Saturday's Story

Saturday morning, I checked the paper towels I had lined the sink cabinet floor with and found no drips. So, I put everything back and made a pot of coffee. My kitchen looks normal again and I like that.

I had two cups of coffee sitting on the couch, watching it rain. Then I shaved and showered and left for the Secretary of State Super Center. I planned on getting there early and I did (8:50 AM and they open at 9:00). However, that didn’t matter as the line waiting outside snaked from the door, passed the barber shop into a small courtyard and back outside again!

Having nothing better to do, I counted the people in front of me – 96 souls!

But, 9:00 AM arrived and we slowly filed inside. Once inside, you are still in line until a woman asked what you are there for. People who are just renewing their license plate tags are directed to another long line. People like me are given a number and told to go sit down (thankfully). I had number 46. I realized that among those 96 people, there were a lot of couples and/or parents and children. I sat and people-watched while waiting.

My number was finally called and I got my business done: I had a title and a license plate for the bike! Thanks you, Bob and Linda!

I walked out into a pouring rain at 9:45 AM. Since I was already on 6-Mile, I headed west to the Laurel Manor Mall (6-Mile and Newburgh). I need to refill my Franklin planner for next year (always hopeful, LOL). However, the Franklin Covey store there is now closed.

So, I went into Jos. A. Banks (a high-end clothing store). They were having a sale – buy one suit, sports coat or tux and get two more free. I told the salesman that I’d lost a lot of weight and didn’t know my sizes anymore. So, he tried several coats and decided I was a 48 long. They had some really nice sports coats (I have a wedding to go to on October 30th) but I checked the price: $450.00 each!

I asked about shirts and he measured me again: 17 1/2 inch neck and 37 inches sleeve length (I have gorilla arms). He said they didn’t have that size stocked in the store, but could special order it.

Not wanting to spend that kind of money on sport coats I’ll probably never wear except for at my funeral, I told him I’d bring my wife back to help me pick them out (I needed an excuse). I asked if he had a card (I knew he would, they work on commission) and he gave me one. I walked out of the store, went around the corner and wrote down the sizes he told me on his card and left the mall.

Now that I know the right sizes, I’ll go to Sears, J. C. Penny’s or Kohl’s and see if I can pick up something more reasonably priced.

On the way back to my side of town, I stopped at the Honey Baked Ham store and redeemed my last year’s certificate. I have a plan for Sunday’s dinner.

Finally I stopped into Westborn and got some fruit, veggies and shredded cheese. I got back home in the drizzling rain just after 11:30 AM.

I was damp and chilled, so I changed clothes and started the rest of the weekend wash. I took the ham and divided it into reasonable portions. I wrapped each portion with aluminum foil and put them into freezer bags. I slapped down some blue painters tape and wrote the date and contents on the bags with a Sharpie. All but two went into the freezer. That will give me Sunday’s dinner and next week’s sandwiches.

My legs hurt (I don’t do “stand in line” all that well) so I went in and took a long nap.

When I woke up, I was hungry so I ate the last three pieces of pizza. As I was eating the last piece my daughter Melissa called. We talked for a long while. I asked about the heavy rain they kept saying was in North Carolina, but she said that was east of them.

Just after she hung up, my friend Gui (don’t ask – I’m serious) called and we talked for a while. After we hung up, I thought about dinner. I had planned an elaborate menu. But it was late and I didn’t feel like it, so I made simple salad (lettuce, celery and sweet onions) and topped it with my bottled French dressing.

I ate that watching TV. I turned on a movie, “Cliffhanger” with Sylvester Stallone (one of my three favorite movies of his: the original Rocky, First Blood and Cliffhanger). I taped Snake Eyes with Nicolas Cage at Gui’s suggestion.

After that, I dozed off and on with the TV on the rest of the night. Not good! I will be shot on Sunday.