Nina Lewis

Archive for October, 2009

Today, I had a scary Halloween experience. I went into a craft store . . .

Crafting is not a word that I would apply to myself — unless I used it with a prefix like ‘non’ or ‘un’.  (Or with phrases like ‘you’ve got to be kidding me’ or ‘no way Jose!’) However, I had a little project in mind that I needed to find one craft item. ONE mind you. One. So, I gird up my loins, took a deep breath, and went to Michaels Art and Craft Store where creativity happens.

I asked a clerk where to find the item.  She led me up one isle, down another, over three, and around the corner to the product she had in mind.  It wasn’t what I needed.  The clerk went on her merry way.

Left to my own devices to find my way out of the the store, I tried to retrace my steps.  Was it down two isles?  Or up one?  Did I need to go over two more isles and then around three corners?

I shuffled past the scrapbooking paper, the buttons, the bows, the vinyl lettering, and the stickers.  I heard the siren call of the Circe Cricut machine.  “Come to me, my little precious,” she whispered with her sultry voice.  “Buy me!  Buy me!”  I tarried not.

With great effort, I stumbled onward.  Past the specialty scissors, the glitter pens, the embossing stamps.  Past the beads, jewelry crimping tools, and the unbeatable selection of fashionable pendants.

My heart started to palpitate.  My palms sweated.  I broke out in hives.  My eyes started to glaze over.  I couldn’t breath.  I felt like Donkey kicked me in my chest before Shrek plunked down on top of me.

“Gotta keep going,” I repeated over and over to myself.

Past the 60% off Halloween decorations, past the grateful Thanksgiving ones, and past the perky red and white Christmas ones.

Somehow, I made it out of the store.  Barely alive.

I hurried home, clutched my laptop, and sat on the couch.  The warmth from my laptop spread throughout my body.  The 2.5 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor thrummed lovingly in my ear.  My vision cleared.  My hives dissipated.  Slowly, my breathing and heart rate returned to normal.

I had survived.  I think I will go eat all of the Trick or Treating candy.

I love musicals:  Les Miserables, Aida, Little Shop of Horrors . . .

I’ve just seen a new one.  Great music.  Dancing is passable.  Plot humorous.

Food Court Musical:  Take a look and see what you think. 

My daughter sent me this cartoon.  The daughter who is at work while I am at her home tending her daughter (my darling granddaughter).  How did she know this is what I do while she’s at work . . . ???

This morning when Natalie work up, I couldn’t find her.  She was a green little bug hiding in a green little blanket of green little frogs.

This is the second day of babysitting our granddaughter. Second day of all out fun.

Since it snowed, we caught snowflakes on our tongues; built a snow fort and had a snowball fight; built an igloo and made a fire inside to roast marshmallows (before the ceiling melted and caved in on us).

I taught Natalie how to make a snow angel.  We played fox and geese.

We came in for a lunch of chili, cinnamon rolls fresh out of the oven, and hot cocoa.

We were so tuckered out that we snuggled in a soft fleece blanket and took a nap in the comfy rocking chair in her bedroom.

Then, I gave her a cooking lesson:  crème brûlée, Baked Alaska, duck a l’ orange, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  She like the PBJ the best.

Tomorrow, I think I ‘ll teach her how to sew.