havin' A Mario Party...
I awoke to a ringing phone. Yes, it was the Acme. Could I come in at 10AM instead of noon? No. I'd just gotten up! I ended up going it at 11. I still need the hours, not only for vacation, but for rent, glasses and contacts, and what my insurance doesn't cover for my dental exams. Work was steady-to-busy, except around noon, when the lines suddenly went crazy and I realized how low on help we were when we had to call managers to work registers.
I did my laundry later than usual, around quarter of 6. Uncle Ken was painting furniture. Dolores was listening to the radio. Jessa was chatting on the computer in her room; we ended up talking until dinner. Dolores made us pepper steak and rice while she and Uncle Ken watched an Eagles pre-season game, and we talked to her.
After dinner, Jessa and I played "Mario Party 8" on her Wii. The "Mario Party" games are actually electronic board games. You choose a character (Jessa was Toad in this case, I was Princess Peach), and in the regular "Party Tent" section, have them play each other and two computer-driven characters in a board-game style game. In this case, it was a Monopoly-esque competition. The characters run around the "board," spending so much money on a hotel. The more money you spend, the more stars you get. If you spend 20 coins on a 1-star hotel, for instance, it'll turn into a 2-star hotel and you'll get 2 stars. If you spend 30 coins, the 2-star hotel becomes a 3-star hotel.
Between rounds, the four characters play each other in mini-battle games that are more arcade-like. You can either play 4-player battle (each character against each other), 3-on-1 (three characters against 1 character) or 2 on 2 (tag teams). The winner (and on some games, the second-place character) gets 10 coins. The exception is "Battle Royale." In this case, everyone puts 20 coins (or as many coins as they can) in the pot, and we get a different 4-player game. Jessa was winning before Dolores came up to announce that Erica was on the porch chatting with them and wanted to see me.
I did say "hi" to Erica, a friend of mine, and apologized for ducking out on thrift shop volunteering today. She said it was all right. Another volunteer had a client cancel and came in at the last minute. I promised I'd do it for her when I come back from vacation next month. Right now is just too crazy.
I awoke to a ringing phone. Yes, it was the Acme. Could I come in at 10AM instead of noon? No. I'd just gotten up! I ended up going it at 11. I still need the hours, not only for vacation, but for rent, glasses and contacts, and what my insurance doesn't cover for my dental exams. Work was steady-to-busy, except around noon, when the lines suddenly went crazy and I realized how low on help we were when we had to call managers to work registers.
I did my laundry later than usual, around quarter of 6. Uncle Ken was painting furniture. Dolores was listening to the radio. Jessa was chatting on the computer in her room; we ended up talking until dinner. Dolores made us pepper steak and rice while she and Uncle Ken watched an Eagles pre-season game, and we talked to her.
After dinner, Jessa and I played "Mario Party 8" on her Wii. The "Mario Party" games are actually electronic board games. You choose a character (Jessa was Toad in this case, I was Princess Peach), and in the regular "Party Tent" section, have them play each other and two computer-driven characters in a board-game style game. In this case, it was a Monopoly-esque competition. The characters run around the "board," spending so much money on a hotel. The more money you spend, the more stars you get. If you spend 20 coins on a 1-star hotel, for instance, it'll turn into a 2-star hotel and you'll get 2 stars. If you spend 30 coins, the 2-star hotel becomes a 3-star hotel.
Between rounds, the four characters play each other in mini-battle games that are more arcade-like. You can either play 4-player battle (each character against each other), 3-on-1 (three characters against 1 character) or 2 on 2 (tag teams). The winner (and on some games, the second-place character) gets 10 coins. The exception is "Battle Royale." In this case, everyone puts 20 coins (or as many coins as they can) in the pot, and we get a different 4-player game. Jessa was winning before Dolores came up to announce that Erica was on the porch chatting with them and wanted to see me.
I did say "hi" to Erica, a friend of mine, and apologized for ducking out on thrift shop volunteering today. She said it was all right. Another volunteer had a client cancel and came in at the last minute. I promised I'd do it for her when I come back from vacation next month. Right now is just too crazy.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Blueberry Bonanza
Tina requested the recipe for my blueberry white cake. Here it is:
Blueberry White Cake
1 box of white cake mix (I used Betty Crocker, but any will do)
3 egg whites
1 cup plain yogurt (I used Acme's generic plain yogurt, but any low-or-non-fat will do)
2 tbsp canola oil
1 cup water
1 cup blueberries
Mix and prepare the cake as indicated on the box, adding the yogurt after the oil. Add the blueberries last. Bake as indicated on box. I made a bundt cake, but I'll bet this would be great for a snack cake or taken to a Labor Day barbecue.
Tina requested the recipe for my blueberry white cake. Here it is:
Blueberry White Cake
1 box of white cake mix (I used Betty Crocker, but any will do)
3 egg whites
1 cup plain yogurt (I used Acme's generic plain yogurt, but any low-or-non-fat will do)
2 tbsp canola oil
1 cup water
1 cup blueberries
Mix and prepare the cake as indicated on the box, adding the yogurt after the oil. Add the blueberries last. Bake as indicated on box. I made a bundt cake, but I'll bet this would be great for a snack cake or taken to a Labor Day barbecue.
Workin' For A Livin'
I ended up spending almost all of today at work. Someone called out, and I was asked to stay an extra two hours, bringing this shift up to 8 hours. Not really too much of a big deal, but tiring. I haven't worked an 8 hour shift in months. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if there were a lot of call-outs this week. This IS the last week of summer vacation for most kids and those who work for the school systems. I'm surprised I didn't get more hours originally. Oh well, between my vacation, my rent, my glasses and contacts, and still paying for my dental appointments, I really need the money.
Work was steady today, not really too crazy. It's the middle of the week and the end of the month coming up on a holiday. It'll be much busier this weekend, when people who aren't preparing for end-of-the-summer Labor Day barbecues start stocking up for kids' school lunches and back-to-school meals.
I ended up spending almost all of today at work. Someone called out, and I was asked to stay an extra two hours, bringing this shift up to 8 hours. Not really too much of a big deal, but tiring. I haven't worked an 8 hour shift in months. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if there were a lot of call-outs this week. This IS the last week of summer vacation for most kids and those who work for the school systems. I'm surprised I didn't get more hours originally. Oh well, between my vacation, my rent, my glasses and contacts, and still paying for my dental appointments, I really need the money.
Work was steady today, not really too crazy. It's the middle of the week and the end of the month coming up on a holiday. It'll be much busier this weekend, when people who aren't preparing for end-of-the-summer Labor Day barbecues start stocking up for kids' school lunches and back-to-school meals.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Cleaning Lady
Did my library volunteering today. I organized the children's DVDs, which needed it badly (everything was out-of-place), put the adult DVDs away (there were a ton), and organized the adult CDs. I also brought back the book I was reading and finally finished, The Temple of Music, a fascinating Ragtime-esque historical novel on the assasination of President McKinley at the titular building in Buffalo in 1901. Unlike Ragtime, however, all of the characters were real, from McKinley's mentally ill wife Ida to the equally troubled assassin, Leon. I just left after I finished with the CDs. I didn't think it was a good idea to take out anything else before my vacation.
I made a quick stop at Super Fresh, but I didn't like the prices there on the things I needed, then took the long way home across Newton River Park. It was a gorgeous day, sunny, dry, and about 80 degrees. I made one last quick stop at Doria's Deli, but they were closed for their summer vacation, so I just headed home.
I spent the rest of the afternoon baking Blueberry White Cake, reading the Melendy Quartet book Linda Young sent me, and cleaning my bathroom and kitchen, both of which badly needed it, especially the bathroom. The ring around the bathtub was terrible!
About half-way through cleaning the bathroom, the Acme called. Could I come in Thursday? I wasn't sure. I told Erica I'd volunteer for the thrift shop on Thursday morning, and they wanted me to come in at noon. I finally said yes. I felt bad because Erica asked me first...but the Acme's paid work, and I still need the hours to pay my rent and to pay for my glasses, dental work, and vacation. Maybe I could do an hour, or come in on a day when I come back and the Acme is less busy.
Did my library volunteering today. I organized the children's DVDs, which needed it badly (everything was out-of-place), put the adult DVDs away (there were a ton), and organized the adult CDs. I also brought back the book I was reading and finally finished, The Temple of Music, a fascinating Ragtime-esque historical novel on the assasination of President McKinley at the titular building in Buffalo in 1901. Unlike Ragtime, however, all of the characters were real, from McKinley's mentally ill wife Ida to the equally troubled assassin, Leon. I just left after I finished with the CDs. I didn't think it was a good idea to take out anything else before my vacation.
I made a quick stop at Super Fresh, but I didn't like the prices there on the things I needed, then took the long way home across Newton River Park. It was a gorgeous day, sunny, dry, and about 80 degrees. I made one last quick stop at Doria's Deli, but they were closed for their summer vacation, so I just headed home.
I spent the rest of the afternoon baking Blueberry White Cake, reading the Melendy Quartet book Linda Young sent me, and cleaning my bathroom and kitchen, both of which badly needed it, especially the bathroom. The ring around the bathtub was terrible!
About half-way through cleaning the bathroom, the Acme called. Could I come in Thursday? I wasn't sure. I told Erica I'd volunteer for the thrift shop on Thursday morning, and they wanted me to come in at noon. I finally said yes. I felt bad because Erica asked me first...but the Acme's paid work, and I still need the hours to pay my rent and to pay for my glasses, dental work, and vacation. Maybe I could do an hour, or come in on a day when I come back and the Acme is less busy.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Group Balance
Did my yoga class today. It was a fair-sized class, and I just barely made it, but it went well. I really need to work on strengthening my arms and shoulders. I have a hard time lifting my body for plank and wheel moves and upward-facing dog, and forget headstands. I actually met a woman from Collingswood who doesn't have kids after the class. We didn't get a chance to chat for very long because I had work, but it's nice to know I'm really not the only single person in the area.
Work was steady-to-busy. It was stressful, as it always is on a busy day, but my relief was on time and I got out with no problems. I spent the rest of the evening editing our recent stories and eating leftovers.
Did my yoga class today. It was a fair-sized class, and I just barely made it, but it went well. I really need to work on strengthening my arms and shoulders. I have a hard time lifting my body for plank and wheel moves and upward-facing dog, and forget headstands. I actually met a woman from Collingswood who doesn't have kids after the class. We didn't get a chance to chat for very long because I had work, but it's nice to know I'm really not the only single person in the area.
Work was steady-to-busy. It was stressful, as it always is on a busy day, but my relief was on time and I got out with no problems. I spent the rest of the evening editing our recent stories and eating leftovers.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Our Bi-Weekly Bread
Long lines and lots of stress made my very busy work day a pain in the rear. As usual, people just don't read the signs or look at the fliers. One woman kept insisting that she could only buy $200 worth of food...when she had at least $300 in her cart. Does anyone learn how to count anymore? Half a cart's worth of food had to be put back,including cold items. AND she held up the darn line getting another cart for what she did buy!
One of the advantages of working earlier is getting off earlier. I was able to spend the rest of a quiet afternoon baking bread, catching up with family on the phone, and going for a walk in the neighborhood. I finally got a hold of Rose. She's happy - she had a great time in Costa Rica - but very busy. She's returning to Rutgers Law School tomorrow and she has a million things to do. She wants to go visit the family in Cape May County sometime before I go on vacation, and we both need new driver's licenses and non-driver's IDs. I need to get my hair cut, too.
I called Mom after calling Rose. Mom was in a much better mood this time. She was in the midst of dinner; cooking usually helps her mood. Or maybe it was because my stepfather was going fishing tomorrow, or because my nephew will be finally returning to day care next month (and one closer to his mother's job).
I decided to try a Swedish rye bread recipe out of one of my 50s cookbooks. While that rose the first time, I had a simple, light dinner of spinach salad with sliced chicken breast. While it rose the second time, I went down the street to treat myself to frozen yogurt from Leo's Yum Yums, since we weren't able to get any yesterday. Despite the windy, lovely night, it dripped faster than the last time I had a cone, but I managed to finish it before it made a mess.
Oh, and by the way, I finally baked the rye bread tonight and it came out beautifully. I really love making bread. It's so therapeutic, kneading and turning the dough. And it's something you made, something that's good for you and tastes a thousand times better than anything off of a shelf.
Long lines and lots of stress made my very busy work day a pain in the rear. As usual, people just don't read the signs or look at the fliers. One woman kept insisting that she could only buy $200 worth of food...when she had at least $300 in her cart. Does anyone learn how to count anymore? Half a cart's worth of food had to be put back,including cold items. AND she held up the darn line getting another cart for what she did buy!
One of the advantages of working earlier is getting off earlier. I was able to spend the rest of a quiet afternoon baking bread, catching up with family on the phone, and going for a walk in the neighborhood. I finally got a hold of Rose. She's happy - she had a great time in Costa Rica - but very busy. She's returning to Rutgers Law School tomorrow and she has a million things to do. She wants to go visit the family in Cape May County sometime before I go on vacation, and we both need new driver's licenses and non-driver's IDs. I need to get my hair cut, too.
I called Mom after calling Rose. Mom was in a much better mood this time. She was in the midst of dinner; cooking usually helps her mood. Or maybe it was because my stepfather was going fishing tomorrow, or because my nephew will be finally returning to day care next month (and one closer to his mother's job).
I decided to try a Swedish rye bread recipe out of one of my 50s cookbooks. While that rose the first time, I had a simple, light dinner of spinach salad with sliced chicken breast. While it rose the second time, I went down the street to treat myself to frozen yogurt from Leo's Yum Yums, since we weren't able to get any yesterday. Despite the windy, lovely night, it dripped faster than the last time I had a cone, but I managed to finish it before it made a mess.
Oh, and by the way, I finally baked the rye bread tonight and it came out beautifully. I really love making bread. It's so therapeutic, kneading and turning the dough. And it's something you made, something that's good for you and tastes a thousand times better than anything off of a shelf.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Like Father, Like Daughter
Today was one of my early work days this week. Even with such a beautiful day, work was busy and went quickly. There were a lot of really big orders. If kids weren't going to college or coming to one of the colleges in the area, people were returning from vacation or stocking up for Labor Day barbecues or back-to-school. (Not to mention, the Acme is just having a lot of great sales this weekend.)
Since it was such a nice day, I thought I'd go for a swim. We're probably on the last few weeks for the pool. I ended up at Uncle Ken's after a quick stop at the bank to deposit my paycheck in the ATM machine. Uncle Ken and Dolores had gone to Wildwood for the weekend, but Dad, Jodie, Brittany, and Jessa were around. I went for the swim first. The water was cooler than it has been, but still nice. After my swim, I joined the girls upstairs. They were still playing Lego Star Wars; when they finally got bored with it, they decided they were in the mood for the real live-action Star Wars movies. We watched The Empire Strikes Back downstairs until dinner.
Dinner wasn't bad...or at least, us girls didn't think it was. Poor Daddy was upset. He kept going on and on about how terrible the food was. He overcooked the broccoli. He didn't season the shrimp scampi enough. The fried rice clumped. While I admit the Scampi needed a little bit more seasoning, it was far from inedible. The broccoli and fried rice tasted fine, and the salad was delicious, filled with fresh tomatoes from Uncle Ken's tomato plants. Even after Jodie, the girls, and cleared our plates and went back for seconds, Dad STILL continued on and on about how he'd botched dinner!
He sounded like ME. A lot. I always assumed I did it just because I don't think and it's the first thing that comes out of my mouth. Now I'm wondering if it's genetic. Jodie confirmed that yes, Dad's a perfectionist, too. (She also added that Dad had been in a bad mood for much of the day, which may have been part of the reason for the dinner incident.)
After a chat with Jodie and Dad on the porch, Jodie and I decided to take Jessa and Brittany to Leo's Yum Yums Ice Cream Parlor for some dessert. Alas, it turned out they were closed until 8PM, and it was only quarter after 7. We did get a nice ride in Dad's classic red Mustang out of it, though.
Today was one of my early work days this week. Even with such a beautiful day, work was busy and went quickly. There were a lot of really big orders. If kids weren't going to college or coming to one of the colleges in the area, people were returning from vacation or stocking up for Labor Day barbecues or back-to-school. (Not to mention, the Acme is just having a lot of great sales this weekend.)
Since it was such a nice day, I thought I'd go for a swim. We're probably on the last few weeks for the pool. I ended up at Uncle Ken's after a quick stop at the bank to deposit my paycheck in the ATM machine. Uncle Ken and Dolores had gone to Wildwood for the weekend, but Dad, Jodie, Brittany, and Jessa were around. I went for the swim first. The water was cooler than it has been, but still nice. After my swim, I joined the girls upstairs. They were still playing Lego Star Wars; when they finally got bored with it, they decided they were in the mood for the real live-action Star Wars movies. We watched The Empire Strikes Back downstairs until dinner.
Dinner wasn't bad...or at least, us girls didn't think it was. Poor Daddy was upset. He kept going on and on about how terrible the food was. He overcooked the broccoli. He didn't season the shrimp scampi enough. The fried rice clumped. While I admit the Scampi needed a little bit more seasoning, it was far from inedible. The broccoli and fried rice tasted fine, and the salad was delicious, filled with fresh tomatoes from Uncle Ken's tomato plants. Even after Jodie, the girls, and cleared our plates and went back for seconds, Dad STILL continued on and on about how he'd botched dinner!
He sounded like ME. A lot. I always assumed I did it just because I don't think and it's the first thing that comes out of my mouth. Now I'm wondering if it's genetic. Jodie confirmed that yes, Dad's a perfectionist, too. (She also added that Dad had been in a bad mood for much of the day, which may have been part of the reason for the dinner incident.)
After a chat with Jodie and Dad on the porch, Jodie and I decided to take Jessa and Brittany to Leo's Yum Yums Ice Cream Parlor for some dessert. Alas, it turned out they were closed until 8PM, and it was only quarter after 7. We did get a nice ride in Dad's classic red Mustang out of it, though.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Fighting Tooth and Nail
I had my first dental appointment since late May today. Alas, it won't be my last. As it turns out, I still have so much carbon and tartar build-up left in my teeth, they're going to need a few more one-hour sessions - yes, with needles - to get it all out! They just did the upper left side today. The needles hurt and I did cry a little, but the dentist doing the cleaning was nice - she hates needles, too.
I went next-door to the bank to cash a small rebate check after my dental appointment, since the bank is just a block over from the dentist's office. They were having a hot dog spread for their Customer Appreciation Day (though not cooked over an open grill this time). I ended up with a hot dog (no bun), two brownies, a small water bottle, and some chili. Not that I could really chew much, given my numb mouth, but it was a nice gesture anyway. I spent the rest of the afternoon before work editing the five or siz short stories Lauren and I have written over the past month. (Look for them over the next few days. Lauren went on her annual weekend bus tour with her parents, which should give me time to finally catch up on editing.)
Work was steady-to-dead, no problem at all and likely to remain so as long as this gorgeous 85 degree weather holds out. I did my grocery shopping for the week after work and got a larger-than-usual paycheck (good thing, given I just paid for my LAST dental appointment and need to pay for my glasses and contacts).
I had my first dental appointment since late May today. Alas, it won't be my last. As it turns out, I still have so much carbon and tartar build-up left in my teeth, they're going to need a few more one-hour sessions - yes, with needles - to get it all out! They just did the upper left side today. The needles hurt and I did cry a little, but the dentist doing the cleaning was nice - she hates needles, too.
I went next-door to the bank to cash a small rebate check after my dental appointment, since the bank is just a block over from the dentist's office. They were having a hot dog spread for their Customer Appreciation Day (though not cooked over an open grill this time). I ended up with a hot dog (no bun), two brownies, a small water bottle, and some chili. Not that I could really chew much, given my numb mouth, but it was a nice gesture anyway. I spent the rest of the afternoon before work editing the five or siz short stories Lauren and I have written over the past month. (Look for them over the next few days. Lauren went on her annual weekend bus tour with her parents, which should give me time to finally catch up on editing.)
Work was steady-to-dead, no problem at all and likely to remain so as long as this gorgeous 85 degree weather holds out. I did my grocery shopping for the week after work and got a larger-than-usual paycheck (good thing, given I just paid for my LAST dental appointment and need to pay for my glasses and contacts).
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Lego My Lightsaber!
Today was one of my two early work shifts this week, and the longer one. It was...long. There were quite a few pain-in-the-rear customers, including one older lady who made a fuss when I didn't know whether or not I could take her ID card to cash her check. We're only supposed to take Federal or military driver's licenses and non-driver's IDs. The head front end manager was at a meeting and wasn't able to tell me we can fill out a special card for senior citizens who don't drive until the woman was gone. (At any rate, I wasn't the only one the old lady was grouchy to. The woman behind her complained that she yelled at her when she accidentally knocked into her flowers, which were hanging unavoidably over the side of her cart.)
When I came home, I had several messages waiting on my answering machine. One was a telemarketer. One was a wrong number. The last one was from the girl who helped me select and price glasses at America's Best yesterday. She said she had an extra 50% off coupon from working there that she didn't need, as she'd just gotten glasses not long ago, and had asked her boss if I could have it. It brought the price she mentioned yesterday down to about $75, which is much better. I'm so glad everyone at America's Best (including the doctors and the receptionist) were so sweet.
After I called her back and said, sure, thanks a lot, I'd be glad for any help I could get. I went over to Uncle Ken's to do the laundry after that and spent most of the evening watching Jessa and Brittany play the Lego Star Wars Wii game. Yes, this was the same game I watched my little cousins play all Christmas afternoon. It really is addictive. It's more-or-less an RPG version of all six Star Wars films...but as if you were playing a Zelda game with the real Star Wars Lego sets. There's Lego-like versions of all the characters, and much of the game play revolves around characters having to build staircases or ramps or take apart doors to secret rooms or levels.
I had dinner at Uncle Ken's, too. Daddy made egg-batter-fried tilapia, sauteed spinach and mushrooms, peas, and macaroni and cheese.
Today was one of my two early work shifts this week, and the longer one. It was...long. There were quite a few pain-in-the-rear customers, including one older lady who made a fuss when I didn't know whether or not I could take her ID card to cash her check. We're only supposed to take Federal or military driver's licenses and non-driver's IDs. The head front end manager was at a meeting and wasn't able to tell me we can fill out a special card for senior citizens who don't drive until the woman was gone. (At any rate, I wasn't the only one the old lady was grouchy to. The woman behind her complained that she yelled at her when she accidentally knocked into her flowers, which were hanging unavoidably over the side of her cart.)
When I came home, I had several messages waiting on my answering machine. One was a telemarketer. One was a wrong number. The last one was from the girl who helped me select and price glasses at America's Best yesterday. She said she had an extra 50% off coupon from working there that she didn't need, as she'd just gotten glasses not long ago, and had asked her boss if I could have it. It brought the price she mentioned yesterday down to about $75, which is much better. I'm so glad everyone at America's Best (including the doctors and the receptionist) were so sweet.
After I called her back and said, sure, thanks a lot, I'd be glad for any help I could get. I went over to Uncle Ken's to do the laundry after that and spent most of the evening watching Jessa and Brittany play the Lego Star Wars Wii game. Yes, this was the same game I watched my little cousins play all Christmas afternoon. It really is addictive. It's more-or-less an RPG version of all six Star Wars films...but as if you were playing a Zelda game with the real Star Wars Lego sets. There's Lego-like versions of all the characters, and much of the game play revolves around characters having to build staircases or ramps or take apart doors to secret rooms or levels.
I had dinner at Uncle Ken's, too. Daddy made egg-batter-fried tilapia, sauteed spinach and mushrooms, peas, and macaroni and cheese.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
The Eyes Don't Have It
Work went well today, quiet with no major problems and only a small crowd around noon. The absolutely stunning weather (80 degrees and no humidity) probably played a major role. It might be just as well. I had enough trouble with my eye exam.
The exam itself went well enough. I finally went to a brand-new America's Best that opened earlier this year in the shopping center behind the Acme. America's Best takes up the second-largest store next to the free-standing Staples, in the block that also includes Pepboys, a nail salon, a laudromat, and Audubon's post office. I first had a small pre-exam to check if I had any major eye injuries or illnesses. After that, I waited for about fifteen minutes. I sat in the bland waiting area (just metal benches, no reading material or anything) listening to the women gossip until I couldn't stand it, then went in the main lobby/glasses area to look at the newest frames.
Dr. Chang was very nice when I finally got in. After a series of the usual tests (flashing a light in my eyes, having me read letters), she told me most of what I already knew. My eyes are lousy. I have a small stigma in my left eye (which is why the left one is lazy). What I HADN'T known is that they've gotten slightly worse since 2000. THAT hurt. Mom told me my eyes should have stabilized by now!
On the other hand, she also told me I could wear contacts as long as it was a special prescription. THAT, I could handle. I've wanted to try contacts. My sister Rose and my Aunt Terri wear them with no problems. Not only did I think my eyes were too bad for contacts, but I figured they would be a bad idea for me. I'm so clumsy, I assumed I'd break them, or they would be too scratchy and make my eyes water constantly, or they'd never stay in place.
Glasses didn't go nearly as well. Even after choosing an inexpensive pair, my huge lenses were way outside of their sales. The glasses and the special custom prescription lenses would cost over $280 all together...and I've heard that's cheap! I told her we'd probably have to wait for October.
So, no glasses now. I have vacation this month, and I don't know how I'm going to afford bills and my rent and vacation and glasses. It was probably a stupid idea to get an eye exam when I'm still paying for dental appointments. I should have just called the damn union about my insurance. I hate calling people. The union should have just sent me the vision claim I'd asked for instead of a dental claim! And I really, really, REALLY hate asking for money. I haven't done it in years, but it makes me feel like a little kid. I'm proud of my independence. I've spent most of my life having to let people buy me things because I couldn't get a job or money.
I wouldn't have even bothered with an eye exam now, but the glasses I'm wearing now are my old prescription from the mid-late 90s. The frames are in decent shape, but I'm getting really bad double vision, and I have a hard time reading things far away. I'm really worried. I should have done this in March, when I got my check, but I just didn't think. I NEVER think. And when I don't think about things before I do them, I get into trouble.
Work went well today, quiet with no major problems and only a small crowd around noon. The absolutely stunning weather (80 degrees and no humidity) probably played a major role. It might be just as well. I had enough trouble with my eye exam.
The exam itself went well enough. I finally went to a brand-new America's Best that opened earlier this year in the shopping center behind the Acme. America's Best takes up the second-largest store next to the free-standing Staples, in the block that also includes Pepboys, a nail salon, a laudromat, and Audubon's post office. I first had a small pre-exam to check if I had any major eye injuries or illnesses. After that, I waited for about fifteen minutes. I sat in the bland waiting area (just metal benches, no reading material or anything) listening to the women gossip until I couldn't stand it, then went in the main lobby/glasses area to look at the newest frames.
Dr. Chang was very nice when I finally got in. After a series of the usual tests (flashing a light in my eyes, having me read letters), she told me most of what I already knew. My eyes are lousy. I have a small stigma in my left eye (which is why the left one is lazy). What I HADN'T known is that they've gotten slightly worse since 2000. THAT hurt. Mom told me my eyes should have stabilized by now!
On the other hand, she also told me I could wear contacts as long as it was a special prescription. THAT, I could handle. I've wanted to try contacts. My sister Rose and my Aunt Terri wear them with no problems. Not only did I think my eyes were too bad for contacts, but I figured they would be a bad idea for me. I'm so clumsy, I assumed I'd break them, or they would be too scratchy and make my eyes water constantly, or they'd never stay in place.
Glasses didn't go nearly as well. Even after choosing an inexpensive pair, my huge lenses were way outside of their sales. The glasses and the special custom prescription lenses would cost over $280 all together...and I've heard that's cheap! I told her we'd probably have to wait for October.
So, no glasses now. I have vacation this month, and I don't know how I'm going to afford bills and my rent and vacation and glasses. It was probably a stupid idea to get an eye exam when I'm still paying for dental appointments. I should have just called the damn union about my insurance. I hate calling people. The union should have just sent me the vision claim I'd asked for instead of a dental claim! And I really, really, REALLY hate asking for money. I haven't done it in years, but it makes me feel like a little kid. I'm proud of my independence. I've spent most of my life having to let people buy me things because I couldn't get a job or money.
I wouldn't have even bothered with an eye exam now, but the glasses I'm wearing now are my old prescription from the mid-late 90s. The frames are in decent shape, but I'm getting really bad double vision, and I have a hard time reading things far away. I'm really worried. I should have done this in March, when I got my check, but I just didn't think. I NEVER think. And when I don't think about things before I do them, I get into trouble.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)