Leisurely Tuesday

Yesterday Phil and I both had the day off, and since I spent my first day off on Monday straightening up the house and doing all my other wifely duties, I had the whole day yesterday to just sit back and relax and I figured what better way to spend the day but to go to the new Queen Creek library, which is right around the corner from our house. We decided to walk/roll down there (lol) and it was such a beautiful day out, 80 degrees and perfect. The one thing I did notice was that sidewalks just seem to end around here, and then I am forced to off road it, and there are no street lights to get your safely across the street unless you go a mile up the road, so your forced to cross the street where ever you can. You would think that this town, with all the money they are putting in to building infrastructure and whatnot, could afford to put in some sidewalks or make things a little more handicap accessible, but I guess not. My mom says I should write the town and let them know the issues I have when trying to get around, but I think it is going to end up being another letter that is just tossed in some wastebasket. Maybe I will though, I know I've seen a few other people around here who use powerchairs and scooters and they have the same problems I do.

Anyway, we finally get to the library and it is so nice, and I just love the smell of a new building. We went up to the desk and both got a library card, and then we were off to explore. It has been so long since I've been in a library, and I didn't realize how much I missed it. The one thing that is nice about this place is that they don't use the card catalog of numbers, where to find your book you have to write down the number of where it is, and then search the whole place trying to find those numbers. This is basically here are the fiction books, and you find your author alphabetically. Not that I mind having to find a book I want based on the card catalog, I've done it a lot, and it isn't hard, but it makes it nice just being able to go to a section and there is everything you want and not have to worry about whether your in the right area or not.

The really great thing about this library is that you can check out DVDs, and these are brand new releases as well as older ones, and also TV series. This makes it so much easier then having to pay $1 a night for a Redbox movies, or $10 a month for Netflix, and you get to keep the movie for 7 days. And for us, who like so many people are on a budget, anything you can get for free is great! We rent The House Bunny and Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and he also got some military movie and The Ring 2, which I told him he is watching by himself because I just can't do scary movies. I also checked out a really interesting book by John Grisham called "The Innocent Man" and Phil, who really loves Westerns, got a book about a gunslinger in the Old West. I also found the cooking section and checked out a Pillsbury cookbook with 177 different easy recipes that all look so delicious, and I am definitely one of loves trying out new recipes.

After the library, we made a stop by Bahama Bucks, which is a great place that serves Hawaiian shaved ice and smoothies. When you open the door to the place, you are hit with the smell of coconut, and their shaved ice is so creamy. I got watermelon, with cream on top, and a little umbrella in it, and really, how can a drink with a little umbrella in it not be good? It really hit the spot on such a warm day.

After our library and shaved ice adventure, we headed over to my work, good ol' Walmart, to pick up a few groceries we needed for dinner. I made my hearty pork stew, full of fresh mushrooms, carrots, potatoes, and green onions. It is so good and something I haven't made in awhile, because it takes a few hours to really get the stew nice and cooked with full flavor. But the hard work is definitely worth it. Served with some crusty french bread, and a good movie in the DVD player, it was a great end to a great day.

Redbox = Confessional

There's this phenomenon, known as Redbox. I am sure you've seen them around in Walmart's and Walgreens, and who knows where else. It is, literally, a red box that has the latest movies in it, and you can rent a movie for the night for a $1, sometimes free if you have a promo code.

Of course, my Walmart has a Redbox, placed conveniently at the busiest door of the store, and on the weekends, this machine blows up. The line of people that stand there waiting to return and rent a movie can sometimes head out toward the door. A fellow greeter has named it the "Confessional", because you stand in front of it, hoping and praying your movie will be available to rent.

So this weekend, it was another go with the "Redboxers", having to continually do crowd control, asking them not to block the exit because, well, people are trying to get past you to leave and your not moving out of the way. I have come to love observing these redboxers too, because it is so funny how people will act when it comes to renting a movie.

The one common thing I noticed is that no one has trust in the fact that someone else will return your movie for you, so you don't have to wait in line. You'll see a lady, with three screaming kids in line, looking frazzled, and the nice person in front of them asks if they can return the movie for her so she can go about her day, and immediately her hand tightens around her movies as she says no, and looks at the person suspiciously. It is funny how no one trusts someone else, thinking they will just keep the movie for themselves and they'll end up getting charged. Now, I am sure that happens, but I really don't think the 50 yr old grandpa wants to watch High School Musical 3 and Spongebob Squarepants. I could be wrong though....

Another great thing is how mad these redboxers get when someone comes into the store and just walks up to the machine and announces to the whole line that they are just returning, so it's OK I just cut in here, right? Most people don't say anything, but seeing as they having been standing in line for 30 minutes, if looks could kill, that little ditzy blonde would be a goner. And it is always those girls who come in dressed like they just left the club, or strip club. I guess they figure if their ass and boobs are hanging out, no one will notice they just cut in line in front of 15 angry people.

Of course, my favorite, is the people who get up there and spend about an hour trying to find a movie to rent, while the line behind them grows bigger and bigger. I've seen people read every description of every movie, and then after wasting all that time, not even RENT a movie. You start seeing the line get annoyed to downright ready to turn into a mob and kill. Of, and let's not forget the people who come up to me and bitch that their movie isn't available to rent, and what am I going to do about it. Well, I don't control the redbox, and if you want a movie so bad, go online and reserve it. One guy actually had the nerve to tell me that since his movie wasn't available, Walmart should give him the DVD of the movie free. OK dude, keep holding your breath on that to happen.

Oh look, I just got my Monday text for my free Redbox promo code Monday's...I must hurry and get in line.....