Gravy Train
Almost ten years ago we bought our first house, and like most giddy new home owners, I was ready to host a holiday. So, Thanksgiving was going to be mine! We had my family and my husband’s family, although he wasn’t my husband yet, and some of our friends over. It was a big gathering in my little house of about 1000 square feet; there was cooking going on, and drinking and talking and it was aweso
me. Once the turkey was done it was almost time to eat, and at the last-minute, I remembered, the gravy. I forgot about the gravy. I frantically started cooking the giblets and innards for the gravy. Whew, gravy is cooking and everything was still under control, now all I had to do was blend the gravy to make it smooth. I took the gravy from the stove top and poured it in the blender; I was almost done and ready to serve dinner to my friends and family. Have I mentioned that I am a vegetarian and don’t eat turkey or any meat products? Well, I turn the blender on and KABOOM! It exploded and there was gravy and pieces of turkey innards everywhere — on the walls, the ceiling, the blinds — everywhere. And I was wearing it too; it was on my clothes, in my hair and on my face and eyelashes. It was gross and hilarious. I guess you’re not supposed to blend hot liquids because the heat creates pressure, which can cause an explosion and a huge mess. Who knew? Five years later when we were getting ready to sell our house, there were still gravy stains on the ceiling from MY first Thanksgiving.
Not so fast!
I had been looking forward to a day of relaxation at a local spa and bath house for quite some time, and that day was finally here! My plan was to get there early and soak in their outdoor tub, then get a massage and then soak some more. I wore my bathing suit, an unassuming, full coverage, one-piece, black suit I always use when I soak, under my cover-up so I could start relaxing the moment I got there. After my massage, I put my bathing suit back on and went outside to the “women only” pool. This is the pool where, obviously, there are only women, and many of them strip down to the buff in a comfortable atmosphere. After looking around (I know I’m not supposed to be looking, but there is all this skin and hair everywhere), finally, I spot a lounge chair, lay back and get comfortable. I had just gotten a massage, my body felt good, and after peeking at my companions I was feeling pretty good about myself too. I started thinking, why am I ashamed to get naked when these ladies aren’t, what am I afraid of, I look alright. And that’s when I did it. For the first time ever, I slid out of my suit, and the sun felt awesome. It was a beautiful bright Fall day and I took full advantage. Well they say “All good things must come to an end,” and they did, but I felt rejuvenated and also got a bonus self-esteem boost… until evening rolled around. There may be a reason all those parts never see the light of day — THEY GET BURNED! And I was, figuratively and literally.
Dream Girl
We took Azul to Disneyland to celebrate his 5th birthday and it really is the place where dreams come true… While we were there we hit it hard, spending 6 to 8 hours a day at the park for three days straight. We rode everything we could, which included Space Mountain. I had never been on this ride and wasn’t sure what to expect, but the best motherly advice I had for my five-year old was, “If you see something that scares you, just close your eyes.” And he did, through the entire ride! When we got off, I was wondering if we were really going that fast or was it just the wind blowing at us. It’s dark and you feel disoriented and you’re moving from side to side on a roller coaster, so I wasn’t sure what it was. Then I took just one look at the park-provided photo (you know — the picture they take of you while you hit the climax of the ride and then try to sell to you at the end), just one look and I knew, we really were going that fast. The other thing I knew, my chi-chis hadn’t looked that good in years! The cruel treatment gravity had handed me was gone, thanks to a quick few seconds of free fall on a fast-moving roller coaster. So of course I bought the 5×7 and 4 wallet package. I wanted proof that dreams really do come true in Disneyland.
Carmelina Hart 