We were sitting around the breakfast table yesterday morning when I heard Will call to Gulley, “Mom? I need to show you something that’s an accident.”
I wasn’t really paying much attention because I was too busy looking at myself in the magnifying mirror.
I’m joking. I wasn’t really looking at myself in that mirror, but I totally wanted to be. I’ve had to let it go. Although Gulley and I took great comfort in knowing we aren’t alone in our eyebrow imperfections. It’s like a national epidemic that no one talks about in public. I wish I could offer a cure, but as one commenter named Samantha said, “They’re not twins. They’re sisters.” That’s some wisdom right there.
Anyway, I wasn’t concerned about Will’s “something that’s an accident” until I heard Gulley say, “Oh Will. What did you do? Those are Mel’s.”
Yes. Yes they were.
It was our first road-trip casualty.
Later in the day, Gulley let me borrow a pair of her sunglasses and we took the kids to swim at Adamson’s Lagoon which was a delight.
They were especially fond of the Lily Pad obstacle course that made them feel like contestants on “Wipeout”.
Gulley and I were fans because we saw an activity that was going to burn excessive energy. Energy that causes people to “accidentally” break some sunglasses using brute force.
We came home from swimming just in time to get ready to go out to eat Mexican food at Abuelo’s with Honey and Big. It had been five days since I’d had chips and salsa so I was in the midst of some serious withdrawal. After we’d all eaten way too much, we made our way outside to stand in the blazing heat and look at the fountain.
After standing there for a few seconds, they all decided to run around the entire thing about five times. I know there’s nothing I’d rather do after eating a plate of cheese enchiladas than run as fast as I can in 104 degree temperatures. It’s surprisingly refreshing.
So that was our day.
But y’all aren’t going to believe what happened.
A long time ago, I wrote this post about Gulley and I and our love for the Big Gulp in college. It was a general tale of rambling, but at the end of the story I talked about a cashier named Al at the Quikmart by our apartment who got Gulley’s phone number off a check she wrote for 99 cents to pay for a Big Gulp.
(Please keep in mind that this was when we were in college almost twenty years ago. Neither of us would ever write a check for 99 cents these days. We’d use a debit card.)
Last night before dinner, Gulley ran into a nearby convenience store on University Drive to buy some Visine for Jackson’s eyes while I waited in the car. She came back out, got in the car and said, “You aren’t going to believe who I just saw.”
“Who?” (Thinking maybe it was somebody like R.C. Slocum or another football coach that A&M still pays a lot of money for a vague job description.)
“Al.”
“Al who?”
“Al. AL FROM THE QUIKMART ON VILLA MARIA. HE REMEMBERED ME BY NAME.”
And she remembered him. Of course it helped that he was wearing a nametag that read “Al”.
Seriously. What are the odds?
I realize none of you may find this as fascinating as we found it, but it made our whole night. I mean, it wasn’t better than examining your face at length in a magnifying mirror, but it was a close second.
Later today we’ll load up the kids for the last time and head home to San Antonio. The kids are already talking about how sad they are that it’s all over, but we’ve assured them a new tradition has been born. In fact, next year we may rent a Winnebago and stay on the road for about two weeks.
Not really on the Winnebago. I can barely park a car.
But the two week part? That’s for real.
Also, on a completely unrelated note, several of you asked about the orange skirt I was wearing earlier in the week. I’m sad to report that I bought it at Gap about two summers ago, but pleased to let you know I got it on sale for $8.00. It may be the best $8.00 I’ve ever spent.
Anyway, this one from Gap is fairly similar to it and so is this one from Old Navy.
Y’all have a good Friday.