life-of-a-produce-girl

[life-of-a-produce-girl]

wow.

I forgot about this little blog. So much has happened. Covid-19 hit hard, I got let go from my job in purchasing and moved to the service center company vehicle administration team, where I was finally hired as a direct employee back in November!

Not only that, but I married C. We got married in 2021, two weeks before my 30th birthday. Honestly, I look back at my posts where I said kissing was hard and messy, and it makes me laugh because, if you'll forgive my candor, sex is so much harder and messier. Poor, naive little me had no idea what she was in for in that regard.

And I bought my grandmother's house, where we both live with his two stupid cats. The cats are the only thing I'm not thrilled about. They are Brats. Divas. Prima Donnas. They are so obsessed with food that we have to lock it away behind a child safety lock or they'll get into it and eat themselves sick. And they like to poop and pee on the floor in front of their litter boxes. Even though the boxes are cleaned daily. They're little jerks. I hate them so much.

St also got married. His wife is also a C initial. I'll call her Co. I love her dearly.

So anyway, life is great for the most part! And hopefully it will not be years before I remember to post again.

[life-of-a-produce-girl]

Hey [Produce Girl], how did the hipster die? *pause for me to shrug* He drowned in the mainstream!

Work C2. He has a wicked sense of Dad Humor and loves to tell me puns. He had to compose himself for this one because I grinned at him when he popped his head over the cubicle wall.

In other news, this is my 200th post! *cue confetti and noise makers*

[life-of-a-produce-girl]

Wow.

So that was one long break. I honestly forgot about this for the longest time. A lot has changed since my last post (almost a year and a half ago!).

The New N also got hired as a permanent associate. I still see him occasionally.

E was hired by a small environmental engineering firm, where she is so much happier, but she went ahead and left me alone and that kind of sucked.

E was replaced by  Work C1, who is nice but has hearing loss and is sort of strange. He sort of rambles when he speaks, but he has a good sense of humor. The New N was replaced by T, who was quickly sacked, and then by Work C2, who was in the Marines for 7 years.

(Sensing a theme here? I know a lot of guys who were in the Marines. Strangely enough, they are all ridiculously attractive and complete gentlemen. Weird.)

C (my boyfriend, no Work C1/2) and I are still going strong. We’ve said The Words (”I love you”, fyi, not “let’s get married!”) and the world didn’t stop, so things are looking good for us. He eventually sold both his Gold Wing F6B and his Ninja, bought the Suzuki, hated it, sold it again, and bought another F6B for the World’s Best Deal at a local dealership. He’s very satisfied with it.

He is going through some Stuff these days, none of which is my place to post online, especially without express permission from C, so I won’t go into details. Suffice to say that right now, he’s a little depressed, but hopefully things will look up for him soon. Regardless, he got over whatever funk he was in the last time I posted, and now I get lots of physical affection. Kisses are especially nice these days.

*words randomly capitalized are that way on purpose -- it’s my new way of emphasizing.

[life-of-a-produce-girl]

New Coworker.

So N, my friend from college who got me my current job, got hired as a permanent associate at another building with a different team. So he’s gone now, which is sad. But he got a replacement, whose name is also N. Very strange.

Anyway, the new N is pretty awesome. He’s 28 and quiet like E and myself. He already fits in really well. He’s got adorable dimples, too.

[life-of-a-produce-girl]

Colds.

I have a cold. It sucks. I can’t breathe right and I’m coughing every couple minutes. But I had a good couple of days!

Monster Jam was epic. Best decision ever. I would go back in a heartbeat. Max-D and Grave Digger were awesome, even though Monster Energy actually won the freestyle competition. I screamed myself hoarse and could hardly hear for several hours afterward, but I would do it again without hesitation. C and I had a great time, even though it was a super-long drive.

Mom and Dad went on a cruise to the Bahamas this past week, so I was Acting Mom for the duration. This meant I had to cook, clean, ferry the kids around, and adjust my work schedule to make sure that they made it to all of their school functions. I don’t think I am cut out to be a mom, since a week was exhausting. Being a mom for eighteen years would probably kill me.

On Thursday, I took the kids back to our old town for a work bowling party. My coworkers loved them. And we got ice-cream, which is the best in our state. It was a good night.

[life-of-a-produce-girl]

Changes.

So it’s been a while since my last post. Almost three months, I think, but I haven’t really been keeping track. I just know that I’m only five posts shy of 200 and now I have to hit that mark.

There have been some changes since my last post, although none have been terrible. We had the first Thanksgiving without my grandma (C came, since he’d never had a homecooked Thanksgiving meal. I think he enjoyed himself despite my crazy family and aunt-in-law making not so subtle comments about how attractive he is), and also the first Christmas. Christmas was a lot harder than Thanksgiving was.

But we made it through, pretty well I thought. My aunt was the only one to cry, although it was tough on all of us.

C sold his Goldwing,and is trying to sell the Ninja. I won’t disclose why, but while I will miss them, I think it was the best choice. He’s looking to get a smaller, less powerful motorcycle. He was looking into a Suzuki for a while, but it got sold before he could get it. Alas, I cannot remember the model. It was a crossover between a touring and a sport bike, though.

We’re still an item. He seems to have drawn back a little, at least in the touching/kissing department. Which is sad, because I had just gotten to the point where I liked it and now it is a ‘once every month or so’ event. Oh well, I really shouldn’t complain.

This weekend, we’re going to Monster Jam. I am so excited!

[life-of-a-produce-girl]

Renaissance Festival.

Yesterday, my friend A and I went to the Renaissance Festival with her mother. While it was freezing cold (a balmy 48 degrees F, according to A’s phone) and raining, we managed to have a good time. A ate most of a turkey leg, quite an achievement for someone who is four inches shorter than me, and we wandered around the festival for nearly four hours.

I had never been to one before. There was quite a variety of people walking around, both in period-correct costume and the more, er, fantastical kind. (I’m pretty sure I saw what was supposed to be an Orc or something walking around in just a loincloth. Brr.) I saw one couple dressed up as Buttercup and the Dread Pirate Roberts from The Princess Bride. That was exciting, as it’s only my favorite movie ever.

There were some pretty cool demonstrations, too. We saw one that a blacksmith was doing. He told funny stories while he made an over-the-door hook. He made it look easy. We also saw a glassblowing demonstration. That, I think, was the highlight of the trip. I had no idea it was so complicated. He made a beautiful bowl with wavy edges.

Later, I went into his shop and bought my mom an ornament for her Christmas present! (I know it’s only October, but it’s never too early to start shopping when your family is as hard to buy for as mine.) He had to get a stepstool, as the ornament I chose was really high up. I think he flirted with me a little, too, but since I am absolutely terrible at discerning these things I could very well be mistaken.

Anyway, $20 for a beautiful hand-blown ornament seemed reasonable to me! I almost wish I had bought two, one for me and one for my mom. But oh well. Next time.

[life-of-a-produce-girl]

Relationships (Redux).

I am officially in a relationship. C has referred to me as “[his] girlfriend”, and also referred to himself as “[my] boyfriend”. He has taken me to meet many of his friends, all of whom approve of me as far as I know.

And his dad likes me. That I know for sure.

He has taught me many things, like how to stay on a motorcycle that is going 100mph (thanks, C), and how to cuddle while watching movies. I am not so great at the cuddling yet, but I’m getting there. And I’ve pretty much perfected the Motorcycle Death Grip(TM).

As a side note...I really, really like going fast.

[life-of-a-produce-girl]

Relationships.

So nobody told me that relationships were so stressful.

I’m not even sure that I’m officially in one, but C kissed me two weeks ago and I kind of took that to mean that we are an item now. I guess I could be wrong. But he keeps asking me where I see things going and other questions that make me think otherwise.

So. Kissing.

I was sort of blindsided by that one. C was teaching me how to drive his Jeep (the CJ7 Laredo, which is a manual), which I apparently was a natural at, and totally took me surprise when I was finished with my lesson and coming around the hood to switch seats with him. I saw him kind of reach for my waist and I just assumed he was going for a hug, so I lifted my arms.

Next thing I knew...Houston, we have liplock. Which was not exactly unpleasant, but certainly surprising and not at all how I wanted my first kiss to be. But oh well, it’s impossible to go back and change things.

I was not warned that kissing is so messy. Maybe I’m just bad at it. But we have kissed since that first time, and I still feel uncomfortably damp in my entire mouth area afterwards.

I much prefer hugging. Is that weird?

[life-of-a-produce-girl]

Woes.

I have been informed that I am no longer working for the Environmental team at work. I have been handed off to Diversity. Whoohoo. Not that I don’t like Diversity; I just like the Environmental team more.

I hope this doesn’t mean that they are going to get rid of me completely...

[life-of-a-produce-girl]

Car.

So my poor car was in an accident a few weeks back, so I am now the proud owner of a 2013 Ford Escape! The gas mileage is not as good as I had hoped, but I will take 27 mpg in a small SUV. That’s what Grouch got anyway, before he was sandwiched.

He looked even more rakish at the end. I’m not sure if I mentioned it, but my Focus had a mustache. He looked very dastardly. After the accident, one side of his hood was pushed up more than the other. It looked like he was raising his eyebrow.

I still cried. I will miss that car.

[life-of-a-produce-girl]

Discussions.

C and I had a long discussion about boundaries in whatever it is that we have. He is okay with the boundaries I have set. Well, the boundary. I really only set one, which is “I will not be sleeping with anyone until I am married”. He put up surprisingly little fuss about it; he was actually pretty nonchalant.

In return, I have agreed to try to be a little more affectionate. That is something I will likely struggle with, but I think he’s worth pushing myself for. I should really learn how to be physically affectionate anyway. Even if things don’t work out with C, whoever I marry will doubtless want the same things...

[life-of-a-produce-girl]

Pluto is beautiful.

NOVA NEXT: Pluto shows its true colors

New Horizons’s images of Pluto are already revealing a striking world. 

Be sure to catch NOVA’s “Chasing Pluto” this Wednesday at 9/8c.

[life-of-a-produce-girl]

Pluto.

So the New Horizons flew past Pluto today! We now have a picture of everyone’s favorite planet-gone-dwarf-planet-gone-whatever-it-is-they’re-calling-it-now.

It makes me remember astronomy class. And E. I am finally over him, even before I met C. But C helped me get over the last little bit of lingering sadness. Anyway, my astronomy professor informed us that a probe would be flying past Pluto, and I’ve been looking forward to this day ever since.

And it’s finally here! And Pluto is beautiful.

[life-of-a-produce-girl]

But just because you’re strong and resilient doesn’t mean you never need someone to be there for you, to take care of you.

Tammara Webber, Good For You (via fpcolimited)

[life-of-a-produce-girl]

Jeep.

C has an ‘86 Jeep Laredo. It is beautiful; he’s obviously taken very good care of it, because it runs well and looks almost new. And, most importantly, he promised that one day he will let me learn how to drive stick in it!

Yes, Reader, I have no idea how to drive a manual. Clutches and gearshifts and everything else that comes with driving a stick-shift kind of makes my head spin, so we’ll see how that works out.

Last night we watched Smokey and the Bandit, which was a terrible movie that I actually enjoyed despite the totally unnecessary kissing scene. It was funny and campy and a total 70′s movie. Then we went out for milkshakes at midnight and he took me for a drive in the Laredo. 

I have decided that I love that car.

Also, while we were discussing my driving my siblings’ Jeeps (St has a lifted Cherokee, H has a Grand Cherokee), C informed me that he thought the idea of a girl driving a lifted Jeep was ‘hot’ (again with that word!) and that he would have “totally checked [me] out” if he’d seen me.

I informed him that when I drive St’s Jeep, I usually look terrified because that thing is all over the road. He didn’t seem to care.

I have decided that I like him. I’m still not sure that I will let him kiss me anytime soon, but I’m okay with hugging. I like his hugs. They’re nice. He’s strong and he hugs like he’s not afraid he’ll break me. It’s a refreshing change from Joe from Produce.

[life-of-a-produce-girl]

Graverobber.

So Repo! The Genetic Opera is now one of my favorite movies ever. The idea of a rock opera with lots of gratuitous blood and no romance is appealing.

Too bad about all the F-words, though...