Out & About..

Overheard, "You are too old to be wetting yourself in public!!"
on the way to the toilets in a Shopping Mall. Elderly woman.

"I wanted one of those. I saw what they cost, & changed my mind. What a bloody waste of good money!" Youngish Mum, looking very jaundiced.

"She gave me a list of what they would like. I thought 'Piss off, we can't afford that. They will get what I buy them!'"

"I would love one of those!". "Oh, look they even tell you how to wear them." "I don't need anyone telling me how to wear it!!" "oh! ok" Shrinks down a bit... moves away.

"HA HAHA" laughing like a Gallah! "Look at that! What kind of dork would by that??"
"Err, I got that for my brother?"
"Oh sorry Dude. That is major cool!"

"Thank goodness!! I have got all my Christmas presents!" "thank goodness that is over & done with!!"

So sad, to think it is such a chore. But how often do we agonise over such gifts, wanting to find 'just the right thing' 'the perfect gift'. It seems some people have this special gift, for choosing 'just the right gift'.

I have been given perfect gifts, that probably cost very little. But the thought that went into the gift made it perfect. And impossible to top.

In the past, I have been given gifts that I can see, the giftee, has thought to be perfect. The sad reality is, I have been shocked & surprised, but not pleased. I have struggled to appear so thrilled. I don't know if I was always convincing. It is too sad to look back upon.

On the other hand, I wonder how many times I have given, what I had deemed the 'Perfect Gift' only to have disappointed. Did the recipient disguise their disappointment? Did they manage to hide their 'non-delight'?

And, don't you hate it when someone, on your gift list, says to you.
"I am going to buy myself 'xxyt' on Saturday"
And you shriek "No No! Dont! Dont buy that! It is Christmas. For Gosh sake,"

And, they don't 'get it' .
And they reiterate their intentions to buy themselves the damn thing you want to buy them or have already bought them!!

So you finally shriek at them, you have got them that very item for Christmas!
Then they are full of apologies. Horrified, they have spoilt the surprise.

Usually happens to one of us, over the Christmas Festery Season!!

Ahhh the joys of the gift buying mine field!!

Happy Gift Buying or giving in your world!!






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Eavesdropping can be such fun at times. Wandering about in a Supermarket can be damn boring but it can also be fun, if you prick your ears up.

Overheard one day.
Talker "Well, I am hoping I recognise her. We haven't seen each other since we were at school, all those years ago."
Same speaker, before the Listener has time to draw breath.
"Oh and did you hear about Olive! She lost her stomach!"

This was too intriguing not to listen in on, so I casually inched up the freezer cabinet pretending an inordinate interest in the Pizza selections. Four cabinets of them! Who knew there were so many??
Thinking 'How can someone 'lose' their stomach'??

Bending right over to inspect the bottommost Pizzas.

"OH!" gasps the Listener "What..."
Quickly she is cut off by the Talker. "Well, she had something, ...her gullet, ...it collapsed & killed her stomach. She was days away, probably hours away from dying!"
Listener, "How...?"
Talker, "Well I think they had to take out all of it."
Listener, "Is...?"
Talker, "She has lost so much weight. She is lucky to be alive!"

I think that might be debatable, & I slink slowly off down the Freezer pretending to inspect Meat Pies. Where GOM stumbles upon me & says in amazement, as he knows I dont eat them, "What are you looking at those for?"

I shrug & we move off to collect some potato chips- or French fries as some of you might call them.

GOM has always had a fascination with electrical gadgets, & for Birthdays & Xmases has often requested such things as an Ice cream Maker, a Waffle Maker, a Milkshake machine- so he could make his grandkids milkshakes!
And one year he wanted a Deep Fryer. Which was used once or twice, like most of the fancy electricals, then retired to the back of the cupboard.

But recently, when we were having friends for drinks, we got it out, & decided to try it for deep frying some Yum Cha style Chinese food. And it worked really well. So we tried some chips- well, GOM cooked them. And now he is addicted to them, & suggests them almost every night for tea.

As I recall the main reason for retiring the Deep fryer in the first place, was because at our age, we really dont need much in the way of deep fried food!

We got one of those George Foreman Health Grills, so we could eat healthy meat, & bacon, & not have tons of fatty food. And it has been a great success. So much so that we need a new one, as the first one is worn out. It has lost it's non stick surface. I hate to think we may have eaten some of it!

We both have no problems with cholesterol, & I try to feed us on healthy meals. I am just wondering how the chip eating marathons will alter the fat factor in our lives. I will often not have any chips. I like microwaved potatoes in a little light sauce. I love plain cooked rice. I love my steamed vegies. But GOM is not a vegie eater, unless I do a casserole type meal.

Thank goodness Summer is coming. GOM loves his salads, but then,... I suppose chips go rather well with salad too.

When we first got married, I was a pretty good cook. I had come from a line of good cooks. GOM didn't know much about cooking, but he was eager to try his hand. Cakes were his 'thing'.

He decided one Sunday, that he was going to do some baking. He chose to make Afghans, which seemed to entail yards of flour, wheetbix, & cocoa strewn about the kitchen. To say nothing of the egg white dripped all over the cookbook! It has never been the same again, & bears the scars all these many years later.

It was really only ever baking that GOM was interested in, & meals were never his forte, in our home. Though when we had the hotels, he loved to get in & be the Grill Chef, if one of the mad lunatic chefs got the huff & stalked off the job.(And that seemed to happen with monotonous regularity. I tell you, they are a breed apart!) And he was a damn good steak cook, & never had any complaints about his meals. Our kids loved to go down to the Restaurant one night a week, & have their Dad cook them their Bangers & chips.

I can see we might have to try & get a leeetle more exercise than we currently do!


Bread, If.