SOL22....Making Salads

Making Salads

     I unloaded the grocery bags I was holding onto the counter and went to grab the last ones I had left over by the door. It was Thursday, so a little late in the week for me to be doing grocery shopping, but  I'd run out of food for both lunch and dinner, so shopping I went. I didn't buy much, I was only going to make salads to get me through the rest of the work week and the weekend. After hauling all of the grocery bags up onto the counter, I slowly started unloading them. 

     I pulled out peppers, cucumbers, carrots, black olives, and celery. I pulled out one after the other, leaving them on the counter. The last thing I pulled out was the container of lettuce. I don't know if anyone has been to Aldi recently, but somehow I've missed the fact that they have a HUGE container of lettuce for like five bucks...it's a steal. I folded up the grocery bags and put them back on the shelf in the laundry room. 

     I came back into the kitchen and viewed the counter, full of different things needing to be cut up for the salads. It was already almost 7pm. I wasn't used to making dinner this late and it was definitely a struggle to convince myself to keep going. I had a routine during the week and I followed it pretty much down to the minute, most days. This was clearly not one of those days, and it was taking its toll.

     I tucked my hair behind my ears and tried to get myself pumped up. I liked cutting up veggies. It was like washing dishes. It relaxed me. I pulled a cutting board out from next to the microwave and set it on the counter next to the stove. I reached next to the stove and pulled a knife out and set it on the cutting board. There. Almost ready. I turned in a full circle, looking for my phone. The last thing I needed was music, then I could get started. I turned once again in a circle, eying the kitchen more carefully...where was it?

     I wasn't wearing anything with pockets and yet I still patted my body down looking for it, old habits I guess. I stood frozen for a second trying to replay my steps after coming inside. I know I brought it in, I remembered reaching back into the car to grab it last second, but where did I stick it? I retraced my steps back to the door and checked my purse and my coat. Nope. Nothing. I checked the couches and table, maybe I threw it down somewhere? Nope...Now I was getting upset. It was already after 7 and I still had to cut up everything and make my salads! I don't want to be running around looking for my phone too!

     While I was huffing and puffing, I started shoving my feet back into my boots to go check the car. There were only so many places it could be and I've already checked everywhere I'd been in the apartment since coming home. "I'll be right back." I called to Charlie as I grabbed keys off the wall and opened the door. Just as I stepped through the door, I paused. I did grab it out of the car, I remember. I was holding my purse...my coat...and the grocery bags. Stop. I whipped around and looked at Charlie, "The grocery bags!"

     I kicked off my boots hurriedly and ran back into the laundry room. I pulled the bags down off the shelf and started shaking them. Sure enough, something was bouncing around in one of them. After searching through two bags unsuccessfully, I finally opened the third to find my phone sitting there at the bottom. "Of course." I practically growled at the phone, sitting there innocently at the bottom of the bag. I huffed and pulled the phone out. I rolled my eyes as I folded the grocery bags back up and replaced them on the shelf. It had maybe only been two minutes, but I still felt like so much time had been wasted. 

     I turned the phone on and started browsing through Spotify as I made my way back to the kitchen. Originally, my intent was to choose something relaxing, like Wood Brothers or Jack Johnson. After getting myself all worked up looking for the phone though, I needed something that was going to lift my mood and get me pumped up. I opened a playlist titled "Let's Sing!" and started scrolling. I smiled as I hit the perfect song not even halfway down the list, perfect! I turned the volume as high as it would go and set the phone down to get started.

     As I pulled out the first red pepper to cut up, I heard the first lyrics start up in the background...."Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want." I joined in the second line, singing at the top of my lungs..."So, tell me what you want, what you really, really want." Already, my mood seemed to be getting better.