Thursday May 1, 2008
Yesterday morning I hosted the young married ladies book study. About an hour and a half before it was scheduled to start, Emily called to see if she could use my washer. Poor girl has been pushing her limits almost over the edge of sanity trying to get her spring cleaning done between trips and family house cleanings and moving days and more trips. It’s a terrible allergy year and Demetrius is miserable. Read: unhappy baby. She was on to lead the discussion, they’d had the youth there the night before, and Demetrius got up at 6 after not sleeping well with red, puffy, pussy eyes. Durlin gave him a bottle and tucked him into bed with Emily where he proceeded to drink his bottle and then throw it up all over the bed, pillows, blankets, and his mommy. Yummy. Since I have a front loader, she wisely thought to bring them along as opposed to running to the laundromat.
Last week I bought an enormous 96 load bottle of HE Tide thinking the more stuff I stock up on, the less I have to go shopping soon after the baby gets here. I used it Monday and really liked having the dispenser kind again. I’ve had trouble with the bottle flying off my washer before when I did too large a load of towels or jeans; but since I’ve sort of learned that things come out better if I don’t cram it to the gills and then use weights to stuff more stuff in, I thought it would be safe to leave it on the washer. Plus, Mom always does that and has no trouble. It worked beautifully Monday and I loved not having to reach up on the shelf for that heavy bottle every time I started the washer.
The rest of the ladies got here and we had a lovely time chatting, then discussing our chapter, and sitting around and talking some more. Emily ran down to get the pillows out and put the blanket in; but when she came back up the steps she said (rather quietly — BTW, how did everyone else in life learn not to scream except me?), “Michelle, can you come here?” I followed her down the steps. Um, the laundry smelled good. I’d been using Gain for a one bottle scent switch and just love Tide so much better. Oh. I rounded the corner and as Emily was finishing explaining saw just what she was talking about.
The washer threw the bottle off. The cap broke. 3/4 of the Tide contents were now on the laundry room floor, under the washer, splattered on the walls and over the trash can. Special. Two rolls of paper towels and mop buckets of water later, the floor was cleaner then it’s been since David Lee laid it in January. Meanwhile Jo and Julia were upstairs sweetly washing up all the snack dishes and getting the house cleaned up. (I felt loved.)
Would anyone like to guess what the next unnatural disaster will be at our house and how many days it will be until it happens? This is the kind of stuff that happens to my mom. Not to me. Water. Soap. I’m thinking maybe the closet rods will fall down for some unknown reason on Monday. All I can do is hope there will again be someone here to help me clean up. Lucky me.
It seemed high time for some positive input in life. Jo, Emily, Adam and I headed downtown for lunch at Cafe Europa. Tomato-Basil soup. Ahh. The stuff dreams are made of. We ordered our food and sat there silently (happens every time someone gets that soup. No talk. Just mmmm. Another bite. mmmmm. Another bite.) slurping up one spoonful after another. True comfort food. Towards the end of our lunch I wondered aloud if they ever sell it by the quart to go. I mean, this place is 45 minutes from my house. I feel deprived.
The proprieter who was so nice to us the other time wasn’t in. Or so I thought. Then as we were leaving he appeared. I chased after him as he headed behind the counter.
“I have a question for you,” I said.
“Sure,” he said, “I’m rich, young, and single. What do you want?” (Yeah, right. He looks old enough to be my dad!)
We both laughed. “The tomato basil soup,” I said. “I just go crazy over the stuff. Do you ever sell it by the quart to go?”
He thought a little. “I could give you some mix. You’d have to freeze it……oh, baby,” he interrupted, gesturing towards my now even more hugely distended abdomen now that it was chock full of a Barcelona and soup. “Boy or girl?”
“Boy.”
“Aww, we need more girls around here.”
“I know. But we’ve got two boys now. So the mix. How much would you charge?”
“I”m not going to fight you,” he said. Tell me the next time you’re going to be in here and I’ll have some ready for you.”
“Well,” I stalled. “My baby is due in three weeks and I live 45 minutes away. But all I can think is more tomato-basil soup.”
“Give me a minute.” and he disappeared through the back door again.
I walked to the front to join Emily and Jo not quite sure what to expect. He reappeared in minutes with a HUGE container 3/4 full of awesome, awesome pesto, explained how to make it and told me to freeze what I don’t use right away. He stuck it in a bag as he talked.
“But what do I owe you?” I asked, wondering how in the world this stuff was going to get priced.
“Nothing,” he said. “It’s for the baby, not for you.”
“But I’ll gladly pay you…”
He waved me off. “Remember, it’s for the baby. Not for you. And see, I made another customer (looking at Jo).” Anyone else want to join us next time?
Too bad xanga doesn’t let me upload scents. Except you’d all be knocking down my door and I think I only have enough pesto to make soup for about 40 people.
Oh, and just for the record. Three hours of sleep in one night is terribly insufficient.
What a great post. I’m thinking if you have any more disasters to clean up, you should definately bring that baby to the real world soon. The soup sounds wonderful…you deserved it!!
My guess is something will happen with Bleach. Like it’ll leak and ruin a pile of clothes waiting to be ironed. There seems to be a CLEAN theme going on.
I’m not sure about a unnatural disaster, but I have a natural one for you: you’ll have your baby at home. Eeeek! Running for cover as I write. Sorry, couldn’t resist. I hope you get more sleep tonight. 3 hours is terribly horrible.
I would have cried if that had been my soap and laundry room. Somehow, those kind of things never set well with me when I was that far pg. 🙂 Glad you can see the light side though. As for the soup, right now I am not hungry, but any other time I think it would be delicious.
AWWWW, poor you! I think it is high time for this little fellow to arrive before more disaster hits:) That soup sounds good, can I go with you sometime???:):)
I can almost smell it from here….mmmm, good! I’m on my way! (Btw, I think I’ll be agreeing w/ your concluding statement by tomorrow noon.
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At least things seem to be getting clean before the little one gets here 🙂 and you are getting some help doing it! I really hope nothing else happens tho except having the baby and all goes well!
Oh, poor you! You definitely seem to be the target for disaster. I guess its good they are happening BEFORE the baby is born and we’ll just hope they won’t happen AFTER. As for that soup— its sounds yummy! Can I have some???
That soup…. I want it. Can I come for supper? Again? 🙂
Sounds like we’re all going to be stopping in for supper soon. 🙂
Make sure your car is in good shape and has plenty of gas! And no thunder storms are lurking on the horizon when it’s time for that little guy to come. At least, you won’t have to worry about a snowstorm!
I certainly hope your disasters are done for now. Yest. my washer made some strange sounds and i quickly went to see if the hose let loose. Thankfully, all seemed to be fine!
I fear for your delivery story, the way things are going… And Cafe Europa…why oh, why didn’t you beg some french onion soup off of him, too???? And mail it to me???? I have very fond memories of slurping that stuff….mmmmm.
The soup makes me hungry. Hope things go well from here on out.
My SIL had the same thing happen with her fabric softener recently. I would be a little frustrated, I think! 🙂 And that soup…. well, the pesto alone sounds good, the soup must be grand. Hmmmm…. I’m going to be in VA next weekend. How far are you from Harrisonburg? 🙂 🙂
That soup sounds delicious! 😉
At Least you gals are both smiling yet after that episode!
Thanks for your comment on my post yesterday. I had read the soap and soup stories earlier yesterday, and the soup one actually inspired me to cook for myself, the baby and my poor husband who has been mostly scavenging for himself since I don’t have the stomach to cook most times. I made a version of Tomato Basil soup, only I didn’t have fresh basil, so I used dried, and added fresh oregano and thyme from my garden. It was yummy for the first 1/2 bowl, and thereafter made me want to puke.
But, as you can imagine, I’m just so happy to be pregnant that I’ll try not to complain. Just yesterday I was contemplating how quickly the agony of those two years fades into the joy of carrying this child and anticipation of its birth. I don’t think I’ll ever forget completely, but it fades…just as the agony of singleness faded into marriage. I don’t want to forget, though, to keep my heart compassionate toward those still on the journey. I’m also reminded how quickly all our sorrows will fade the moment we reach heaven. How very, very insignificant the most painful of our sorrows will be when we stand face to face with Jesus.
By the way, I think we met once very, very long ago when I came to see Anita. She’s been a dear friend over the years. She’s often talked about you.
Tomato Basil Soup? If my leer jet was available I’d be there in a minute. But, I sold it so I could pay for college so I’ll have to wait. I’m feeling a little loopy today and that was the first thought that came to my mind. Maybe I’d better go get some sleep.
Hey, you don’t know me- we have some mutual friends. But I got such a laugh out of that laundry soap incident… and I have had my clothes bar fall out of the closet- twice. So… if it happens… you’re not alone!