You can tell I am feeling better…

…because I am more crotchety. Not crochet, like knitting, but like a grumpy Gus. At the moment I am doing great, make no mistake, but some things I observed made me put on my exasperated face and attitude. It began at the pool, which, I rejoice, was fully operational when I got out there. The pumps were doing their thing so I went around the edges on my ‘laps’ and pulled the pine needles and other refuse out of the drains. I could not help but notice the bathtub ring around the edges of the pool where the water had stood. If only I had a little scrub brush, I would be happy to take care of the ring around the collar!

The other lady who was at the pool was a hotel guest and did not stay long after I arrived, as it was the lunch hour. Before she went in, I invited her to join us at water exercises in the morning so perhaps she will come back out. The next lady to come was rather uncommunicative, only chatting enough to report that the water felt good after having had a head ache for two days from the heat. Her body language said she still had the head ache and I pretty much left her alone. I can take a hint!

Parents with kids were coming through fairly regularly by this time, kids skipping merrily toward their end of the pools. One little boy, whom his dad called ‘Buddy’, came strolling through on their way to the kids’ pool. As he walked by, Buddy reached down and swept some of the extracted pine needles and such away with his hand. “Thank you for cleaning up, Buddy…” said the conciliatory father. Oh please, gag with me a spoon! Instead of going all the way down to the kids' pool, Buddy stopped at the baby pool, insisting this was where he was going to swim. “If you want to swim in the baby pool, you can…” as Dad moved a chair around to sit down. “Come here so I can help you take your shoes off..” as Buddy got his own chair and proceeded to take them off himself. “Oh, you want to be a big boy and take off your own shoes, Buddy?” Um, yeah, that’s what he was doing, as he got into the baby pool.

Two seconds later, he was looking for tubes to play with. The dad said they would have to ask Laura, the lifeguard, for them, and I explained that she was not there today. The dad seemed a bit alarmed that there was no lifeguard on duty and then explained to Buddy that he could not have any tubes today because Laura was not there. Buddy was not happy with that answer, not even if Dad told him five or six times. Do kids really think that asking multiple times, the things will suddenly appear? Or is it to wear down the parents so that they steal from other kids just to shut theirs up? After the great tube debate, Buddy and his servant went down to the other pool, with the dad telling me over his shoulder, “that’s what it’s all about---pool hopping!” to which I replied, “Well, he IS the boss!” Sassy girl! Please tell me I was not like that…and if I was, please don’t tell me!

And for the first time this summer, I heard the dreaded “Marco! Polo!” game going on at the kids’ end. Hope you enjoyed that, Buddy’s dad! Thankfully, this game did not last long, and the poor lady’s head ache faded away….and mine, too!

My trip to Wal*Mart was nightmarish, to describe it accurately, as the place was mobbed with parents and kids doing their last-minute shopping for school. The first day is tomorrow and the aisles were clogged with folks pouring through the displays of supplies and such. It looked like Christmas! By this time, my arms were noticing that they were working again, and my legs were weary. Oh, oh, I was overdoing it, after I promised everyone I would not. Sadly, the Diet Coke is located in the back of the store so I had to work my way through the crowd. Finally I broke free and met Danny Roy on his way somewhere. He is always at a full trot but stops for a hug and quick catch-up. Once more he showed me pictures of his grandkids but was saved by a summons from his walkie-talkie.

In the grocery department, the aisles were clogged with mothers and kids getting lunch box items so I got out of there. On the way out, I did see one mom being a parent and correcting her children, telling them to behave like decent human beings, and be a lady and a gentleman. I felt like complimenting her but might have embarrassed her and undo her reprimand. Nearby, another mom was letting her kids, too big to be in the carts, order her to buy certain types of crackers and such. Time to head home!

I stopped at McDonald’s to get a burger (cheap on Mondays!) and apparently woke the order taker from a nap. He sounded half way asleep (perhaps he was getting over a stomach virus!) and I could scarcely understand his acceptance of my order. I drove up and handed him my money, and he said, “…right back…” and left the window. After a short while he came back with a change roll, and handed me the coins. As I pulled to the next window, the young lady handed me a bag before I rolled to a stop and said, “…nice day..” and I said, “I wish the same for you!” before I drove away.

At Sonic, the staff has rules to address the “guest” with four or more words and I really like that. Now I expect it everywhere. McDonalds used to have rather high standards for their employees, like no tattoos or facial piercings, things like that. It seems that the standard is now lower. Hopefully Publix does not follow suit as they like to hire the clean-cut looking young people and adults. At least I experienced good customer service at the credit union as I wished the lady a good day as I left the drive-through.

Normally, I am not really not so testy, but I guess today was not my best day to be out in the public. Linda J. saved my day with an interesting/sad phone call about someone she had just been talking to and wanted to bounce it off of me. Lynn and Linda’s visit cannot come soon enough for my purposes, and I promise to not be grumpy and crotchety when they are here!