Well, I have made it my personal goal and mission to finish out this weekend by watching some Quality Sunday Evening Television. In fact, I just sat through an entire episode of 60 Minutes for the first time in about twenty years, and do you know what? It was delightful. When I was younger I used to associate the sound of the 60 Minutes stopwatch with DREAD and DOOM and HORROR because SCHOOL IS COMING SOON, but now it just makes me think about Sunday nights at my parents’ house. And how we ate roast beef sandwiches a lot for Sunday night supper. And how Ed Bradley always seemed so cool and with it compared to all the other reporters.
The mind works in peculiar ways, doesn’t it?
We’ve had a really laid-back weekend at our house, mainly because there is a child in this house who is waging war with pollen right now. I’m guessing you know which child I am talking about since, well, THERE IS ONLY ONE OF THEM HERE, but he usually has four or five days every spring when the pollen makes him absolutely miserable, and that’s exactly where we were at the end of last week. Friday he coughed from the time he got out of bed until the time he went to sleep, and while on one hand I felt so sorry for him and wanted so much for him to feel better, I was also about ready to take that cough outside and give it a piece of my mind because OH MY WORD IT WOULD NOT STOP. We’d been to the doctor the day before, so I knew that there wasn’t much I could do, but that didn’t stop me from putting Vicks on the bottoms of A.’s feet, offering a steady rotation of cough drops and Lifesavers (for variety, you understand), and practically setting a timer so that I’d know when it was time for the next dose of cough syrup.
Thankfully, yesterday and today have been so much better (thank you, rain). I ran some errands yesterday morning, and since I needed to go to The Summit for a few things, I decided to stop by Belk to look at sandals. What I did not know, however, is that all of Belk’s dresses – ALL OF THEM – were 50% off, and quite frankly I felt like it would have been irresponsible to not investigate the sales possibilities. As you might imagine, the store was COVERED UP with some dress-fixated women (and a few despondent men). I seriously could have sat in that store all day long and soaked up some stories. In fact, at one point I was trying on a few things when I heard the very distinct voice of a man in the dressing room area, and as I stood there and tried to make sense of it all, an employee said, “Um, sir? You’re not supposed to be back here in the women’s dressing rooms.” And the man replied, “Oh, no. It’s fine. Because I’m watching our baby. I’m not just sitting back here by myself. This is different.”
And while I think every woman in that dressing room area who was listening probably agreed that it was kind of him to watch the baby while his wife tried on clothes, I think we were probably also in agreement that SIR, THIS IS A VERY LARGE STORE – LO, A STORE WITH FAR MORE SUITABLE BABY-WATCHING AREAS.
Have mercy it was awkward. But I was happy to endure the awkward because I found a really cute summer dress and I certainly wasn’t going to miss out on the 50% off (plus an additional 15%) just because a doting daddy made a questionable seating choice. That wouldn’t even make good sense.
This morning we went to a different church because our friend Shaun was speaking and leading worship there. It’s been a year and a half since Shaun led our Compassion Bloggers trip to Ecuador, and it was so good to see him and get to laugh for a few minutes. Afterwards we made our weekly pilgrimage to the Chuy’s, and then we came home and watched the Masters and napped and watched the end of the Masters and ate leftovers from our lunch and now I’m about to watch Oprah interview Mark Burnett and Roma Downey.
So all in all, I guess, it was kind of a boring weekend. But after last weekend and the Virus-y Plague of Doom, I’ll take it. It was just what we needed. A. is feeling better, D. and I are rested (we bought some new pillows – I will report our findings after we’ve had a chance to use them for a week or so), and hopefully there’s some springtime fun in store this next week – springtime fun that’s virus- and cough-free.
That would be a wonder, now wouldn’t it?
FINGERS CROSSED.
Happy Monday, y’all!
Poor A. has my deepest and wholehearted sympathies. I’m suffering more with seasonal allergies this year than I ever have in the past. The pollen, lord have mercy, the pollen! My eyes are almost swollen shut and itching, and even my ears are itching, not to mention my perpetual runny nose and coughing. Hope A. continues to enjoy improving allergy relief and hoping the trend catches on here, SOON.
Hugs,
Di
Oh! Did I mention there is a Chuy’s coming to my neck of the woods? I can hardly stand the wait!
I live in Texas, but I was at a medical/dental missions conference at Church at Brook Hills this weekend. Birmingham is absolutely beautiful! I wanted so much to be able to see more of your beautiful city but time was limited. We ate at a restaurant in The Summit Thursday evening when we arrived but did not have time for shopping – I will have to go back some day!
Oh my word, that man needs to get a clue! I love overhearing a good awkward store conversation. That reminds me of a book I saw this weekend – “Weird Things Customers Say in Bookstores” I feel like you would enjoy it a lot. Hilarious!
We have been plagued by the allergies over here, in New England, too. And something fierce! I hope this week is eventful, compared to last week and of course, and that the Virus/Allergy/Cough Fairy hits the road.
Boomama, I totally relate to the sound of the clock and how it made me all panicky about the weekend ending! However, my husband and I haven’t missed an episode in about 5 years, maybe more. We DVR it if we have to miss it. Seriously. I have learned SO much and really enjoy it.
Glad you had a great weekend. I realized something rather startling about myself this weekend: I think of you as a face-to-face friend! After you tweeted the picture of you and Shaun, I thought, “Oh, I need to ask BooMama about the pillow quest! Did she get a new one? I wonder how that’s going…” Maybe I need to back up just a little bit and remind myself that you live in Alabama and I live in Kansas.
Sorry for the stalking/weird thought train; however, I wait with great anticipation to hear about the pillow quest!
Growing up we always had a roast for Sunday lunch. And roast beef sandwiches for supper (on plain Sunbeam white bread with mayonnaise and mustard). It’s one of my most favorite food/flavor memories. I don’t remember the ticking clock so much, but I can’t ever eat a roast beef sandwich now without saying something out loud about those childhood Sunday night suppers.
I’m so glad you mentioned the pillows because I kid you not, I thought about you when I woke up around 2:00 a.m. this morning and wondered if you ever bought any new pillows and if so do you like them. The mind works in mysterious ways my friend.
You know, I used to get a little freaked out by the Man in the Dressing Room at Gap until one day in high school I realized that it meant my gay friend (who reminds me very much of Jeff Lewis) could stand outside the dressing room door, offering his opinion and running for sizes for me. Glorious!!
Something that we are fixing to try for our sons allergies is local honey. Find someone in your area that has honeybees and sells the honey. Give him on teaspoon a day and it should help, or at least that is what I have been told. If its local honey, the bees that make it are using the local flowers to pollenate and after some time your body will become immune to the allergies in your area. Its at least worth a try.
My Mum and Dad used to watch 60 Mins (the Australian version) every Sunday night and I hated it because I knew as soon as it finished I had to go to bed so I’d be all ready for the school week. I hated Sunday nights.
Hope Alex stays well :) No more sneezing and coughing. Vicks on the feet really works? I’ve heard people say so but it sounds a bit strange, I’ll have to give it a go. Also, can’t wait to hear if your pillows are a winner!
I was near The Summit about a month ago and I made all my group go to Chuy’s with me. No one in my group had heard of it but I just said, “Listen, this is one of BooMama’s favorite places and it must be good.” They don’t read blogs and had no idea what I was talking about but they love me so went with me. My whole group has now become fans of Chuy’s. I have to admit that I did scan the place just to see if you might be there. Great. Now, I am craving those chips!