Halloween

I was trying to think of something witty and clever to post for tonight, but my brain has been scattered all day.  I thought if I looked through some old Halloween posts, I might find inspiration.

In reading those old posts, I'm astonished at how many times I told you that we don't do much for Halloween, because Cody is adamant we not celebrate it.  Almost every year, until he grew up and left home.

Then I'd show you a picture of my fake light- up Jack O' Lantern, and tell you that in the morning, I'd turn it around and it would do double duty as a plain pumpkin for my Thanksgiving decorations.

Then, I would end all the posts with my traditional Halloween prayer:

I'd thought I would do something different this year, but then I said, "Why mess with a good thing?"

So, here you go!

We don't do much around here for Halloween.  Cody is adamant we not celebrate it.  I did put out my fake light-up Jack O' Lantern, though.  In the morning, I will unplug it, turn it around and it will do double duty as a plain pumpkin in my Thanksgiving decorations.

And now, I will leave you with my traditional Halloween prayer:

From ghoulies and ghosties
And long legged beasties
And things that go bump in the night,
May the Good Lord deliver us!

Strange Things

I made it to work bright and early this morning, only to discover the entire computer system was down.  I couldn't clock in.  I couldn't run off schedules.  We couldn't run the lines because we couldn't scan our work complete.  The component areas couldn't make our components.  We were pretty much dead in the water. 

That's a nautical phrase, y'all.  Dead in the water...no wind...can't sail...anyway...

There was some hopeful talk about them sending us home -- as they'd done third shift -- but alas, it was not to be.  It took about an hour and a half, but they eventually got all the computers back online, and we worked a full day.

It was during that full work day I felt the need to answer nature.  I usually go to the restroom closest to my work area, but it was being cleaned.  I went up front to the other restroom, and was met by someone coming out of the break room.

"Becky!  Becky!" she called.  I stopped to see what she wanted, and she said, "Santa Claus said to tell you 'Hi'".  I gave her a puzzled look, and she responded, "He said you'd know what he meant."

I didn't know what he meant, or who she was talking about, but that's not the strangest part.  You see, the lady who'd called my name, I didn't know who she was either.  In fact, I would swear that I'd never seen her before at all.  But she sure knew me.  How, I don't know, but she did.

Strange things just seem to happen to me.

Let's move on to something I can count on:  knitting.  After receiving Baby Addlyn's sweater, her mom asked me to knit some more things for her.  However, it's hard to knit for someone when you have no idea how big she really is.  Besides that, by the time I got something finished, she'd have probably outgrown it anyway.  Over the weekend, I whipped her out some wee little leg warmers out of leftover sock yarn.

Hopefully, they'll keep her wee little legs warm until she grows into some regular pants.  Even if they don't, she'll look mighty cute in them.

A few weeks ago, while I was cleaning up, I found an old knitting pattern I'd handwritten out on a scrap of paper.  It was for a scarf I'd adapted from a blanket pattern.  Once I'd finished the wee little leg warmers, I cast it on.

I've made a few tweaks to the pattern, and once it is written up in a way that makes sense, I may offer it up as a freebie on the blog.

Yesterday was the perfect day to stay inside and knit, as we woke up to our first frost of the year.

It got the rest of my annuals, so I'm going to pull them up and get the beds ready for winter.  And start planning what I'll plant next spring. 

Sunday Hymn

Great is they faithfulness
Oh, God my father



I have to admit, this has never been one of my favorite hymns.  I love the message, but the tune has always been so dreary to me.  However, I wanted to post it for you today, because I've been reminded of God's faithfulness this week.

You see, there was this certain baby sweater that I thought I'd messed up.  As it happens, it fits the baby perfectly.  Not only that, at the moment, it's the only article of clothing she has that fits. 

The whole time I couldn't figure out where I'd gone wrong, God had a plan all along. 

Great is his faithfulness. 

Wild Hair

Every so often, I get a wild hair, and end up doing things I wouldn't normally do.  This is one of those times.

I go through this every few years.  What is it, you may ask?  I buy a pie pumpkin and cook it down.  When I do this, I remember why I just buy canned pumpkin.  Then a few more years go buy, and I say to myself, "Self, you ought to buy a pie pumpkin and cook it down."  So, I do, and I go through the whole process once again.  And remember why I just buy canned pumpkin.

This was one of those years.

I bought a pie pumpkin to cook down and make fresh pumpkin puree'.    That was my project for today.

The hardest part is cutting the stupid thing up.  This time around, I had an epiphany.  After using my big knife to hack off the stem, it occurred to me that I have a hacksaw.  I went and got said hacksaw, and went to work with it.  That thing cut through the pumpkin rind like butter.

I was tempted for a moment to go fire up the old chainsaw, but restrained myself.

Anyway, I got the thing cut up, then had to scoop the goop out.  I'm telling you, I think the more you scoop, the more goop there is.

It's like the pumpkin is producing more and more of it in one final act of defiance.  The reward for your persistence is pumpkin seeds to roast.   After you separate the seeds from all the goop, that is. 

At long last, the pumpkin was cut up, the goop was scooped and the two halves were in the oven to cook down. 

And I was once again remembering why I just buy canned pumpkin.

They're still predicting temps in the low 30s tonight.  In anticipation of the impending freeze, I spent a few moments with my marigolds, zinnias, and vincas.  If it does frost/freeze, that'll be the last of them. 

The bad news is, my heater seems to have gone out.  It's always something isn't it?  It blows, it just blows cold.  We'll be OK until I can get it fixed.  I'll just swipe the space heater from the snake room when I take a shower.  Other than that, my little wood stove will keep the house warm enough.  It got the house so warm today I had to open a window. 

The good news is, I got the lights in my shed fixed.  One of the maintenance men from work came out and fixed them.  Turns out it was just a bad switch.  He replaced it and we're good to go. 

One step closer to getting my woodworking hobby going. 

Winter Has Come

I am pleased to report that I have survived yet another inventory.   I'm thinking next year, I might do like my friend Edna and ask to be taken off the list.  I've done inventory for nearly 20 years.  I'm ready for a break. 

I am also pleased to report that the long awaited cold front has finally arrived.  At 2:30, the temperature was 75'.

By 7:30, it had dropped to 47.

In anticipation of the expected freeze, I went ahead and settled the plants into their winter home.

There they will stay until spring.  I brought the plastic shelf I'd bought last summer inside to put the Christmas cacti on, so I don't have to move them every time I want to open the deep freeze.  The little black table that was in that spot has been moved back into the shed, and the grill that was in the corner sits upon it.  Finally, right?  It's been sitting there since July. 

I kept telling myself I needed to put it back into the shed, I just didn't do it. 

Wood has been brought inside, and the birdfeeder has been filled.  I have plenty of hot chocolate, tea, and coffee, and knitting to keep me occupied. 

I think I'm all set for the cold. 

I'm Old

That's it.  I'm officially old.

See, tomorrow is inventory, and all day today, us old school inventory employees found ourselves talking about inventory "back in the day".

Back in the day--

We went in at 5:00 AM and sometimes didn't get off until 6:00 or 7:00 PM.  Remember that time they kept us so late they bought us supper?  Yeah, back in the day...

They bought us donuts for breakfast, and pizza for lunch.  Remember how people would go in and get a whole stack of pizzas and put them out in their cars and some people didn't even get any?  That's why they stopped buying us lunch.  Back in the day...

The food.  Oh, the inventory snacks.  Remember how we'd put two buggies together and have them both just covered in snacks.  Cookies, cakes, chips and dip.  Sausage balls.  It was just like Christmas.  Back in the day...

Remember how they used to stop production a couple of days before and actually get organized for inventory?  Now they run the lines right up until the day of, then we have to walk in the next morning and try to inventory chaos.  It went so much more smoothly, back in the day...

Yep, I'm officially old. 


It would seem winter has decided it might make an appearance this year after all.

 I broke down and turned the heater on this morning.  It's supposed to warm up the next couple of days, then be back down into the 30s over the weekend.  I went ahead and stacked the wood box ahead of time, so I won't have to get up early and go outside to get wood.

Squeaky is already snuggled in on the love seat.

It cracks me up when they sleep like that.  

So, you know that dishcloth swap I'm participating in?  It's sort of an unwritten rule to add a little something extra along with the dishcloth.  Or whatever you're swapping.  I'd originally thought to add something Mississippi themed, but couldn't find just the right thing. 

In a fit of insomnia (I get those a lot) I got up and dug through my gift drawer to see if there was anything in there I could send.  I didn't find anything, but in the drawer was a large white envelope.  Oh, I'd seen it in there before, and just assumed it was Cody's graduation pictures.  Last night, in the middle of the night, I said, "I'm going to see what's in here."  I opened it up and found...

my boot camp photo!

I'd thought it had gotten ruined in Hurricane Ike, but there it was.  I was so excited.  I don't have much of my Navy stuff left.  I have an annual around here somewhere, but I can't find it.  I have the one I sent to my dad.  It got ruined in Hurricane Rita, but I still hang on to it. 

Then I thought, "That's sad that you measure your life by which hurricane something got ruined in". 

But like I said, it's called weather, and despite our technological advances, we are still pretty much at its mercy. 

Winter Is Coming

Up inside the plant all day, you don't always know what the weather is doing outside.   I got off work to find the wind had been kicking all day.  All my plants on the back step had been knocked over.  Well, it was supposed to be cold tonight, so I decided to bring them all inside.

Just to be on the safe side, I brought in the Christmas cacti, too.

Just for kicks, I checked the weather forecast.  Wait, what?  Low of 51'?  They changed it again.  It's not going to get down into the 30s after all, and I lugged all those plants inside for nothing!  Then, I checked the top of the page.

It was the page for my home town.  Swipe left and get to the local page.  Still in the 30s by the weekend.  Whew!

What?  Of course I have a page on my weather app for my hometown!  And one for where my sister lives, and one for where my brother lives.  Doesn't everybody?

Moving right along...One of my Christmas cacti has a bud on it!  It's got several buds, but this is the biggest one.

I know I'd said the next project will be to paint the living room, but after thinking a bit, I really need to get my mantle put back up.  Before I do that, I'm going to paint these bricks.  First thing, I've got to strip that old, gloppy paint off.  You can see how thick it is, with the drip marks and all.

I'd originally said I was going to strip them down to the bare brick, but now I'm thinking I won't. All this I'm doing right now is just cosmetic fixes anyway.  Sometime down the line, when I get the whole room remodeled, I want to get these bricks replaced.  I really prefer smooth bricks.

That'll be way down the line, though.  People keep asking me if I've got my house finished, and I'm like, "Uh, you know this stuff costs money, right?"  That is what I don't have.  I thought I was going to get my credit card paid off this year -- or close to paid off, at least.  Then I had all this dental work done, and that put an end to that.  One day, though. One day...

Back to the bricks.  You can see on the right side of the photo how there is some black showing through.  I bought some new sanding belts for my belt sander.  Last night, in a fit of insomnia, I got one of the belts and just scraped it down the bricks by hand.  Looks like it'll get the paint off pretty well.  Once I use the actual belt sander, that is.

I went back to bed, and mentally rehearsed all the steps to getting my mantle back up, including mentally going to the store and buying the hardware with which to do it. It didn't help me fall asleep, but I think I might know how to get my mantle up now. 

This post seems to have taken on a life of its own, and I didn't get much sleep last night, and I have no idea where this is going to end up, so I'm just going to jump off this train right here and say good night.

Maybe tomorrow will be a better day.

She's Here!

She's here!  She's here!

No, you're not experiencing deja vu.  This time, I'm talking about Cody's niece Mackenzie.  She arrived yesterday, right on time, weighing in at a healthy 8 lb 11 oz.  Angie (the grandma) and I cracked up when the new mom Taylor said, "Hard part is over now."  Angie was quick to inform her that giving birth was the easy part of motherhood.  The hard part has just begun.  I chimed in to add that it doesn't end when they're grown either.  You worry about your kids for the rest of your live. 

Indeed, Taylor's brother is still putting gray hairs into my head.   Yeah...

So, today...

I got to work bright and early this morning, filled my cooler, and put all my stuff down on my table by my brazing stand.  I headed upstairs to run off copies of the schedule, when my coworker stopped me wanting to talk.  We chatted for a moment, then I went upstairs and got the schedules done. 

I headed back down and passed them out, then another coworker stopped wanting to talk.  We chatted for a moment, then I went to the PPE machine to get gloves.  There was a line, so I stepped aside and spoke to my supervisor while I was waiting.  I got my gloves, headed back to my stand and was stopped yet another time.  All this before the shift even started.  When did I get to be popular? 

I don't like it. 

Let's move on to more pleasant topics, like my flowers.  My latest chrysanthemum is blooming.

I got some new winter flowers.  I was going to get some pansies, but I saw these violas in LSU colors.  I got them instead.  

I started to put them into the bed that has my marigolds, but decided against it.  They're in a couple of hanging pots.  The tag says they're hardy to -29'.  Good thing, because check out this forecast for the week -- especially next weekend.

Looks like all that wood cutting is about to pay off. 

Sunday Hymn

All hail the power of Jesus' name
Let angels prostrate fall
Bring forth the royal diadem
And crown him lord of all!

As It Happens

I didn't have an oil leak after all.

And that way that happened is as follows.  A few days ago, I noticed a wet spot in my car port under my car.  At first, I didn't think anything of it.  I'd recently filled up my washer fluid, and I always spill some.  However, as the days went on, the spot got bigger and darker.  Soon, I began to suspect it wasn't washer fluid, but rather engine oil.  Yesterday, when I got home from work, I parked in a slightly different spot, and a couple of hours later, checked.  Sure enough, there was a small stain under my car.  I ran my fingers through it, then smelled them, and it was engine oil.  It appeared I had an oil leak. 

Oh, great.  Just one more thing...

This morning, I went down and bought some oil, just to keep it topped up until I could find time to take the car to the shop and get the leak fixed.  It's still under extended warranty, so that was a relief. 

I got home, and started looking for the place to add the oil.  I knew the oil cap usually had the picture of the little oil can thing on it, but I couldn't find it anywhere.  I even got out the owner's manual.  It had two pictures of two different types of engines, neither of which looked like the one in my car.  Seriously, why do they have to make everything so complicated? 

Naturally, I did what any red blooded American would do.  I came inside and googled it. 

I found a picture that looked just like my engine, showing where the oil cap is supposed to be.  I went back out and looked at my engine.  The oil cap wasn't there.  I mean, it was completely missing.  Whoever had changed the oil last hadn't got the cap secured, and it had blown off.  It was also at this point that I realized I'd bought the wrong oil. 

I went back into town, to an auto parts store, to try to find a replacement oil cap.  They didn't have a replacement cap.  The guy told me they couldn't even order that, and I'd need to go to the dealership.  OK, no big deal.  It's just up the road a piece. 

I went to the dealership, and they didn't have one in stock.  They'd have to order me one, and it will be here Tuesday.  I asked him if there was anything I could do until it gets here.  He asked the mechanic and the mechanic said, "Where you going?" 

"Nowhere," I said.  "Just to work and back home." 

He said it would be OK just driving around town.  It'll just spray oil everywhere.  I said, as long as I'm not going to mess up my engine.  That's what I was worried about.  He said no, just driving around town won't hurt but don't take off down the highway.  Good.  That's a relief. 

At this point, I'd like to step out of my story and give a shout out to Kirk Auto company here in Grenada.  They didn't have a cap in stock, but several of the mechanics looked all over -- like in their secret stashes -- to see if they had any caps that I could have.  I had about 4 of them doing whatever they could to try to get me a cap right then.  That's good customer service right there.  OK, back to my story. 

I left the dealership, went back to the store, and got the right oil.  I came home, let the engine cool a few minutes, then started adding oil into the place where you add oil.  Wonder of wonders, it was only a quart low.  So, there I was adding oil, when I spotted what looked like another ...ummm... spout, I guess you'd call it.  "Wait," I second guessed myself.  "Maybe that's where I am supposed to be adding the oil." 

I tried to put my funnel into the second spout, and it wouldn't go in.  Curious, I looked more closely, and wouldn't you know it, it was my oil cap!  Cap is now safely back in place, engine is full of oil -- to the correct level, that is, and stains are scrubbed out of the car port -- as well as they could be, and I'm very relieved that it wasn't something serious. 

I'd signed up to go to the company picnic, but by the time I got through fooling with my car, was hot, tired, frustrated, and had a headache.  I said to myself, "I think I'll just skip that picnic this year."  About then, my stomach growled loudly, as if to remind me not to turn down free food.  To the picnic I went. 

It was our company's 25th anniversary celebration, so they gave out some gifts.  First up, an engraved tumbler. One of them fancy, schmancy kinds that cost high dollars.

This blue rag, that I'm not sure what it's for.

A t-shirt

A notebook with a pen

A challenge coin

And best of all, a new knitting bag!

I didn't stay for the whole thing.  Once you've eaten, there isn't much else to do unless you have kids.  Oh, there's lots of stuff for the kids to do, but not much for the adults.  They have a bingo game, but nothing else. 

After I got home, I checked my oil again, and the level seemed to be holding, so maybe we're good to go now. 


Next up, getting my squeaky dryer fixed.  It's always something, isn't it?

A Few FOs

For you non knitters out there, an FO is what we in the biz call a finished object.  I got a couple of them done.  What with Addlyn's unexpected arrival yesterday, today's project was finishing her sweater.

Two things I hate, seaming and sewing on buttons.  But you gotta do what you gotta do.  I sewed the buttons on. 

Then I seamed the sleeves and sewed the buttons on the smaller sweater. 

When I got that done, I was on a roll, so I seamed the skirt of that dress I knit...last year....for Brooklyn. 

You remember, the one I decided I hated seaming so badly that I started over and knit the skirt in the round.  Yeah, that one.  I still had the first one laying around waiting to be seamed.  Well, now it is.  It just needs buttons and it'll be ready for some other little girl. 

The good news is, all the mandatory knitting is done for a while, and I can knit for fun again.  I picked this scarf back up. 

I'm determined to get it finished, despite the many, many, many, many knots in the yarn.  I'm up to 12 now.  I e-mailed the Lion Brand company, but they never responded.  It's frustrating, but the scarf is soft and warm.  Somebody will be glad to get it, even if the colors don't blend as smoothly as they're supposed to. 

Since Cody's room is getting close to being finished, it's time to start planning the next project.  In this case, it's painting the living room.  In preparation for this, I picked up a gallon of primer. 

I still have to sand the finish off the paneling, which I'll probably start...as soon as I find my sandpaper. 

While I was getting the Kilz, I picked up this little baby. 

This one is not like the one I got last year, which was hard to use.  Maybe this will do a better job in the corners, with no brush marks. 

The bad news is, my car seems to have developed an oil leak.  The good news is, it's still under the extended warranty.  The bad news is, I'll still have to sit up at the dealership all day waiting for it to get fixed.  In the mean time, I'll just keep adding oil until I can get it into the shop. 

Sigh, it's always something. 

You know, 99.9% of the time, I'm OK with not being married.  Heck, 99.9% of the time, I don't want to be married.  This is one of those 1%.  I really wish I had someone I could say, "Honey, go get the car fixed," or "Honey, fix the chainsaw," or "Honey, sand the living room."  But no...

I get to do all that myself. 

Yippee. 

She's Here!

Baby Addlyn decided she was tired of waiting and made her appearance a few weeks early.  She arrived at 6:51, October 19th.  She's 5 weeks early, but seems healthy.  They didn't have to put her on any machines or anything, but they will be keeping a close eye on her over the next few days.

I reckon I'd better get those buttons sewn onto that sweater, then!

They're not sewn on.  I just laid them there to see how it would look.

Then I got to thinking, since she came early, and since she weighs in at a diminutive 5 lbs 6 oz, maybe, just maybe, this first sweater I knit might fit her after all. 

I think I'll finish it up and send it along, also.  If it doesn't fit, they can use it for a doll sweater.  I'm sure one of the girls will be getting one sooner or later.

I finally got my dishcloth swap partner name, so I need to get that finished too.  They just need to be blocked, and they'll be ready to go.

Now, if only I knew where my blocking boards were...

Almost Done!

With Cody's room, that is.

I finally broke down and ordered him some curtains for his bedroom.  They aren't exactly what I was looking for, but I figured they were the closest I'd ever get.

I was looking for solid green, but these have little diamonds woven into them.  Diamond shapes.  Not real diamonds.  You can't really see them, though, and I think this color works very will in that room.  It's just a shade darker than I really wanted, but they'll do.  Thanks, Cyndye, for the suggestion.

I was a bit disappointed in them, as the curtain making people seem to have a different definition of "room darkening" than I do.  This isn't that big a deal, because I was planning on getting light blocking shades anyway.  Especially on that window in the west facing wall.  Those blinds, and new curtain rods and his room will be done for now.  Right now,  I have to decide whether I want bear finials

or antlers.

Maybe one of each.  He does have two windows in there. 

My friend Kristine has opened an ETSY shop, Stormy Blue.  She sells candles, wax melts, lip balms and such like.  She mixes all her own scents, so they are like nothing you will find anywhere.

Her stuff smells so good.  This candle is the first thing I bought from her.  It is a very unique scent.

It's hard to describe a scent, but I'll try.  You know when you're outside trying to get your sheets off the line before the storm coming over the horizon arrives, and while you're struggling with the cotton flapping in the wind, lightning strikes?  You know that smell?  That's this candle. 

Do go check her shop out.  You won't be sorry.

I stayed up way too late last night watching how to lathe videos on YouTube.  This one guy, he made an entire bowl in less than 15 minutes.  Then I went and priced lathes.  You can buy them for not too expensive.  Well, it depends on what you want.  Since my lathing will just be a hobby, I'm not going to go for the $600+ industrial quality lathe.  I can get one for $200 - $300 for what I want. 

I've got one of the maintenance men from work coming out tomorrow to see if he can fix the electricity in my shed.  Then I'm going to start cleaning it up, so I can get a work bench and some cabinets in there. 

Still waiting on my name for the dishcloth swap...

Hotels

I don't get out much.  That is no secret.  I like being at home.  I have a friend from work who once told me that I needed to get out and have fun every once in a while.  I responded, "What if staying home and watching TV is fun to me?"  It is.  Knitting and Netflix are where it's at.  Every so often, I do leave the house.  I know, it's rare, but it does happen. 

Back in August, I went up to Missouri to watch the eclipse with my friend Peggy.  My choices were, get up early Monday morning, drive four hours, watch the eclipse, and drive four hours back home, or book a hotel room.  I haven't stayed in a hotel in more than 20 years.  Nevertheless, I'd seen the Captain Obvious commercials, so I got on Hotels.com and made a reservation.  I'm telling you, it's so easy nowadays.  You just put in where you want to go, when you want to go there, and the site pulls up every available room in the area.  You pick the one you want, click the "Book This Room" button, enter your credit card info and you're done.  Very simple, very easy. 

I looked at several rooms in that area before finally deciding on the one I stayed in.  It was the Pear Tree Inn in Sikeston, Mo -- about a 20 minute drive from where Peggy lives.

I got up that Sunday morning, August 20th and worked a full 8 hour work day.  I came home, changed clothes, had an "I don't want to go to Missouri!  I want to stay home!" moment, then packed the car and headed to Sikeston.

Other than being caught in a blinding rainstorm just outside of Memphis, I made the 4 hour drive without incident.  Well, other than worrying the whole time that somehow my room wouldn't have been booked --despite receiving multiple confirmation e-mails that the room had indeed been reserved-- and I would get there and not have a place to stay.   I arrived at the hotel to find everything was in order, my room was ready, and the desk clerk welcomed to my home for the next two nights.

My room was on the 4th floor.  It was a very nice room.  Two beds, with lots of pillows.

The little table and chair that they all have but nobody ever seems to sit in -- except that I did.

The large dresser with drawers that nobody ever uses.  Oh, I suppose if you were going to stay for an extended period, you'd unpack and use those drawers, but I never have.

There was just one thing missing.  The mini fridge.  It wasn't there.  I looked under the sink.

I looked in the closet.  I even looked in the bathroom, though why I thought they'd put a mini fridge in the bathroom is beyond me. 

No mini fridge. 

I grumbled and groused, "My room is supposed to have a mini fridge, and I don't have one!  This will be reflected in my review!"  Then, I began to think maybe I'd gotten it wrong.  After all, I'd read the descriptions of several rooms before settling on this one.  Maybe I got them mixed up.  The presence of the ice bucket by the sink seemed to confirm my suspicions, but no, I was sure it was supposed to have a mini fridge.

Oh, well.  It's not like I was going to use it anyway.

I got up the next day, drove to Peggy's house and we watched the eclipse.  I had a great time.  I'm sure Peggy wishes I'd been a bit more sociable, but that was back when we were working 7 days a week.  I was about all sociabled out.  I did thank her for making me get off my booty and drive up there, as I'm sure without her urging, I never would have made the trip.

I went back to my hotel without incident -- other than getting off at the wrong exit, driving around a minute, not recognizing anything, saying "I don't recognize any of this", seeing a mall, and saying, "Oo, a mall!", then remembering I was supposed to get off at exit 67, not 97 and getting back on the highway -- spent a second night, and got up Tuesday to drive back home.  I made one final sweep of the room to make sure I wasn't leaving anything, then paused, leaning against the large dresser with drawers nobody uses, to read over my receipt that a hotel employee had slipped under my door during the night.

That's when I heard it.  A sound.  A familiar sound.  A sound like unto that of a refrigerator compressor kicking on.  I said to myself, "Self, that sounds like a refrigerator compressor kicking on."  Naturally, I did what any red blooded American would do.  I followed the sound, and behind the door in the dresser that looked just like drawers, there it was.  My mini fridge.  And a microwave to boot.

And the only thing I could think at that moment was, "Dang, I could have bought milk!" 

On the other hand, seeing how dusty it is behind that mini fridge, maybe I wouldn't have wanted to use it after all.