Out of Context

Do you ever have those times when you're on your merry way and you see something out of context?

It takes a minute, or a little research, to figure it out.

Yesterday, after having coffee with Amanda (hadn't seen her since we moved back from St. Louis), James and I were leaving the mall, walking towards the entrance nearest to where our car was parked because it was upwards of 95 degrees out.

I walked past the kiosks: piercing place, engravings r us, tattoo time, etc when I saw a friend from college, who is currently youth pastor in California, selling entertainment discount cards.

Or so I thought.

Well, he was selling discount cards, but I wasn't sure if it was TJ, classmate of mine.

In my mind, TJ was a youth pastor out in California. And since I'm in South Dakota, something wasn't adding up.

So I did what any 20 something in 2012 would do.

I kept walking, found the nearest seat (which happened to be a dollar per minute massage chair, yum!) and got out my smart phone. I pulled up my Facebook app and looked him up. 9 mutual friends. Lives in Sioux Falls.

I'm serious. I did this.

But now I knew it was him. This is how we do research. Facebook. Wikipedia. Google.

I walked back to the kiosk, but now he was talking to someone. So I casually walked into GAP, looked at some of their overpriced t-shirts and then peeked out the window a minute later to see if she had left. She hadn't. So I looked at some overpriced flip flops. Peeked again. Still talking.

I had places to go after this. My son needed diapers and I had supper plans with my in-laws. So I just walked up and joined their little tet-a-tet.

We ended up talking for about 15 minutes.

Did I tell him that after seeing him and not knowing if it was him, I looked him up on Facebook to see where he was currently living?

Oh yes. I did.

My first garden. Ever.

This is the view out my patio door. And this is my patio garden. From the left we have green beans, peppers (bell?), peppers (bell) and two tomato plants. They were not all planted on the same day.

For the last several years I haven't lived anywhere long enough and during the right season to have vegetables. Now I do and so now I have plants.

Thanks to my neighbor MK for all her help. She gave me several of these and helped me repot several.

I live in town, but yes, this is my view. Pretty stinkin' awesome.