Hello there. Sorry for being MIA (I feel like all I do is say that but oh well). I have been a bit busy since we last met. I went to NJ, caught a cold, babysat my two adorable nieces for the weekend and am now finally feeling a lot better. I credit the chicken soup I made for some of that.
But first – let me tell you a story.
So. Thursday I was in NJ for trivia. Dave and I went with all the kids. We lost. :( I came back to NYC on Friday. Jen was in the city for an interview. She met me at my apartment, we had lunch and then we headed to Penn Station to take the train back to my mom’s to await the arrival of Miss Madeleine and Miss Ellie.
It was Happy Hour – ish and we were thirsty. I saw a stand with mini bottles of Pinot Grigio.
TGIF! So I asked for two and took out a twenty to pay.
This is a integral part of the story.
The cashier (who will furthermore be known as that lying, thieving biatch - or LTB for short) told me it was $7.00. She gave me $3.00 change.
So I calmly explain to her that she gave me an inaccurate amount of change and she insists I gave her a $10.00 bill and won’t give me the rest of my money back.
Oh no she didn’t.
The thing is I knew I had given her a $20.00 because Jen had ordered lunch when she got to my apartment and when we went to pay all I had in my wallet were some singles and A TWENTY. No ten. I didn’t have a ten dollar bill to give her.
LTB will not budge. Not only will she not budge – she tells me to talk to the manager and takes the stack of 20s in her register and puts them under the drawer so it looks like I couldn’t have possibly given her a twenty dollar bill.
Her manager is no better. He tells me I can’t prove I gave her a 20. I am LIVID at this point. I’m so mad I’m shaking. Jen finally talks me down. I insist they give me at least the $10 they say I gave them back. I am still out $10 – but they also have to eat the two bottles of wine she opened so the LTB is only $3.00 richer.
I am sputtering I’m so mad and still freaking thirsty so I go next door to grab a Diet Coke. Jen realizes it’s the same place – connected by a door in the back when she see the manager come over. I throw the bottle of soda at the LTB’s coworker and run out.
DO NOT. I REPEAT DO NOT EVER GO TO THE PLACE ON THE LEFT NEXT TO KMART IN PENN STATION FOR ANYTHING EVER.
I honestly have never seen such blatant dishonesty in my life. That’s what got me the most. How she just sat there and lied and her boss backed her up. I kept saying “I’m your customer and I am telling you I gave her $20” but nope. He kept saying I couldn’t prove it. Unbelievable. Dave says that I should have had her count her register right then and there but she’d find a way to lie about it again and I’d probably have missed my train.
So I ended up getting a drink at Auntie Anne’s – my happy place.
It took me a while to get over it I’ve got to tell you. Made me so incredibly angry.
But what makes me so incredibly happy are my two little munchkins. Jen said it perfectly – when you walk down the street with them people smile because they are JUST. THAT. CUTE.
So to feed my cold I made homemade chicken soup. My dad used to make this the first time it snowed every year. :( I didn’t get it exactly right. It’s missing a bit of seasoning. I looked in 3 different cookbooks but couldn’t find anything close so I just did my own thing.
I started with store bought stock. I used 1 1/2 of these babies.
I roasted a chicken breast in the oven, sliced it and set it to the side. It was about a 1.5 lb chicken breast that I roasted with garlic cloves under the skin and onion on top. I then put the bones in with the stock and simmered for a while. To the stock I also added some chopped onion (about one medium), 3 bay leaves and 2 stalks of chopped celery. 
Just looking at this soup makes me calmer. You know what else makes me calm? Grilled cheese sandwiches and oven fries. I made this sometime last week but just found the picture.
I think I gained back the 2 lbs I lost. Between being sick and job stress I’ve not kept up with tracking at all and have had very meager workouts. I’ve made myself go but have basically phoned it in and haven’t been to Zumba in weeks. I feel much better today so I think I’ll finish up week 3 of the C25K. I hid from weighing in last week but I’ll suck it up and go tomorrow and take my lumps. I have to move more. I used to walk EVERYWHERE the last time I was focused on weight loss and now I get to the subway and give up.
Sigh.
There is only so much I can do I guess. I am trying to give myself a break and not be too hard on myself but there is a balance between going easy on myself and saying screw it you know?
Later I’ll tell you of the dinner I made last night and how my peanut sauce was way too watery.
Hold on to the edges of your seats. ;)
As a purely independent observer, I note that the chicken soup was delicious.
ReplyDeleteUnbelievable! The LTB, I mean. The manager could have at least taken your name, and called you after counting the register that night. Then the LTB could have been fired. Or made to apologize. Patty
ReplyDeleteYou're much more generous than I would have been - I would have gone as far up the ladder as necessary, not because of the money but because of the principle. What horrible people.
ReplyDeleteI know it's hard to get back into the swing of things. Give yourself time.
Dave - you are not biased at all. I know. :)
ReplyDeletePatty and Angela - you know I would have/maybe should have done more but it wasn't going anywhere and it's not like a normal store where people really care if you come back. It was the equivilent of a hot dog cart on the sidewalk.
Still pisses me off to think about it though.
And many thanks A for the reminder to be easier on myself - I'm getting there I think. :)