Warm Rain

I love warm rain. Love it. Sometimes I really enjoy rainy days and today is one of those days. It's warm, a little humid, and rainy with thunder and lightning. I just love it. I'm sitting at my table with a cup of peppermint tea (more on this later), with my windows and my balcony door open to take in all the glory this storm has to offer. Plus it's cooling down outside and I'm happy. I'm not ready for 80s and sunny and humidity just yet. Perfect.

I slept in today, which was divine. I was going to force myself and go to yoga or to the gym but as I was chatting with the yoga studio owner yesterday she said I should always listen to my body and this morning when my alarm went off my body sternly said, "Let me sleep, please." So I did and I'm so glad. I brought my car in for an oil change, which was a bit of an ordeal. I don't like dealerships and the only reason I went there is because my car is under warranty. The people there are a little snooty and a tad rude. Not a fan. Plus the girl at the service desk gave me attitude when they checked my filter and it was dirty. She made a point of even showing me, like I did it on purpose!!!! Ok, I admit she probably just wanted to show me to prove that I really did need a new one, which I agreed, but, do not speak to me like I'm an idiot or a child. Replace it and get me out of here. Geez. 

After that I decided I was going to browse Home Goods for fun. I love this store. It is such a good store for kitchen stuff and home decor, and for incredible deals. Then I went to World Market for the first time ever. I wasn't impressed until I got to the food section, of course, and then I was overwhelmed (in the best possible way) and delighted and excited and my mind took off with fun things to cook and I was beaming with happiness. They even carry Ghirardelli chips in 30oz. bags!!!! SCORE!!!! I almost bought some but then I realized I had just replenished my jar and my freezer stock so I'm good to go for a bit. Here are the treasures I found today:

Brown Jasmine Rice

Red Curry (which I will eat over my jasmine rice with shrimp)

Butternut Squash sauce (I'm thinking I might pour this over gnocchi tomorrow)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil for a steal of a price!!!

Dried red chili peppers (I'm building my supply of herbs and spices)

Dried rosemary

AN ORANGE TEA KETTLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A yellow cup (which I have designated as my tea cup because everyone must have one. I don't drink coffee so I don't have a coffee cup and I feel left out. Until now!)

Cucumber and Olive Oil soap (the fragrance is incredible and I had to have it)

I'm not going to lie, this is my favorite purchase of the day. I think it goes nicely with my persimmons KitchenAid, don't you agree?

And despite the fact that it might be a tad warm for tea, I had to test out my cheery new kettle and teacup. Please note the steam-cool huh??

I love days like today!

St. Patty's Day in Review

Let's review a few things I observed and/or learned and/or thought and/or experienced during my first St. Patrick's Day in Myrtle Beach, shall we? We shall. 

1. I am very glad I do not drink. My drinks of choice: strawberry kiwi carbonated water, diet coke, and water. Not mixed. Livin' on the edge, I know. But I like it there. 

2. I witnessed not 1, but 2 bar fights. I'm not going to lie, it was rather exciting (you may perhaps be able to tell I don't frequent bars often, in which case, that is definitely correct), but drunk guys are stupid. 

3. I do not like bars. At least definitely not on St. Patrick's Day. And not in this freakin' state where people are allowed to SMOKE in them!!! SICK!!! South Carolina needs to get on the health bandwagon and ban this nastiness already! What is this, 1975? COME ON! And while you're at it, ban smoking from every restaurant too. I was shocked when I went out to eat for the first time and there were people smoking in the restaurant. Get out. No really. GET. OUT. I don't want lung cancer. Not even that. I just want to BREATHE. Am-scram bucko.

4. I will never, ever, ever, EVER wear heels out again. NEVER. At least not when I will be walking and standing around for hours. My heels now have time limits on them. I should have gone with my gut, which screamed, "WEAR THE FLATS!!!!!" I love heels but not for 9 hours. My poor feet.

5. I am not a club kind of girl. At least not at a nasty-style, tramp-filled, ghetto-infested, hi-I-want-to-hook-up-with-you kind of a club. We bar hopped last night at Broadway at the Beach and the last place we hit up actually had a legit dance floor and DJ so I was excited because I love to dance. Except, I like to dance with big groups of friends and since most of our party was either at the bar having their 20th shot/drink, or dancing somewhere else, or who really knows, I ended up dancing with a couple of other girls in our party and was having fun until the nasty-style guys came up to try to "dance" with us. When this happens, instantly I'm irritated and my groove is thrown off. If I had a strong guard, like in "The Emperor's New Groove," I would have had these bozos tossed outta there faster than you can C-Walk or 2 step.You have better believe I gave them a subtle yet steely warning glare, and that did the trick: I'm here to have fun with my friends and to dance and you are neither my friend nor someone I care to dance with. I have zero interest in grinding with you, dancing with you, and hooking up with you so let's make this simple: don't approach me, don't touch me, don't smile at me like your Mr. Cool J, get your slimy, drunk, nasty self away from me, and everything will be fine. And by that, I mean you will be fine. You, buster, can stay 10 feet away from the door, which is 30 feet away from me. Got it? Good. 

6. Drunk people, 99% of the time, act like idiots. I don't know what the other 1% constitutes but I guess you can't assume all people who get drunk act like idiots, right? Maybe? Benefit of the doubt? I'm going to have a slightly difficult time taking some of my colleagues and co-workers serious after seeing them drunk as a skunk. They definitely were hilarious but also embarrassing. I suppose this is one of the reasons I don't care to party too hard with co-workers. It's just awkward sometimes, you know? 

Interesting experience. It was fun, kind of, in an it-was-nice-to-get-out kind of way, but I'll pass on the next one. 

Now. Fun stuff.

I was talking to my FUTURE STEP-SISTER (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) today on the phone, which was fabulous as always. One of her kiddos was talking to her and when she said she was on the phone with me, I heard her kiddo say, "AUNT GABE!!" I am an aunt. Well, not officially until June but...I. AM. AN. AUNT! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!! I love these kids, love them. And now I'm their aunt. *giggles* Yay! 

Next!

Should I get these...

  

...or these?

 

I really love Toms. And brightly colored shoes. And thus, brightly-colored Toms.

It's in the 70s here and there's a thunderstorm starting. My windows and balcony door are open and the feature presentation is about to begin so I'm off to indulge in the fun!