Days 13, 14, 15, 16...

So, good news.  The reason for not blogging is not because I fell off the no drive-through wagon.  Things are busy and I am the type of person who couldn't just pick up at day 17 without having days 13, 14, 15, and 16 complete, so I took a little break.

While I haven't cheated and have been continuing to forgo Drive-Throughs, I may not be able to remember every day between now and last week, so please forgive me if some of the days get left out. :)

Day 13: McDonald's
I know, I know.  Eww, right?  Well, I have to say that I do like McDonald's Breakfast.  Especially their sausage biscuits.  Mmmm... So, last week, Fiona had her 2 year doctor's appointment and was so brave during her shots that we decided to go to McDonald's afterwards for a treat.  We rushed in, breathless, at 10:29 to find that yes, they were still serving breakfast.  Once again, there was no line.  And the lady taking my order was so pleasant!  She could tell we were rushing and trying to catch out breath and told us not to worry, and take our time.  They would still have breakfast food.  And, of course, they did.  We got a sausage biscuit to share and 2 hash-browns for a little of $2!  Can't beat that!


Day 14: Jimmy John's
We had quite an eventful Friday what with Fiona's new Kindermusik class, a picnic at Will's Park with sweet, adorable cousins, and finally errands all over town in preparation for my student's festival Saturday.  Our last stop was to Jimmy John's.  While the sandwich place smells amazing, I have to admit I was a bit bummed that our group had voted to use Jimmy John's again.  My previous experiences with them were always of too-doughy bread and way too much sprout filling.  That was until I ordered a number 16: the Lulu.  My mind is changed- I am a convert.  That sandwich was absolutely amazing- every bite had me wanting more- I couldn't shove it into my mouth fast enough!  I ate both halves in one sitting and was sorely disappointed when it was gone.  If you're not a believer in Jimmy John's, give them another chance with the Lulu.  I promise you won't be disappointed.

Day 15: Main Street Cleaners
One of the places of business where I (used to) frequent the drive-through was our dry-cleaners.  I'm a stickler for following washing instructions on clothing (the best way to keep your garments looking their best for a long time, I believe) and have been a regular at the dry-cleaners since I was 18.  This particular Saturday, I was very happy to see they were still open on a Saturday at 6:00 as I was in desperate need of the dress I had dropped off several weeks prior.  While paying for my clothing, I recognized a man who had stopped through the drive-through.  We caught eyes and the recognition was mutual (don't worry- I'm not going into some goofy love-story ;).  He was the father of one of my former students and my student was actually in the car with him!  She was so grown up and it was great to reconnect!  Her father even took my information and said he'd be giving me a call to get her re-enrolled in lessons.  After that conversation I went back to paying and the lady who owns the shop said that happens all the time: people will see someone they hadn't seen in forever driving through the drive-through and will reconnect after years have gone by!

Day 16: Dr. Denmark
While I did not get a chance to forgo a drive-through on Sunday, I did have time to travel the roads of years past and visit a place I used to not hold so dear: Dr. Denmark's old house and office.  I suppose I was feeling nostalgic after attending a bridal shower for a friend from high school.  After the shower, I took a road home that I don't normally take and thought it was the road where Dr. Denmark used to live and operate her practice.  I called my mom and discovered it wasn't, but also found out where her old place was.  Since it was several hours before Fiona (who had fallen asleep) and I needed to be anywhere, we made the trek over to Mullinax Road.  It was super easy to find and looked exactly how it had when we were last there.  For those of you who do not know, Dr. Denmark was a pediatric doctor who practiced well into her 100's.  When she died last April, she was 114 and the 4th oldest person in the world.  She aided in the development of a vaccine for whooping cough in the 1930's and received a Fisher Award for her work.  You may know her book, "Every Child Deserves a Chance," or perhaps the easier read, "Dr. Denmark Said It."  I highly recommend either of them for a good dose of common-sense parenting advice.