The emotions ran the gamut today. My afternoon (which is most people's morning) began with a 12 o'clock noon appointment with Val-Eth-Toad. I arrived at the wishy washy time of 12:27. Val always opens the door with a big beautiful glad-to-see-ya smile that makes you feel like you are wanted (not on a poster). I announced, Here I am, at twelve-ish.

We were starving and of course the night before couldn't think of one single place where we could eat lunch. So now Val says, How 'bout Panera Bread? I said, My thought exactly (and it was, I had thought of Panera on the way over). We get there and the whole world is there, including a goofy man who went to the free biscuit platter and loaded up so many bite-sized scones in a napkin that it was simply unbelievably outrageous, a total abuse of the system. He looked very sheepish when I gave him the stare down. Wonder what would have happened if I'd said, May I please have ten of your cookies?

Well, there were no tables to be had and I was wandering around and around until someone finally vacated one. I was STANDING THERE WITH MY TRAY (Val was still waiting for hers), ready to set it down on this table, I mean, I was TOUCHING the table I was standing so close to it, and this old man reaches over in front of me and plunks his mug down on the table. It was unreal. I gave him a scoffing stink eye that would have made CDW proud and walked off. Looking back, wonder what would have happened if I'd said, Excuse me, obviously this is MY table so please displace thyself and they mug immediately or I shall call the manager. I shudder to think.

After this very poor start, Val and I slurped up a delicious lunch and had girl talk and good Bible talk. Val loves to study the Bible and share what's she's learned. It's invigorating.

Then we walked across the parking lot with a handful each of free scones. Somehow, on our way out and we decided we deserved one more baby sonce, when Val used the tongs they scooped up three scones for her and then two for me. She divided one in half, so we had 2.5 baby scones each. All of a sudden I wished I could have taken back my stare for the man who apparently couldn't help himself, maybe he was homeless, after all. I said, Val, these taste like your cupcakes.

We went in Home Goods and admired everything in sight . . . well, almost everything. We found this weird ceramic canister that looked like a huge scary blue and white crab with all these legs shooting out. The object of this little game is to find the ug-ee-est item in the store. Val found a big glass water dispenser, Made in Italy. We said, That would look nice on the counter instead of plastic water jugs. But I said, Naw. But Val said, Lucy, put it in a cart and it's yours until you walk out the store. So, she ran and got a cart. Meanwhile, I stood on a step stool and lifted the jug from on high. Val came charging around the corner and I said, ETH!, hurry it up!

We liked everything and even said the same descriptive word for something at the same exact time. Val picked up a grill brush. When we got in the check-out line, I said, I am not going to get the water dispenser. And I set it on a counter. Then Val said, I am not going to get the grill brush. And she set it next to the water dispenser. Then we walked out of the store.

I had to go home and walk my doggie. Then on the way to choir I stopped at Bed, Bath and Beyond to return Calphalon lids. Val and I were going to do this, but we ran out of time. We were also going to go look for Pioneer Woman's (perfecter of pancakes) Cookbook at Borders, get free VS unmentionable, check out the free gift (if you spend $21.50) at Clinique and see the cute Kat who helps me, if she was there. Then we were going to go back to Val's and do Bible study on the Tabernacle and watch some I Love Lucy shows she recorded. I had wondered if this were a mite too ambitious. Still, you do what you can and love every second of it.

Where was I, oh yes. So, I changed the lids out for an instant read meat thermometer (I'm totally over guesswork), a silicone spatula and a LUX digital timer. I grew up with the kitchen staple LUX dial timer. They've made the digital one to favor the original. I have a little portable timer on a string. It was a gift from a young boy piano student I had once, the idea being we would set the timer at the beginning of the lesson for 45 minutes precisely, which we did. When the alarm sounded, the boy jumped off the piano bench in mid-measure or mid-sentence or mid-whatever. I'm always charmed by a gift that is for the sole benefit of the giver. His mother thought her boy's gift was hysterical, and it really was. But the battery died and it's one of those funky little batteries to replace. So, I have a LUX now, with a sensible AAA battery. LUX is going to get me on track, I'm going to use this little baby all day long. Besides, FlyLady says a timer is a girl's best friend. So, I got all of that for free, plus change. Change? I so carefully made an EXACT even exchange, minus one penny.

Well, then I realized I owe Bed, Bath $4 and something, the girl didn't do the exchange correctly, you know, didn't discount the 20% on one of the lids. Always sumpin'. Back I'll go.

At choir, remember I bombed a section of last Sunday's anthem?, well, I announced to the choir, GOOD SAVE. They were jolly about it. I've just decided, This is life. Life is imperfect and far be it from me not to make a worth contribution of imperfection from time to time (like practically every second).

Then I came home and checked out Facebook. Everytime I say, Done with FB!, something pops up that makes me understand, Maybe I'm not so done with FB. Tonight I got to see pictures of an old friend from elementary/middle school. We are not FB friends (yet), but we have a mutual FB friend, so it all unfolded. She was the oldest of five adorable sisters. I remember going to a slumber party at their beautiful old giant and gracious home in a perfectly fabulous old neighborhood in Clearwater (we are talking house and yard and surroundings coziest ever). The parents were so good-natured, I was in utter awe of the entire situation. It was the PERFECT spooky house for a slumber party, we told ghost stories and scared the wits out of ourselves. Anyway, she posted pictures of when they were all young and it just flooded me with fond memories. So long ago, yet so vivid in my mind. The sisters all appear to be best friends today, too. So much fun to see the lovelies they grew up to be. Just delightful. Good going, FB.

Time to wrap this up, this is a major ramble tonight :) But I was reading through some old newspapers tonight and I saw a picture that made me weep, to the point of a bloody nose. A 17 year old boy, 18 in four days, was being adopted by a woman who had 4 children. Her niece she also cared for had been murdered and finding this young man was God giving her inspiration to go on, she said. He had been in foster care most of his life and had one wish, that he would have parents in time to cheer him when he graduated from high school. If that doesn't rip your heart out, eh? I'm telling you what, there is no one I admire more in this world than someone who adopts a neglected or unwanted child. This young man had been in the Heart Gallery for years, probably feeling disappointed time and again that no one looked at his picture and wanted him. Finally, the right lady came along and it was meant to be. She actually first saw her new son when she was going out to eat one night and there he was, being filmed in another effort to place him. The picture in the paper showed mother and son hugging and smiling from ear to ear in the courtroom when the adoption was finalized. What on earth can we do to help these precious people who so desperately need to be touched by our love? Time to get out of the little comfort zone and give this some genuine thought.

Lovely Day KEM