Thinking of yesterday – those poor brownies just weren’t destined for the bake sale table. But they were still strewn over the top of the trash, staring at me, beseeching me, when I went into the kitchen to make breakfast this morning. It took all of my willpower not to retrieve them. But I was strong. I conquered my gluttonous desires. However, the baking pan with brownie crumbs was still sitting on the counter, and I cleaned it out pretty well before I put it in the sink. Even one little dried out crumb was bursting with that chocolate-raspberry flavor. But I must put this out of my mind.
One advantage of retirement is that I can see Katie (my mother) on weekdays rather than squeezing these visits into a packed weekend schedule. So that was my first outing today. But what were all those cars doing on the road at 10:30 in the morning? Why weren’t those people at work? And that woman in a lavender jacket, walking a dog through the neighborhood – she looked perfectly capable of working. Are all of these people fellow retirees? Are there that many of us?
Another one of today’s errands was to go out to Wegman’s and buy something for the bake sale. I returned from the store about an hour ago, and I must report that I learned a very valuable lesson from this experience: avoid shopping at Wegman’s at lunchtime on a Friday. It was slightly less crowded than it usually is on a Saturday or Sunday, but there was a mob of shoppers intent on stocking up for the weekend. Or maybe the store was so crowded today because there is a forecast for a “wintry mix” tonight and into early tomorrow morning. In the DC suburbs, that’s enough to send otherwise sane adults into a buying frenzy.
Of course, while I was at Wegman’s, I had to have a bite to eat before I shopped. Asian summer rolls (shrimp and avocado), a portabella mushroom “pizza” (tomatoes and cheese stuffed into the giant mushroom cap), and sautéed Brussels sprouts are now mingling happily in my belly. Once I’d satiated my hunger, I found some generously sized white chocolate chunk cookies that should be just right for the bake sale. I had a few items on my grocery list, but I have to admit to a couple of impulse purchases as well. That cute little green knife with the Japanese blade and its very own sheath will undoubtedly come in handy during our travels. I can see us now, cutting an apple into wedges as we sit on a park bench in St. Petersburg. And those matching yoga socks and gloves will allow me to launch into a yoga routine whenever and wherever the mood strikes – on the Metro platform, in the airport security line, in the waiting room of the doctor’s office. It’s amazing what you can find at Wegman’s. Seriously, though, I promise to work on my shopping behavior now that I’ve slashed my income.
I’d better go take a nap now because I have to be back at Annandale High in a couple of hours for the STAND benefit concert.
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