Better to Laugh

The Colts are in the Super Bowl, again!  Yea!  Terry and I were watching the game today at my mom and dad’s house.  The team was at about the 17-yard line, and CBS shaded the area between the goal line and 20-yard line.  Mom said, “Oh, it’s all red.”  I said matter-of-factly, “It’s the red zone.”  She said softly, “Oh.”  She hasn’t been a football fan that long and is still learning the game.  She laughed and said, “I’m glad there aren’t more people here.”  It really was pretty funny.

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Yesterday, I read most of the novel The Lovely Bones.  The story is about a murdered girl trying to reach out to her family as they deal with her death and try to find her killer.  My husband was out of town, and both of my boys decided to spend the night elsewhere.  I read until about midnight, then decided to take a shower.  I remembered that my Mary Kay order might have been delivered on the porch, and it could freeze if left outside.  So I went downstairs, opened the front door, and peered out – not there.  It was a very still night with a fairly thick fog…eerily quiet.  I quickly closed and locked the door, ran upstairs, and closed my bedroom door.  I got in the shower, but I couldn’t really enjoy it; I didn’t like the opaque barrier that the shower curtain created.  Besides, it stirred with the rhythm of the furnace and my body as I quickly washed.  My heart was racing as I pulled back the shower curtain and grabbed the towel.  Nothing.  This was so silly. 

I calmed down and started to relax, feeling the damp cleanliness of my skin as I put on my pajamas.  Still, I locked the bedroom door.  I felt safe again and actually felt a peace in the quiet aloneness of the night.  I slipped into bed and turned off the bedside lamp.  I was wrapped in my blankets, the house wrapped by the fog.  I took a deep breath and nodded off in the quiet night.

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A couple of coworkers suggested I try a grilled PB&J sandwich.  I waited to try it on a day that I hadn’t already eaten too many holiday goodies.  I sat down with my perfectly toasted sandwich, Lay’s original potato chips, and a glass of milk, not a very colorful plate.  As described, I would need the chips to scoop up the gooey, melted peanut butter that would be dripping from the sandwich.  I guess I was a little too conservative, because there wasn’t any dripping peanut butter.  That was a little disappointing.  The toasted bread had a nice crunch.  I’m not sold on it, but I might try it one more time with more filling.  It will have to wait until I have lost the 7 or so pounds that I gained over the holidays, though.

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I almost have my returns done.  You know, the things I bought at Christmas and then decided that I didn’t need, clothes that I bought a couple of months ago that didn’t fit, etc.  The customer service guy at Meijer in Carmel was so patient and had such a great attitude.  Some might have assumed because he was young and had long shaggy hair that he might not do a good job, but he was awesome.  I had three bags of stuff, and I also asked if I could get an adjustment for a coupon that I had forgotten.  I said a big, “Thanks,” when it was all done.  He replied, “No problem, that’s what I’m here for!”  Very cool guy!

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Is it just me or are people happier this year?  I encountered very few rude or impatient people in the last week during my shop-a-thon, which was much more tiring than the marathon I did a few weeks ago.  Actually, I can only think of two instances when someone cut me off in a parking lot or someone didn’t smile at me.  There is less money but more happy.  Perhaps gratitude is more abundant because greed is less possible?  I like that!

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