Going My Way?

Ohio: Land of buckeyes and friendly drivers.

Since I've lived in a few states, and driven through many more during my time in the Army and all of its relocations, I feel like I'm a pretty well-versed motorist. I've been in states and cities where I'm quite sure most everyone is afflicted with road-rage (Virginia and the greater NYC metropolitan area), where they forgot to test for senility after the age of 70 (Florida, south of Orlando), where speed limits are merely a passing notion (all states in the BOS-NY-WASH transverse, along I-95), and where people don't much mind if the tractor in-front of you is only going 15 mph for the next 15 miles (Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri).

So, it's refreshing - when driving long distances - that you find other vehicle operators who are well-versed and given to road-way niceties. People that move to the passing lane when you are merging onto a highway, people who blink their lights to let you know there is a state trooper just "up around the bend," and - especially nice - the unknown partner on long road trips. Yesterday I made such an acquaintance on the first leg of my long drive home.  It was a burgundy, Buick Enclave, and I think I shall forever remember the fleeting friendship that we made, heading west-bound on I-70.

If you've never experienced a freeway friendship, you should note that they start off timidly at first.  You realize that you're both going about the same speed, but one just a mile or more than the other. You both are definitely going a bit over the speed limit, but not so fast that you should get pulled over.  It starts as a bit of cat and mouse game, but turns into a mutually understood convoy, and - after a while - gives you a sense of camaraderie with your fellow traveler.

We shared the road for 170 miles (just one-third of my 561 mile trek).  When we got to Indianapolis my "friend" pulled to the right as I pulled to the left; she heading north to Chicago, and me continuing west to St. Louis. We looked at one another as we diverged, and gave each other a friendly wave and wry smile.

It's funny when you think about it, and makes me pause to reflect that we're interesting creatures, us humans. It's our tendency to communicate, to interact, to feel wanted; we do this everyday.  When it happens at 77 mph on poured asphalt, with the passing wind and the thrumming of tires to act as your voice, it's really quite unique.

Ohio Bound

Thing's have been busy the past few days. Tomorrow I'm heading to Ohio - my home-state - to help my Mom move into a new condo!  So, since I'm leaving the hubby here for about five days, I've been trying to get the house in order and make sure he has plenty of food on-hand to get him through the rest of the week and weekend.

With just a couple of things left to do: 1) Pack my suitcase and 2) Go to bed early tonight (as I will be leaving early in the morning), I've successfully cleaned the house and prepped some delicious food for Matt to enjoy while I'm gone.

In an attempt to make my blog a little "sexier" I've decided to add my recipes - my own inspired dishes - to the webpage (please note the new tab towards the bottom of the page entitled Erica's Epicurean Creations). The first recipe I've added is a delicious, hearty portion of turkey chili I made tonight, which will hopefully last Matt through the end of the week (or, dependent upon his appetite, at least through tomorrow).

I'll be away from the blogosphere for a few days, but upon my return I plan to post more updates and more recipes.  Until then, make sure you're all rooting for the Giants on Sunday, and try the chili...it's delicious!

Before and After: Thread Count(ing) Sheep

I love to sleep.  I married a man who loves to sleep.  And considering that we (humans) spend anywhere from 6-10 hours a day sleeping - some more/some less - I feel that the bed in which you do so is a true investment. Additionally, I believe the bedding in which you outfit your mattress is just as crucial.  You can have the most comfortable pillow-top on the market, but if you wrap it in scratchy sheets, a pleasant night's sleep will not be had! 


Thus, when making my bed this past week I noticed (gasp) a hole in the corner of my Pure Beech® modela sheets. And so, on Saturday, Matt and I made the hour-long trip to Springfield for a day of sheet buying at Bed, Bath & Beyond, a stop at Best Buy, and an unforeseen foray into warehouse mercantilism at the local Sam's Club.


Our original plan had just been to get a membership at the club.  We were only going to do a quick survey of the store - in case we wanted to come back at the end of the day and get some produce.  How quickly plans can change.


Following mugshots at the customer service desk, and a tutorial on how to operate the E-Kiosk, we looked at the store around us and all of it's wares. We hadn't even gotten past the fringe of the electronics section when Matt turned to me and asked, "Should we get a cart?"  Looking around at the three acre complex and it's shelves stocked to replicate what I imagine the underbelly of the Titanic looked like on it's maiden voyage, I said, "Yeah, why not...just in case."  


"Just in case" and trunkful of loose, bulk supplies later we left Sam's Club. Although it wasn't a planned shopping trip, we got a lot of useful things for the house, and we shouldn't have to restock for about three months. Still, there is a lesson to be learned from warehouse shopping: ALWAYS have a list, otherwise everything seems like a good deal at the time. And good deals - in mass quantity - amount to a fair sum of money in the end.


We finished our day in town getting the last items on our original list: my super comfortable linens and an Apple® TV - which Matt finally talked me into after some goading, but which I'll admit was well worth the $100.00.


Before leaving Springfield we stopped at Barnes & Noble, just to browse the bookshelves and get a cup of hot chocolate.  We got home around dinner time, noshed on some of the snacks we had bought at Sam's, threw the sheets in the laundry, and then went out for drinks with some friends.  By the time the clock struck midnight Matt and I had returned to the house in our pumpkin, and we're settled in for a long night's sleep; wrapped securely in the loving arms of my new, hole-free, 300 thread count, sateen sheets.