Wordless Wednesday – new balcony garden edition

(Green/Red Peppers)

(Radishes)

The Deer Saga of 2009

And so it happened...

 

Driving from Iowa to Atlanta a couple of weeks ago, I was passing someone in the interstate and ran over something big and dead in the road. I couldn't swerve to miss it - and thought my car would clear it no problem.

It didn't.

As soon as I drove over it I heard it hit-- Ka-klunk.

Crap.

I waited for the thump-thump of a flat tire or something on the car's dash to tell me I totally screwed up my car, but nothing happened. 

I then got really sick and forgot all about the "dead thing in the road". Fast forward a week and as I was walking out of work, I noticed something dangling from the bottom of my car. Upon further (really far actually) looking, I realized it was something DEAD under my car.

ICK!

I went to the car wash (with an under carriage cleaning option)  and tried to wash the "thing" off.

Yeah, not so much.

Dead thing 1, me 0.

I went to a local Honda dealer and they actually laughed me off the lot- they weren't gonna touch it.

Dead thing 2, me 0.

So I called MY dealer (about 15 miles away) and they told me to bring the car in this morning.

I was not so much worried about the dead animal part on my car; I was more worried about the damage it might have done when I hit it.

Ok, I was worried about the dead animal part too- It is 90 degrees here right now- I DID NOT want my car smelling like animal carcass! EW EW EW!

When I got to the dealership, we all had a good laugh and I asked them if I could take a picture of whatever it it when they get the car up on the lift.

When I walked out there, I saw THIS:

Yes- That is a

DEER RIB

hanging out of my car frame!!! It was so wedged in there, the poor mechanic was pulling so hard, the whole car was moving.

I am serious.

You can't see how wrapped up the hide and bone is in the frame. Thank goodness it didn't puncture a tire or the oil line or something.

The cool thing is, no damage to the not-even-two-month-old car. It is fully removed and they even washed my car for me.

AND, my AWESOME dealership did not even charge me for the service call. I love them!!

SO SO SO glad it is off my car!

SO GLAD!! :-)

So that was my Saturday, how was yours?

Still here...

I am in Iowa visiting family and friends for an 80th birthday and a wedding.

I forget how much I miss Iowa sometimes...

I’ve always had a thing for Quakers

When I was little, I wasn’t much of a breakfast kind of gal. My mom still to this day makes the best toast*, hands down, but if I had to pick my favorite breakfast, it had to be a tie between two cereals.

Lucky Charms and Quaker Oats Crunchy Corn Bran (AKA QOCCB).

Yeah, yeah. I know what you’re thinking.

Corn Bran? She, as a kid, loved Corn Bran? Just having the name “bran” in the name makes most kids run screaming the other direction. I can understand Lucky Charms, but CORN BRAN?!? No way.

But really, this cereal was amazing. Yummy pockets of sweet goodness in 2 percent milk**. They almost pop open in your mouth if you catch them at the right pre-soggy moment.

I haven’t had QOCCB in almost 10 years—not for lack of trying.

Each time I was in (add chain grocery store name here) I would search the cereal isle for it. Top row of “good for you” cereals. Middle/second row of “the most popular and sometimes the most expensive cereals” (cuz they are eye level for most people--really) and the bottom/middle row of “the most kid –friendly” cereals (yep, you guessed it, kid eye-level)

No luck.

UNTIL TONIGHT. (!!!)

Who would guess that my ‘lil ‘ol local Publix would have EXACTLY what I have been searching for.

Tomorrow’s breakfast?

Is gonna be a good one.

-----

*And popcorn. And cereal. We still laugh that I remember her “cooking” 3 things that take no effort at all, but not the 100’s of other great meals she slaved for hours over.

**It HAD to be 2%. Maaaaybe 1%. But none of that watery skim junk. Have you ever tried Lucky Charms with skim milk? If not, just…don’t. Ew.

Thanks for your prayers…

Though I can’t say the same for some of my very very very good friends, I still have a job.

Today was a horrible day at work.

My boss was let go.

I listened to another colleague sob uncontrollably in her cube just down from mine. She has worked for my organization for 25 years and she was let go today.

Brutal. Just brutal.

It is very hard for me to be “happy” I still have a job when I see the devastation going on around me. 

Tomorrow, 3 more departments go under the knife.

I just want to call in sick.

Waiting to Exhale

I have never been more uncertain of my professional future than I am today.

Prayers are needed from 9-12EST- I will learn if my role has been eliminated or if i have a job tomorrow. Most of my friends and colleagues will learn their fate around the same time.

Not a good day to be in the office.

5 people I know were let go yesterday—but today will be the worst of it.

I am scared.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Hope you all had a great Mother’s Day!