What a Day!

This photo was made a few minutes ago.  I have been working on my
large oil painting.  It is rather difficult to paint a coniferous tree.  It did
help to study the structure a little.

It has been a while since I have written anything on here. It was time for a break from the oil painting.  I had some other topics to write about but Clint made me change my mind.  He was telling me what he wrote in his diary yesterday about my day.  He seemed to think it was interesting but honest-to-goodness, I have odd things happen to me all the time.  Clint agrees.

I went to the gym and did my work out.  The guys were working hard, they were near me and were joking and laughing and before long they had me laughing, too. That was a positive thing! :~D

Afterwards I drove a very short distance to a chain grocery store. It is in the same parking lot as the gym.  Clint and I both have been disappointed with this particular store.  I stop there because it is convenient. Sure enough, yesterday there was only one lane open.

I am walking into the store, parallel to the front of the building when I am aware a truck is driving very slowly beside me.  Suddenly a male voice yells out, "I wouldn't have known you, sweetheart!"  At first I thought it was someone joking around, someone I might have known from the gym.  I turned with an (innocent) smile  on my face and looked at a stranger, a man who was grinning behind the wheel of a white pick up truck. 

Good gracious!  I don't know what that was about and why the man yelled out what he did in a Popeye kind of voice.

While shopping, I was hoping that this stranger was not lurking around the parking lot when I had to go to my car.  Little did I know there were other dangers awaiting me in the parking lot.

My trunk lid is open, I have the grocery cart resting against the bumper as I am trying the tops of about six grocery bags.  Approaching me is a young employee who is gathering empty carts in the lot and he is headed straight for me.  Was he ever heading for me!  He rammed his empty carts right into my cart while I am behind it, it still resting by the bumper and groceries still in it! I could not believe it!  I know the handicapped are hired at this store and that is a good thing ... in most cases I assume. It is not a good thing when an employee has behaviour that could hurt a customer and/or damage vehicles. It was obvious this young man had mental problems.  I did not even try to reason with him or talk to him.  He muttered a "thank you" before he left with all the carts.

After I got home, I called the grocery store.  True to form, it took three transfers and about eight minutes to get the "manager" on the phone.  He acted very unconcerned and when I told him I felt the young man had mental problems, he said, "he does".  The manager didn't ask if I was hurt or if the car was damaged. Here I am on the phone feeling I am having to tell the manager that someone is going to get hurt in that parking lot and others might not be as nice as I was about it.  It really goes without saying but someone could cause that employee great physical harm for such behaviour.

Well, folks ... that is about all for today.  I can hear you whispering "good"! :-)

Now back to trying to realistically paint a large coniferous tree.  I can't wait to get this painting hung over our mantle. 

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