THE ROOMS-TO-GO FIASCO

Way, way back in February, the hubster and I stopped into Rooms To Go on a whim. We were looking for some kind of grandchild-friendly ottoman-like thingy to replace our not-so-friendly glass-topped coffee table. Instead we spotted those awesome red leather chairs, and both fell madly in love with them -- something which has rarely ever happened in our forty two years of marriage! So, of course, we had to take action.

Unfortunately, the name "Rooms To Go" is a bit of a misnomer, as they don't actually allow you to take anything "to go"! That huge building at the Austin location is simply a showroom, with no warehouse space at all. Everything must be ordered, then shipped from Florida, which can take several weeks. As you can imagine, we were jumping for joy when we finally saw that truck turning into our neighborhood, and ran down the hill to meet them (and warn them that they probably didn't want to drive their big ol' truck up our crazy driveway). Before we could open our mouths, the driver started apologizing. He said our chairs were loaded first, since we were at the end of the line, with lots of big heavy stuff shoved in after them. Whoever loaded it all must not have done a very good job because something fell against one of the chairs and scratched it all up. However, he assured us, he had already taken pictures and submitted a report, and they would be sending us a replacement right away. Meanwhile, he would leave both chairs with us, so we'd both have somewhere to sit until the new one arrived.

A few days later we got a call from their headquarters, asking us lots of questions about the incident. One question was "Are any of the scratches deep enough to show the bare wood underneath?" "Oh yeah!"

A few weeks later we got another call, informing us that they were sending someone out to "repair" the chair. "What? I was told you would replace it!" "Oh no. We have experts who can make it look good as new again, right there on the premises." Harrumph.

Several more weeks go by, then we finally get a call from the repairman saying he's on his way. He takes one look at the chair, then says "I can't fix that! They'll have to send you a new chair." Some time later we get a call from headquarters saying "OK, we are going to send you a new chair. Unfortunately, that model is on back-order right now, and won't be available until June."

So we wait. And we wait. And we wait some more. At last we got word that the chair was to arrive this past Friday. We waited around the house all afternoon. No truck. Sometime after dinner we got a call from the driver. "Hey man, I hate to tell you this, but your chair was back behind everything else in the truck, and somebody must've done a lousy job loading it all, 'cause now your chair has a big ol' dent in the side of it. You still want me to deliver it?" "NO! Don't even bother. We've already got one like that, thank you very much!"

NEW KIDS IN TOWN

We've got a couple of new-ish eating establishments here in our little town. I say "-ish" because they've actually been here several months, but we just now got around to trying them. They are something you hear about more and more in larger cities, but still a bit of an oddity in a town this size -- Food Trucks!

One is called Phò-Lisha's, and their specialty is the Phorritto -- a concoction owner Alisha dreamed up, where she takes the solid ingredients you would find in a bowl of the Vietnamese soup Phò, wraps them in a flour tortilla, and then gives you a little cup of the soup broth to dip them in.

Those are always on the menu, but then she usually has a curry dish as well, plus a rotating lineup of Cajun dishes.

Her next-door neighbor is the Creekside Cookers BBQ truck.
 

Hubby and I decided the best plan of attack was to divide and conquer, so I ordered a phorritto...

while he stood in line for some BBQ...

then we swapped bites.

I have to say, it was all pret-ty darn yummy!

BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS!

I've just got waaaay too much to read right now, which means there's not much else getting done around here!

I just finished reading Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan -- the third book in his Crazy Rich Asians series -- which I just loved since it takes place in all the wonderful places we used to visit when we live in Indonesia. On the other hand, it made me kind of sad too, as it talks a lot about Singapore and how all the wonderful old shops and neighborhoods that I loved most have been torn down and replaced by skyscrapers. Just like they've been doing here in Austin, come to think of it. It's probably just as well that we never made it back to Singapore in recent years, as I would've just ended up in a major funk if everything I adored about it had disappeared. Still, the books are great.

I'm also reading The Year of Living Danishly, by Helen Russell, which I knew I had to read as soon as I saw a blurb about it in the new e-magazine Simplify. I made sure I bought my own copy, instead of getting it from the library, since I had a feeling I'd be going to town with my hi-liter on this one -- and I was right! If you've ever wondered why Denmark keeps getting voted "The Happiest Nation In The World", this is the book for you!

Then there is the audio book I'm listening to in the car -- an intriguing mystery called Celine, by Peter Heller.

On top of all that, I believe I mentioned that I had pulled out my trusty old copy of The Artist's Way, wanting to give my creative drive a kick in the arse. Unfortunately, that sort of fell by the wayside when a bozo friend (Susan Foster Khoury, I blame you!) saw my post about about all those old journals and agendas -- starting in 1970 when I was just 16 -- that I'd finally made up my mind to get rid of. She insisted that I just had to read my way through them one more time before tossing them out. Talk about falling through a wormhole!

Three have made it to the recycle bin...

only forty-odd more to go!

Obviously, there simply aren't enough hours in the day to support my reading habits, yet alone my art, food, friends and family habits! Good thing I've never required much sleep.

So tell me, what delicious books should I add to my never-ending TBR list?

THE FINAL TOUCH

At last, the ottomans we needed to complete our living area re-do are back in stock! Luckily I had signed up to be alerted the minute they were available, and they were on my porch within a week.

Think I'm gonna love having the storage space inside them for toys and lap throws and such.

Well, there may be one more little area that needs some TLC.  I think we are about to rework that entire wall with the big mirror and all the pictures on it. Saw something when sis and I were touring those model homes last week, and it got me to thinkin'. I'll be sure and share the results, if we ever get around to implementing it!

'TIS THE SEASON

Finally managed to harvest a handful of good tomatoes from the two plants we have growing in a single container on our balcony. The question is, since there aren't likely to be many more, how best to use them? Caprese salad? Greek salad? Old fashioned tomato sandwiches? Or, what about that luscious tomato pesto tart?

As if that wasn't enough to mull over, we went and stopped at one of those stands selling Fredericksburg peaches that pop up everywhere this time of year. A few had to be eaten straight out of hand, leaning over the porch rail.

If you could smell my house right now, you'd be drooling too!

VISITORS

My eldest grandchild, Miss Guinness, is here visiting for a couple of weeks, whilst her parents gallivant around Italy and Sudan. Then, shortly after she arrived, these two showed up.

Sister Kathy (aka Gus) And Her Hubby Bud

They didn't know it, but they arrived just in time for son-in-law Nate's birthday, and since Kathy's birthday is later this month, we made it a double celebration at The Leaning Pear...

which was followed by the official Birthday Nap back at the house.

It just isn't a celebration without one.

A while back Lex gave us a refrigerator magnet with their little family's portrait on it. Unfortunately, our refrigerator door is not magnetic, and the only spot I could find for it was on our dishwasher. Turns out that was the absolutely perfect spot for it. Calvin spends most of his time running circles around our house now, and the only thing that makes him pause every time he passes it is this magnet, which he likes to talk to.

Brother-in-law Bud had to leave first thing Monday morning, as he has become a bit of a bridge fanatic since his retirement, and there were classes to take and games to be played! The big surprise, however, was that sister Kathy had decided to stay all week, and isn't flying home until Saturday. First time I've had any one-on-one time with one of my siblings since...well...I can't even remember!

Visiting Model Homes at Kissing Tree in San Marcos

Lunch at Black's Barbecue in San Marcos

Lexi's Daily Workout

Which is why you haven't heard much from me this week. We're just way too busy having fun!

THE TIME IS NOW

Memories are funny things. Although I can tell you exactly what I was wearing on my first football game/dancing date with my hubby (two different tunic top/bell bottom outfits I had made myself - lavender cotton knit for the game, slinky sparkly dark purple for dancing) , and what music he played the first time I went to his place for a study date (Jethro Tull's Aqualung), my brain doesn't work nearly so well when it comes to remembering where I need to be and when on a daily basis. It never has. Which is why, as soon as I started having babysitting jobs, homework assignments and dates to keep track of, I started keeping an agenda or datebook. And, once Hubby and I got really serious about each other, and it looked like I might be marrying him and going off to live in Southeast Asia, I started hanging on to most of them.

They came in pretty handy when I created my Miss Becky Goes Abroad blog as a place to record the stories of all our overseas adventures. And, of course, I often refer to my current one when writing these posts for my Seasonality blog.

Lately, however, they've been weighing on my mind. Every time I opened my cedar chest at the foot of my bed, and had to dig my way through the ever increasing mass of them to find what I needed, they seemed to feel more and more like a burden, less and less like a treasure. Was it really fair for me to leave these for my kids to deal with, along with all the other crap we've accumulated over the years?

Yesterday the kids were here visiting and Alexis, who is growing more and more interested in small house design, asked if we still had our house plans. Yes we do, but where? In the cedar chest, of course, beneath all of those agendas! So, I dug them all out and piled them in the chair in order to reach the plans. Then, something very strange happened. When I started to put them all back, a very strong voice inside of me yelled "NO! Don't do it! The time is now. Just. Let. Go."

And, instead of feeling distressed, as I always thought I would, I'm feeling a huge sense of relief.

Now, if only I knew the best way to dispose of them! Reckon I can put them in my mixed use recycling bin?