Thursday, October 4, 2012

One Of Those Days

Ever have one of those mornings when you know right away that it’s not going to be a good day? Mine started as soon as I got out of bed this morning. The phone rang before I’d even had breakfast. That’s always a bad sign. If my phone starts ringing that early, it does something weird to the ringer and it keeps ringing all day!

It’s sort of like that button under the seat cushion of my recliner. Did you ever notice – when you grab a cup of coffee and get all prepared to watch your favorite TV show, just as you sit down in your chair, the phone rings! I’ve looked high and low for the button that activates that ringer so I can disconnect that bad boy! (Just between you and me, there’s one under the toilet seat, too).

So, after too many phone calls and my cat depositing a giant hairball on the living room carpet, I was not in a very good mood by dinner time.

However I tried to do as a popular TV evangelist often says: “No matter what happens, be happy on purpose,” she touts, with a smile on her face. So I forced a big smile and started rattling those pots and pans. Well, I must not be living right ‘cause this “happy on purpose” thing didn’t work for me. Everything I did went awry. I’m not sure I belong in the kitchen!

When I peeled potatoes, most of them had to be thrown away because they had black spots in them, but I was finally able to salvage enough good ones to make a “batch.” I put them on to cook and started cooking my pork chops. Wouldn’t you know it? They stuck to the pan like they were super-glued and when I tried to pry them loose, grease popped everywhere, making a big, greasy mess and burning my finger. I felt like throwing the chops away – pan and all! But remembering the words, “No matter what happens, be happy on purpose,” I plastered the smile back on my face and took on the next task – opening a new jar of cornstarch. What a disaster that turned out to be!

Removing the lid, I found a foil cover over the top of the jar. It had little tabs on it and I thought I could just pull on one of those and, Voila! Off would come the foil. Wrong! I pulled and pulled to no avail, and finally used a paring knife to pry one side of the foil up. When it finally let go, the whole thing sort of burst off at once and it was as if a sudden snowstorm had hit my kitchen! This fine, white powder, about the consistency of baby powder, settled all over the counter tops, canisters, coffee pot, assorted knick knacks – and me.

Mr. H. walked into the kitchen just in time to see me throw my arms in the air and yell, “Calgon, take me away!”

He laughed and casually asked, “What’s that mean?”

“What do you mean, ‘what’s that mean?’ ” I said. “Didn’t you ever hear the expression, “Calgon, take me away?”

“No,” he said, in all seriousness.

After going into a lot of detail about the Calgon commercial from a few years back, and explaining that all women understand the plea when they’re having a bad day, he answered with, “I think you’re making that up. I never heard of such a thing!”

“I am not! You just ask anyone,” I said.

He started laughing, making me angry, even though I realized we were acting like kids.

“What’s so funny?” I said, more than a little disgruntled.

He reached out, wiped at my face with his hand and said, “You’ve got something white all over your face.”

Breaking into a giggle, I told him about the cornstarch incident and he pitched in to help with a little clean-up before we ate our slightly over-cooked dinner.

And just as we sat down – the phone rang.



9 comments:

Pam said...

This is great Peggy. Sounds a little like what goes on in my kitchen sometimes. Very good!

luella said...

Love it! Especially the argument about Mr. H. not knowing about Calgon. So cute!

Jim said...

Everyone has heard the Calgon commercial! I think he was teasing you. Great post. Jim

Diana Dunlap said...

Oh my gosh...I can so relate! Sorry about your bad day. As Scarlett says "Tomorrow is another day". Good luck with that. ;)

Claire Swenson said...

I still remember that commercial Peggy. Hope you sit down tonight and the recliners button is broken so you have to sit quietly for a good long while. ♥

Audria Thomason Botkin said...

Love it, Peggy! I can so relate. I still quote that same commercial and I've often wished I could disable the "seat buttons." I hadn't thought about them coming with recliners, but next time I wish for a recliner, I will wish for one without a phone activation button!! What brand is your recliner so I know which ones to avoid?! :) May God bless you with better days!

Rusty Bailey said...

So sorry for your bad day. Been there and done that too. I do remember the Calgon commercuals and was also reminded about those Walgreens commercials. They kept talking about life in " PERFECT " a fictional town. We have planned on taking our vacations there. Or sometimes just go and hang out there for a while. Peggy you see in PERFECT if you do have a spill the Cat always comes and vaccumes it up. Thanks for giving me a better day!

Drema Ward said...

wonderful article

Yvonne said...

Totally can relate to this post. Oh and I have never been able to find that "button" either. :)