Coffee thought

Since I am on spring break and my boys are at school, I get a little time to do things at my own pace.  So I get to take my time drinking coffee today.  This means I can have a cookie with my coffee without my boys knowing (because we are not allowed to have cookies for breakfast).  I also have a big, fat pile of whipped cream on top of my coffee.  (I must say the whipped cream topping the coffee is WAY better than the white snow topping the ground on the first day of April in Ohio.)  Then to make my coffee even more of a special treat there are fresh chocolate shavings on top.  Even if it is only a grated Hershey bar, it's pretty gourmet for home.

This led me to think:  You know how at restaurants the servers always come around and offer fresh ground black pepper or freshly grated Parmesan cheese for your food?  Everyone knows the server could ask when your order was taken if you would want this added.  They could bring a pepper mill or a side of cheese, but there is a reason they do this at the table for you.  I don't know exactly what it is, but it makes me feel a little special.  So, I think someone should come around and offer freshly shaved chocolate for coffee.  Wouldn't you agree that would be a nice addition to the day?  Yea, I could order coffee like in the picture, where the chocolate shavings or caramel swirl already comes on the coffee, but to have chocolate shaved onto the whipped cream or coffee right in front of me....  In just the right amount for my taste and need for chocolate in the day....  Mmmm...

In the meantime, I will keep a little chocolate handy to brighten my coffee any day on my terms.  But I'm just sayin', someone should really consider this idea.

Me time

So, a night alone.  I mean TRULY alone.  No boys (big or little), no responsibility.  I get to watch NCAA basketball tournaments with no one yelling at the television (and I get to make my own comments to the television that relate to the success of my choices for the bracket.  Which, by the way, who would have ever picked a 12 and 13 seed to advance as the next match up in Round 2?  NO ONE picks that!!! I digress....)

So, I had a chance to go shopping.  I hate shopping. I  stopped into three stores within 20 minutes.  I did buy a wine glass, though, because I hate to drink wine out of cheap, wrapped up water glasses in a hotel. I did inform Derek of my purchase, and he told me to purchase enough glasses for a set of four since the glasses are only $4.  Now I need to shop again.  Not as bad if there is a purpose.

So, I had a random thought while I was out and about.  Well, actually I had a few.

I went to pick up dinner to take back to the hotel.  (I really do not care for sitting at a table by myself to eat.) As I was waiting for my food I looked out at the sunny, relatively warm patio of the restaurant.  It was after 6 o'clock, so the evening was permitting cooler air to settle in, but people obviously sat on the patio earlier when the sun brought more warmth.  The martini and wine glasses remained on a table of those who had dined earlier.  This made me wonder, "What do people think when they see Derek and I together at a table?"  So many times I look across the table at him.  I don't think about what others see.  (If people came into our house, they would not always see a pretty picture, let me tell you.  But that's marriage--not always pretty.)  I wonder if people see a couple who looks like they enjoy being together or simply are going out to dinner.  What do we look like to others?  How do I make people look at us and want to be 'that couple?'  Kind of like our wedding day, when people felt we were a couple who belonged together and reflected how love should be.

My thought wandered to how beautiful the weather was for Ohio, and I thought how nice it would be to take a walk with my husband and kids.  I miss them, but it is refreshing to have some time to myself.  I have only left my husband and my boys once in the past four years for an overnight.  I don't travel well, but sometimes it may be necessary.

Now I get to enjoy the random text from my sister and brother-in-law and phone call from my husband and boys.  I enjoy hearing them.  I enjoy the time for myself.  I enjoy the break from the ordinary and the chores.  I need to be refreshed once and a while.  But I look forward to returning home.

Not Cool

I am not cool.  I never have been.  I think I am past the point where I will ever be able to be cool.  Let me give you a list of reasons why I do not fall into the "cool" category (maybe some of it is just my perspective, but I don't think so):

I still have (and use VHS tapes), and still "tape" shows on occasion because I do not have a DVR.

I don't have cable.

I have an iPod, but only to store my CDs on it.  I have never purchased any music from iTunes.

I could not name a single member of the Pussy Cat Dolls, the Spice Girls or the Backstreet Boys if it were for a million dollars.  The fact I still reference these groups should be an indication that I could not get a million dollars to name a more current group.

I don't keep up with the Kardashians.  I don't know why anyone would anyway.  Maybe I am cool for saying no to that one.

I am not on Facebook.  I'm not sure they would want me.

I do not have a Smart Phone.  I don't text.  My phone takes pictures.  I have had my phone a year and a half and it only has ten pictures on it.  Phones are for calling people.  I think only five people have my cell phone number to call me.  No wonder I never have plans on Saturday evening....  Oh wait, that's kids and marriage, not my phone.

I am wearing clothes I had ten years ago.  I don't know what the current trend is.  I count on my sister to buy me one or two things each year to make sure I do not miss entire decades of fashion.  The clothes she buys me are the times I get compliments about how I look.

My husband is not cool either.  He references himself as the "cool nerd" in high school.  Complete oxymoron if I have ever heard one.

Really, the list is endless.  Don't get me wrong, some of my lack off coolness may now be classified in my mind as lack of interest or to others as being cheap.  Whatever.  I'll deal with it. 

Here is my problem with not being cool.  What happens to my kids?  Right now, kids don't care.  They are three and five and still in preschool.  But right now my kids are not off to a good start for cool experiences.  They have not been to Disney World.  They do not have 'DS.'  They rarely play on the computer.  They have had one to many experiences watching movies that include my old VHS tapes and whether or not the movies from the library will work.

I hope I am not destroying my kids shot at coolness.  They are happy for now.  What happens when they realize anyone can have cable and we don't?  Maybe my kids will make me cool.  Or cool enough to get them by.  Or at least distract people enough that they don't notice I'm not.  May my children prevail over my shortcomings.