Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Of Oranges and Turkeys

Hey Gang! I'm down in the metropolis of Wauchula, Florida doing some training - we had a blast today - customer service training. I was thrilled to look across the road from my hotel and see orange trees with oranges in them! Very cool. So common here, but not in North Carolina. We take all the fabulous things around us everyday for granted, but we love the new and different. Not a lot of fall leaves down here in the sunbelt.

It can be the same with chocolate. I was in a Hallmark store a few weeks ago and they were putting all the Halloween candy on sale. One of the women said they can mark the Halloween candy down, but the minute the Christmas candy comes in, that's the only thing people will buy. It can be exactly the same candy, but it's in the Christmas wrapper and that's what they want. Well, for the most part - yeah! After Halloween, I'm ready for the next holiday. Bring on the red and green! Out with the orange! Woohoo!

I did manage to go into the biggest retail establishment in Wauchula today. That would be Walmart - and a SuperWalmart at that. My only regret is that I couldn't buy anything because it would either melt (it's pretty warm down here) or get crushed in my suitcase. They had some kickin' holiday Little Debbies and a whole Wall of Candy for Christmas. It was beautiful. I stood before it for a long time admiring it. Good thing I was in a business suit or they probably would have called the cops.

I am on the road all week so this weekend will be my last shopping opportunity before the surgery which means I've got a lot of shopping to do! Not for any presents for anyone else, mind you, for candy and Little Debbies to blog about! Ah - the simple pleasures. : ) Presents for me.

I was thinking today how this surgery is giving me empathy. I see slow moving people in the airport and I think, "Don't be so judgemental, Denise. They might have arthritis too." Then the other part of me thinks, "Yeah, well I'm going be on the table next week and I'm managing to hustle!" So apparently I still need more work. I do feel a new kinship with the Thanksgiving turkey, however.

Gobble, gobble!!!!

7 comments:

Kris, in New England said...

I know that feeling of empathy. Having a hip replacement - and the years of pain preceding it - have given me a new sympathy for slow-moving people.

Hell - I've slowed down alot since my surgery. Not because of the surgery, per se. But because I don't have to hustle anymore

I used to hustle because it hurt less to move fast. Now I don't have to do that and it's changed my life.

I can linger when I go shopping - caressing the aisles of shoes at my favorite place on the planet.

For you it's chocolate and that's all well and fine - who doesn't love chocolate.

For me - it's shoes. Rows of shoes, all shiny and beckoning me.

Warning: after THR you'll have a heel-height restriction. 2.5" is the max allowed. I've tried to push that limit and it's not pretty.

diane said...

You're absolutely right. It's amazing what we take for granted. And it's also amazing what it takes to get our attention! I'll be praying (in the COC ;) for your speedy recovery. Do you have someone to get your mail or is it delivered to your door?

Denise Ryan said...

Kris - I'm with you on the shoes!!! And I'm crushed to hear about the 2.5 cut off!! I might need to get a wheelchair! : )

Do you love Zappos?

Denise Ryan said...

Diane, great comment!! I'm having the post office hold my mail and deliver it at the end of the week (when I'm hoping I'll be home!). Would you believe my mailman just had a hip replacement? So he's got my back! (or my hip!)

Kris, in New England said...

Zappos = nirvana.

That and DSW Shoe Warehouse - do you have those down south???

Denise Ryan said...

Kris - we do!!! Good thing you don't live closer or you and I would be spending a lot of money on shoes!! : ) BTW - one of my seminar attendees told me our hip replacements are "interior jewelry". Pretty good, huh?

Kris, in New England said...

Um...who says I'm not doing that already?! :-)

Interior Jewelry - hmmm, must say I like that quite a bit. Since I make my own jewelry and obsess about the stuff all the time...makes sense to me.