MerrinDonahue.com

Sorry, Kev.

I’m either the world’s most confident wife, or the craziest. I just sent my husband to the grocery store on his own. This would not be too big a deal, except that he spent the day “playing golf”. I, on the other hand, spent the day working, so I am understandably tired. I made a detailed (but not too detailed) list and sent him on his merry way. We’ll see if we actually get to eat real food this week, or if we end up with frozen pizza rolls and mustard.

Hmmmmm…..What’s a natural pairing for an Ak-47? Oh yeah. Vodka. Because assault rifles and alcohol go so well together.

Yeah, I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I love my truck. I will never own another car that’s not a Hyundai. Oh, I know what you’re thinking. But let me just say this: I’ve owned Hondas. I’ve owned Fords. Nothing even comes close to the joy of owning a Hyundai.
See, I was leaving work last night (late), and I discovered that I had a flat tire. A BAD one. I called Hyundai Roadside Assistance, but didn’t really hold out much hope of getting help quickly. I’ve used plenty of other RA programs, and the typical wait time is around….oh, an eternity, or two hours, whichever comes first. Not with Hyundai. I was on the road again in less than 30 minutes, AND they kept checking in with me to make sure I was safe. It should also be noted that my spare was not only a full-size, it also came complete with the rim that matches the rest of my tires. Hooray for Hyundai!

A customer made me cry today. No, it’s not what you think….it was a good cry. Here’s the story:

A woman came in looking for a specific candy bar (one which only we carry). A close friend of hers had bought her 70 different candy bars for her birthday—-one for every year she’d lived (so far). It came as a complete surprise to the woman (a widow, no children). Not so remarkable….until you get to the rest.

It also happens that, since her birthday a week or so ago, this woman began to receive mail— a lot of mail. Unbeknownst to her, her friends and neighbors had made a copy of her address book, one she’s kept since she was first married at 19. Some entries were incomplete: names and out-dated phone numbers, but no addresses, addresses but no complete names. Her friends went to great lengths to contact each and every entry in the book. Some had passed away, most had moved, more than a few had married and divorced. The friends asked each person to send a note, or a picture if they had one, or just to share a favorite memory with the woman. Some of these people she had not spoken with in 50 years.
Slowly but surely, her mailbox began to fill with notes, cards, photos, and letters. She had no idea how it started, but suddenly, she had 169 notes (and more still in the mailbox today). This morning, she talked on the phone for two hours with an old best friend with whom she hadn’t spoken in over 25 years (they lost touch when her husband relocated).
She found out just this morning that her friend, who had given her 70 chocolate bars, had orchestrated the whole thing, and she came in to buy her favorite one of the bunch as a “Thank You”.

The time and effort that this woman’s friends put into this didn’t cost a dime, but what a gift. I’d rather have 169 memories and friends than 70 candy bars any day. Now tell me that didn’t bring tears to your eyes.

Really? It’s the kids’ fault? How dare you, lady?!?!?! You left your children to rot in a foreign country while you trotted right along to the next thing. Could it be that the $500/month per child that you received from the state was your incentive for adopting them all in the first place? Wait, don’t answer…..the world already knows. What sickens me the most is the incredible unlikelihood that you’ll even be charged with a crime.

Our thoughts and prayers are with friends and family tonight and tomorrow, as we wait out the path of Hurricane Frances.

Whirlyball kicks ass. If you haven’t played yet, you should. There are two Dallas locations, so go and book your court now. Sure, I may not be the girl you want in the key, but I’m a kick-ass passer, and I always get to the loose ball first. Who’s up for a game?