"Tis the Season . . . for PUMPKINS (Apparently)!

http://monkeypickles.com/2013/10/17/tis-the-season-for-pumpkins-apparently/ 

I went to my favorite, local market, the other day, to pick up a few items for dinner. 

When I pulled into the parking lot, it resembled a Saturday morning.

I, actually, had a moment where I questioned my brain about what day I was in. 

Tuesday. 

Definitely Tuesday. 

NOT Saturday. 

They must be giving something away.

After spending ten minutes, circling the compact parking lot (testing my patience, as I was confronted by every type of “driver-challenged” label one could possibly come up with - for fear of hate mail, I will let your imagination do the talking),

. . . I finally found a spot.         

Taking my life into my own hands (visual of me walking side-by-side, with myself), I dared to walk through the parking lot of driver-challenged individuals, and safely (yet, barely) made it to the sidewalk.

I walked through the automatic doors and . . .

BAND playing!  LEIS (not lays) flying!  FACES grinning! 

I’m thinking, they are definitely giving something away,

     but I don’t think it is something they normally sell in the store. 

“It’s CUSTOMER APPRECIATION DAY!!!” someone hollered out. 

“OHHhhhh, YAY!” was my response, as I saw my “quick trip” to the store,

                         suddenly extended. 

And, there were pumpkins - EVERYWHERE.

Pumpkins in every size, shape, and color (apparently, orange pumpkins are going out of style). 

And, pumpkin FLAVORED . . .  everything.        

 

“Would you like to try a sample of pumpkin biscotti?” said one,

                         as he shoved a tray under my nose. 

“Pumpkin ravioli, over here!” said another. 

“Try a sample of our pumpkin coffee!” announced (yet) another. 

“Pumpkin pound cake?  Pumpkin waffles?  Pumpkin chips?  Pumpkin ale?”

Hmmmmm . . .

Amongst all the chaos, I tried to remember what I had come for.    

By the time I left (with my leis, around my neck), I had a new appreciation for pumpkins,

      and (in my head) I was doing a pumpkin appreciation dance. 

That night, for dessert, I served up Pumpkin Bread Pudding. 

OH, YUM!   

As I thought back to my trip to the market, I was still convinced they were giving something away,

  as I had never before seen such enthusiasm . . . over pumpkins.

And, I think, whatever it was (that they were giving away), 

     it may have been in the pumpkin-flavored coffee.  

That might explain my “pumpkin appreciation” dance.    

http://monkeypickles.com/2013/10/17/tis-the-season-for-pumpkins-apparently/ 

Navigating Back-to-School Night

http://monkeypickles.com/2013/10/09/navigating-back-to-school-night/

Somehow, I managed to get through four years of high school,
     without getting lost in the hallways.

When I walked through the doors of my youngest son’s school,
     I was handed a “map”. 

When I say “map”, I mean one that was intended for a tiny little mouse,
     with tiny little eyes, and tiny little reading glasses. 

The numbers and letters were SO small,
     that I had to strain my eyes to make sense of them. 

And, the hallways did not make any sense. 

A runs into H, and B runs into K . . .
     I wasn’t even going to begin to try to understand.

With the help of several red-shirted student volunteers, I made it on time.

On to second period (or, so I thought).

     “Everyone in here should be in their child’s fifth period classroom, right?”
informed the teacher.

Me: Gulp. No.

If there was a tiny little mouse hole 

     to hide in . . .

Instead, I just smiled, and (quiet as a mouse) I slinked out of my chair,
     and out the door.

I looked at the map, and was able to read it well enough
                              to recognize that my son’s fifth period class was 

ALL THE WAY ON THE OTHER SIDE 

of the building. 

The meetings were only ten minutes long – I wasn’t going to make it. 

But, I decided to go for it, asking my red-shirted friends, along the way.

“Take this hallway ALL THE WAY down,
             then turn left, and go ALL THE WAY down,”said one.

Then, he added,”That last hallway is REALLY, REALLY long,
                                                                    so don’t let it discourage you.”

Don’t let it discourage me, I laughed to myself.

     Good advice.

Especially, coming from a fifteen year-old.

I was not so positive at his age.

     "YOU'LL NEVER MAKE IT !!!" is what I would have said.  

I finally DID make it to the gym (which was never my favorite class, anyways).

I had just missed a powerpoint presentation.

                             OH, darn.

Somehow, for the rest of the evening (2 hours and 20 minutes), 

I was able to find my way to each of my son’s classes, AND in the proper order. 

I did receive a few battle wounds, along the way (not including my ego). 

I got bumped into, stepped on, and I twisted my ankle (going down the stairs). 

     I really AM very coordinated (just to let you know).

AT the end of the night, when my son’s teacher asked if there were any final questions, 

I raised my hand and asked,

“Can you give me directions 

                              to the parking lot??!”

http://monkeypickles.com/2013/10/09/navigating-back-to-school-night/