La La Land made me do it.
I have been asked why I named this blog "Over Yonder". Over Yonder is southern slang for "over there". To me it means "just a little out of reach". With our current situation, our normal routines and desirable living situation seem to be just a little out of reach.
Along with this blog, I have named the house that we are building "Over Yonder". It's there. We know that it is a reality, but at times it seems like an unreachable dream. A dream that is slightly out of reach at the moment. I have named this apartment (the one with the pee pad porch and combination rooms) "La La Land". We aren't merely residents of La La Land. We are captives. Prisoners within the walls of our second floor dwelling.
I was in Wal Mart last night. I got off work at a decent time and planned on smoking a cigar and having a beer when I got back to La La Land. My wife sent me a text while I was on my way home. She asked me if I would stop and pick up a few things. The list that she sent me included Almond Milk. I am a destination shopper. Unless I am in a cigar shop or the beer aisle of the grocery store, I do not browse. I go in and get what is on the list and get out. I followed this formula last night with great precision. I made quick work of the items on the list and browsed the beer aisle. Hmmm...Decisions. Would it be Guinness, Abita, Miller Lite, Good People IPA, Torpedo, Modela, etc.? Moosehead Lager was the selection. I haven't had a Moosehead in a while. My Canadian beer preference is normally Labatt Blue. It is smooth and has a nice hop aroma. Moosehead, while good, has a slight bitter after taste. I selected Moosehead because of the green bottle cap. I make art out of beer caps and felt that I could overcome the after taste and add the pretty green caps to my "art supply" collection. I picked my wife up a bottle of her favorite cabernet while I was there.
I proceeded to the checkout and made a surprisingly quick exit. When you live at La La Land, small victories like escaping Wal Mart in a timely manner are celebrated. I was planning on celebrating with a couple of Moosehead and a cigar.
Then it happened. The text that changed the dynamic of my evening. There would be no joy in La La Land. Not on this muggy evening. There would be no cigar enjoyment. There would be no pee pad porch adventure. I cranked the car. "Unsweetened Almond Milk" appeared on the screen of my phone. "Seriously? I just checked out." was the wrong reply. I knew it when I typed it, but the beer was a scant few inches away. A friend of mine from high school had sent me a box of Cuban cigars. They were waiting on the counter at La La Land.
Like a dumbass, I hit "send".
When you live at La La Land with your family and two dogs, happiness exists on a bed of eggshells. You tiptoe around trying not to upset the delicate balance of frustration and complacency. You learn to accept things like dog shit on the porch and sucking in your gut so that you can pass another captive in the combination hallway/laundry room.
There are many "givens" in life. Getting in and out of Wal Mart quickly two times in a row is not one of them. As I am waiting in the horribly long line at the "Service" desk, my wife sent me a text that says "I'll get it tomorrow!" To which I replied with a picture of the long line. Dumbass move by me...AGAIN.
I am a happily married man with a loving wife. I didn't mean to send those texts. La La Land made me do it. Well, La La Land and the thirty minute wait time at the "Service" desk. I could sense the six Moosehead Lagers warming in the hot car. I could feel the loneliness of the Cubans waiting for me. The pee pads, I missed my pee pads. La La Land made me do it. I returned the wrong Almond Milk. I bought the right Almond Milk. The right Almond Milk, like my mood, was unsweetened.
Does drywall make you happy? I have been longing for the happiness that drywall would give me. La La Land is a left turn out of Wal Mart. I turned right. I went to check on the progress on the exterior brick of our house Over Yonder. The gravel, dirt, and building debris crunched under my feet as I lumbered up the hill. The hill that will one day be our front yard. My Wal Mart induced frustration killed any excitement that should have been there when I realized that the drywall was hung.
I blamed La La Land for my mood. I toured the house. I lumbered back the car. I drove to La La Land.
In the midst of our "discussion" when I arrived, my wife asked "Are we really arguing about Almond Milk?" Perspective. We have a great marriage, but even great marriages have their bumps. We don't argue over infidelity or money. In fact, we rarely argue. When we do, we argue over things like Almond Milk. La La Land will do that to the best of marriages.
I am on my second Moosehead right now. I am finishing the first of the Cuban cigars. I hugged and kissed my beautiful wife more than once today. The Saints play their final Preseason game on TV tonight. Life is good. Life is also Wal Mart-free tonight. Plus, we have drywall. Drywall that is awaiting our first Almond Milk "discussion" in our place Over Yonder,
Along with this blog, I have named the house that we are building "Over Yonder". It's there. We know that it is a reality, but at times it seems like an unreachable dream. A dream that is slightly out of reach at the moment. I have named this apartment (the one with the pee pad porch and combination rooms) "La La Land". We aren't merely residents of La La Land. We are captives. Prisoners within the walls of our second floor dwelling.
I was in Wal Mart last night. I got off work at a decent time and planned on smoking a cigar and having a beer when I got back to La La Land. My wife sent me a text while I was on my way home. She asked me if I would stop and pick up a few things. The list that she sent me included Almond Milk. I am a destination shopper. Unless I am in a cigar shop or the beer aisle of the grocery store, I do not browse. I go in and get what is on the list and get out. I followed this formula last night with great precision. I made quick work of the items on the list and browsed the beer aisle. Hmmm...Decisions. Would it be Guinness, Abita, Miller Lite, Good People IPA, Torpedo, Modela, etc.? Moosehead Lager was the selection. I haven't had a Moosehead in a while. My Canadian beer preference is normally Labatt Blue. It is smooth and has a nice hop aroma. Moosehead, while good, has a slight bitter after taste. I selected Moosehead because of the green bottle cap. I make art out of beer caps and felt that I could overcome the after taste and add the pretty green caps to my "art supply" collection. I picked my wife up a bottle of her favorite cabernet while I was there.
I proceeded to the checkout and made a surprisingly quick exit. When you live at La La Land, small victories like escaping Wal Mart in a timely manner are celebrated. I was planning on celebrating with a couple of Moosehead and a cigar.
Then it happened. The text that changed the dynamic of my evening. There would be no joy in La La Land. Not on this muggy evening. There would be no cigar enjoyment. There would be no pee pad porch adventure. I cranked the car. "Unsweetened Almond Milk" appeared on the screen of my phone. "Seriously? I just checked out." was the wrong reply. I knew it when I typed it, but the beer was a scant few inches away. A friend of mine from high school had sent me a box of Cuban cigars. They were waiting on the counter at La La Land.
Like a dumbass, I hit "send".
When you live at La La Land with your family and two dogs, happiness exists on a bed of eggshells. You tiptoe around trying not to upset the delicate balance of frustration and complacency. You learn to accept things like dog shit on the porch and sucking in your gut so that you can pass another captive in the combination hallway/laundry room.
There are many "givens" in life. Getting in and out of Wal Mart quickly two times in a row is not one of them. As I am waiting in the horribly long line at the "Service" desk, my wife sent me a text that says "I'll get it tomorrow!" To which I replied with a picture of the long line. Dumbass move by me...AGAIN.
I am a happily married man with a loving wife. I didn't mean to send those texts. La La Land made me do it. Well, La La Land and the thirty minute wait time at the "Service" desk. I could sense the six Moosehead Lagers warming in the hot car. I could feel the loneliness of the Cubans waiting for me. The pee pads, I missed my pee pads. La La Land made me do it. I returned the wrong Almond Milk. I bought the right Almond Milk. The right Almond Milk, like my mood, was unsweetened.
Does drywall make you happy? I have been longing for the happiness that drywall would give me. La La Land is a left turn out of Wal Mart. I turned right. I went to check on the progress on the exterior brick of our house Over Yonder. The gravel, dirt, and building debris crunched under my feet as I lumbered up the hill. The hill that will one day be our front yard. My Wal Mart induced frustration killed any excitement that should have been there when I realized that the drywall was hung.
I blamed La La Land for my mood. I toured the house. I lumbered back the car. I drove to La La Land.
In the midst of our "discussion" when I arrived, my wife asked "Are we really arguing about Almond Milk?" Perspective. We have a great marriage, but even great marriages have their bumps. We don't argue over infidelity or money. In fact, we rarely argue. When we do, we argue over things like Almond Milk. La La Land will do that to the best of marriages.
I am on my second Moosehead right now. I am finishing the first of the Cuban cigars. I hugged and kissed my beautiful wife more than once today. The Saints play their final Preseason game on TV tonight. Life is good. Life is also Wal Mart-free tonight. Plus, we have drywall. Drywall that is awaiting our first Almond Milk "discussion" in our place Over Yonder,
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