Scary Mall Experience

I have been trying to find a dress to wear to a wedding this weekend, so yesterday around 6 PM I decided to hit the St. Louis Galleria. I parked my car in the garage close to the entrance I wanted to go in. I know that it's best to park as close to the door as you can for safety reasons. My cell phone rang as I got out of the car so I answered it and kept walking. I passed a girl in the hallway on my way in who seemed to be arguing with a boy. They looked to be in their late teens or early twenties. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that they both looked at me and stopped at the door. I didn't hear what they said to eachother, but the boy turned around and started walking behind me. He was walking right on my heels and it made me very uncomfortable. I got off of the phone so that I could pay more attention to my new shadow. I sped up my walking pace, but so did he. At one point I looked over my shoulder and he was maybe 10 paces behind me. I met his gaze so that he would know I saw him. He stared a hole through me and my heart jumped. Now I sped up to almost a jog. He was still there. I realized I should go into a store and ask for help if he followed me in. I darted into H&M and quickly got into the racks of clothing. I stood where I could see the windows and saw him stop and look around. He was looking for me! When he didn't see me he slowly walked on...all the time looking around for me. I stayed in the store for at least 45 minutes. After I left H&M I stopped at a few more places and thankfully did not see him anywhere. I was scared he might be waiting at the entrance for me since he knew where I came in. I was planning to find a security guard to walk me to my car, but luckily I saw a group to walk out with. I am so glad I was alert enough to notice this guy. I shudder thinking what he was planning to do. I could have been robbed or even assaulted.

Ladies please be careful when out shopping by yourself no matter what city you live in. Be aware of your surroundings and note any behavior you think is suspicious. If you think someone might be following you, find a security guard or ask a store to call one for you. I'm not saying you need to be paranoid everywhere you go...just be street smart. Don't talk on your cell while walking through a parking lot or garage. The boy following me thought I was distracted and didn't notice him...luckily I did. I easily could have been engrossed in my conversation and dropped my guard. Let's all stay safe out there.

Recipe Blast from the Past

I came across a recipe today that really took me back. The recipe was for an authentic Orange Julius. It brought back memories of the days when going to the mall was a special treat. My friends and I would get so excited about going to Spenser's and then getting an Orange Julius. Nowadays the mall is used as a form of daycare it seems. I kind of miss the days of mall innocence. Orange Julius can be found attached to a few DQs. If you are not lucky enough to find one this recipe is the next best thing. Maybe it will spark some good memories for you too.

Homemade Julius
(2-16 ounce drinks)

1-1/4 cups orange juice
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
3 tbsp egg whites or egg substitute
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups ice

Place all but ice in blender and blend until sugar dissolves (10-30 seconds). Add ice and blend until ice is crushed but still course (10-15 seconds). Enjoy!

Online Coupons

We are all pinching pennies these days. I look for ways to save money everywhere. In my search I came across a website where you can print coupons according to your zip code. I used to think that coupons were such a hassle for the little savings you actually got...now I will take any savings I can get! Here is the link: http://print.coupons.com/CouponWeb Enjoy. I will continue to share anything I come across that might help ease your financial woes.

I'm back.

I've kind of been on a hiatus from my postings for a bit. After my trip to Hawaii (which was fantastic BTW) I just haven't had time to do much. Work has been super busy and I had house guests last weekend for Mardi Gras. It has been one thing after another. This just made me realize how busy and crazy my life gets sometimes. I wonder why we often feel like we must go full speed 24/7? It's okay to relax now and take time for yourself. It isn't healthy to always be rushing all the time. I personally have felt extremely run down for quite a while. Even a 10 day vacation didn't recharge me. I am going to try and relax more. It will do me some good to quit worrying all the time and dial things down. I have certainly earned the break. :)

Another Trivia Night

I am attending another trivia night at Vianney High School this evening. It is to benefit their Alumni Scholarship Fund. Trivia nights are fun and relatively inexpensive events. For $25 you get all the beer and sodas you can drink. Everyone at the table usually brings snacks to share. This is much cheaper than going out. With the struggling economy trivia nights are even more popular. You get out of the house and have a good time with your friends for less money and hassle. I attended the Mizzou Alumni event last weekend and had a blast. I'm sure tonight will be a great time as well. So if you have never attended a trivia night, I highly recommend trying one. Give those little gray cells a workout!

This Week

This has been an exciting week. Tuesday we ushered in a promising new era of American History. I am so proud of America for electing change. I believe we are going to get this country back on track. All of us need to put our political biases aside and come together for the challenges ahead. The strength of the American people will carry us through. I know we can do it. This renewed hope has made any bad situations around me seem more manageable. The last few months have been difficult, but I am strong and I will be okay.

Baby It's COLD Outside!

With the recent weather I find myself getting more and more anxious for my trip to Hawaii. This morning when I took the dog out the temperature was one tenth of a degree above zero. How that tenth even registered I don't know. The thermometer probably felt sorry for me so it threw me a mercy tenth. The stuffy sinus', constant cough, chapped lips, and extra dry skin are giving me the winter blues. If I am this miserable, I can only imagine how those less fortunate than myself feel. I at least have a cozy place to come home to. There are people out there without heat, winter coats, and many don't have a home at all. Let's try and use this unbearable weather as inspiration to help those in need this winter. Why not grab an old coat and donate it, give canned goods to your local shelter, check that donation box on your gas bill, or even volunteer somewhere? So go forth and do something wonderful. If we all did even one tiny thing, just imagine what the impact would be!