The Great Calendar Shortage of Twenty Ten

OMG....(and I mean Oh My Goodness....I wouldn't say Oh My God unless I was praying....that's just me....IDK) any way enough of the text talk...Did you know that there is a severe calendar shortage in the Greater Northern Illinois/Southern Wisconsin area?

Me neither! Somebody should have warned us.

I had to go to THREE stores to find a 2010 Calendar. For real people, even Hallmark said they were sold out before Christmas. Something about no one giving out free ones this year so everyone had to buy one. Is this Obama's idea of an economic stimulus? Well if it is .... it is working!!!! But really, this should have been the lead news story even before all of the H1N1 vaccine shortages and stuff. Honestly. I am so shook up right now I am shaking.

How did I find out about this lack of calendars you ask? Well let me just tell you.

My employer always gives us two calendars. One is a very nice wire bound one that is a little on the big side, but that just makes it easier for me to spot when my next day off is. It is very professional with no added gobbly gook on each date.

The other one is a Diversity themed one where every child of every employee of the entire corporation is invited to draw a picture of what diversity means to them. Then they are pasted all over this calendar. Very busy...that is all I will say about the design. It also listed every event that every office in all 4 states would sponsor. Really, I don't need to know when the Oklahoma Full Service Unit is having their Red Bandanna Rodeo to help injured Cowboys. Just really don't feel the burden for them.

I would always bring that one home to use in the kitchen. Remember my anal list making issue? Well, that is what I would use this calendar for. I make my weekly menu on the calendar after pouring over my cookbooks, magazines and recipe files. Choosing the meals that just make my mouth water and on what day to have them. Then I would have the recipe at hand for when it was time to make it and I would use the menu to make my grocery list so I didn't end up with 25 pound of ground beef and no chicken breast. It is really a very ingenious method. I may patent it and market a calender just for this use.

But, lo and behold, due to cost saving measures we only received one calendar this year. (Guess which one we got? I will give you a hint.... The Texas Tumbleweed Benefit Garage Sale for Sunburned Ranch Hands is on June 23rd.) So now I am left to my own devices on how to plot my meals. Dan-o suggested I print one off of the computer. HA! Amateur. It has to be compiled on a bound calendar so it can be saved for future reference. I have menu calendars dating back to 2004. I will not be accused of fixing the same meal too many times in a decade.

I hated to spend the money on a calendar, but it was a true necessity and was eager to pick one out and hurry home to begin my planning for February. Imagine the sunken feeling I had when CVS Pharmacy and Hallmark shot me down. I was in a panic. But the nice lady at Hallmark, who also shared my disbelief and disgust in the lack of calendaring needs, told me she thought she saw some at the Kroger. I didn't even say good-bye. Just took out of the store like a scalded cat. Thank God. The Kroger had a few precious calendars left. I was so thankful I fell to my knees and offered up a sacrifice of praise right there. I chose the Monet Garden theme. Not that I am a art aficionado or anything, it was just more my style then the Harley Davidson theme.

So now I am a happy woman. I have my calendar and life is good. If you are in the area stop by and I will show you my rare 2010 calendar. And if you stop in on Tuesday we will be having Potato Crusted Chicken, Steamed Citrus Green Beans, Garlic Mashed Potato's and Glazed Carrots.