Life on the go

Yep, this is the picture in the sidebar. What can I say? It's where
I spend most of my time!

I love my car. Thank God - because, damn. I spend enough time in it!! Here's a brief synopsis of the last 24 hours...

Yesterday I drove an hour and a half to meet Muffin's paternal grandmother for the swap. I had hoped that Grandma would be on time (seeing as she is also a mother and presumably remembers how frustrating it is to wait for long periods of time with a preschooler). However, Muffin and I ended up sitting the parking lot for 45 minutes before Grandma showed up. Oh well. At least Muffin was good and stir crazy for her return trip to daddy's house. It's the little things that make me smile.

After returning home I decided to get out my passport file so I could go first thing this morning to the post office and get the ball rolling. I had gotten pictures taken last year and for some reason or another never gone to the post office to do all the paperwork. Anyway, I looked at my pictures and freaked out. Not only was my face all fat and puffy, but my hair was sticking out all over the place and I was pasty white. Ewww! So, I ran out to Rite-Aid and got some more pictures taken. This time, my gray roots are showing, there are dark circles under my eyes and my sunglasses had made little marks on my nose. Hmmm. Maybe I could live with it?

Maybe not. This morning I decided to quickly run to Wal-greens before my WW meeting and get ANOTHER set of pictures taken. I did my hair, make-up and practiced posing in the mirror so I could just jump in front of the camera and fall into place. (um, so did I mention the fact that I'm not vain? Not at all?) Wal-greens took a lot longer than Rite-Aid and I was beginning to think that I would completely miss my WW meeting when they finally called me up to get my pictures. This time they were completely blurry and my neck looked fat. Whatever! I had to go!

I went to WW and stepped on the scale - A FIVE POUND LOSS!! Yippee!! Then I ran back to my car to go to the post office and do the passport thing because I thought they closed at noon. When I get there I notice a sign in the waiting area that says they don't accept credit cards. Naturally, my checkbook is at home. Feeling a tad frustrated I run back the car, zoom home and grab the checkbook.

Did I mention that during all this time I was convinced that they are only open until noon for some reason.

When I got back to the post office the waiting room was full and I notice a little sign that says they are, in fact, open until 2pm. So, all the rushing about was for nothing - but, whatever, I'm here I'm getting this done! During my wait I perused the three sets of passport photos and finally determined that the ones taken last night (with the gray, with the dark circles, with the little marks) are really the least offensive of the bunch. Forty-five minutes later I get to the desk and in about five minutes I'm done. I can expect the passport in four to six weeks. Yay! What next?

I drove over to my storage shed to drop off my box of St. Patrick's and Easter decorations. Then, I drove to the library to drop off some books. I'm on a roll!! What else can I do? It's not even noon yet!! I decided to go to Trader Joes. In Newport News. Which is about an hour away. Why? Because I'd heard about this mythical grocery store where you can get all sorts of interesting things to eat and - oh yeah - cheap wine.

The drive went by quickly and the visit to Trader Joes was quite interesting. They had all sorts of seeds, nuts and organic things as well as an interesting variety of customers. I found some frozen wild salmon for a good price and decided to pick up some hummus as well. In the end I came out with two grocery bags full of stuff so I feel like the visit was justified. Guess what I didn't buy - that's right, wine. I guess I was so dazzled by the granola that I completely forgot.

You know what that means! Yep, another trip - this time to Total Wine. I wandered the aisles a little and decided to go with a couple of bottles of chardonnay that I'd never tried before. Finally, I was able to come home.

At this time the groceries are put away, the wine is chilling, the cats have been taken care of and I've got the afternoon to myself. No more running around for now - just some sitting around with old movies. Ahhh...