While picking up a few items at my neighborhood Wal-Mart Thursday evening, I stopped for a moment when I overheard a Wal-Mart employee make a rather humorous announcement head throughout the store.

“Attention Wal-Mart customers. If you have less than 20 items, I can do you at the jewelry counter.”

When she repeated her rather friendly announcement, she realized a necessary change in word choice.

“Attention Wal-Mart customers. If you have less than 20 items, I can check you out at the jewelry counter.”

I spent my glorious day off from work surrounded in color.

My pretty, post-manicure feet.

Flowers for my front porch.

More flowers for my front porch.

Thank God It’s Thursday.

Why?

Because I’m taking Friday off from work to truly experience the beauty, power and glory of the almighty Four-Day Weekend.

My plans for Friday, thus far, include:

(1) Cleaning out my garage and the large closet in my basement.

(2) Getting a pedicure. {Pretty feet during the summer are the best.}

(3) Purchase a paper shredder and new summer pajamas.

(4) Create new music CDs to keep in my car. {Listening to great music in the car on a summer night is the best.}

(5) Upload more photos to my My Space page.

(6) Visit a local Bath & Body Works to use my $25 gift card, stocking up on girly bath gels and body lotions.

I have no idea why the hell it’s called Chick-fil-A (the spelling, punctuation and grammar errors are enough to drive an editing freak like me mad), but, damn, do they sell a good fried chicken sandwich.

And their waffle fries? Don’t even get me started.

Omaha has but one Chick-fil-A, tucked away in the employee cafeteria at Mutual of Omaha, where I had the sublime opportunity to have my first Chick-fil-A today with my best gal pal, Gail.

I have been reborn a Chick-fil-A fanatic.

For the past two years or so I’ve been the proud owner of a 12″ PowerBook G4. I love this little beauty, but something has me craving the new 15″ MacBook Pro.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with my PowerBook. It’s still as gorgeous as the day I brought her home, removed her from her sleek packaging and spent several hours transferring my data and customizing the many preferences.

Bringing home a new Macintosh — or any Apple product, for that matter — is a joyous experience.

But a larger screen would be nice, as would the built-in iSight.

What’s a girl to do?

You know, Omaha is receiving its first Apple Store later this year. Perhaps at that time I’ll celebrate yet another Apple-related occasion buy buying the new MacBook Pro. Especially when, as a Cox employee, I receive a discount off Apple products.

Oh, happy day.

I called your hotline several times this evening and lost track of how many times I heard your recorded greeting, thanking me for my vote.

I hope it’s enough.

Godspeed, Taylor Hicks!

It’s my turn to bring food to our weekly staff meeting on Wednesday. Rather than purchasing an already-made snack, I felt charged — for whatever reason — to bake something on my own.

That means immediately emailing my sister, a culinary expert, for help.

Earlier today, she sent me a recipe for a vanilla/cinnamon coffee cake. I whipped it together this evening; and it looks quite good.

But her email makes me chuckle because it is so very accurate.

—–

From: Katie Townley
Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 3:59 PM
To: Wendy Townley
Subject: RE: Recipes?

OK, nothing I have found looks all that great, but I found this one, which looks sorta OK, sorta unimpressive, though. Think you can borrow a bundt pan from Mom? (Do you know what a bundt pan is?) If not, let me know and I’ll give you alternate directions for a 9×13. I also rewrote some of the directions, not that I’m dumbing it down for you, but since you’re kind of a novice in the kitchen, I want it to be perfectly clear.

—–

Now, who wants coffee cake?

I must thank thisvintagegirl for opening my eyes to Moby’s blog.

A few things I’m loving at the moment, in no particular order.

(1) Being able to take a walk in my neighborhood around 9 at night, because the sun hasn’t yet made its farewell complete this time of year.

(2) Standing in my driveway, looking northeast and being able to see the top of the The Tower at First National Center. For some odd reason, I feel at home with the slowly pulsating red lights within my sight — even though I’m miles away.

(3) Painting my fingernails with Juicy Tomato nail polish. It’s a red-orange color of which I’ll never grow tired.

(4) Weekly adoration.

(5) Standing across the street from my house and looking inside when lamps are lit in the evening. It reminds me that my home really does exist even when I’m not there.

(6) “Another Galaxy” by Paul Simon, off his latest masterpiece, Surprise.

A new favorite Web site ‘o mine: Say hello to eBaum’s World.

My favorite video thus far: “10 Things I Hate About Commandments”