Happy Monday and welcome friends!! I am so glad that you have stopped by – more than you know. It has been a week and a tad more since my last post and, honestly, it feels like a lifetime. What a week this past one was! No need to rehash all the details (they were not pretty) but it did include a 
couple of sick days. Why? In my last post I mentioned how happy I was that February had been a very healthy month. And, then, less than 72 hours, I was down for the count! Literally. I suppose I won’t make those kind of statements again. Anyways, it has been a while and, so, I thought this morning would be a nice time for a “chat over coffee.” Many of you checked in on me while I was down for that proverbial count…which was so kind!! But I would love to get caught up a bit. So, let’s chat (blog style) over a cup of coffee.
This was me last week. Feeling (and looking) rather pitiful. And then I, very unintentionally, shared whatever it was with my family. Ugh. For a few days, the whole house was very puny. Not a soul to play with the dog. Barely enough energy to take her for a couple potty breaks here and there. It was a sad situation around here. I am so grateful to have only had my symptoms for about 24 hours. Some of us are still struggling. My goodness but I am praying for a healthy March. March! Can you believe it? Another turn of the calendar page. If it brings the warmer weather and some signs of spring, I am all for it!
Let’s move on. I have a question. A random question, indeed, but still. I decided to bring my husband a Chick Fil A milkshake this week. Ever since our children were little, milkshakes have been the go-to treat and comfort food when anyone was sick or had just come from the doctor. This week, I thought my husband deserved a treat for just putting up with all the rest of us. Anyhoo – at our neighborhood Chick Fil A, there is an entire side of the parking lot reserved for cars picking up orders. Six or seven spaces. Why? Why do these customers not simply go through the drive-through? The parking lot situation here is particuarly tight. Spaces are at a premium. I simply do not understand the need to block off so many spaces and/or why this service is even necessary. I know there are those who cannot or do want to get out of their car in order to go inside. So, there is the drive-through. And a very efficient drive-through, I might add. Perhaps it was the semi-delirium this week but this question has rattled my brain all week!
Something else on my mind. Do you save cards? I noticed the valentine card I gave my husband a few weeks was still sitting on his nightstand. One notices a lot of things when you spend excessive amounts of time in bed. Ugh. I made mental note to toss that card (which I have yet to do!) and was just wondering if you save cards or toss them? I have to admit I have been guilty of tossing a greeting card right after reading it. Don’t judge. But, if I know the card is going to get thrown away, what is the purpose in setting it on a sidetable or the mantle for a week or so beforehand? But this is what my husband does. Saves and displays the card for several weeks. And then throws it away. Another burning “why question” that I have pondered too long this week!
Funny (but true) card story. My parents had a tradition that began sometime after the nest emptied. (It was not in practice when my brother and I were younger. Both of them were, at one point, serious card savers!) However, in later years, when any holiday or other event that required a card came along, they would go to the Hallmark store together. They would read through all the cards and each choose “just the perfect card.” They would exchange the cards there in the Hallmark aisle. They would gush and awe. Then put them back on the rack. And then they would leave and go have lunch. Brilliant. And too funny!
Not the job for me! The other day, a house a few doors down from us was getting a new roof. Those roof layers caught my eye (and my attention) more than a few times. It is disconcerting to see men casually walking back and forth, often with materials on their backs, across the roof of a three story townhouse. And I said outloud several times – it couldn’t be me!! That would not be the job for me. Other jobs that just would not be for me came to mind. Anything remotely medical. I have mentioned here on the blog before that I do not handle blood well. Truth be told, dealing with just about any bodily fluid is a solid no for me. The mere thought of an infected body fluid. UGH! I am not germaphobic by any means (which is good considering this house lately) but fluid carrying such germs? Nope. I also could not work in, around, or nearby any type of animal processing. Not even in a butcher shop, fish market or similar. If I’m honest, I probably would make a rather lousy farmer. Sigh. Any job that would be an absolute no-go for you??
Well, this chat over coffee is getting long. Clearly I have been in need of some good conversation. I’m sorry if I did all the talking:) Let me know if you are looking forward to anything special in March. We don’t have any birthdays or other reasons for cake (or celebrating) in March but I’m looking forward to this new month, just the same. We don’t really “celebrate” St. Patrick’s Day. When I was a child, you had to be Irish in order to celebrate. And on my street that was, in my young judgement, all the Catholics. Apparently all my Catholic friends were Irish 
Catholic. Since we were neither, I always thought we were not allowed. No one ever told me this but I somehow put those pieces together in my little brain.
One more interesting fact and, then, I will stop rambling. Supposedly, you have to be of Irish descent in order to have natural red hair. Is this true? I do not know but it was I have always been told. Two of my three children are redheads. So do I have Irish ancestory? No one has ever claimed this in my family, for as long as I can remember, but it does make you curious. I was also told (in the hospital by a medical professional) that redheads cannot have blue eyes. Huh? Now that one is not true. All of my children have blue eyes. So, don’t believe everything you hear. But I still don’t know if I am allowed to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day of not?
Again, thanks everyone for stopping by. I look forward to getting around to your blogs today and tomorrow. Have a blessed week!!
Why can’t you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? I’m not Irish and still celebrate, although I am married to a man who is of Irish descent with red hair (well, use to be) and green eyes. ANYWAYS, always enjoyable when you post, have a great day friend.
So good to hear from you- sorry you were down for the count, though thankfully not for long. I tend to save many cards but not all of them (yes, some people are on my “save card from” list and some are not). That story about your parents and the cards is so funny!! I can see myself and hubby doing this 🙂 Thanks for the idea! Our CFA is the same way- many parking spaces in a small parking lot dedicated to take out. One reason I can think of is that some people don’t want to go through the drive thru because the line(s) is usually very long and even moving efficiently, one can still sit in the line for a while. Your daughter’s red hair! Such a pretty color!! I hope she loves it :). Have a great day and week!
Jobs: I have worked in the medical field and can handle blood, etc, well. But the awful mushrooms in our back yard right now deteriorate into the most gross red -orange and then gray liquid. THAT just about does me in! So my conclusion is I can handle human and animal fluids, but not those of mushrooms. Weird, isn’t it?
Hope everybody in your home soon recovers!
Hello Jennifer!
It’s so good to see you back among us! I was afraid that you may have gotten sick but am glad that you are feeling better. I’m a bit late getting around to blog reading today. I went to the doctor this morning and found out what I’ve been fighting with for two weeks is actually bronchitis. Praise God for medication and medical professionals.
It makes me nervous to watch people walking around on roofs as well.
Pssst…it’s okay if you want to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. It will be fun! 🙂
The card thing that your parents have started to do I something I have heard of either someone else do or seen it mentioned on a tv show.. not sure. Put it is a great idea.. those cards are getting expensive.
I would not be good with bodily fluids either.. or anything that involves bugs.
My mum was a red head with blue eyes, and I was a redhead before the greys started to appear and I don’t think we have any Irish ancestry!
I did smile when I read the story of the card exchange your parents would do in the shop – so cute. We have a tradition that birthday cards are on display for a week, then thrown away – but I do keep special cards from my husband and close family! That storage box is getting fuller by the day.
Sorry to hear you’ve been unwell, let’s hope that you’ve now got rid of all the germs and are fighting fit and ready for the springtime.
I couldn’t do any job that involves being up high or underground either but I am very thankful that folk are happy to do those necessary jobs. It’s good that we all have different skills and talents to make life work better for others should we choose that type of career.
I hope you are all feeling better by now and those germs have disappeared. Wishing you a lovely week .
I tend to put cards on the mantle for everyone to see and look at for a few weeks too before tossing them. Even those cards I handmake for my boys and husband get the same treatment. I already have a small collection of handmade cards that I’ve crafted “just for fun” that I’ve been trying to send out and whittle down so I don’t feel the need to keep any others. I know others that do the same card tradition your parents adopted and it makes sense with the cost of cards nowadays– especially if you’re just going to toss them! I am right there with you on heights, bodily fluids, animal processing (even reading a book about animal processing plants had me being vegan for several years!),and I have zero green thumbs/fingers when it comes to growing edible plants. There are actually a lot of jobs I don’t think I could ever do… pretty much any episode of Mike Rowe’s dirty job had me thinking “not for me!”
Oh, dear, I probably need to rethink keeping cards. I have notebooks I keep them in, with page protectors and I arrange them by the sender – PC, parents, daughters, friends. But I am sure my daughters would be elated to have me go ahead and toss them now and save them the trouble later. Your parents had the right idea!! Love their card-sharing idea.
Our Chipotle has a number of parking places for those picking up orders. I think most of the time those are orders someone has placed and then contacted a Door Dash or Grub Hub driver to pick the food up and bring it to them. It is crazy the number of people who run into our Chipotle and grab a bag of food and dash back out the door. One of my daughters probably keeps Door Dash in business, she orders restaurant food to be delivered several times a week. I just don’t get it. But I never had the luxury of having money for something like that.
Hope that nasty bug is gone and you and your family are feeling back to normal.