While in line at McDonald's at Chicago's O'Hare Airport, the Spouse and I witnessed the following exchange.  The people involved were a young cashier and an unhappy customer of Indian descent.

Customer:  (holding an uneaten salad in his hand)  I wanted a salad without any meat.  This has meat in it.

Cashier:  That's not meat.  That's just bacon.

Yep, that's what she said. The customer, after a second or two of stunned silence, decided that it was going to be necessary to state the obvious.

Customer:  Bacon is meat.  I can't eat meat.

Cashier:  (in an irritated tone) So ... does that mean you don't want the bacon?

You have to take this test.  The Spouse and I both failed.

Do The Test. 

"And since we've no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!"

Wait a minute... it's March right? This is supposed to be Spring?! 

I was watching the snow storm coverage on Channel 12, and according to meterologist Mark Baden, once this storm is done, this winter season will rank as the #2 snowiest season on record.  I guess we haven't had this much snow since the 1800's.

Happy Easter!

And why is Easter so early this year?  Here's the explanation. 

******** 

Speaking of Easter, last night, I asked The Spouse to stop at the drugstore after work to buy candy for The Preschooler's Easter basket.   When he arrived home, I asked what he got.  He said he got Hershey's Kisses and Dove Bars.

My Response:  Hershey's Kisses?  Didn't they have any chocolate eggs or chocolate bunnies?

The Spouse's Reply:  There weren't any.

My Response:  But we were just there this morning, and the Easter aisle was still full of stuff.

The Spouse's Reply:  There's an Easter aisle??

Apparently, the Spouse just went to the regular candy section and failed to spot the huge, pastel-colored stuffed Easter bunny marker two aisles over. 

Showing remarkable Easter/Christian spirit restraint, I refrained from sending him back there that evening. 

This morning was a different story though... a 24/7 drugstore is on his way to work.

 
To all who celebrate Easter, I wish you and yours a blessed holiday.
 

The magazine, Real Simple, asked its readers, "What is the secret to a good marriage?"

Here is the response that I liked the most.

Sent in by Cecilia Saad from Washington D.C.:

I once asked an elderly neighbor this very same question.  He and his wife had been married more than 50 years.  He replied, "Oh my dear, it's really very simple.  My wife and I agreed long ago that I'd make all the big decisions, and she'd make all the little decisions.  And in all these years together, there just haven't been any big decisions.

This blog is as fluffy as the snow that is currently coming down. 

Despite the dire winter storm warnings from the weather people (and is 3-5 inches really that bad?), I decided to go to the mall today because the spouse actually agreed to take the preschooler to dance class this morning, a task he generally avoids because of "all the women."  (In his defense, 99% of the time, it is the moms who are waiting.  Sometimes, it is almost like a mom therapy group.)

But here is the story of my dash to the mall before the snow hit.

Saturday morning (12/1) 

9:55 a.m. (about 2 hours until snow supposedly flies)

Arrive at Mayfair Mall to shop for outfit to wear.  Rejoice that there is still close parking.  Further rejoicing at realization that I am free to shop without anyone asking me whether we can go home yet every 15 minutes.   But also dismay that I am still a procrastinator after all these years; Could limit dress selection.

10:00 a.m.

Get distracted by jewelry counter at Macy's. Big sale going on today.   See some items that would make good gift to me from spouse.  Decide that procrastination is not necessarily a bad thing.  Decide to embrace it.

10:05 a.m.

Back on track.  Find THE dress!  Purchase dress; head to makeup counter.

10:20 a.m.

Chat with cosmetics saleswoman.  Describe the dress I just bought.  She knows which one it is, exclaims: "You will rock that dress."  Am now feeling better about cost of dress, but feeling old compared to younger salesperson.

10:30 a.m.

Head into mall. 

10:31 a.m. 

Am now remembering why I hate going to the mall on weekends.

10:45 a.m. 

Now fuming in slow-moving, check-out line at a store that shall remain nameless.  Picked the wrong line to stand in.  Vow in the future to only patronize stores that respect the "many cashiers but only ONE line" rule of shopping etiquette.

11:00 a.m.

Still in line.  Arrgh.

11:20 a.m. 

Finally getting out of mall.  Snow's coming down.

Driving in Snow Pet Peeve:  People who cut in front of you for no apparent reason when they know the roads are slippery.

12:00 noon

Arrive home.  Car slips around in driveway.  Regret not putting snow tires on minivan last weekend. Arrgh.  Snow sucks.

12:01 p.m. 

Favorite Christmas song comes on radio.  Listen to it while parked in driveway. Decide snow is pretty.

If you have to go out tonight, take it easy out there.  Enjoy the first "big" snow!

******

ADDENDUM

6:20 p.m.

Driving to spouse's office party.  Snow is no longer pretty. 

7:00 p.m.

Bad News - Ten people show up for staff party/ Good News - More than enough fried eggplant appetizer to go around. 

10:00 p.m. 

Snow is okay, but icy rain REALLY sucks.

10:40 p.m. 

Arrive home to find that driveway is now a skating rink.   Winter is here folks!

The preschooler has just been churning them out lately. This chuckle requires some backstory.

The preschooler likes to print pictures off the Internet websites that she is allowed to access. Recently, she printed out two pictures, wrote the words "I love you Mom" on both of them and placed them neatly on my pillow. She did the same thing for her sister.

Now, lest you think the preschooler is all sweetness and light, this is also the same child who, when she is mad at you, will draw a picture of your face, draw a circle around it, and then put a big, black line right through the center of it. She will then tape that picture somewhere around the house where you will be sure to see it and know the force of her wrath.

So, anyway, the spouse comes home, notices the pictures on my pillow, and, in a voice that is a tad too casual, remarks that there is no picture for "Dad" on his side of the bed.

Later, I pull the preschooler aside and say, "Maybe you should make a picture for Dad too. He might feel sad if he doesn't have one." That evening, the spouse came into our bedroom with a strange but amused look on his face.

Spouse: Did you tell her that I wanted a picture?

Me: Well, I mentioned that you might want one. Why?

Spouse:  I was tucking her in, and she looked up and said, "Dad, there are two pictures in the garbage.  If you want one, you can go get it and put your name on it."

The season of giving -- preschooler style.
 

*******

Humorous Quote of the Day: 

"Anything you bring a monkey to is instantly 30 percent better.  Family reunions, labor negotiations, the DMV."

-- Jack Ferraiolo, Head Writer for the PBS show "WordGirl"

(I gotta admit that this quote just cracked me up when I read it, not sure why.  The spouse thinks it's just weird.)

Out of the mouth of my preschooler...

Preschooler:  Mom, you need more pzazz.

Me:  (defensively) I've got pzazz.  What do you think pzazz means anyway?

Preschooler:  It means fun.  You only do ordinary things.

Me:  Well, where should I get some pzazz? 

Preschooler:  From me.  I'm full of pzazz!

She's full of something alright.  I'm just not sure what.