If You Build It They Will Come

With news of yet another rain storm coming our way (Round 4) and it not being too chilly, I ventured out yesterday to take care of business.

First was to drop into outgoing mail that check to the Federal Government.

I still don’t get how, after a lifetime of opting for zero on the W4, which always netted me a healthy refund of what essentially was my own money, this year I had to pay over $800.

It doesn’t make sense, but inasmuch as I can’t opt for less than zero, looks like I’ll be spending the remainder of my life giving back.

Second was to catch up with the seniors in the Community Room, observe Pizza Tuesday.

Absence does appear to make the heart go fonder.

Having not seen me in ages, I got a nice reception. Nicest was Church Lady, “We haven’t seen you in a while …  you’re looking bright and full of wisdom”.

My buddy Apache was in the room, as was the Cougar ─ the 80 something woman who’s expressed an interest in him.

I teased him a bit about that and he tells me she’s not the only one ─ Two other women are chasing him, one of which is his next-door neighbor.

I think he’s enjoying it, but living dangerously with his plan to give all three a balloon for Valentine’s Day.

Before I headed out of the Community Room and on to next on my list, Apache got into an argument with Greedy Grabby and her crew over their trying to take more than their share of pizzas.

This probably sounds like I'm disparaging a particular ethnic group, but I'm calling it as I'm seeing it and only applying to this specific group of women who happen to fall into a particular ethnic group  ─ Greedy Grabby is from Syria. All the ladies in her crew are from Syria, and those ladies are really tight, travel in a group and really remind me of gypsies ... swarming into a place, taking what they can get away with. In fact, I just learned, when caught in the storage area of the local senior citizens center, taking coffee, they got themselves banned from the center.

Going to pay closer attention next time I see them in the corner market.

Last on my list was grocery shopping at Sprouts.

That’s usually a 20-minute drive, but that changed when a new Sprouts went up, four weeks ago, only 8 miles away.

In spite of ongoing construction of other businesses, it was a quick in/out first two times I went to this location, plenty of parking. However, all was chaos this last time.

The parking lot was full, orange cones strategically placed to direct traffic in certain directions, and there were armed security guards. Not at Sprouts and not because of Sprouts, but at and because of a newly opened business called “Cane’s” ─ Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers.

The aroma coming from the fried chicken was intoxicating, but not so intoxicating as to warrant armed security guards manning the crowded drive-thru.

I watched as those cars unable to squeeze into the drive-thru lane, and those wishing to park, took up the lot ─ some driving crazy, frantic, ignoring the cones because they spotted an empty spot and wanted to get there first.

With other businesses soon to open, and the lot already crowded, I think I'm better off driving 20 miles to the Rancho location.

Valentine's Day is tomorrow. In case you didn't know, I'm not big on that sweetheart stuff.

President’s Day is Monday. Nothing expresses my feelings about that day like this from facebook.