Tag Archives: Nostalgia

I Appreciate You, Mr. Produce Manager

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Good Sunday afternoon, everyone! And Happy Autumn Day.

Life back as I know it this morning, and I am grateful suddenly for little things that I often seem to take for granted. After my spiraling week of organized chaos, I find myself able to appreciate a place that until now has always brought me stress – The Grocery Store.

I’ve always enjoyed cooking, and with cooking comes preparations such as shopping. The grocery store, however, can become a maze of 4-wheeled vehicles all driving into the finish line. It can be a traffic jam in the middle of the freezer section while us ever so busy Moms grow frustrated at the elderly woman blocking the pass as she thumbs through her coupon book. It can be the frustrated young man trying to understand the difference between a penne or a rotini as he rushes with the fresh cut flowers and the bottle of wine – thus dropping the wine and holding up traffic.

Today as I struggle to find a piece of normalcy, the grocery store is my safe haven.

I can take in the beauty of the Wisconsin Fall Colors that I’ve missed while focusing on a pressing report. My local produce manager brings these vibrant colors of nature into well-placed works of art as I enter the store. Rich red tomatoes, peppers of green and gold, and the robust orange in the plump belly of the pumpkin. All signs of the season waiting until my schedule allowed me to appreciate them. Thank you, my Copps Produce Manager for investing pride and taking time to make sure that your hard work brings delight and solace to us busy Mom’s in the world. And forgive us if we don’t thank you for taking us to the ginger root as we rush home to make dinner.

So today I realized that the stresses of grocery shopping are truly blessings and life’s little miracles.

In my grocery store, I can find time to myself in the middle of the cereal aisle. I appreciate that October is the month where I bring home a box of Boo Berry or Count Chocula for my now teen-aged son, Cole. And I can revel in the idea that this simple box of cereal will bring him a smile.

As I push forward to the coffee aisle, the kind, elderly lady is thumbing through to find a coupon for the can of Folgers in her hand. Rather than allowing myself to grow frustrated because I can’t get to the French Roast, I hand the lady my $2.00 coupon for the Folgers Decaf she is pricing aloud. Her smile brightens my step just a bit.

And as I get to the front of the store, I realize that the lady ringing me up would just as much rather be home watching the Packers as I would have. I pull up the score on my Android and I mention that Rodger’s boys are up 3-0 in the 1st quarter.

And the best part of my trip – the little girl tugging on her mommy’s shirt to ask the simplest of questions; “Mommy, do the little girls who don’t get to go see the Football Game get to have a Caramel Apple?”

So to all of my friends today, I am wishing you a Caramel Apple and a little bit of quiet time.

Warm Regards,

Heidi Lee

A Conversation with Mother Gump on Fantasy Football

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Good morning everyone! How are you today? I’m perfectly elated as I go into my ESPN Fantasy Football site. I see that my best friend Collette and I are the last two standing undefeated going into the Bye Weeks. This season is going to be so much fun!

I’m also home in Green Bay this week with my family, and my work takes me to DC next week – my childhood home. So many things to celebrate and so many wonderful people to enjoy.

So my winning scores combined with my chaotic travel schedule got me thinking; While life may be a box of chocolates, if Mother Gump and I had a conversation today she may tell me that “Life is like a Fantasy Football Team . You never know which players will be on top in any given week, but you need them all to win the game.”

Mother Gump’s words of wisdom as I hear them <imagining a soft spoken southern drawl>:

“Heidi, remember in life to count your blessings. Building a strong team to support your QB is essential, but so is remembering that the guys on your bench are just as important as your star running back.

You’ve grown into such a lovely woman – and you are successfully headed to the Super Bowl with the love of family and friends in your life today. Be proud of that, and cherish the people who support you every day – your starting line.

But still remember your bench. They are there when you need them – always in the background yelling, ‘Put me in Coach, I’m ready to play!’  These are the friends and family who maybe you don’t see often and honestly perhaps the years have separated you. But they love you still, and they are a critical part of your team.

The Bench is your childhood friend who dried your tears when the mean boy punched you in the arm.

The Bench is the group of teen-aged girls who skipped study hall with you to run to the drug store and buy a new shade of lip gloss.

The Bench is the Quarterback’s best friend who let you cry secretly in the Girls Bathroom after his buddy dumped you – all the while running a strong blocking game for other girls who had to pee.

The Bench is the cousin from the other state who you only see at Family Reunions, or your Mom’s youngest sister that you never really knew. They are your family, and you can count on them to love you too.

The bench is the Dear Friend who calls you to her starting line-up and invites you to a Pole-Dancing exercise class to help tone your back end! Love it. (more on this later)

Don’t ever forget your bench, Heidi. They score big for you when you need them. More importantly, remember to be a good bench player yourself. Remember the little girl that cried when Billy said she had Cooties. You were there for her then, and she may need you some day. Be a good friend – be a good bench player today.”

So today is for my bench! Thank you, Donielle. Thank you, James. Thank you, Kathy and Ken. Thank you , Kim and Aunt Alice. Thanks Ethel, Stephanie and Cornell and Missy. Thank you Nicole, Emily, Alicia, and Doug.  Thank you to others on my bench who I simply don’t reach out to often enough. You are all important in my life, and I appreciate you.

Thank you, Facebook, for helping me to build my Bench.

And thank you, Mother Gump, for your southern charm and wisdom.  Go Team!

Warm Regards,

Heidi