Thoughts on Yankee Candle displays, flashing yellow lights and Labor Day

Unbelievably on this holiday weekend, T and I found a babysitter. She was one of Ol's camp counselors, and he just couldn't have adored her more. Free this afternoon and here now, T and I have, thus, had a fab few hours. We exercised, shopped a bit, ran some errands and felt quietly, happily, delightfully as if we were on a lengthy, productive date. Whilst in a local hardware store returning post-FBI-situation locks that didn't quite fit, I had the unfortunate experience of walking through and getting stalled in (by an unmoving shopper) a Yankee Candle display. I was all zen from my workout detox, and let me tell you that the horrible confluence of treacly aromas jolted me back into a very real present. I do not know how folks have these waxy smell-bombs all over their homes- do you? I would have a perpetual headache and feel hostile about the preponderance of sweet scent. Passing by a Bath and Body Works store elicits the same sense of immediate olfactory overload. Frantic thoughts of RUN flood my mind!

In any case, we were soon on to our next stop, and paused at a stoplight that was on flashing-yellow; you know, like a yield, or slow down and take caution thing. It's not a stop nor is it about to turn red, hence the flashing. One car -the left lane leader- had been sitting there waiting for the red for as long as we'd been approaching the light, and as we drove away, we watched as he sat. Block by block we drove, and still he sat. When we could see him no more, T and I looked at each other; no words were necessary. Good grief, people. If high school Driver's Ed goes the way of Typing -perhaps two of the three most valuable courses I took in high schools- we as a country are in trouble.

Y'all should see the pickled cauliflower just curing away on my counter. I loooove this recipe. Mmm mmm! Tonight we're going to grill the fixings for fajitas, and I'm going to make a corn salsa, some guac, margaritas and a spiced plum cobbler for dessert. This recipe is from my friend, Suzanne, and it recently won a Community Pick nod on Food 52. Our friend, Bevi, has made it about ten times since Suzanne posted it last month, so I am way overdue. It sounds perfect for this evening!

Hope you're all having a lovely Labor Day weekend, if you're Stateside, or a lovely one in general if you're elsewhere. Adios!