I slept like a rock my first night in my townhouse sublease here in Dallas, TX.  This place is huge, awesome, and the woman I’m subleasing from has great taste in furniture.

But that 7 hours of blissful sleep is about all that’s gone smoothly so far.  This morning I got up super early to do laundry.  Clearly, it’s been a while.  I shrank my relatively new blue maxi dress in the dryer so much that floor-length is now really mid-calf-length.

Next up was the grocery store.  A little over 3 blocks away is an Aldi.  I’ve never heard of Aldi, but it’s a super cheap, bargain basement type of food store with lots of random products.  I walked there, figured out that you have to put a refundable quarter into the carts to get one, and started perusing the aisles.

Of course I got way too many heavy things to easily carry them all back to my townhouse, but it’s only 3 blocks away, I think can do it.

Then, after paying for everything, I figure out that groceries aren’t automatically bagged for you and that you have to buy the bags and bag them yourself.  Fine, I think, I’ll go back in line and buy some paper bags.  4 bags later, and with all my groceries packed, I realize none of the paper bags have handles.  Only the plastic ones do.

At this point, I’m slightly melting down in my head.  How am I supposed to walk 3+ long blocks in 100-degree weather cradling two 20-pound paper bags in the crooks of my arms?  Why did I think it was necessary to buy a carton of soy milk, a jug of orange juice, 6 apples, 7 bananas, and a dozen eggs and carry it all by myself?!  Do I think I’m the Incredible Hulk?!

I decided to call my new roommate Caitlyn and ask for help.  To hell with first impressions.

As I took out my phone in defeat, a middle-aged woman who was returning her grocery cart asked if I needed some help to my car.  I told her about my dilemma and without missing a beat, she offered me a ride.

Now I know you aren’t supposed to take rides from strangers.  I grew up in San Francisco.  A real city.  With homeless people.  But she was so nice, and I was desperate, and she said she had just come from church.

So Cozella drove me and my groceries the 3+ blocks home.  People in Dallas really are so nice.

And then I fixed myself a snack plate and tried to boil 5 eggs on an induction stovetop.  Since I’ve only used gas stoves and open flames before, I couldn’t tell how hot or how long to boil the eggs.  I ended up trying to peel a completely raw egg.

Then I exploded that egg in a microwave I don’t know how to use.

Whew…It’s barely past noon and already a long day.  These are the types of days when I wish my dad was around the corner and could drive me to the grocery store or bring home lunch.  My dad is the best.  He always has the answers.  Happy Father’s Day!

Soon enough I’ll have 3 dads – Michael’s stepfather, Ed, who I am planning on calling Pops, and my future father-in-law, Verne.  Happy Father’s Day to you guys too

xoxo,

Jenn