Tuesday, December 6, 2022

Small Life But That's Okay


Mr. Pudding
asked me some time back to post a picture of the one traffic light in the county which is less than a block from our house and today, as I was walking back from the post office, I did. The funny thing is, you can't even see the light! It's sort of a "Where's Waldo" situation or in this case, "Look For The Light!" Can you see it? 

If you look directly beyond the stop sign, you might be able to see a sliver of the very blue My G-Word Soul Boutique. And that building across the street from it is in the process of being rebuilt from what used to be a pretty falling-down shed-like structure. I believe it is going to be an electrical company. What's the term for that? You know- a business that has electricians. But they are doing such a beautiful job on it that I'm not sure. The siding is lovely wood, the roof brand new metal. Much finer, in fact, than what many people around here live in. 
So that's the view from the traffic light, anyway, looking from west to east. I live a few hundred yards east of that spot. 

I went to town today to get my shopping done. I also had to pick up a prescription at the compounding pharmacy. Since Jessie only lives a few blocks from there, I stopped in to say hello very briefly, and then went to a local business called Care RX. I've driven by there at least a hundred times as it's on a major intersection but never been inside. I had heard that they would do the covid bivalent shots on a walk-in basis and trying to make an appointment at Publix pharmacy was not working out because I never think about it until I'm headed into town and you can't make a same-day appointment, usually. So I stopped at the Care RX and went in and it reminded me of a Mexican pharmacia a little bit. They have lots of products like splints and braces and compression socks and your usual drug store things like supplements and shampoo and toothbrushes and OTC remedies. So far rather normal. And behind the counter were shelves and shelves and shelves of drugs looking quite organized and professional but it was NOT like your usual chain store pharmacy. The main pharmacist was so jolly, talking to his customers, even singing, and the other people working there were just so...happy! And kind. And helpful. It turned out that one of them was best friends with one of Miss Martha's daughters. Miss Martha used to be our postmistress back when that was an actual position and her mother-in-law lives about a quarter of a mile from me and actually, so does Miss Martha but in a different direction. I filled out my form and gave them my driver's license and my Medicare card and they asked me to wait a moment so I did. I came across this on the wall. 


That was the article printed in the paper when they opened. From it I learned that Mr. Patel immigrated from India with his family and worked at the chain store pharmacies and then decided to open his own independent business. And I am so glad he did! One of the things I remember from nursing school is that pharmacists are one of our most underused medical experts. They are a font of knowledge about the medications we are prescribed and I love that Mr. Patel wanted to be able to spend time with his customers and to be able to really talk to them, to build a relationship. 
He gave me my shot and I swear, I could not feel the needle slipping in. I told him how much I admired him for opening his own business and he told me that he is so happy there. That the five years they've been open has gone by so fast. "You have to be happy!" he told me. And I think he is. 
So that was a very nice experience and when I was out the door and almost to my car, I heard, "Mrs. Moon!" and turned around to see him with a calendar for me. 
I thanked him and said, "Take care!" and then I laughed at myself because "Care" is part of their name. He was already back in the store, serving another customer. 


I love it! 

And then- because I was so hungry and because the lunch we had yesterday left me craving the Pitaria's vegetarian platter, I drove myself there and ordered one. It was every bit as good as I wanted it to be and I brought home enough for lunch tomorrow. 

Then on to Costco and to Publix where I ran into a friend and talked and talked and by the time I made it home, it was four o'clock in the afternoon. 
Another day sliding by like a leaf on a swift river. I swear. 

When I got back to Lloyd I took another picture of the stoplight coming in from the interstate. 


I took this one from the car and that is the north/south view. I was about to turn right where that car was waiting. 
At least you can see the traffic light in this one. 

And that's what life has been like today for me. 
It's funny how when you live a rather small life almost anything can be an adventure, an opportunity to have new things to learn, to think about, to enjoy. On a good day, at least. And today was one of those. 

And now I'm going to go make fish tacos which, believe it or not, I have never made before. See? New things. 
And guess what? I forgot to buy cilantro. 
Oh hell and oh well. We will live. 

Love...Ms. Moon


28 comments:

  1. I admire people like Mr Patel. Not only is he doing what makes him happy, he makes other people happy with his service and his outlook. We need more Mr Patels.
    The traffic light seems as if it would cause more issues than it would solve but I don't know the people of Lloyd. Or do out of towners use that intersections as well?
    I have never tried fish tacos and I don't particularly want to for some reason. I am growing my own cilantro (coriander here). It is incredibly easy to grow but maybe not in your climes.

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    1. We do need more Mr. Patels.
      There are many, many people who go through that intersection. The north/south road that crosses it is a direct route from one major road to another AND the interstate. Lots of trucks. They're not usually the ones that get in accidents. The east/west road is also a regularly used artery. Lloyd has more traffic than you'd imagine.
      We definitely can grow cilantro but it bolts so quickly it's barely worth it!

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  2. Fish tacos are the best. I make them more than any other kind. Actually if I wrap almost anything in a corn tortilla and fry it I can usually get my granddaughter to eat it. Getting her to eat is no easy task.

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    1. I didn't fry this fish. It was...okay.
      Kids do like tacos.

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  3. I love Indian pharmacists. The very best advice and real concern has always come to me from them. We have a big Indian population and I feel very cared for, even by pharms in chain pharmacies. I'm glad you got the booster so easily. I think it's good for your health to be treated cheerfully.

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    1. It IS good for your health to be treated so cheerfully! At the chain pharmacies, they are always understaffed and everyone is so busy they can't take the time to do much more than have you sign what you need to sign and take your money in exchange for your prescription.

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  4. We don't count that as a traffic light, but as a caution light or blinking light or flashing light. It's red on the controlled side and yellow on the side that much exercise caution. I guess yours is red facing you and yellow for the cross traffic that does not stop.

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    1. Yes! Exactly. The north/south road is the one far more heavily traveled. But people end up treating it like a four-way stop.

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  5. 37paddington:
    Care Rx sounds like your new pharmacy. Even the name says so much. I had my bivalent shot at a little pharmacy much like the one you describe. Such a better experience than the chain stores. Your days sounded purposeful and pleasant, the kind that make you happy to have been out, and happy to come back home.

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    1. I'll probably still keep getting my drugs from Publix for the most part just because it's so convenient. Care RX is a lot farther from my house. But I promised Mr. Patel I would come back for my shingles shots which I really need to get.

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  6. It seems you found the best pharmacy. My local one has international people working and they are so gentle with vaccinations. I think, too, the needles made these days are much finer than the thick ones I remember from childhood. I like days that slip by so smoothly and easily.

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    1. Yes. And the covid shot needles seem especially thin. Do you remember getting penicillin shots? Seems like every time I went to the pediatrician we got a penicillin shot in the butt and it hurt like hell.

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    2. Because the penicillin had to be kept in the fridge so it was really cold, I only remember the time I had one in my thigh, I was 19 and had a bad case of tonsillitis.

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  7. God, I want a pharmacy like that here. I just hate CVS. How are you feeling after your vaccines?

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  8. I think every community should have a Mr. Patel. Actually we did in England years ago and if you ever needed a shop open on Sundays (no Sunday trading back in the day) it would be Indian owned usually. Hard-working people!

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  9. How cool that you found a new independent business that you like. That's always a plus. I love the calendar. It's so old-fashioned! (Despite the 2023 date.) My grandparents used to have calendars like that hanging up in their house and garage -- I suppose everyone's did. I love your stoplight. :)

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    1. Isn't the calendar great? We ALL had those kinds of calendars growing up. No one bought a calendar.
      That stoplight makes Lloyd feel important.

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  10. You are absolutely correct about pharmacists being an underused medical professional. Recently, my DH tested positive for Covid on a Saturday morning. Hoping to get him a Paxlovid prescription (supposed to start it asap), I tried calling his doctor's office--which was supposed to have Saturday morning hours. Of course, I've never been able to directly reach anyone in that office even during the weekdays, but hoped that the urgency of the situation might move someone to respond. Nope. So Saturday afternoon, I called our local pharmacy and left a message explaining my DH's situation and asked if they could help. It is not an independent pharmacy. Actually just part of a regional grocery store. However, the pharmacist is a gem. He is from Nigeria and I've had various vaccines from him over the years, including a flu shot about a month ago when we talked about travel, languages, cultures--he was leaving for a visit to Nigeria the next day--and I for Europe the following week. As it turned out, it was he who called me back within the hour. I recognized his voice and he remembered me. A long story (not particularly short), he found a way to get the prescription for my husband and filled it that day. As I said, a real gem.

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    1. What a heart-warming story! What a caring person. Just beautiful.

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  11. The stop light wasn't enough so they put up stop signs too? Or vice versa. And the sign that says cross traffic does not stop. They aren't taking any chances. Sounds like a great new pharmacy, new to you anyway.

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    1. So many wrecks have happened at that intersection that I guess they just threw everything they had at it. I suppose it's helped but like I've said- I've seen several wrecks there over the years.

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  12. Mr. Patel sounds lovely. I originally thought that Care Rx was an independent pharmacy but they're not. Even more surprising was that the parent company just bought up Rexal which is one of the large pharmacies in Canada and was owned by an Edmontonian until it was sold.

    I could not see that traffic light in the first photo but after the second photo it became apparent I was looking in the wrong place:)

    I'm glad you had a good day and that you got your covid shot, although I hear that the whole pandemic thing is a hoax. It shocks me that there are people that think that. Oh well, as Mark Twain said, “Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.”

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    1. We used to have Rexal drugstores here, too, but they are sadly all gone. I remember the one in Vero had a lunch counter and it seemed like a magical place to me. They sold rock candy which was amazing!
      I've heard that about the pandemic too! Oh well. I now have about five microchips in me from vaccines. I pity the person who's keeping track of me. I have to be the most boring person ever.
      Great Twain quote.

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  13. Fish tacos have never sounded appealing to me. And cilantro is a devil herb! (It tastes like dish soap to me).

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    1. Well, as we all know- some people love cilantro and some people hate it. I love it. I can taste that soapy taste but to me, it is delicious soap!

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  14. Your Small Life has huge benefits. That Mr. Patel the Pharmacist reminds me of Mike, the small Town Pharmacist that is an Independent and we used for Years. I am a huge Supporter of Small Indie Businesses of all kinds and wish we had even more of them, much more personal and a part of a Community, not just a mere Commodity.

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.