Archive | June 2011

A Big Day For Sanford

Jun23

Yes, today was a big day for Sanford…..a major milestone in the evolution of our town……a long awaited arrival finally came to fruition!  At 6:30 this morning, the newest Chick-fil-A location opened and at 9:00 the ribbon was cut with more anticipation, hoopla, and ceremony than a visit from  a sitting President would get!  OK, so maybe I exaggerate just a little – but not by much!

Of course, I had to head up that way after work to get an opening day meal.  I’ve been to lots of Chick-fil-A restaurants, but never on an opening day.  To be honest, I was really quite impressed!

To tell the story adequately, I need to back up a bit.  For as long as I can remember, a free-standing Chick-fil-A has been on every wish list I’ve ever seen for Sanford.  When it was announced that a deal was set to open one on an out-parcel lot at the WalMart shopping center, the excitement began to build.  It was all people could talk about.  As the highly anticipated opening day grew closer, the excitement turned into a frenzy of eager fans hungry for a chance to eat one of those amazing chicken sandwiches without having to go out-of-town or to the hospital.  (Side note for those who wonder why I mention the hospital:  Sanford does have a limited menu Chick-fil-A location in the hospital cafeteria).  Then, yesterday, the first 100 customer challenge began.  You see, whenever a Chick-fil-A opens a new location, they offer a free meal (sandwich, fries, and a drink) every week for a year to the first 100 customers who meet certain criteria.  They have to arrive at the restaurant at 6:00 am the day BEFORE the opening and stay there for at least 24 hours – camping out in the parking lot – to be eligible.  If more than 100 customers meet the criteria, the 100 winners are selected via a lottery drawing.  Crazy, right?  Well, the Sanford opening had well over 200 people show up for the challenge!  Tents were erected, lawn chairs were set up, games were played to pass the time, and the 200+ people – mostly strangers – shared a fun-filled 24 hours together!  (BTW – I was NOT one of them!)

Today was the grand opening and the ribbon cutting ceremony.  From the pics I saw from the Chamber of Commerce, it looks like all the local elected officials and many happy citizens were on hand to welcome the new business to Sanford.  It sure looked like everyone was having a grand time – lots of fun and enthusiasm on everyone’s faces!

Since it was a work day, I had to wait until after I got off to go check it out.  I figured it would likely be crowded, so I decided to just go through the drive thru and take my opening day meal home with me.  Traffic heading in the direction of the WalMart area was thick and slow.  I wondered how many were actually going that way for the same reason I was – to eat a piece of history in the making.  I pulled into the parking lot – barely – and got into the very long line for the drive thru.  But, here is where I became impressed!  The line was outrageously long – I assumed I would be there until midnight!  But, it moved surprisingly fast!  And then there were the “greeters” – men in dress shirts and ties that I could only assume were high in the managerial ranks of the Chick-fil-A organization were standing along the drive thru line.

The first I came up on was welcoming every car and handing out a photo sheet of the menu board so that we could decide what we wanted to order before we got to the speaker to place our orders.  He was very cheery and friendly – commenting on how I should have my top down on such a beautiful day!  Then, right at the bend where the line split into two lines for two order boards was the famous Chick-fil-A mascot – a cow wearing a jersey with words begging people to “Eat Mor Chikin” – waving at everyone.  Thankfully, his costume hid his face, cause I’m sure it was beet red and not very happy to be wearing a fur outfit in the almost, if not right at, 100 degree day we were having!  (don’t let the sky in the photos I took fool you – it was HOT and it was SUNNY and the breeze that was blowing in the threat of a possible rain storm was NOT at all cooling)

 

When I got to the speakers and placed my order, I was greeted by a cheerful voice that said “Welcome to Chick-fil-A, how may I help you?” and then after I told him what I wanted, he said “We’ll be happy to serve you at the pick up window.  Enjoy your meal and have a great day.”    As I pulled ahead, there was another important looking man with a tie directing the two lanes back into one lane to proceed to the pick up window.  He, too, was very cheery and welcomed me and wished me well.  Then, there was an employee in a Chick-fil-A uniform and another important looking guy in a tie running up and down the line waiting for the pick up window taking money and bringing bags of food so that no one had to wait at the window - smiling and joking with customers as they went about their job of keeping the flow of cars moving along smoothly.  It really was quite impressive - from the time I got in that incredibly long line until I pulled out of the parking lot with my food, I’ll bet no more than 10-15 minutes had passed!!!   I’ve waited longer than that at McDonald’s with only 1 or 2 cars ahead of me!  And to top it all off……..my order was CORRECT and HOT – VERY HOT!  And I left with a smile on my face and a commitment to return again!

And those important looking guys in ties?  Well, they had to have been there doing their greeter thing and more all day long cause they were the same guys in the photos posted by the Chamber of Commerce giving speeches at the ribbon cutting ceremony.  They sure didn’t look it, but I’m sure it wasn’t easy to stand out there in this heat with a long sleeve dress shirt and a tie all day!  Way to show enthusiasm for becoming a part of our community, guys!  I sure appreciated it and I bet a lot of other people did, too.

So, why are Chick-fil-A sandwiches such a hit?  Afterall, it is just a chicken sandwich, right?  WRONG!!!

I don’t know what makes them so different – a breaded chicken breast on a bun with a couple dill pickles – but they are!  The flavor is amazing!  And they are so juicy and tender – NEVER dry like chicken breast can be sometimes.  I am not a fan of white meat chicken, but I LOVE me some Chick-fil-A!!!!  It doesn’t matter what makes them special – they just are!  So, help out the cows that really need you to “Eat Mor Chikin” and less burgers and go check out the newest Chick-fil-A location in Sanford!  Enjoy!

Recovery…Renewal…And Life Goes On

Jun20

It has been two months and four days since the devastating tornado ripped through our town and a week and a day since I took my tumble at the movie theater in Cary.  Both seem like forever ago.  The two events, of course, can not be compared in any way, but both are evidence that things can happen in a split second that stop you in your tracks and both are evidence that life, indeed, does go on.  Recovery and renewal abound.

As I drove through town yesterday, it was a pleasure to see the Lowes Home Improvement store – the one that made national news after the tornado of April 16th turned it into a pile of twisted steel and debris – actually looks like it is almost a Lowes Home Improvement store again.  The company dug right in and cleared the lot and started rebuilding.  They anticipate the opening of the new Lowes in the fall.  Then, I read in the paper this weekend that the Tractor Supply Store across the street has decided to rebuild and will likely reopen by the end of the year, as well.  Although there is still a lot going on and a lot to do - clean up efforts, rebuilding, and donations to help those who lost so much that day, Sanford has picked itself up by the boots straps and is moving on.  I’m sure the reopening of Lowes will be a big event for our town.  Although it never diminished the horror of the many homes that were gone in a flash and the impressive way the city pulled together to start the recovery process as quickly as the devastation occurred, it was the defining picture of the storm, so it will surely be a defining picture of renewal when it reopens.

And there is new growth, as well.  The long anticipated opening of a Chick-fil-A in Sanford will be a reality this week.  For as long as I can remember, a free-standing Chick-fil-A has been on every “wish list” I’ve ever seen for Sanford.  I say “free-standing” because we DO have a Chick-fil-A in Sanford, but it is in the hospital cafeteria and not so easy to just run by and grab one of their famous chicken fillet sandwiches.  It will be quite an accomplishment to have one with a full menu and a drive thru and right there in the middle of the WalMart plaza parking lot!  Woo Hoo!

As for my tumble last Sunday……I gave in and went to Urgent Care on Monday and the doc confirmed I had a cracked rib.  So, I’ve had a very painful week.  For some reason, the anti inflammatory meds were helping a lot until Friday, when I had a major set back and could barely move or breathe!  But, I took it easy over the weekend and didn’t do anything to stress it – something I should have done the beginning of the week – and now it feels like it is recovering quite nicely.  Oh, it is still very tender and reminds me if I turn just right or cough or sneeze, but for the most part, it is obviously on the mend.  I considered going to the movies to see “Mr. Popper’s Penguins” this weekend, but pictured myself getting to the door of the theater and freezing in fear and turning to run screaming from the memory of the “accident”!  hahahaha    Seriously, I just decided to lay low this weekend and will likely go see this movie in a week or two.

And so, life goes on……….make the most of every moment for you never know when life will throw you a curve ball!

Weekend Movie Reviews

Jun12

So, the weekend wasn’t a total disaster!  Yes, there was the unfortunate trip to Cary (see the next post for details – I really want to just forget it and not repeat it here).  But, overall, it was a nice weekend.  I started out Saturday morning with a great couple of hours pool side with some friends at a baby shower to celebrate a soon to be born little boy.  I did some shopping, made a delicious tuna noodle casserole to feed a craving I had for one, and saw two good movies.  I actually went to the theater to see the movies – first time in a very long time.  The cost of going to a theater has gotten so high and there haven’t been any come out that I felt I couldn’t wait for Netflix to get them, so I have pretty much stopped a once routine favorite pastime.  But, I decided to treat myself this weekend.  The first one I saw was “Bridemaids” on Saturday afternoon – I have been toying with the thought of seeing this one since they first started promoting it.  Then, today, I saw “Midnight in Paris” – I stumbled on this one this afternoon and it caught my interest.

Like I said, from the first trailer I saw of this film, I wanted to see it.  But, I was dragging my heels because I was reluctant to spend the money to see it at the theater only to find out I wish I had waited for Netflix.  I was driving by the entrance to the theater Saturday on my way back from the baby shower and suddenly thought I should swing through and see what they had to offer.  When I saw this one was still showing here and it was about to start, I decided to give in and see it.

“Bridesmaids” stars Kristen Wiig as Annie and Maya Rudolph as Lillian, who are life long best friends.  Annie’s love life is sort of like a train wreck and Lillian is newly engaged.  Lillian asks Annie to be her maid of honor and that’s where the fun begins.  One of the other bridesmaids, Helen, is Lillian’s fiance’s boss’s wife and a new friend of Lillian’s.  Starving to be the center of attention, Helen takes over everything and throws her plentiful cash around to ensure all the plans that Annie is trying to make go Helen’s way!  Most of the funniest scenes are in the trailers, but there are enough other surprises to make it still funny and worth seeing.  One disastrous event after another make this one of the funniest journeys from engagement to wedding day ever!  Through it all, the characters find love and the true meaning of friendship and how to make life work out for the best.  A strong cast and well put together story line result in my rating of A- for this movie.  I recommend it for a girl’s night out and a good belly laugh!

“Midnight in Paris” has been under the radar for me.  I haven’t seen any trailers or heard anything about it.  When I decided to go to Cary, today, I scanned the movies that were playing and stumbled onto this one.  I really like Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams and was impressed by the story.  So, I added it to my plans for the day.

This is the story of Gil (Wilson) who is engaged to Inez (McAdams).  They are in Paris with Inez’s parents, who are there with the Dad’s business.  Gil is a screen writer who is attempting to write his first novel.  He is a hopeless romantic and dreams of 1920′s Paris, wishing he could live in Paris to fuel his artistic creativity.  Gil and Inez have very little in common and she constantly says things to criticize him and come off as apologizing for him.  Some friends of Inez just happen to also be in Paris and they start to spend a lot of time with them.  Since Gil doesn’t particularly like the friends, in particular the guy, he starts taking long walks through the Paris streets at night to gain inspiration for his book.  He gets lost and sits on a stoop to gather his thoughts.  When an old fashioned car comes along with a bunch of people dressed in flapper outfits calling to him to come join them, he is intrigued enough to go along for a ride.  And what a ride it is.  He finds himself at a party with music, literary, and art icons like Cole Porter, F Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda, Ernest Hemingway, Josephine Baker, Gertrude Stein, and Pablo Picasso.  He leaves the party to go get his manuscript so that he can get some of their opinions of it and finds himself back in current time and the place where the party was is actually a closed laundry mat.  He goes back to the stoop each night at midnight and the same car comes along to pick him up and take him back to 1920s Paris to hob nob with the friends he met the first night as well as others, such as Matisse, TS Eliot, Gauguin, and more.  His adventures change his life and his relationship with Inez.

It is a fascinating story full of fun and adventure.  Gil’s dreams come to life and he finds his inner creativity.  I rate this one a solid A+ and highly recommend it.  I should probably knock off a little from the rating because the movie just sort of ends abruptly and leaves you wanting much more and has too many loose ends, but I won’t because the rest of the movie makes up for it, by far.

I HATE Cary!!!!

Jun12

Ok, so the title is a little misleading and not totally accurate.  I don’t really “hate” Cary – there are a lot of cool things in Cary and if you want some of the more specialized shopping, you really have to go there.  I really like what the Cross Roads Shopping Center area has to offer and really like Cary Towne Center.  But, what I really dislike (I won’t say hate, again) is getting around in that whole area.  I have never – yes, never is the correct word to use here – not even once – ever gone up there but what I left totally sorry I went!  I typically have a specific reason for going and rarely go just to “go”.  I almost always accomplish what I went for, but I still leave frustrated and irritated!  My biggest problem is the layout of traffic flows – both on the streets and in the shopping center areas.  No matter where you are, you can’t get to where you want to be without going 100 miles out of your way to get there – you can see where you want to go and you may even be right in front of it, but, unless you’re damn lucky, you will have to drive around the world to get to it!  And wherever you go, you have to go in the wrong direction, first, and then get turned around to the correct direction!  It is INSANE!!!  The directionally challenged should never be allowed to drive around in that area alone……….and I am a prime example!

So, today I wanted to take a drive up there to go to BJs and Best Buy.  I was pleasantly surprised that the traffic wasn’t too bad.  I went to Best Buy, first.  I bought a Kindle – I’ve been tempted to get one for quite some time and finally decided to do it.  Then, I went to BJs and stocked up on some things there.  From BJs, I went to Sweet Tomatoes for a late lunch of a delicious salad.  I also planned to see a movie that started at 4:50 at the theater in Cross Roads Shopping Center.  When I got done with lunch, I had some time to kill and realized I left Sanford without gassing up and I was just about on empty.  So, I set out to find a gas station.  I wanted to find one on a corner so that I could get back in the direction I needed to be in.  I thought there was one just up from where I left Sweet Tomatoes, but it was quite a bit further than I thought.  I made a U-turn to get to it only to find out it was CLOSED!!!   So, I got back on the street to go a little further in the opposite direction.  After not finding any other gas station and time was ticking to the movie, I decided to go back in the other direction again.  I found one a way’s past where the other one was, so I pulled in and got gas.  But, as I was leaving, I discovered that, although it was on a corner, I was only able to make a right hand turn and wasn’t able to head back towards the movie theater.  So, I turned right and then left at the next stop light.  I pulled into a parking lot to turn around so I could get back on the main street to head back in the right direction.  It wasn’t long before I realized I had no clue where I was and absolutely nothing looked familiar!  The street signs said the street name was one I’d never heard of and then, suddenly, I was at the intersection of Tryon Road.  I knew that was wrong!  So, I back tracked to see if I could figure out where in the hell I was and how I could get to the movie theater!  I found the parking lot I used to turn around in and discovered I just went the wrong way and was soon on the right track!  But, it was 4:45 and traffic was really starting to pick up.  And, of course, every stop light had a “Kim’s coming, turn red” sensor in it!  Uuuggghhh!  By now, my blood pressure is through the roof and I’m cussing at every light and car in my way!

I made it to the theater at 4:55.  I thought, that’s OK – they usually show a 1/2 hour worth of previews, which I generally really enjoy, so it won’t be a big deal to get there 5-10 minutes after start time.  Um, nope – not this time!  I walked into the theater and the movie was already playing – but, I was fine – couldn’t have missed much more than a couple of minutes.  Guess what happens next?  I walk into the dark theater.  I stand there for a minute to let my eyes adjust.  I carefully walk up the steps to the second row and turn in to take the first seat so that I don’t have to go too far in the dark.  What I soon discover is that I am on the transition step – not the one that is the walkway for that row!  I step towards the seat and there is nothing there to step on and I fall flat on my face on the floor between row 1 and row 2!  As I went down, I caught the top of the back seat in front of me with my rib cage!  The girl sitting in the seat turned around to see if I was OK.  I wasn’t sure that I was, but was too embarrassed to say so – I just said, yes and apologized for falling on her.  I got up and sat in my seat.  The good news is that I was late, so I didn’t buy any popcorn or drink – if I had, I (and the girl in front of me) would have been wearing it!!!!  I sat silently crying and wincing in pain while I tried to figure out what was going on in the movie.  It didn’t take long to realize that I could barely move my arm or shift in my seat without causing intense pain in my ribs!  After sitting there through the entire movie, I had all I could do to stand up.  I have a sore right wrist and right ankle – both of which must have twisted as I fell – a very tender right shoulder, and the entire right side of my chest is traumatized – front and back and side from just under my shoulder down to my waist!  I’m half convinced I may have cracked a rib or two.  I can’t get up from a sitting position, bend over, twist, reach, cough, sneeze, or laugh without bringing tears to my eyes!!!!  No visible bruising, though!

So, I got everything I went for and saw what turned out to be a really good movie, but got lost, irritated, and injured in the process!  Yes, I’ll say it again – I HATE CARY!!!!

Don’t Worry, Be Happy

Jun4

Found this video a little while ago and the girls have been frolicking and following me around the house as I danced and sang this song from room to room……they get so excited when I dance and sing!  That’s the difference between 4-legged babies who love and get happy over every little thing you do and 2-legged kids who get embarrassed by every little thing you do……hehehe!  Anyway – just thought I’d share my mood and maybe you’ll sing and dance around your house, too!

Have fun……and be happy!!!!