What is the Play Grocery Store and Other Thoughts

For those of you who don't know what the play grocery store is, it is Rice Epicurean. In fact, this is a picture of the one closest to our home and this store is where I find myself doing a lot of my shopping. I call it the play grocery store because so many times I go there and play. They carry items that other stores don't and their mark up is higher than Kroger's or Randall's (which I call Safeway). I went there and only bought bananas and yogurt, but over time we seem to shop there more, mainly cause it's easy and the short check out lines.
This is where I spend the most time and money, at the deli or prepared foods counter. I don't like to cook and these fine, fine people do. I just ate some King Ranch Chicken that I purchased yesterday, for dinner and it was so good! You get E points for every dollar you spend there and once you meet a level you can turn the points in for such fun things. Of course, I have only turned them in for Nordstrom gift cards, but the cards usually come with buy one dinner get one free at the Bistro. I usually buy all our office birthday cakes from there. The cakes are awesome. It is also the time of year where they do their hand painted cookies for Christmas and they are a big part of our Christmas now. Remember, I hate to bake or do much cooking. So, where I once started out playing and pretending I shopped all the time at Rice has become more than play for me in the past few years. I'd like to thank my cousin Becky for asking me about the name. I think I wrote about this a long time ago and since I don't label my posts, I thought it would be good to write about this once again.

Thank you Missy and Becky in your encouragement for me to write a book. I have no clue in the world what I would write about. The blog is really a source of strength and encouragement for me. I can come home so tired, but so energized after writing just a bit. In all the spiritual gift tests, what is your passion tests, what are you good at tests and all the blog quizzes I have taken should make me a certified professional test taker. But one thing all these tests reveal is, if you love and derive strength from something, it is your passion. Uh, I also feel this way about Diet Cokes, but I am not going to make Diet Coke or having the best Diet Coke ever a centerpiece of my life.

I love that some of the young women I work with think I am cool. I love that they come in my office and talk and laugh with me or at me... My point of view is, I am not very cool, but I am fluid (see The Finishing School post) and do not want to be stagnant. You see I think being cool is taking my laptop to Starbucks and writing my deep and profound feelings and thoughts while nursing a latte. I have never done the above. The whole reason we bought me a lap top this year is so that I could go places and write. I sit here at the dining room table and do most of my writing, except for the brief trips to my desk.

I have told you before that when I travel I think I am going to be someone other than the person I am at home. I pack lounging pajamas and the like thinking that as the day transpires into evening on my trip, I will come back to the hotel room, put on lounging pajamas and then proceed to lounge in style. The truth of the matter is, I get back to the room and fall onto the bed and take a nap. My best made plans of lounging thrown out the window. Although most hotel windows do not open.

Well, I better go and look my lines again. I have main thought memorized...oh and I want to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas. One more thing, I got to answer the phone snow on snow today when CourtneyS called. At least I got a first in since she beat me to Merry Christmas Darling this year.