Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head

Happy Friday Company Girls and Beloved Regulars!!

I am so glad this week is coming to a close. I have had more than my fair share of cruddy things happening this week. The boys have been at each other’s throats, and I am tired of reminding, negotiating and flat out yelling. My patience has been worn thin this week and I am done.

Beyond that, things have been good. We are finally, finally getting some desperately needed rain! Yahoo!! This has been one of the driest summers we have seen in a long time - the drought is so severe that our lakes and rivers are at alarmingly low levels. Everything that should be green is dead, communities are under strict watering restrictions and I feel terribly guilty every time I turn on a faucet. However, we are now getting some sweet, wet, wonderful rain and our temps are dropping as well. Say it with me now, Hallelujah!

I haven’t had a chance to mention yet that I did start my fall garden a couple of weeks ago. The only thing left from the spring is my cucumber vines - which, after not producing anything worth mentioning this summer, are now going gang-busters! I pulled everything else over the course of the summer as the heat cooked it all to a crisp. Two weeks ago, the morning of my Kiddo’s birthday party, I ventured out and did my first fall planting. That morning I planted (from seed) fall tomatoes (both small and large varieties), bell peppers, jalapeño peppers, brussel sprouts, peas, green beans, black beans and lima beans. I did have a few black bean and lima bean bushes that I had planted in July and they are just now starting to flower again. Since that late August planting I now have tiny sprouts of the jalapeños, peas, both kinds of tomatoes and all the bean varieties.

On September 2nd I planted two hills of zucchini, and the plants are already a couple of inches tall. In my containers I planted parsley, mint and more basil. My rosemary and basil from the spring is still going strong. In the next couple weeks I will start the greens; broccoli, spinach and lettuce, as well as carrots, onions and garlic. I think that will be enough for my first fall garden as I am still trying to determine what I can and can’t grow. I went out in the rain today to check on things and I saw the most beautiful, big earth worm wiggling around in the garden. It is so neat to see nature working her magic. There is no sign of the brussel sprouts or the bells, but I am still holding out hope.

The boys and I all got out in the rain this morning to check out a new “farmer’s market” in our area. Sprouts is a market sort of between Whole Foods and maybe Trader Joe’s (oh how I wish we had those here!) and has an amazing selection of local fruits and veggies (organic and otherwise), meat and dry goods, vitamins and health food; all at really low prices. I was very pleased with the selection, despite the small size of the store. The place was PACKED. I wish I had been there during a slower time because I missed a lot of the store just trying to get around people. I totally missed the meat section, and am now kicking myself for forgetting to check out the Pork Sirloin Roast and Chops they advertised at $1.49 a pound. I did score great buys on strawberries, grapes and pears, as well as some Hansen's Natural Soda at only $1.50 a 6 pack! They have a huge selection of vitamins and natural products, and I was able to pick up some Oregano Oil capsules at a very reasonable price. (more on my need for that at a later time)

Anyway, at check out, I was distracted by the boys and the commotion of all the customers around us, and when I got to the car and loaded up the boys and goods (in the rain) I paused only briefly to look at my receipt as we were pulling out of the parking lot. Still visualizing the receipt in my head as I drove, it soon occurred to me that the bottle of Oregano Oil had not rung up. I checked; it was in the bag, but some how the scanner missed it.

Oh the dilemma! I'm not proud to say that I thought for a while about turning around and going back to pay for the bottle. I mean, it was raining, I would have to unload both boys and drag them through the crowded parking lot again and go through the lines again - I couldn't remember seeing a customer service desk anywhere. And honestly, if it had been a small, inexpensive item I may not have bothered. But, the oregano oil was almost the same price as the entire amount of the rest of my purchase, and I just knew I would never feel right about not going back. In reality, expensive or cheap, the guilt would have stayed with me. So back we went, and God smiled upon me as He presented me a relatively close-to-the-entrance parking space. I unloaded the boys and went back inside with the bottle to pay for it. I had to wait in line again, this time without the convenience of being able to set Port in a shopping cart. We paid for the pills and trekked back out in the rain to the car.

And you know, I would love to end this story saying something amazing happened to me after, perhaps as a result of my good deed, but it didn't. And that is ok, because I shouldn't be rewarded for my actions; I did what was only fair and right and I am glad I did. Next time I am faced with this dilemma it will be even easier to make the right decision.

And because today is September 11th, I am thankful for all those little annoyances and dilemmas, because it means that I am here, I am healthy and able, and I am free to go where I want when I want to. I am blessed to live in this messed up yet still lovely country of ours, and I am thankful for those brave enough to defend it for me.

May you all have an equally blessed weekend. Thanks for stopping by!

Until,
D :)