POTHOLE PERILS

I just got back from a trip to the Netherlands and not ONE pothole to be found anywhere I went. Now that I'm back in the States...

“I swear I'm going to be pulled over for drunk driving!” I cried as I stormed into the house.

My husband, Steven and son, Alex both stopped what they were doing and looked over at me. Steven looked mad. “Are you kidding me?”

“What?” Now I was confused. I looked at Alex, who just looked disappointed in me. “Wait! No, I wasn't drinking!” I cried. “And I certainly wouldn't go out and drive if I did!” I dropped my coat on the chair and went over to give Alex a hug. “I'm sorry I scared you.” I looked over at Steven. “It's the damned potholes! I've been swerving all over the roads trying to miss them!”

Steven gave a sigh of relief. “I know! They've been crazy this year!”

“Every day on my way to work, I see a new one.” I sat down on the couch and began to rub my jaw.

“What's wrong?” Steven asked.

“Every pothole that I didn't miss I realized I would grit my teeth as my poor car slammed in the hole. I've been gritting them so hard, for the past twenty minutes, I swear I think I've chipped a tooth!”

Steven shook his head. “I know what you mean. There are roads I won't even take because they're so bad.” He went into the kitchen and came back with a bottle of water for me.

“Thanks.” I unscrewed the cap and took a sip.

“I wonder when they're going to start filling them?” I took another sip from my water bottle.

By now, Alex had gotten bored with our conversation. “Let me know if you need any help starting dinner.” he said before he left the room.

I looked over at Steven. “Did he just say he'd help make dinner?” I whispered.

Steven shrugged his shoulders. “I'm pretty sure that's what he said.”

“Hey, Alex!” I called.

He came out of his room. “Yeah?” He came back into the living room.

“Did you just say you'd help make dinner tonight?” I asked. I couldn't help but smile.

He hesitated for a moment. “Um, sure. What were you planning on making?”

“I was thinking pasta.” I pointed to the kitchen. “I've already defrosted the sauce, the pasta's down in the pantry and there's salad stuff in the refrigerator.”

“Okay.” He started to go into the kitchen, but then stopped and turned around. “Do you want me to heat up the sauce or go get the pasta?”

“I thought you said you were making dinner tonight?” I couldn't help but smile.

“I said I'd help.” He held up his pointer finger as he corrected me. “And I only did that because you usually come right home and start to cook. But you're pothole story was getting you so aggravated I thought dinner might be backed up.” Now it was his time to start smiling. “It was just my way of giving you a gentle reminder, because I'm starving!”

“Well, you're stuck helping now.” I got up and went into the kitchen. “You go get the pasta and I'll start the salad.”

Steven came into the kitchen. “Anything I can do?”

“Sure, you can put the water on.” I went cabinet and pulled out a bottle of red wine. “Now that I'm not planning on doing any more driving today, I think I'll have a nice glass of this with dinner.” I put the bottle on the counter as Alex came back with the pasta.

I turned and looked at Alex as I reached into the cabinet for a glass. “This way I can finish my pothole story while we're eating dinner!”

Alex gave an very unenthusiastic, “Yeah.” as he put the pasta box down on the counter.

TRACKING VAN GOGH

“I can't believe this!” I was looking at my phone when Steven came into the room.

“What can't you believe?”

“My Van Gogh art book was shipped from the Museum yesterday in Amsterdam and I'm going to be getting it today!” I held up my phone to prove my point. “I'm tracking the shipping carrier.”

“That's nice.” Steven said as he walked into the kitchen.

I followed him. “Come on! This is so wild!” I skimmed through the delivery feed. “It left the Netherlands last night and arrived in Germany in the middle of the night. Now it's in New York!” I looked back at Steven. “You've got to admit that's crazy fast!”

Steven didn't seem impressed. “You don't shop online much, do you?” He took a glass out of the cabinet and went to the refrigerator to fill it with water. “If you did more Amazon shopping you wouldn't be as impressed.”

“But this is international shopping!” I leaned against the counter. “I can't send a birthday card to the next town and have it get there the next day.”

Steven started to laugh. “Why didn't you just buy the art book when you're visiting the Museum with your sister next week?” He finished his drink and put the glass in the sink.

“Dishwasher's dirty.” I reminded him.

Steven looked at the front of the dishwasher where the sign said “Clean”. “Really?”

“Sorry about that.” I leaned over and moved the sign to “Dirty”. “But the reason I had it sent here was because I didn't want the weight in the luggage. I had no idea that it would get here the next day!”

I looked back on my phone and sighed. “It's still being processed in New York.”

Steven patted my arm as he walked passed me. “Don't worry, it will be here by the end of the day.”

“Did I tell you they're having a special exhibit called 'Van Gogh and Japan' while we're there?” I was still tracking my purchase while I was talking.

“Yes.” Steven laughed. “A few times.”

“I'm so excited! I can't believe I'm really going!”

Alex walked into the kitchen. “Are you getting excited for your trip?” He looked at Steven and started to laugh.

“I'm tracking my art book from the Van Gogh Museum!” I looked back at my phone. “It's on it's way to New Jersey!” I cried. “They just sent it last night from Amsterdam!”

Alex started to laugh. “You know, overnight shipping has been happening for quite some time now.” He looked over at Steven, still laughing.

“Hey, she's excited.” he shrugged his shoulders. “I would be too if I was going on her trip.”

“Sisters are great, aren't they?” I had to laugh myself. “Especially ones that like to travel!”

A few hours later the doorbell rang.

“It's here!” I cried. “It's here!” I ran to the door and opened it. The delivery man was all smiles as he handed it to me. “Thank you!” I cried.

By now Alex was next to me. “You sure look happy.”

“I am!” I placed the package on the chair and took out my phone. “I wonder if it says it's been delivered yet?” I scrolled through the delivery summary. “Yup! It says it's been delivered!” I looked out the window. “And he hasn't even pulled away from the curb yet!” I turned back to Alex. “Isn't it amazing!” I picked up the package and cradled it in my arms. “Just think, this was in Amsterdam just yesterday!”

Alex shook his head. “I can't believe you're more excited about tracking your book, then actually getting it.”

“Not true.” I began unwrapping my new purchase. “I'm equally excited about both!”

PANSY PASSION

I had just finished grocery shopping and was placing the last bag on the counter-top when my son, Alex came out of his room.

“Do you need help unloading the car?” he asked as he zipped up his sweatshirt and began heading for the front door.

“Thanks, but I got it all.” I called before he went outside.

“Oh great!” he came into the kitchen and began helping me unload the bags. “I thought you said you were doing a big shopping?” he looked at the half a dozen bags sitting on the counter.

“Well, I couldn't fit anymore in the grocery cart, so this was all I could get.” I explained as I placed a box of cereal in the cabinet while Alex put away the gallon of milk.

He looked around and seemed confused. “This filled your cart?”

“Well, not this so much.” I motioned for him to follow me into the living room. I pointed out the front window at the container of miniature pansies I'd placed on the front porch. “Aren't they beautiful!” I cried as we took a moment to watch the tiny purple flowers dance in the breeze. “I just needed some color around here to get me past this horrible winter!” I looked over at Alex barely able to contain my glee. “They were just unloading them from the truck when I was getting my cart.” I looked out the window again at my new plant treasure. “How lucky was that?”

Alex shrugged his shoulder. “Real lucky, I guess. But why did that stop you from getting any groceries?”

“Well, once I put that in my cart there really wasn't much room for anything else.” I shrugged my shoulders. “I didn't want anything to damage the flowers. So I only got the few things that fit around it.”

Alex looked confused. “Why didn't you get the shopping done first and then get the flowers? They would have balanced on top of everything.”

I shook my head. “Because they were just putting them out.” I pointed to the flowers out the window. “If I'd gone back after shopping, someone else would have gotten the best one! I couldn't let that happen!”

It was Alex's turn to shake his head. “So why didn't you buy the plant, put it in the car then go back and get the shopping done?”

That made me stop for a moment before I shrugged my shoulders. “I guess because I never thought of that.” I turned around and smiled at him again. “But aren’t they beautiful?”

Alex laughed. “They are, but there still isn't anything here to eat for lunch.”

“Did you know pansies are edible?” I looked back at flowers. “Not that I'd let you eat any of mine, but they say they have a nice wintergreen flavor.” I looked back at Alex waiting for him to be impressed with my edible flower knowledge.

He wasn't.

Instead he put his sweatshirt back on, zipped it up and went out to the kitchen to grab the car keys. “I'm headed out to get something to eat. Do you want anything?” he asked.

“Oh, I'm starving!” I cried. “Do you want to split a tuna on a bagel?”

“Sure.” Alex laughed as headed for the front door.

“Maybe when I done eating I'll go back and finish the shopping!” I called after him.

“That would be awesome!”