The Day Trader Joe's Made Me Cry

Last weekend wasn't my best. I was nervous about my surgery, but what was really getting to me was wanting to get the house decorated before. I was told I'd feel pretty good within a couple of days, but that didn't factor in the sinus and lung infections! Still, I have Energizer Bunny characteristics when under the gun, so I decided I would power decorate the house before. And I was making headway!

One tree up -- but this photo is from last year!

(The main reason for this was that I wouldn't be able to lift my arm above by shoulder or carry more than 10 pounds for a week to ten days.)

One small tree tree up, another in place just waiting for decorations (that one is in the hall.) The wall tree in my room was in place too. And my mantel was decorated. Yay for me! I even had a few vignettes on shelves and the top of the china cabinet. (Pix for all of these to come.)

(And I should add, we had some fun too -- delicious dinners done by Rick and Scrabble. I even won one and lost the other by one point!)

 

Then Rick decided that he would plaster and paint the mess in my ceiling that had been there since November 2023 when Kevin dry walled the remnants of a leaking problem. (I had to look that date up on the blog!). He decided to do it now. So, down came the mantel, up went the ladder with a promise to finish before surgery date.

So, that room was torn up, the dining table filled with everything from the mantel or within paint-dripping distance. But we would get the big tree in place -- and lit -- so I could decorate while my arm was still kept low. I was elated. The best laid plans!

There is the pile of tree in the living room. I could find all of it. Except the tree stand. After numerous calls to every hardware and big-box store in town, I ended up ordering a stand. It's not like the tree is going up Christmas Eve -- it will be up long before Rick's. But not when I'd hoped.

Do you think I could find anyplace in town with a stand that would fit that?

So, since I wouldn't be able to drive for a week or so either, I went to Trader Joe's to stock up on provisions. If you shop at TJ's you probably know that the cashier staff (well, all the staff) is personable and friendly. They chat, ask questions, treat you like you belong there, it is your store and they're glad to have you. The lovely young woman who was working that day was no exception. She asked me how my day was.

I told her. I know. I should have some restraint. But I blurted out that it wasn't going well -- I was preparing for surgery that was making me nervous, the house is in chaos and to top it off, I can't find the stand for the Christmas tree and no one in town had one. "Oh well," I said. "You just have to go with it. First world problems. I have a roof, food, friends. It'll be OK." 

What I didn't realize was that as I was telling her this, another colleague passed by. I wasn't aware of him, but then he was standing beside her. In his hands was this bouquet of flowers. He said "I heard you as I was going by. I hope this helps," or something close. 

 

And I started to cry. Wouldn't you? Not ugly, sobbing, weeping cry, but I was teared up and so touched. I was pretty "welled-up" in the store, but I made it out of the store before I let the tears really do their thing. Too much pent up emotion -- anticipation, exhaustion, you name it.

And then, home to keep decking the halls. Just not the tree. And -- this just in -- last night we thought maybe we could reuse the tree stand from the old artificial tree. It fit! And now it has lights on it and garland. The rest can come later. AND, Rick finished the ceiling. True, the drop cloths are still there, the repair gear in the hall waiting for him to take it home. I still don't have the mantel up but most of the mess is gone and I can cope!

Finally, today is my surgery. I may be a bit slow visiting for a couple of days but back soon with the November books and an update! Thanks for all the good wishes!