During the usual small talk that happens in line at the cash register at Costco, the cashier, girl who loaded the boxes of stuff for me, and I chatted over the 42 pound bags of cat litter on the top of my basket. I admitted I'd kept them up top, rather than on the bottom rack, so that I had a chance of picking them up and getting them in my car. The boxing girl said she had no idea who would even try to lift a bag that heavy. "Who can carry that?" she asked. I sighed. I used to, I said. I told her how we used to move ourselves through every single military move, and until I was about 45, I could lift giant heavy stuff without much difficulty. I didn't mention it, but I used to be a weight lifter by choice. It was my very favorite form of exercise. But today, after years of my body telling me to get bent every time I try to get fit, it was all I could do to move those stacked bags of cat litter into the trunk of my car. It took two tries to get the lower one lifted and rolled into the trunk. In fact, by the time I was home from Costco, via King Soopers for the things I couldn't get on my first stop, I had to struggle to carry in the ten pound bags of carrots and sweet potatoes. I left the cat litter in the car for the Mr to take care of. Eight trips to empty the car in multiple light loads wore me out. I ended up leaving frozen pizzas and bags of frozen okra on the counter, thawing slightly, while I lay on the foot of my bed, catching my breath.
Thank goodness my daughter came over to help clean house while I cooked for Wednesday game night. Walking around the two grocery stores, plus the half hour drive between the two on the Interstate, took a lot out of me. I still had to prep food for everyone, and I was still pan frying the meat for chicken Marsala when gamers arrived. I had a vegetarian dish in the oven, and I had glazed carrots reducing on the stovetop. I made the mistake of using too small of a burner to heat up water for brown rice pasta, so it took forever to finish up dinner. The game had been going for almost half an hour when I finally got to sit down with a plate to play my character. I had been going so long, my whole body screamed when I sat. Now, as I lie in bed waiting for a late afternoon burst of caffeine to die down, my legs from the knees down are still throbbing in pain. What happened to that strong kid who loved marching band and using the leg press machine set to hundreds of pounds of resistance?
The game was fun tonight. Dinner was really good, for the first time I've tried this particular dish (although yes, I picked all of the mushrooms out of my own and let everyone else have them). And my cats have decided they enjoy hosting and entertaining the crew. It's so cool having gregarious cats who consider my friends to be their friends too.
One last thought on Costco: I took a picture of something to discuss whether we need it. My daughter says she "NEEEEEED(s)" one. I think I might too. What do you think, bee hive the size of a bird house or no?
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