Kim's Thoughts
Just a few thoughts I feel worthy of jotting down!
Review – Temple Theatre Presents Guys and Dolls
The new Temple Theatre season has begun and the first show of the season – Guys and Dolls – provides that season opener “WOW” factor that the theatre has become known for! Of course, you can never go wrong with a show at the Temple Theatre, but the first show of each season is generally a show stopper that sets the mood for the entire season (think last year’s incredible production of Chicago) and the last show of each season is another big ticket show that leaves audiences wanting more in eager anticipation of the next season! This year, the opening show is the classic musical Guys and Dolls (Sept 15 – Oct 2) and the closing show will be the super fun cult favorite Little Shop of Horrors (April 26 – May 13) – the perfect bookends for an amazing season of quality entertainment right here in Sanford!
Last night, my friend, Lisa, and I started the evening with a fabulous dinner at Cafe 121. We sat and talked and talked – we had a lot to catch up on, since we hadn’t gotten together since I returned from my Labor Day week trip. Then, we moved on over to the theatre to join the nearly sold out house to see Guys and Dolls. We had a GREAT time enjoying the best that Sanford has to offer – amazing local restaurants and high-caliber cultural art and entertainment.
If you haven’t had a chance to see this show, you need to! The cast is a cohesive ensemble that brings this classic story to life before our very eyes. The stage was full of singing and dancing gamblers and thugs in expensive suits looking for a floating crap game, dolls all decked out for love and to perform for the night club crowd, and Salvation Army soldiers out to save all the sinners in NYC. Nathan Detroit, portrayed by Temple’s resident Michael Brocki, runs the floating crap game, but is having trouble finding a new location because the cops are putting the squeeze on the owners of the usual spots. Nathan has been engaged to the lovely Miss Adelaide, played by our own Peggy Taphorn, for 14 long years. Adelaide is pressuring Nathan to finally stop gambling and marry her. Among the big rollers in town is Sky Masterson, brought to us by Corey Brunish, who loves to dabble in unusual wagers. In an attempt to get the $1000 deposit needed to secure the location he has his eyes on, Nathan tries to engage Sky in a sucker bet that he doesn’t fall for, but does end up wagering the $1000 that Sky can’t get a woman of Nathan’s choosing to go with him to Cuba. Sky, considering himself a lady’s man who can get any woman to do whatever he wants, agrees to the bet, but loses confidence when he finds that the woman Nathan chooses is Sarah Brown (Meredith Betts Smith), the leader of the Salvation Army’s Broadway Save A Soul Mission. The entire cast brilliantly takes us through a fast paced series of musical numbers and scenes detailing the elusive floating crap game, Adelaide’s desire to marry Nathan, and Sky’s relationship evolution with Sarah.
If you’ve seen the Broadway play or the movie starring Frank Sinatra, you’ll thoroughly enjoy the highly recognizable musical numbers, like Fugue for Tinhorns, where Nicely Johnson, Benny Southstreet, and Rusty Charlie argue about which horse to bet on in the next race, The Crapshooter’s Ballet (my personal favorite), where the entire ensemble of gamblers play an entertaining game of craps, and Luck Be A Lady, where Sky Masterson prays that the next roll of his dice wins him the bet he made with the others to go to a prayer meeting so Sarah can save the Mission (or, if he loses, he’ll owe them each $1000), among others.
Everyone did an incredible job and made the show a huge success and an enjoyable evening. But, a few did stand out for me. Of course, whenever Peggy Taphorn takes the Temple stage I am in awe of her talent and genuine love of performing. I also always look forward to seeing Michael Brocki perform – he brings a unique, child-like quality to all his characters that makes him so endearing. I’ve become a huge fan of Corey Brunish, as well – he’s been in several Temple shows, now, and I get excited when I hear he’s coming back. I was captivated by Meredith Betts Smith’s voice – so beautiful! But, the one that I found the most “fun” and memorable was Michael Murray as Harry the Horse!!! What a hoot he was — I found myself searching the stage for him and focusing on his mannerisms!
All in all, a wonderful show! I loved it! Please don’t miss this show – get your tickets now – every performance has been nearly sold out, so you could find yourself missing out if you wait too long. Remaining performances are today at 2:00 – Thursday, Sept 29th at 2:00 and 7:00 – Friday, the 30th at 8:00 – Saturday, Oct 1st at 8:00 – and the final opportunity is Sunday, Oct 2nd at 2:00.
The End…….or is it?
Aahh – the soap opera! Women (and, yes, even quite a few men) have enjoyed watching daytime soap operas for generations. When I was a little girl, my grandmother religiously watched what she called “my stories” every day. As she went about her daily activities of cleaning, cooking, sewing, etc., she would arrange to complete certain duties that could be done while sitting and watching the TV during the time slots that her stories were on. I’m not sure, but I think she watched As the World Turns and The Guiding Light – but my memory might be wrong on that point. If we were with her during the daytime, she would tell us to “play quietly, now, so I can hear my stories”. Quite often, I would sit and watch them with her and help her do whatever it was she would save to do at that time. Of course, there were no VCRs, DVDs, or DVRs, so if she didn’t arrange her day to be able to watch them live, she’d miss them and that was not something she would be happy about! They were her guilty pleasure and she made sure she didn’t miss them often! I don’t know if it was because of those early days of watching Grandma’s stories with her or if it was just inevitable because of the era I grew up in, but I, too, found myself indulging in the guilty pleasure that soap operas became.
The first soaps I got hooked on were General Hospital and Dark Shadows. They were both on after school, so I would rush home to watch them while I started my homework. I watched Dark Shadows, the hokey saga of vampires and ghosts that aired long before either were “cool”, the entire time it was on the air (1966 – 1971) – I rarely missed an episode. My favorite characters were Quentin and the lovely Angelique. A trivia tidbit: Kate Jackson, of the original Charlie’s Angels, got her start on Dark Shadows. Once I got into my high school years, though, I had much better things to do than rush home to watch a soap opera. I stopped watching General Hospital and never looked back.
After I graduated from high school in 1974, I went to work at GE and got an apartment in Brockport with my friend Greta. Greta and I both worked second shift and she got me hooked on three soaps – Ryan’s Hope, All My Children, and One Life To Live. Like my grandmother, we scheduled our days so that we could be sure to be home in time to watch them. We’d get up about 10:00-ish or so, do any errands or chores we had that day, come home in time to watch RH at 12:30, AMC at 1:00, and OLTL at 2:00. We’d get ready for work during the commercials and head out the door as soon as OLTL ended at 3:00 – just in time to get to work and clock in by our 3:30 start time. Ryan’s Hope was a really good soap and I was so sad when it didn’t last very long – I watched it just about the entire 13 or so years it was on. My allegiance to OLTL, though, was spotty – I could take it or leave it. There were periods where the story line kept me interested, but I easily broke away from it.
The soap that I was interested in the longest was All My Children. I started watching it in the mid-70s (4-5 years after it started) and watched it off and on (mostly on) for much of the next close to 40 years. I got Mom hooked, too! hehehe Yes, there were times when my work schedule changed and I couldn’t watch it for a while, but it wasn’t long before VCRs were available so I could tape it and watch it later in the evening. I tried to force myself to not tape them while I was working on my degrees (no time for that sort of thing working full-time and going to school full-time), but I’d just nicely get used to not seeing it and I’d go home to visit Mom and she’d get me interested, again. I haven’t watched it much for the past couple of years, now, but when I heard it was going off the air I had to start taping it, again — I had to catch the ending! I kept up with the characters, even when I wasn’t watching it regularly, and made sure to follow certain story lines. And, as with most soaps, I was always able to pick them right back up and get right back into the story lines – no matter how long I hadn’t been watching them – sometimes with a little help from other fans to fill in the blanks or to explain that a new face wasn’t really a new character – just a new actor playing the old character!
I matured with Erica Kane and Brooke English. I had wild crushes on Tom Cudahy, Cliff Warner, and Chuck Tyler, but also, along with thousands of other girls, found myself shamelessly attracted to Tad (the Cad) Martin – the bad boy of Pine Valley! I rejoiced in their weddings and the birth of their babies. I was respectfully shocked at the exciting plot twists and turns. I hated the villains and loved the heroes. I really got into taking sides over the rivalries – like Erica and Brooke, Mona and Phoebe, Palmer and Adam, Greenley and Kendall, and others. I swooned over the eternal love stories, like Jenny and Greg, Tad and Dixie, Palmer and Daisy, Ryan and Greenley, Kendall and Zack, Erica and Jack, and others. I sobbed in utter hysteria over their deaths and funerals……..and, then, was so very happy to find that they actually were just lost somewhere with amnesia and found their way back to Pine Valley, alive and well – sometimes after having plastic surgery to give them a new face! Yes, I was wrapped up in the characters and their lives – totally!
So, now, as of yesterday – Friday, September 23, 2011 – after 41 years, All My Children has been canceled and will no longer air on ABC Television! A cooking themed talk show will begin airing in the 1:00 daily time slot beginning this coming Monday. I so enjoyed the last few weeks of episodes where they brought back old characters and reunited families and flashed back to how it all began! I even liked the bazaar story line of David Hayward and his special medical procedure that made him able to bring several recently (within the past couple of years) deceased characters back to life and back to Pine Valley! It has been an emotional few weeks.
But, the very last episode, which should have finished wrapping up all the story lines into nice neat little packages for the fans and provide a slew of happy endings, was a disappointment – to say the least! In true soap opera style, the very final episode ended the 41 year run with not one, but THREE cliff hangers!!!! It ended and I just sat there staring at the TV with my mouth gaped open and said “what the hell was that?”!!!! You see, there is talk about someone picking up the rights to the show and continue it online or some other format! Huh? But, it doesn’t sound like they have the support of many of the actors, so who is going to take the characters and the story lines into the future? And when will all this be available – if ever? I would have preferred they wrapped up everything that the TV version had going on and finish it off – period. Then, if it does continue on, they could pick those characters and story lines up and go from there………
So, will fans ever find out the answer to the three burning questions the show left hanging? Are Erica and Jack really finished or will they get back together (again) and prove that true love conquers all? Who is the last patient David Hayward claims to have brought back to life and has stashed somewhere waiting to be revealed and returned to Pine Valley? Who did JR shoot from the secret passageway in Chandler Mansion at Stuart’s welcome home party and are they dead or will David save them?
Stay tuned……..
What I’m looking forward to…..and what I’ll miss…..
As I reflect on my plans for the future and get closer to finalizing my decisions on when, how, and other specific details that are still being mulled over and analyzed (to death, as usual), I find myself thinking a LOT about what I am looking forward to……..and what I will miss! I am literally starting my life all over again – starting fresh – beginning a new chapter – reinventing myself.
This is all so very exciting………….and so very scary!!!
It should be easy, this time. After all, it is not the first time I’ve packed up and moved to a whole new state and started a whole new life. This time should be easier because I’m going home to a familiar place where my family and old friends are…….not like that other time when I moved to a new location with all new people to meet. Of course, I was much, much younger and more fearless that other time and I didn’t do it alone (I had a new husband and son to share the excitement and fears with). But, as much as I know in my heart it is the right thing to do at the perfect time in my life, it still isn’t the easiest thing I’ve ever done.
Every day I do at least one thing that makes me stop and think about how it will be different soon or that I will need to add it to my list of things that need to be considered or worked out. Of course, there are the big things, like how much I adore Dr. P and now I’ll have to find a new doctor – I finally found my way to Dr. Hincks and love him, but now I’ll have to find a new dentist – and Dr. Cindy is such an amazing Vet and the girls actually get excited about going to see her and now I’ll have to find a new Vet that we’re comfortable with. Then there are also smaller, less significant things that I find myself reflecting on daily that are going to make for a lot of changes in my life.
So, I thought I’d get some of them off my chest……..here they are…….the big and the small…….all the things that I’ve been pondering: What I’m looking forward to in my new life in Albion and what I’ll really miss about my current life in Sanford!
What I’m looking forward to – in no particular order (except the first one):
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Spending unlimited time with my Mom
No more planning trips to spend physical time with her……no more relying on Skype or Email or IMs to communicate on a daily basis. We can sit and talk over a cup of coffee or tea, go to lunch or shopping together, cook together, or share an adventure whenever we want to.
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Un-rushed access to family and life long friends
It will be such a pleasure to not have to cram visits with people I want to see into a short vacation trip. Inevitably, time runs out and I miss seeing someone (or several someones) and we end up apologizing for not connecting while I’m there and promising to ensure we make time on the next trip. Soon, it won’t matter if we’re busy when we’d like to get together because we’ll be able to do it “whenever”.
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Time
I can’t tell you what peace I feel when I think about no longer being on a set schedule and having to find time to fit in the pleasures in life around work and other obligations. Of course, I’ll still want some structure to my days and I won’t turn into a lazy lump (well, maybe I will do that “occasionally”), but I won’t have to plan out everything that needs to be done and when it’ll get done. No more stress over juggling that “work / life balance” thing that no one ever really finds the secret to.
I look forward to time to unpack and set up my house the right way right from the start. I look forward to time to just sit on my patio and enjoy my back yard and watch the girls run and play and wrestle – for as long as I want, not just an hour here and an hour there. I look forward to time to really get back into reading and enjoying books, again. I look forward to time to ride my mower around the yard and maybe even have a garden and have the time to tend to it properly. I look forward to time to enjoy a hobby. I look forward to time to go for long rides and day trips to discover new and exciting adventures. I look forward to being able to just decide that if Mom and I want to go to the Adirondacks for a few days to see the mountains in the fall or to Henderson Harbor for a little trip, we can just do it without having to plan for it months in advance! And, I look forward to time to blog about all my new adventures and experiences as I enjoy my new life!
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My new home
A couple of months ago, I bought an adorable little cape cod style house that I will be living in after I make the move. I love it – it was like it was made just for me! Everything is sized just right, the dormers in the upstairs bedrooms are HUGE and I can picture myself sitting and reading in a comfortable chair in the one in the master bedroom, and it has a lovely, inviting yard that I had fenced in for the girls to have a safe place to run and play.
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The lake, etc….
I’m going to love being able to spend time at the lake watching boats pull in and out of the point, listening to the seagulls and waves, skipping stones, and maybe even a little fishing. I’m also looking forward to walking along the canal tow path and hoping for a passing boat. And, if that isn’t enough, the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Finger Lakes are close enough for nice little weekend get aways.
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Friends
There is nothing like spending time with people you’ve known for most of your life and that you share fond memories with. A few years ago, I started reconnecting with friends I had lost touch with over the years. That is easy to do when you live in different states, but oh, so sad when you realize it has happened. I have made a conscious effort to find ways to get together with those I could and ways to stay connected in some fashion with those I couldn’t get together with. I am sad to say that we have lost several of them over the years and others that we know are still here, but aren’t sure where they ended up in life. So, I am hoping to coordinate a regular “get together” for those of us in and around Albion – maybe a monthly lunch date or dinner parties or something…..not sure what, yet, but I’ll figure it out and make it happen for any who may be interested.
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Snow
Yeah, I know – I’ll get over this one pretty quick – probably by the time the first big one snows me in for a few days! But, I am surprised at how much I am looking forward to my first winter back home. It will be fun watching the girls react to the first deep snow drift they’ve ever had to romp through in order to “take care of business”. They have experienced snow before, but in very small doses that went away in a day or two. This will be funny! As for me, I’ve been home during the winter a few times over the years and that has always been more than enough for me —- not a big “snow” fan! But, I’m looking forward to getting used to it and Christmas decorations against a snowy white backdrop and looking out at the yard blanketed with snow from my nice warm house while sipping a cup of hot chocolate! (The fact that I’ll be retired and won’t “have” to go out and clean off my car and drive in it to get to work every day will go a long way in helping this idealistic view of snow become a reality……hehehehe……..at least for the first winter, anyway!)
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Milder summers
The older I get, the less tolerant of the heat I get! I have gotten so that I practically hibernate through July and August, except when I really have to go outside. The heat bothers my asthma and I just don’t feel well when it is as hot as it gets here in the height of the summer months. I can’t imagine living in a state that gets even hotter and stays hotter longer than NC does. So, yeah, I’m looking forward to milder summers. Sure, Albion gets pretty hot at times, but it is like the snow, here – maybe a little here and there – nothing prolonged or unavoidable. I’ve been told that I’ll have less days where I can sit outside comfortably and ride around with the top down on the pony because of the long winter season. But, I think I may actually have MORE days to enjoy those types of activities because of less sweltering hot days.
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WalMart
Yep, you read that right! I’m actually looking forward to WalMart! I was concerned that the only place to buy necessities and household items will be WalMart in Albion, unless I want to drive to Brockport or Batavia. I hate WalMart……..let me say that again……..I HATE WalMart!!! But, it is actually a much more pleasant experience shopping in WalMart in Albion than it is in any WalMart I’ve ever been in before – including the one here in Sanford. Here, you have to drive around for an hour to find a parking spot even remotely this side of the north-forty, put up with aisles crowded with crazies, and spend a minimum of 20-30 minutes in the EXPRESS lane to check out!!! OK, I exaggerate – but only slightly!!! I dread it when I have to go there! But, in Albion, you can go shopping on a Friday evening, Saturday morning, or any other typically super busy shopping day, and still get a parking spot within a slot or two from the front door and find almost no one in the store!!! But, at least one of those 1/2 dozen or so people out shopping will be someone you know and were hoping to run into!
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Wegman’s
I am soooooooo looking forward to making a trip in to Brockport (20-30 mins drive) at least once a month to shop for groceries at Wegman’s! Enough said – those who know Wegman’s are smiling and nodding right now!
What I’ll miss – again, in no particular order (except the first one):
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Ronald and Lisa
I’ve known Ronald since about 1966-67 (my 5th grade year in school), when my family moved to the home my Mom still lives in. I didn’t know him really well, though, until we started dating about 1983 or so – I knew his younger siblings better and I dated a close mutual friend through much of my high school years. Then, we got married in 1985. Although the marriage didn’t last, our friendship did and we’ve lived in the same town and been close for all these years. Ronald is my very best friend and I can’t imagine not having him nearby. His wife, Lisa, and I have grown very close, as well. I also can’t imagine not being able to spend time with her and our talks. I’m going to miss them most of all! But, we have Skype and email. And Ronald still has some ties in Albion, so they will be up for visits. I won’t allow any circumstances to result in us losing touch – it won’t happen! That doesn’t keep me from getting really sad when I think about moving away from them, though.
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My Sanford friends
I have met so many wonderful people here – especially in the last 5-10 years. There are some who I’ve grown very fond of and will miss very much. I hope we’ll stay in touch – we have Facebook and my blog and email and we can actually even break down and write letters! hehehehe For those with children, I’ve enjoyed watching their babies grow into little people and hope that I can continue to keep up with them. Ya’ll know who you are………if you “unfriend” me or stop following my blog, I’ll come back and slap you silly! (just kidding – sorta)
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This community
I love this community! It has a small town feel with city benefits and citizens with hearts of gold! I’ve known it for many years, but never to the extent we saw it after the tornado that ripped through here earlier this year. The way this community came together, rolled up their sleeves, and rebuilt (a lot of which is still ongoing) was an inspiring experience I’ll never forget. The same for a lot of other situations — non-profit fundraising events, community involvement, and most recently the way folks have reached out to help a friend of mine whose sister needs a kidney transplant and has to raise an unbelievable amount of money to cover the costs her insurance carrier has denied. I don’t remember any other community I’ve lived in being this willing to do whatever it takes to help their neighbors in need. I hope I find the same sense of community when I move back home or, if not, that I can influence that in some small way.
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Mild winters
HA – I know – I mentioned above that I was looking forward to snow, but that will absolutely fade once I get into that first winter – right after the beauty of the first big snow fall and a very white Christmas – most likely about the time I realize I’m into the second consecutive month of knee-deep or deeper snow in the yard and remember how much I HATE snow!!! hahaha Not having to shovel sidewalks, plow driveways, scrape windows, and wear 10 layers of clothes to keep warm EVERY DAY for MONTHS, is something I will desperately miss!
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A few special mentions
Dr. P – I adore Dr. P and can’t imagine being able to find a doctor that I trust so completely and who is one of the sweetest men I know!
Dr. Cindy – she is the most amazing veterinarian on the face of the earth! I’ve never known a vet who has cared so deeply for my animals and me. She has helped me through many difficult decisions and illnesses with my girls. This is the most difficult one to leave – I may just have to put the girls in the car and make the 16 or so hour trip down here for anything that isn’t an emergency!
Dr. Hincks – it took me a long time to settle in with a dentist that I love as much as Dr. Hincks and everyone in his office! I hope it doesn’t take me that long to find someone half as good!!!
Rae-Zor Grooming, Boarding and Day Care – Rae and her crew are wonderful! The girls love going there for their “vacations” whenever I have to leave town and I never worry about how they are being treated or if they are safe. They enjoy going there and are treated like royalty! I likely won’t need this type of service as much after we get settled in, but there will be times when I will OR just to take them for doggie day care to socialize with other dogs. I’m not getting warm fuzzies about finding anything like that in fairly close proximity to our town.
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Work
Yeah, I’m retiring, but it will likely be more of a semi-retirement. First – I will miss the people I work with and the fact that I go in to work every day and contribute to keeping healthy babies healthy because of the life saving vaccines we produce. But, also, I can’t imagine not working at all! I plan to focus on settling in to my new home and getting re-acquainted with the town over the winter, so I won’t look for work until at least the spring. Then, I plan to look for something that I can feel good about and enjoy doing that is low to no stress and feeds my creative energy! AND – I plan on work being PART TIME, not a full 40+ hour week. I still want to enjoy that “time” I’m so looking forward to! Hhhmmm – I’ll be giving that a lot of thought while I’m looking out my window at the snow this winter!
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My current house
I love this house! And, aside from a couple of things I haven’t gotten to, yet, I have renovated and upgraded it to be just the way I want it……..and now I’m gonna sell it to someone who’ll likely not particularly like my color choices and change it all to suit them! I don’t want to know, if they do – it will make me sick to think the new owners may not love what I’ve done to the place! But, that is life! As perfect as my new home in Albion is, I still have some things I’m changing to suit my personal preferences.
So, there you have it — I’m sure I’m forgetting something major in both categories, but you get the picture! I have a LOT that I’m so excited about and a LOT that I’m going to be so sad to leave behind and a LOT to be nervous about. I’m totally reinventing myself and starting a whole new life for myself! I’ll let you know when I finally pick a move date – I plan on one hell of a going away party in Sanford and one hell of a welcome home party in Albion!
Flying on 09/11/11
I took my last four vacation days during the Labor Day week and used the time to go to my home town and visit my family. I originally booked the flight to leave late the afternoon on Friday, the 2nd and return the following Saturday. But, those plans had to change when my car ended up in the shop and had to be picked up late on Friday. So, I just shifted the whole vacation one day – leave here on Saturday AM and return the following Sunday. I paid no mind to the dates – just the days. It wasn’t until I got up to Mom’s and she said “do you realize you are flying on 9/11?” and I said, “oh, yeah, I guess I am…….and it is the 10th anniversary, too!”
I wasn’t all that concerned about any potential dangers……although, it was a rather eerie thought! I was concerned, though, about additional security, hassles, long lines, and delays! I figured it was likely going to be a frustrating trip!
Quite the contrary, it turns out!
I got to Buffalo airport about an hour and a half early, was able to walk right up to a kiosk without having to wait, sailed right through security (they did look through my purse, but it only took an extra minute or two – no big deal), and found a nearly empty terminal! The plane was only a little over 1/2 full and left and arrived on time! So far, so good!
Baltimore/Washington was a little more populated, but not as crowded as usual. I had an hour layover, so I wasn’t too surprised to find only a handful of people at the gate. That didn’t change much, though! The plane coming in was about 10 minutes late, but they said they would still be able to get us out on time. There did end up being a delay, but it had nothing to do with security — the walk-way thingy that connects the gate to the plane for boarding wasn’t working right, so they couldn’t let the passengers off. They determined about 20 minutes into trying to fix it that the plane should go ahead and change gates. So, we all walked from B14 to B8. Once we got to B8 and got all lined up, they announced that they got the thingy fixed, after all, so we needed to return to B14!!! So, we were late leaving. That plane had even fewer people on it than the one from Buffalo — it was just barely 1/2 full!
When we landed in Raleigh, I noticed that there were no planes at any of the gates as we taxied to our destination gate. Where we pulled up to the gate, there was one other plane there. As I got off the plane and walked through the terminal, it almost looked like it was closed — gate after gate with no one around and only the passengers getting off the two planes that just arrived walking through the terminal. AND – the flight attendant announced that there were NO through passengers on to the next destination and there were only a handful seated at the gate waiting to board.
So – no added security hassles and no crowds and it seems that there weren’t many who thought flying on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 was a good idea! Other than all the TV monitors in all three airports televising the ceremonies and replays of 9/11 (which was a little unsettling to watch, seeing as I was in airports, going to be flying, and that my layover was in such close proximity to Washington DC), it was actually one of the more pleasant experiences from a security and crowd standpoint of any flight I’ve ever been on……..
Go figure!
Cooking…..
Cooking is something I used to really enjoy doing and I was a rather good cook and baker, if I do say so myself! I loved cooking for parties, large gatherings, holidays, family, friends, etc. I made cakes to order and even made my own wedding cake. I had a knack for making up dishes to stretch my grocery budget and utilize leftovers in new, creative ways. Cooking was fun and the satisfaction I got from watching people enjoy what I created made it all the more enjoyable.
And then I just got out of the habit…….cooking for one just doesn’t have the same appeal and I end up throwing half or more of it away cause I don’t seem to know how to cook in small quantities. I’m finding out that cooking isn’t like riding a bike – you can forget how! I was usually a “little of this, little of that” sort of cook – just like my Mom and Grandma. I just cooked from memory and if it didn’t come out exactly the same way twice, that was OK, cause it usually came out better when I’d improvise. Now, I find that I either can’t remember what I used to put in stuff or it just doesn’t turn out right. It is frustrating! I also find myself turned off by leftovers, so generally don’t do anything with them. And then there is my stove – don’t get me wrong, it is a very nice stove, but it is electric and I can’t get myself used to cooking on an electric stove – things just cook better and come out better on a gas stove! So, I tend to just go out and eat most of the time or make something simple that I can throw together quick and not make too much of.
But, lately, I’ve found myself thinking a lot about cooking. I have done some research and toyed with the idea of maybe taking some culinary courses after I retire and have the time to devote to it. I also put in a bid and won two seats at a cooking class with Chef Hamm in an auction benefiting St. Baldrick’s – my friend Lisa is going with me and it will be so much fun! I’ve had some dreams lately about cooking big meals in the house I bought in my home town and having all my family there to enjoy them with. I even had a dream the other night about opening a family restaurant. Then, tonight I watched “Julie and Julia” and got so involved in watching all the great dishes being made that I got online and ordered Julia Childs’ book “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” – the volumes 1 and 2 boxed set! And I fixed the stove problem – I had a natural gas line run to the kitchen in my Albion home and bought a GREAT gas stove with a two piece cast iron grate top and five burners!
Once I’m retired and have the time, I really think I’m going to get back into cooking………maybe a second career could involve cooking or baking or something like that or maybe it’ll just be a cool hobby that I share with family and friends. I don’t know – maybe it is just a phase I’m going through – something new to think about and consider in my plans for the future. Who knows! But, for now, it is something I’m giving a lot of thought to…………and something my family and friends in Albion may benefit from, if I go through with re-teaching myself how to be a good cook and baker! Hhhmmm – wonder what wonderful food I might dream about cooking tonight!
Movie Review – The Help
I love summer hours Fridays! I like getting off work early and either catching up on errands or just shamelessly wasting the time. I’ve also used them to get a head start on a trip or other adventure. I remember back in the early days at work, many years ago, that there was a summer or two that we worked 4-10s and had Friday’s off to conserve energy. Well, we conserved energy, alright – there was a bunch of us (back then, a bunch was almost everyone who worked there) who would get up about the usual time, go to Mrs. Wenger’s for breakfast, and then go to Nancy’s house and spend the day by her pool eating, drinking, and soaking up the sun! But, I digress…………
This past Friday, I got off work and ran a couple of errands. Then, as I was headed home, I drove past the street that the movie theater is on and got the urge to see what time the next showing of “The Help” was. I had planned to go see it last weekend, but it rained and I just didn’t bother. So, I drove up to the poster wall and read that it started at 3:45. I looked at my watch and it was 3:30 — PERFECT! Without a thought, I pulled into a parking spot, got my ticket and popcorn, and went in to watch the movie. As I waited for the movie to start, I thought about two things…….1) that this was the first time I’ve been to the theater since I fell in the one in Cary and cracked my rib and 2) that it is a great feeling to be able to just decide on the spur of the moment to spend the afternoon at the movies without having it interfere with anything important! Aahh – life is good!
So, now for the review! I’ll put it right out there…….I LOVED THIS FILM!!! I downloaded the book onto my Kindle about a month ago, but haven’t gotten to it, yet. I am now so motivated to hurry and finish the one I’m reading now so that I can read “The Help”.
The story is set in the early 1960s in Jackson, Mississippi (I spelled it out, instead of writing the abbreviation, cause I like saying in my head “M-I-crooked letter-crooked letter-I-crooked letter-crooked letter-I-humpback-humpback-I”). It was an era where rich southern white ladies all belonged to the Junior League, volunteered their time for causes, and had “colored” maids. Yes, they paid them a salary – after all, slavery had been abolished by then – but it was little more than a token wage to prove they were progressive. The help, as they called them, raised their children, cleaned their homes, and cooked their meals. But, remember, this was the deep south in the early 60s. Life was different then – the civil rights movement was just beginning to gain momentum and national attention. The movie sets the time by showing the characters watching TV reports of Medgar Evers giving a speech and then, later, the news of his murder right there in their own town of Jackson, Miss, as well as watching the funeral of President Kennedy.
The story finds a way to show humor in the lives of these women without degrading them or making light of the times they lived in. It provides the perfect balance of humor with scenes that testify to the injustices and humiliation felt by the maids. It shows the heart and soul and strength and fear of each and every character. Some scenes found me crying and smiling at the same time, wondering which emotion was more appropriate to what I was watching. The answer was – both!
Skeeter, played by Emma Stone, comes home from college at Ole Miss with dreams of being a journalist. She gets a job at the local paper writing a housewife column that provides answers to questions submitted by her readers about how to keep from crying when peeling onions or the best way to get a stain out of their table cloth. She knows NOTHING about these things because she was raised in a rich white home where there was a maid that did all that stuff. But, she’s thrilled to get the job and thinks it is the first step to fulfilling her dream. Her mother and friends think she’s silly for wanting to work and do their best to try to convince her that she should just find a man and get married and forget all this nonsense!
Skeeter strikes up a friendship with Aibileen (Viola Davis), one of her friend’s maids, to help her with her responses for the column. She also begins to see the way the maids are treated – in particular when her friend Hilly, portrayed by Bryce Dallas Howard, announces that she’s drafted a “Home Health Sanitation Initiative” for the Governor to make it a law that all homes should be required to have a separate outside bathroom for the help because “they carry different diseases than we do”. She pitches a story she wants to write to a NY publisher played by Mary Steenburgen. The book will contain interviews and stories from the point of view of the maids. She approaches Aibileen to start with. Next, Aibileen’s friend Minny (Octavia Spencer) joins in. The three women meet secretly to share their stories – no one can know because it would be extremely dangerous for Aibileen and Minny if anyone found out what they were doing and what they were telling Skeeter about! The other maids are too scared to participate until a heart wrenching scene involving one of them gives them all the courage to “help with the stories”. And the book is written and published with the author listed as “Anonymous”.
Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer are wonderful as Aibileen and Minny. Aibileen is the more mature, realistic one who just wants to tell her stories to help ease the pain of losing her son in a tragic death at the hands of white men. Octavia is mischievous, “sass mouthed”, and proud. She gets involved out of spite and, I think, just because she can! The best testament to that is the scene where she tells Skeeter about the “terrible, awful thing” she does to Hilly after she fires her – I will never again eat a chocolate pie without thinking of that scene and the look on Hilly’s face!!!
Emma Stone is lovely and believable as Skeeter, a complex character who is self-reliant, opinionated, yet demure and shy all at the same time. She finds it hard to swallow that “These women raise white children. We love them and they love us. But, they can’t even use the toilet in our homes.” She wants to do something about it by bringing it out into the open while trying to protect the anonymity of the women who help her do it.
I also loved the two mother characters. Sissy Spacek plays Mrs. Walters, Hilly’s mother. Mrs. Walters is old and persnickity and Hilly treats her almost worse than she treats her maid, but she has spirit and I liked her! Allison Janney plays Charlotte, Skeeter’s mother. Charlotte is ill and frail, but still has some spunk and makes for a memorable character. Another character I really enjoyed was Cecilia, played by Jessica Chastain. Cecilia married one of the rich white boys after becoming pregnant – the boy just happened to also be Hilly’s ex-boyfriend. Her character is fun and tries really hard to hide the inner pain from being the town outcast and personal tragedies. She hires and quickly befriends Minny, who helps her through her heartache.
It was very hard for me to narrow down the characters I wanted to highlight in this review — they were all so interesting and believable and added depth to the story.
I rate this one a solid A++! I’d love to see it again and can’t wait to read the book. Plan a girls night out and go see this movie! You won’t be sorry! Take some tissues and be prepared to run the gambit of emotions!
Early Morning Memory
As I laid in bed this morning with my blanket over my head trying desperately to pretend I had returned to a blissful sleep after hitting my snooze button for the third time, I was struck with a memory. I have no idea what made me think of it or why I would, but there it was…..racing through my mind……making it impossible to achieve my goal of just one more nine minute span of sleep before the alarm went off for the fourth time. You’d think that at a time like this, the only thing entering my mind would be something really quite important – like suddenly being reminded I have an early meeting or a call I need to make or maybe something I’m supposed to tell someone today or something that has some substantial meaning and benefit to me to remember! Nope – not this time!
The memory went like this: I had a vivid image in my mind of going in to the bathroom at my Mom’s house and sliding the door closed (her bathroom has a door that slides into the wall when it is open) and seeing a poster that I put there when I was in high school. The poster is no longer there and all signs of it having been there are gone, as well. But, apparently, the memory of it lives on!
Picture this: Teenage girl purchases a poster she thinks will be so funny to have on that bathroom door to give everyone a laugh who goes in and closes it. She sneaks it into the house, goes into the bathroom, closes the door, and uses double stick tape to secure it to the inside of the door. Not just a little tape, mind you – no, she uses the super-duper industrial strength double stick tape and completely covers the entire border of the poster and carefully affixes it to the door so there are no wrinkles and no way it can fall off (or be removed with anything less than a crowbar). She laughs hysterically at her ingenious idea and leaves the room. She waits impatiently with great anticipation for the first time one of her family members goes in to discover the fun. Soon, her mother is the inaugural enterer. Snickering to herself, she awaits her reaction, but it is not the reaction she anticipated. A loud “what the hell is this?” comment comes from the bathroom. She runs to the door laughing and asking “isn’t it cute?” The Mom did concede that the poster was cute, but was not particularly happy that it was literally cemented to the door.
The poster? Well, it was of a monkey sitting on an old-fashioned toilet with his pants down around his ankles and a banana in one hand and the pull chain to the flusher in the other hand – the caption read “GO BANANAS”! Hahahahahahahahahaha – I still smile and laugh when I think of it! Hahahahahaha
The poster remained on the door for quite some time — not sure if my memory that it stayed there for years is accurate or an exaggeration, but it was there a LONG time, regardless. It had to – removing it was not going to be an easy task! Guests who came and used the bathroom roared over it when they would shut the door. Finally, it had to come down – it was starting to tear and look bad. So, Mom carefully removed it……..along with the finish and the stain on the wood door in a perfect rectangle the size of the poster! As she sanded and refinished the door, she drove home the request order to NEVER do that again!
So, on with my day —- wonder how long this image will be stuck in my head as the day goes on!
Just Plain Bazaar
I had a bazaar experience at the grocery store on the way home from work today! I popped in for a few groceries – of course, ended up getting more than I planned, so actually had about 6 or 8 bags in the cart. When I was about 1/2 way through with loading the bags into my trunk, I heard what sounded like stones or pellets being thrown behind me. I turned around and saw that it was POURING down huge drops of rain – the size of quarters – in a heavy sheet on the cars in the row behind me! But, it wasn’t raining a single drop on me! I was so surprised to see it absolutely drenching the cars just across the aisle between the rows from me and not on me that I stood there with my mouth wide open for a couple of seconds. Then, I turned and started to put the last two bags into the trunk. Well, as soon as I turned, it hit me! And, it came down so hard and heavy that by the time I got those two bags in the trunk, put the cart in the rack that was right beside my car, and got in the car, I was DRENCHED – totally soaked!!! I sat there for a minute catching my breath and laughing at myself! If I just hadn’t gawked at the rain behind me, I would have likely made it in the car without getting soaked.
Then, I drove out of it and down the street to the house. I could see the rain coming up behind me in the rear view mirror. As soon as I pulled into the garage and shut the door, the down pour hit the house! HA! I beat it, that time! hahaha
I got in the house and, of course, the girls wanted to go out, like usual! I opened the door, even though it was pouring out, because they are good in the house all day and deserve to be able to pee when I get home. They ran out, hesitated on the deck for a second, proceeded down onto the patio and onto the grass, and spun around to run back in the house! They decided it wasn’t worth it and they could wait just a little bit longer! I laughed so hard at them! They got to go back out and take care of business about 5 minutes later when it died down to just a normal rainfall.
So – that was my excitement and good laugh of the day!
R.I.P., Oh my beloved iPhone 3Gs
I have been waiting with great anticipation – counting down the days, in fact – until I was eligible to upgrade my iPhone 3Gs to an iPhone 4 at a discounted price. That date came this past week – June 25th! That evening, I eagerly got on-line to make sure I was now eligible and what my cost would be. Happy with what I found, I made plans to go to the AT&T store this weekend to make my purchase! Then, the next day, I heard the rumors about the iPhone 5 possibly coming out in September! Uh oh! What was I to do now? Go ahead with my plans to get the highly anticipated iPhone 4 or wait for the 5? What if I decide to wait and it doesn’t come out as rumored? What if it does and it is back ordered for a year? Oh the dilemma! Advice from friends were split 50/50 with go for the 4 and wait for the 5! My decision came yesterday – wait for the 5, but if the rumors push the unveiling date out at all, then bite the bullet and go for the 4!
That was yesterday! Today is a different day…….and story!
For about a week, now, I’ve noticed my phone was running out of juice faster than usual. By the time I’d get home each day, it was down to about 25% charge. I didn’t think much of it cause I have been texting more lately and getting more calls – all because of working through purchasing a retirement home long distance! So, I just thought that I was running it down faster than I typically do. Today, while I was out and about, I checked emails, got and responded to a text message, and took a few photos. In particular, I was driving by the rebuilding efforts at the Lowes that was damaged during the tornado. To my surprise, there was a very large helicopter hovering low over the parking lot. Luckily, the light at that corner turned red, so I could stop and gawk at it – they were using the helicopter to lift large pieces of equipment of some kind up onto the roof!!! Who needs a crane when you can have a helicopter! WOW – I grabbed my phone and snapped a picture before the light turned green. Then, I went up to Murphy Express and gassed up the pony. On the way back, I was mesmerized by the helicopter, again, so I turned into the Capital Bank parking lot and stood with the dozen or so other spectators taking photos and video. I snapped a bunch of photos and got in the car to leave. I went to turn off my camera and noticed that my screen was black – I tried to wake it up and nothing happened – I tried to shut it down and nothing happened! I thought the battery must have run down because I was taking so many photos and zoomed in to get them. So, I plugged it into my car charger – and nothing happened!!! The phone was DEAD!!!!
Apparently, once I decided to wait for the 5 to come out, a signal went straight to Steve Jobs alerting him of a lost sale. He said, “oh no you don’t, Kim! I need to reduce inventory of the 4s before I put the 5s out there. No one deliberately waits for the 5!!!” I contend that he then sent a whammy to my phone to end its battery life! That sealed the deal and made my decision for me! I either had to go with the 4 now or go without a phone until the 5 comes out! That was NOT going to happen – going with the 4 is the only option! Thanks a lot, Steve Jobs!
I had plans to go see the new Tom Hanks / Julia Roberts movie and thought that I could still go see the movie and go to the AT&T store in Cary tomorrow. But, panic set in — how could I go a full 24 hours without my iPhone? So, off to Cary I went! I can see the movie another time – maybe tomorrow!
But – remember my ranting about how much I hate Cary and the disastrous last trip I made up there? Well, I sure thought about it on the drive in. But, I knew exactly where the AT&T store was – the one I got my 3Gs at – right next to BJs – easy! I could go directly there, do what I needed to do, and get out! Right? WRONG! I drove right to the location of the AT&T store and found an empty store front! WTH???? Oh no!!! But, wait – I remembered when I was driving around lost looking for a gas station on that last trip that I saw another AT&T store. Did I remember correctly? Was it near Cary Towne Center? I headed that way to find out – keeping my fingers crossed! Yep – BINGO – there it was, right where I thought I had seen it! WHEW! I went in and told my story to the sales person. He tried to get my phone to “wake up” and take a charge with no success! He declared it officially dead!
So, in a matter of minutes, I was the proud owner of the only WHITE 32 MB iPhone 4 they had in stock – plus a hot pink case that clips to my waist band – plus a blue tooth device for talking and driving! Problem, though………since my 3Gs is dead, they couldn’t get my contacts or photos or anything off it!!! DANG – I’ve lost the photos of the helicopter at Lowes!!! And I know I haven’t synced or backed up my phone in a while – not sure what was recently added that I may no longer have access to! Luckily, I don’t store photos on the phone – I down load and delete them off the phone right away so there weren’t any photos lost – except the ones I took this morning – the really cool ones!!!
When I finished at the AT&T store, I got in the car and thought “while I’m here, I might as well…….”, but I stopped myself cold and said “oh no, you don’t – get out of here while you’re ahead!” I returned to Sanford and made a bee-line up to Lowes to see if by chance the helicopter was still hard at work – no such luck! So – unless you saw it for yourself, you’ll have to take my word for it — Lowes don’t need no stinking crane – they gots them a helicopter to do the job right!
And the good news? All but two recent contacts (that I had jotted down, so was able to add back in) were replaced after I synced the new phone! And I set up my blue tooth! I’m good to go! And I have my new iPhone 4! I’ll probably be a little sad if the 5 comes out in September, as rumored, but I’ll live — I’m happy with my new iPhone!
So, R.I.P., dear sweet 3Gs – you were a good companion and loyal friend…..now, you’re gone and I’ve replaced you, but I won’t forget you – you never forget your first!!!
A Big Day For Sanford
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!
Kim's Thoughts 
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