I love it when technology actually makes life easier. I’ve been complaining lately about the slow disappearance of spray gel that is taking place, and yesterday Robert asked, “Have you checked the Herbal Essence web site to see if they are still making it?”
I did just that, and lo and behold, not only did I find out that they are still making it, but they have a product locater link, and I was able to select the product, put in my zip code, and find the closest stores to me selling it!
Today I drove over to the Eckerd, where I would never shop, and found not only Herbal Essence’s spray gel for $3.99 for 6 fluid ounces, but also Suave’s spray gel for $2.99 for 8.5 fluid ounces. Of course, I bought the Suave, with a 31-cents per fluid ounce savings, or almost 50% cheaper.
I stopped by the Postal Service Building on Lake Dam road to sign for Jeanie’s mail, a manila envelope full of her tax information.
I walked the 3-mile trail around Jordan Lake and at about the three-quarter way mark, I crossed the bridge over a part of the lake. There’s nothing unusual about this. I saw one fish floating on its side, obviously dead.
What became unusual was that as I walked and scanned, I saw one more, then another, then looked farther out and could see many of their white/silver bellies catching the sunlight, announcing their death across the lake.
I stopped at the boathouse and looked for someone who looked like they might be a park ranger or work there in some natural resource capacity.
I had to settle for the young lady at the concession stand selling things anything but natural, and after she completed the can of Fanta Orange soda sale, I asked “What’s up with all the dead fish?”
She didn’t miss a beat, as if she’d been answering the question all day long, “They’re shad, and when the temperature rises as fast as it has, they can’t adjust to it. The good news is that they are basically just ‘bait fish,’ so in effect, what’s happening is they’re just speeding up the process much to the pleasure of the birds and other prey.”
That, in itself, was not comforting to me, but it certainly seemed to work for her. I had some fleeting thought about killing her grandmother and saying, “There, there, honey, I’m just trying to speed up the process.” But I digress. My on topic thought was, “Well, I’m glad it’s not that the lake is contaminated.”
Also a first on my walk today, at one point a truck came toward me on the walking path (it’s paved), and it stopped at the trash can I was approaching. One guy sat in the passenger seat; another guy got out and emptied the trash.
As I walked along side it, a woman was walking toward me beside it as well, and when she got to the window of the truck, she said across the man sitting in the passenger seat to the driver, “You should be walking to do that.”
I listened to Fresh Air podcasts while I walked today. I love Terry Gross.
I stopped by the Food Lion on the way home, where I bought, among other things, some more shrimp. There was no price tag on the bag, and I was ecstatic when I got home and checked my receipt: $9.99 followed by -$5.00.
At home I chopped up a bunch of vegetables and made a Shrimp Salad that I haven’t tasted, because I want it to “sit” for a while to give the flavors a chance to cohabitate.
I had a big ole salad for dinner.
Okay, I am officially sick again. This cold is getting worse, as is my cough. My head feels hot, like I might have a temperature, and I seem to be in a little bit of a daze.
Last night, Joe asked me if I had allergies. I never have, but now I’m starting to wonder, as I do feel a lot worse after my walk in the woods, and all of that pollen on my car did not go unnoticed. God save the Queen.