Camping, in Town

Well, I love to camp. I’ve never camped in town before, but that’s pretty much what we’re doing. We’re in the house – FINALLY! Getting the utilities turned on was akin to stealing a pocket picking monkey from a gypsy circus – no mean feat. I finally introduced myself to the neighbor across the street (he’s a COMCAST employee). I explained that to work, I must have an internet connection, and I’ve been staying in a hotel to have internet access. Well, Reliant energy got off their butts, and my neighbor called a friend who called a friend, and within two days, i have both electricity, AND internet. The one utlitity service that deserves a HUGE star is Galveston County Water District #8. They came out and turned on the water as soon as they received my deposit two weeks prior to my arrival! :OP

We’re staying downstairs, no need to sprawl out all over this place. I swear this house was haunted when I was a kid, and here I am pushing fifty, and I STILL don’t want to go upstairs at night… What’s up with that!?!?!

Well, I have a number of interesting images collected to post. Nothing earth shattering. Curiousities would probably be a better description for them. Things here can be very different. For starters: the grocery store and edibles.

After visiting probably four different groceries, i finally found the prize. Del Dixie Sour Pickles. If you’ve never had one, I’m sorry. Once holding court on every grocery shelf, it seems these royal delights have been banished to smaller sizes and fewer stores. Or, you can buy the monster pickles in those big 2 gallon jars – nope, won’t work… Must get the small fingerling sized pickles. Why Del Dixie, you ask? Well, DD pickles are NEVER mushy, they’re crisp as chips, and full of zing. Made in Fort Worth, they’re sure to please the tongue of any pickle lover. Today, I bought four quart jars, so as not to arouse suspicion in the clerk’s eyes… I have to pick up a case for my auntie. Well, I don’t HAVE to… but she uses these little del dixies to make her bread and butter pickles. Yep, she starts with the base of Del Dixie Sours. She finally gave e her secret… hers are the ONLY B&B pickles I’ll eat…

While perusing the aisles of H.E.B., stocking up on all kinds of hispanic eatery items that I have to ship home, I smiled when looking in the air freshener section… Not only was the old Money House Blessing Spray still available, but the selection of patron saint candles was even more extensive than I had ever dreamed. Ok, first, the blessing spray smells like cloves and spices, it’s heavy, and I loathe it.. but who can resist a HOT PINK can of spray that’s supposed to, when sprayed, bring you financial blessings!?!?! (I can resist!!!) This is something I find very curious, and have never seen in the NW. The parade of patron saint candles is another curiosity that really perks my interest. I’ve always been very interested in different religions, sort of a “what makes them tick” type interest. A dear friend is Roman Catholic (Hi Kat!), and she’s never had these candles, nor has she mentioned any of these saints… SO, why is it that they’re here, in H.E.B. grocery, promising blessings to cowboys, protection of children, promises of financial gain, health, prosperity, protection from mal de ojo (evil eye), yet not in action anywhere else in the country I’ve been????? Never seen ‘em in the UK, nor in NYC, Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Omaha, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Gulf Shores, Tuscaloosa, Memphis, Atlantic City, Reno, Hyannisport, Boston, South Bend, Chicago, Louisville, Newport News… you get my drift. I travel, or did, considerably with my job. I always hit the local grocery stores (not too big, not too small) because that was always a good indicator of the ethnic groups (and food) to be found int he area. No MHB Spray or saintly perfumed blessing candles there. Someday, I’ll uncover the secret to these saints.

Speaking of religious icons, and trinkets, in Amarillo, there was a HUGE billboard for a Catholic Superstore. Now I was ready to exit, and head back east on the interstate and investigate. Come on! Catholic Superstore? I’ve never seen a Baptist, or Quaker, or Mennonite Superstore…however, my daughter and sometime-navigator threatened to throw the fit of all fits if I turned around. A) it was hotter than a campfire skillet, B) it was 0800, and she’d not had her requisite 12hrs of sleep, and C), the Catholic Superstore didnt’ open until 10. <sigh> I just envisioned a priestly sort on tv, late night around 11:30 shouting (in a Sunday! SUNNDAY! SUNDAAAAAAY! type voice) “We’ve got shrines, and medallions, we’ve got aisles and aisles of rosaries, our vestaments are the best!”. dang! I wanted to go in that store, and I’m trying to figure out a way to return home, by way of Amarillo and the Catholic Superstore… I don’t think it’ll happen, but I’m gonna give it a try. If you think I’m lying, check it out:

Top of Texas Catholic Superstore

2500 S Coulter St Ste 110

Amarillo, TX 79106
(806) 353-0700

I wonder if they’ve got those candles there….

After I figure out the mystery of the candles, I’m off to learn more about the naming convention of Catholic churches. The Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrows, the Blessed Medalionl, etc… What is the criteria for naming your church I wonder… I mean no disrespect to anyone of the Catholic faith, please know that… there are just differences here that I find intriguing, and would like to know the hows/whys behind them, that’s all. Just about all you’ll ever see is a FIRST Baptist, sometimes a Second Baptist – MAYBE a Freewill Baptist. Nothing too exciting in the Baptist naming convention.

So, the house has no furniture. This means we have to go to a place you only want to see on TV… RENTACENTER. In my innocence, i traipse in, thinking it will be full of all things new. Instead, it’s full of frat house reject stereos, and furniture laden with cigarette burns and mystery stains. Do these people NOT eat at a table? Better yet, I understand – OH HOW I UNDERSTAND – not having a table; however, it looks as if more food was held on the sofa than in someone’s belly. ICK. Maybe it was rented to a daycare toddler room? i dunno, but some of this stuff I wouldn’t EVEN sit on. Finally, the manager, whose name was also Nina, offered me a deal… She had a spotless sectional in storage that was on clearance. She’s bringing it to the store… but would let me have it for 23.00 a week. HA! I can’t believe these stores don’t require their employees to carry guns – ROBBERY! Oh well, she promised no smokers, and no mystery stains… She looks like a woman of her word, so I took the deal. These places provide a service to many who are desperate, in a transition (me), or just want things, and can’t get them without the stepping stool credit assistance some loan shark place like this can offer. Sometimes life deals you a hand of twos and fives… you make do with whatcha got. I have a flat screen tv with an entertainment center (don’t GET ME STARTED!) – it has a subwoofer, three speakers (speaker #4 is MIA) and a center channel speaker. I’ve had transistor radios with better sound. HA! Mind you, I am not complaining, I am just aghast at what so many have to go through to have what I have often taken for granted. And, when it comes to sound, I’m terribly picky about the sound quality of music – pretty close to a purist, but don’t have teh bank account to be a total purist. Also, I never appreciated cable like I do now. HA! It’s strange to be doing this, but it’s like camping, only in town, in a house. The sofa comes Monday. The TV came home in the back of the JEEP. Renting furniture over staying in a hotel is approximately 850.00 cheaper. (would have been FAR more inexpensive had the utility companies around here had their act together!)

We cleaned the house today. Well, not THE house, but we have been cleaning this sucker for hours, and have the kitchen and bathroom downstairs pretty sparkly. You’d be AMAZED at how dirty a house can get when left uninhabited for over a year. Even dirtier when an idiot realtor leaves all the flippin’ windows to the place open for nine months. Yeah, NINE months – at least. Luckily, it never stays cold here, so any humidity infiltrating the place was quickly dried by the heat. Thank the good Lord we have storm blinds, and that they were only open a smidge, otherwise, the weather would have just come directly into the house – those blinds kept any/all rain out. I shiver just thinking about how stupid and careless people can be – especially with other folk’s stuff!

I want this place sold, and I want it sold quickly. May you all keep, in your prayers, a buyer who will come in, make nice all the needs of this home, and enjoy the beautiful neighborhood. Its an old house, but a wonderful yard full of promise. If I had the money, and a hubby who’d move here – I’d tear it down and build another home. Oh well, we all have dreams! :O) Though not quite of age just yet, I would love to live like the snowbirds… enjoying the warmth of Texas in the winter, and experiencing the beauty and joy of the NW in the spring/summer and fall. <happy sigh>

It’s almost time for the Kitsap County Fair. All my friends are busy working at the fair, and I’m here. I’m enjoying being here, but I miss my friends terribly. I miss working at the fair. My mom will be honored at the rodeo this year. Wrangler jean’s TOUGH ENOUGH TO WEAR PINK night will be in her honor. Hopefully someone will record the event, and I’ll get to see it. <sigh> There’s not a day that goes by where I don’t reach for the phone to call her, or think “Wow, mom would get such a kick out of this!”… then it hits me, and I have to dig my heels in deep. Sometimes I can’t dig ‘em in deep enough.

done