Let’s Laugh: Three Absurd Conversations + Something I Cannot Explain

/ Ally Bean

~ • ~

Three Absurd Conversations

ONE – Out to dinner with friends. The conversation turns to ice cream. The questions: 1) What is your favorite flavor? and 2) Where do you buy it?

My answer: Spumoni is my favorite flavor but it’s difficult to find, usually only around Christmas, and never for sale in Kroger where I shop most of the time. Seems like they could have it.

A friend, a lawyer, pipes up and jokingly says: It’s not Kroger’s fault for not having spumoni, it’s your fault for liking a weird flavor of ice cream.

Immediately everyone at the table agrees with him and starts laughing at me while I’m forced to admit that he could be right. He might have a point.

You like vanilla, it’s everywhere, no problem.

• • •

TWO – Overheard while shopping in Dillard’s. An older couple, mid-80s, are in the women’s clothing section near where I’m standing. She’s looking at blouses, he’s looking bored. She pulls a blouse on a hanger off the rack and tells him she’s going to try it on.

He seems surprised and says: I thought we were just horsing around here. Then he makes a low guttural snorting sound like a horse whinny while attempting to prance like a horse.

She looks over at me, rolls her eyes, then turns to him and says: Slow down there Roy Rogers, hold your horses, and wait here.

This spunky reply made me laugh out loud and him smile like the ornery cute kid he probably used to be.

Oh, to age with your sense of humor intact.

• • •

THREE – Said by the husband after he plugged in the heating pad so I could lay on the bed with it on my aching thigh.

Him: You’re not supposed to sleep with the electric heating pad on, so once you fall asleep turn it off.

Me staring at him: Think about what you said.

Him: Really, that’s what the warning on the tag says.

Me: Keep thinking.  

Him after long pause: OH… I see the problem.

Which confirmed that he still understands logic, but had me in stitches laughing at and thankfully with someone who rarely says anything illogical.

Even the brainy ones can be dim. 

Something I Cannot Explain

This isn’t my car.

Mid-afternoon I pulled into a parking lot adjacent to a city park and found this car *parked* [abandoned?] in this awkward way.

There were no indications that the car had hit any other vehicle, stopping midway while pulling into the parking space.

After I parked down the way and walked back by the car I saw that the inside of the car was tidy. There wasn’t a note on the windshield explaining what had happened. There was no police citation on it.

It was just a half-parked car in the way in a public parking lot with nary a soul around to explain the situation.

Any idea what was going on here?

~ ~ • ~ ~

243 thoughts on “Let’s Laugh: Three Absurd Conversations + Something I Cannot Explain”

  2. I think my favourite conversation has to be the horsing around between the couple. I love that they both appear to have aged with a sense of humour, something so many appear to lose in their senior years. As far as that car…brakes seized? Ran out of gas?

    Liked by 2 people

  3. They had been married for 34 years. Still, whenever she was at the wheel, he continually turned into the driving instructor, barking out orders with military precision.
    Sometimes, all it takes is that one last “turn the wheel harder or you’ll take up two spaces!” and that’s enough. An accumulation of insults.
    Silently, she slammed it in park, turned off the engine, carefully and deliberately engaged the parking brake as well, and left.
    With the keys.

    Liked by 9 people

  6. Loved all the snippets. I am not a Spumoni person but remember being served it as a kid every time we ate at one specific Italian restaurant. I’m not a candied fruit person so I left all those pieces in the cup and sucked up the ice cream part as best I could.

    The car…that is a major mystery for sure. I can’t even come up with a plausible guess.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Deb, Spumoni reminds me of my Dad and like you, a specific Italian restaurant from my youth. I like the stuff, but it is too old-fashioned now to even be stocked.

      Yep, that car baffled me enough that I snapped a photo. I rarely do that when I’m out and about, but this time…? 🤷‍♀️

      Liked by 2 people

  8. I wonder if they forgot to put that car in park and it just rolled?
    And I’m sorry, but I think your friend was a bit rude denigrating your ice cream choice. I love spumoni as well and see no reason why it can’t be sold all year.

    Liked by 2 people

    • River, excellent guess about the car. That’d explain it.

      Another Spumoni fan! Yes. I did suggest to Mr. Lawyer Man that he was blaming the victim, me, instead of focusing on the perpetrator of the crime, Kroger.

      Liked by 3 people

    • Marian, historically many Italians came to this area so you’d think that somewhere I’d find Spumoni, but it is rare. Even Neapolitan isn’t available much anymore.

      Yes, the older couple were a hoot and a half, as they say. Loved them.

      Liked by 1 person


  10. My guess was like Alice’s, bathroom emergency. I also like ‘ran out of gas’, though one would hope if they were THAT close to running out, they would be near a gas station, not a parking lot, but who knows.

    The spumoni comment sounded like something my husband would say to his friend, in a snarky way, but not to anyone else.

    The couple is charming, I’m glad they still laugh together!

    My daughter once told me, threateningly, ‘one of these day’s you’ll wake up dead’, and I said, ‘um…one or the other…’ much like your husband. HA!

    Liked by 1 person

    • J, if they ran out of gas there’s no gas station anywhere near this park so it’d be a long walk to get some more. The car was still there an hour later when I came back to my car.

      Yes, Mr. Lawyer Man is a longtime friend who likes to provoke conversations. He’s okay, humorous, just a lawyer…

      The older couple were a delight. Great comeback to your daughter. Well played.

      Like

  13. Maybe the car died mid parking job? That’s the only logical explanation I have. The heating pad warning is funny. As for spumoni ice-cream, well, Kroger must have carried it once, right? Otherwise you might not have tasted it. So it’s their fault for teasing you with a great flavor and then pulling it.

    Liked by 2 people

    • AutumnAshbough, I know that once upon a time I drove a car that had power steering that went out and it became almost impossible to turn the wheel. Maybe that’s what happened?

      And YES this is all Kroger’s fault for teasing me with Spumoni, having it for years, then taking it away, leaving me in withdrawal. I like how you think.

      Liked by 2 people

    • Nicole, Spumoni is an old-fashioned ice cream flavor that reminds me of being a kid. My dad liked it, introduced me to it. I didn’t know about the cocktails, but I do know there are Spumoni layer cakes.

      The elderly couple were the poster children of who to be when you get older. The look on her face was one for the ages.

      Like

  15. I watch way too much true crime tv, so that car freaks me out.

    Once, during some very emotional estate planning/will making discussion/final wishes discussion, I turned to Rick and said, “If you die before me I’m just gonna kill you!” Even as I said it, I knew it was stupid and illogical, but I was overwhelmed and feeling dumb.

    I agree with the above commenter that the friend’s comment about your ice cream fave was a little snarky. But lawyers sometimes can’t help the way they think.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Nance, I hadn’t thought of the car as a variable in a crime situation. But now that you mention it… 😳

      What you said to Rick is priceless. I get what you mean even if how you said it makes no sense.

      I’ve spent my entire life around lawyers, Dad, uncle, husband, friends. Thus I’m accustomed to their snarkiness and generally just ignore it. They is who they is.

      Liked by 1 person

  16. My most absurd and quick conversation came a while ago. The wife and I went to a family reunion near where I grew up in So. Cal. I hadn’t been there in 40 years or so. As we drove down the freeway, I was commenting on things I remembered from days of old. This was where so and so lived, there used to be this or that here or there, and then I made the most innocent comment . . . “the trees got bigger”. As soon as I said that, my wife burst out laughing and I immediately followed. It’s still a joke between us to this day.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Johnny, that is hilarious and I can understand why you said it. You were merely observing that which you saw. Thanks for sharing that story here. It is so relatable. 😁

      Like

  17. He does not have a point. Your choice is a thing. It’s not weird. It’s just not profitable to sell.

    The heating pad warning is weird.

    How far from that parking space was the porta-potty?

    Liked by 1 person

    • Dan, lawyers gonna lawyer. You’ll be pleased to know that after the laughter at my expense died down I did mention that he was blaming the victim, me, instead of focusing on the perpetrator of the crime, Kroger. That, also, got a laugh.

      The “not parked” parked car was about half a block away from some facilities which could explain the scene.

      Liked by 1 person

  18. I like the lead meme (maybe because I was able to say “check” five times). I haven’t had a scoop of spumoni in ages; so long ago I can’t even remember the taste. Peanut butter and chocolate for me. As for the car, I like the “in a hurry” theory in the comments, since the parking lot appears to be flat, quashing my own theory about “rolling back a bit while in neutral”.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Dave, Spumoni is a flavor ice cream from another era, I realize that, but I do like it. And that was the question.

      If the car rolled back while in neutral it must have done so gradually, nary a scratch on either car around it. In a hurry makes sense, but to where? THAT would be the follow-up question.

      Like

  19. Spumoni ice cream takes me back to The Old Spaghetti Factory, the only place I’ve ever had it. I haven’t been to one of those restaurants in years, but that was the only flavor of ice cream you could get there. Sorry to say, but it wasn’t my favorite, and I always wished vanilla was an option. 🙂 

    As for that car:  yes, weird. Looks like a good flash fiction prompt, though.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Rita, I remember The Old Spaghetti Factory but don’t remember the Spumoni there. I had it as a child long before those restaurants were around.

      I agree that the photo makes a good flash fiction prompt. One commenter, Dorothy, wrote her fiction about what happened. And it’s entirely plausible.

      Liked by 1 person

  20. That car was not in the proper gear when the owner got out and it rolled backward after the owner left. Not sure that can actually happen with modern cars and all their safety measures but I remember the days when it could and did happen if you accidentally left a car in neutral instead of park.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Jean, I remember that happening with cars, too. It’d be a horrible shock when you came back to the parking lot and see your car had rolled somewhere it shouldn’t be. I like that explanation about what happened as much as any.

      Like

  21. Spumoni!!! Usually only us Italian-Americans have that imbedded in our culinary memories. I have fond memories of sitting on the picnic table with cousins on a hot summer day spitting out the citron bits while scooping melty spumoni into my mouth! Oh yes. The best substitute I’ve found has been the more standard (but still hard to find here) Pistachio. Really, growing up in Chicago spoiled me forever in the realm of culture & food availability expectations!
    Spumoni can be found, though, in ice cream shoppes, gelato joints & certain coffee shops (yes!) in Colorado where I lived most of my teen/adult life. But around here in the sterile south – vanilla is the flavor of choice in many ways other than ice cream. Oops – sorry I upped my BS meter by adding that remark, I’m sure.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Laura, thank you for adding some “BS” here that I wouldn’t classify as “BS.” I remember eating Spumoni as a child at a family-owned Italian restaurant. My dad loved the place [it was exceptionally clean and friendly] and their Spumoni [along with everything else] was delicious. But you’re right, the closest you can get is Pistachio ice cream and then add some chocolate or vanilla ice cream beside it. Not the same thing.

      I’ve never been to CO but should I get there I’ll look for Spumoni. I know better than to look for it in the South, land of vanilla.

      Liked by 1 person

  22. Hi Ally, Funny about spumoni…first time I tried it was at the Spaghetti Factory in Gastown, Vancouver, as a teenager. Memorable in many ways. OMgosh…I love this 80 year old couple! Ha, ha…turn it off when you fall asleep…I can hear the support and love…The unusual parking situation is not really unusual around here…the drivers will only be away a ‘short minute’ to ‘run inside’ for an errand…and, yes, Ally, “Let’s Laugh.” xo Erica

    Liked by 1 person

    • Erica/Erika, another commenter mentioned eating Spumoni at The Old Spaghetti Factory, but I don’t remember it from there. I had it before those restaurants were around.

      As for the older couple, I tell ‘ya the look on her face was hilarious, slightly put upon, but loving. I couldn’t help but laugh.

      Good point about someone just running inside to grab something quickly EXCEPT that when I came back to get my car an hour later the car was still there. Maybe it was a long short errand!

      Liked by 1 person

      • Hi Ally, I thought Gastown had the original Spaghetti factory (1970) and checked online – actually Portland (1969) – Spaghetti factory was a big deal for us teenagers and I worked in Gastown for awhile – down the rabbit hole with spumoni, and likely around a long time 😊 – yes, weird about the car – medical emergency? – had one in our neck of the woods yesterday morning…have a good day, Ally 💕

        Liked by 1 person

        • That’s good of you to find out about the origin of The Old Spaghetti Factory. I remember going to a couple of them but it was in the ’80s. I don’t remember a thing about the food, just the ambiance. Hadn’t thought of medical emergency, but that would explain why the car was as it was and why there was no citation on it. 🤔

          Liked by 1 person

  23. Sorry…my only take-away from your post is the oh-so relatable chat with Zen Den. Your quip…”keep thinking” was soooo good.
    I have no clue about the wackadoodle parking…asking for trouble, huh? Ready to file an insurance claim?
    As to the spumoni. Umm…what is it, exactly? I’ve always detoured. Looks sketchy. 😜

    Liked by 1 person

    • Vicki, the conversation with Z-D was a hoot because he just wasn’t getting how what he said was ridiculous. His concern for my well being was touching, but… 🤣

      I’m laughing out loud at your description of Spumoni looking sketchy. I suppose it does. To me it reminds me of my dad, but to the others who don’t like pistachio, cherry vanilla, and chocolate together it would seem odd.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Yah…about the spumoni…looking odd. You nailed it! It’s the color combo and the texture. 😜
        And your chat with Z-D? Reminiscent of a convo with hubster Paul this morning. I asked a question last night about our taxes (with no reply in the moment) but ten hours later, he picked up where he’d left off IN HIS BRAIN and I had no clue what he was talking about. In his own world…he must’ve carried on (silently) without me overnight and thought it was okay to hit ‘play’ on a dusty conversation. Oy! 🤣

        Liked by 1 person

        • We have conversations like that, too. All of a sudden Zen-Den will say something that seems obscure until I realize he’s picking up the conversation from hours ago. I refer to it as the absent-minded professor approach to communication. You get used to it, amirite?

          Liked by 1 person

          • You know it…there’s no other way. I’ve learned to put my hands up in a ‘time out’ signal….and ask him to back up the truck so I can hop on. He gets it…and he ain’t changing…so we figure it out! Absent minded professor (sometimes nutty professor) is my favorite way of describing him. LOL! 😜 xo to you, Ally!

            Liked by 1 person

  24. Great blog post Ally Bean. I am glad that you laughed out loud, I am a huge advocate for laughing. I believe laughter is the best medicine.

    Keep blogging and have a great week ahead🙏

    Oh, Yes, random acts of kindness can change the world♥

    Liked by 1 person

  25. These are all hilarious! Though, I’d never heard of spumoni, and had to look that one up. I think my favorite conversation was the older couple. The older man your described in your second anecdote sounds just like my late grandpa, and the retort like my grandma. I love seeing older couples who retain that playfulness! Thanks for sharing.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Erin, I should have defined Spumoni but I thought everyone knew what it was. I was wrong about that, which helps explain why there’s little of it around anymore. The older couple were a delight. You’re right it’s great to see playfulness in older couples, gives me hope for my future with Z-D.

      Like

      • Based on what you’ve shared you and Z-D are destined to be very much like the playful “hold your horses” couple at Dillards! Enjoying Spumoni together. ☺️

        Like

        • Yes, I hope so, planning for it to happen. Except the Spumoni of course. I’m sure we’ll make do with some other ice cream flavor. We’re adaptable like that! 😋

          Like

  26. Reading the conversation between the older couple in the store made my morning! I have always loved “sassy”, no matter what age. It gives me hope to think that a woman in her mid-80s has kept her sassy nature.

    I can remember making spumoni ice cream when I was a teenager. Now my favorite ice cream is peppermint patty ice cream made by a little ice cream shop in Corvallis, OR (where my son and DIL live). They make their own ice cream AND ALSO MAKE THE PEPPERMINT PATTY that is broken up into the ice cream. Oh, man! Soooo good!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Laurie, the older couple made my day when I overheard the conversation. She didn’t miss a beat when replying to him and he looked pleased with himself. Sassy is good.

      The ice cream you describe sounds delicious. Too much yum. I’d love it, might even draw me away from Spumoni considering I cannot find it anymore so my allegiance to it is weakening.

      Like

    1. Mocking you for liking a rare flavour of ice cream. Pffft.

    2. That couple is exactly how I would have pictured me and Mick. A sense of humour goes such a long way.

    3. Buahahaha! Good to know logic, albeit slow to come ’round, exists 😉

    4. As for that parking… I saw a similar situation. Now, in our case, if there had been oodles of snow at the time he/she parked, it could explain it, if it had all melted (which has been a case I’ve witnessed numerous times). Or, Mom has been giving son a driver’s lesson and he was not listening and she said to hell with him, he could figure it out on his own as she went for a cool-down walk… and he ran after her, imploring her to give him another chance; that he’ll listen this time, that he’s just learning….. Mooooooom!

    Liked by 1 person

  28. Ugh, maybe I am in a MOOD, but that car screams entitlement to me. Like, “I deserve a spot in this lot! If I can’t fit in this one, I will make my own.” Or road rage: “The people on either side didn’t leave enough room for my car so I will block them from leaving!” Hopefully there is a more reasonable explanation (but what????) (maybe this person is pranking the person parked in the adjacent space?) but my reaction is awfulness.

    I think it’s BETTER to have an unusual ice cream choice, because then it feels so much more like a treat. I also have an unusual favorite and when I encounter it I feel gleeful; when it’s not available, I usually abstain. That’s just me though.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Suzanne, I get what you’re saying. There is a weird vibe of entitlement about this *parked* car. Like whoever left it there knew they were right, no one could tell them what to do. Of course IF there’d had been a note of some kind on the car then it would have been a different story. As is, this will remain a “who knows” situation.

      Good point about having an unusual ice cream flavor preference. I am gleeful when I eat Spumoni and don’t eat many other flavors, so that makes ice cream special for me.

      Liked by 1 person

  30. The car “I’m only going to be a minute, so I won’t waste my time pulling in all the way.”

    I don’t like candied fruit so spumoni is out for me, but I understand the difficulty of finding the products that we like; the stores discontinue them! I loved Quaker Oats Breakfast cookies; first a couple stores had them, then one, then 0.

    You can’t do much when you’re asleep. 🙂 Sorry about your hip.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Margaret, your car scenario might explain the parking situation. Who knows?

      Spumoni is a something unique that you either like or dislike. I doubt that there’s an in-between with it. I’m sorry your preferred breakfast cookies are no more. It’s frustrating to be loyal to a product then have it disappear.

      Like

  31. The shopping story made me chuckle so much. So funny. Old couples and their dynamic can be so entertaining. Your husband – well, maybe he was tired? I cannot figure out the non-parked car. Did someone run out of gas? So weird.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Ernie, I agree that older couples who have had a longterm relationship can be a hoot. Not the mean ones, the fun ones, of course.

      Running out of gas would explain what’s going on with that car. I really don’t know, but it did pique my curiosity.

      Like

  32. I love the conversation with your hubby. I think something had to have frozen up on the car situation. Interesting that it was still there an hour later in the same position. With cellphones so handy, I’d have expected to see someone there calling for a tow. Thanks for the giggles today, Ally!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Janet, you’re right about getting the car towed. It’s difficult for me to believe that whoever’s car that was didn’t have a cell phone. It leads me to believe that something else was going on with this situation… but what?!!

      Liked by 1 person

  34. Or ice cream is always a good conversation. Butter pecan is usually on top of my list so I stock up when it’s in stock at my local grocery store. But my new favourite flavour, chocolate salt carmel and peanuts was purchased recently when the butter pecan had been absent for weeks. When they are both in stock, I am torn.

    Love the Roy Rogers story. I think long-term love requires humour.

    Got nothing on the oddly parked car.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Jenn, I’ve not seen the new ice cream flavor you mention, but it sounds delicious. I’ll look for it, knowing that Spumoni is not going to be there.

      The older couple were the best. Obviously I wasn’t shopping in Dillard’s to be amused but I certainly was.

      The car… just plain weird.

      Liked by 1 person

  35. I agree with the frame of things to do, but tipping the server is a challenge lately. I always tip my ‘server’ 20%+. On Saturday, I drove to the local wood fired pizza joint, walked in, asked for two slices that were already sitting right there ready to go, no heating required, and when I checked out and put my credit card in the machine I was required to leave a tip or it wouldn’t process. A couple of times recently, I’ve also been charged 3.5% extra for using a credit card. The times they are a changing. 🙂 I think Kroeger should carry your favorite ice cream no matter what the lawyer thinks. 🙂 I love Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. May they keep smiling and laughing. 🙂 Next time ask hubby to stay awake until you fall asleep and then turn off the heating pad 🙂 I would pay $10 to hear the story of the half parked car. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • Judy, well that’s a lousy way for a restaurant to do business. I’ve never been required to leave a tip, but I have had an extra charge added on for using a credit card. Things like that rankle people and the word gets around.

      I also think Kroger should carry my favorite flavor of ice cream. Our store has about 30′ of ice cream cases filled to the gills, so I cannot imagine that one less brand of vanilla would hurt sales and it’d be a lovely spot for my Spumoni.

      I like your take on the heating pad. You’re right if he was so worried about following the instructions on the warning tag then he should have taken responsibility for turning it off. 🤨

      Liked by 1 person

  39. I bet the car died while the person was pulling out, and since the person didn’t have a phone went to find one.

    Spumoni? I like it myself, but they probably don’t get much call for it most of the year. Next time you go to an Italian restaurant, if they have spumoni, ask them where they got it. It’s probably a food service company, but there’s probably someone there that buys it retail.

    Liked by 1 person

    • John, your idea about what happened with the car is possible. When I came back to the parking lot an hour later it was still there.

      I have to admit that it’s been a while since I was in an Italian restaurant that served Spumoni. It is one of those foods from another era. I mean it’s difficult to find Neapolitan ice cream anymore and it was from the same era, just no interest in three flavors all together. People prefer Moose Tracks or Bourbon Butter Pecan now. I do not like either.

      Liked by 1 person

  40. Our King Soopers, which is a Kroger-owned chain, has Spumoni around Christmas time but that’s about it. They have 497 different kinds of vanilla, though. If it was my friends I would have called them out for being boring, lol.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Herb, yes while Kroger owns King Soopers, they’re different stores when it comes to who they’re appealing to. Obviously, if you get Spumoni and I must go without. Yep to all the gazillion kinds of vanilla. I like vanilla but it’s all about the same…

      Liked by 2 people

    • Lynette, I wondered if it was mechanical problem, too. Nothing about the car made it look neglected, other than it was awkwardly *parked* in the way. And when I came back an hour later it was still there, so maybe waiting for someone to fix it? or come help move it out of the way?

      Liked by 1 person

    • And to continue my comment, which WP decided to unilaterally post (which is a post in itself!): I love your absurdities, especially on the topic of spumoni ice cream. Do you also like English fruit cake? My heritage is bilingual French and English, and sometimes the twain didn’t meet. My French relatives thought that type of fruit cake was an abomination (I also think it’s awful) while my poor English mother, born and raised in Sussex, loved it. She enjoyed spumoni ice cream, too. Cheers.

      Liked by 1 person

      • I’ve been having difficulties leaving comments on blog, too. WP is playing games with us. Thanks for keeping at to post part 2 of your comment.

        I do not like English fruit cake, but I like mince tarts which are no longer available in local bakeries. So come Christmastime the flavors of my youth aren’t anywhere to be found. Somehow I survive just fine, though.

        Liked by 1 person

        • Yes, they used to be commonly available then, but I only see them now in specialty bakeries in December. My mother loved those, too. There is so much homogeneity now which isn’t good for us, no matter where it occurs. Cheers.

          Liked by 1 person

  42. Maybe that car died before it could park and tge owner had niether pad or pen, maybe someone made a poor attempt at stealing it and it had engine problems. As for spumoni..pizza joint in Brooklyn called L&B Spumoni Gardens that makes their own. The only thing weird is that dude saying your flavor is weird.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Matt, I’m laughing because you’re the only person so far to suggest that someone tried to steal the car, then gave up. Sure, that could be what happened. Why not?

      Not surprised that somewhere in Brooklyn would have Spumoni. However here in the midwest we’re less fortunate. I agree it is weird that Mr. Lawyer Man thought Spumoni was weird… or maybe he was just joshing me!

      Liked by 1 person

    • Jan, “hold your horses” is definitely a saying an older person would say. I haven’t had coffee ice cream in a long time, now that think of it. Lawyers do what lawyers do, be annoying.

      Like

  44. This post is proof that life always has a funny side if we are open to it. As for the car, no explanation other than mechanical issue, or an elderly citizen with dementia who has forgotten how to start the car again or park? It certainly is curious.

    P.S. What the hell is Spumoni flavour?

    Like

    • Amanda, I agree. These conversations just happened without any script and made me laugh out loud. The car could be a senior citizen with dementia, no real answer, but it is a good mystery.

      Spumoni is an ice cream flavor that is originally from Italy. It’s in layers of pistachio, cherry vanilla [or something close to it], and chocolate. More about it here.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Awakening Wonders, I’m glad you liked the conversations. They made me smile, for different reasons. Thanks for mentioning it but I did know about August 21st. What a grand day it is!

      Like

  46. Ice cream is the one food I seem to have little control over. We don’t keep it in the house for this reason. I can easily go through a pint of Ben and Jerry’s in one sitting.

    Love the exchange of humor in the last two examples. Laughter has gotten my wife and me through many days. We love to laugh, and life provides us with so many opportunities.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Pete, I understand how ice cream can call to a person. I don’t have that problem but I’ve known many people who do. Apparently it is quite noisy to them.

      I agree about laughing. We do a lot of that around here, some of it quite silly. I suppose it’s all in how you look at life, but we see the funny. Sounds like you do, too.

      Liked by 1 person

  47. That elderly couple sounds like what The Husband and I aspire to when we grow up.

    Your conversation with your husband sounds like a conversation that happens on the daily around here.

    The car? That is where my mind turns to the dark and nefarious.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Gigi, I agree about wanting to be that older couple when we get to be that age. A goal.

      Yes, I could go all dark and nefarious about that car. I realize I’ll never know for sure what was going on, but if nothing else it makes a great writing prompt!

      Like

    • So the car one reminded me of an ice cream story… It goes something like this: a guy wrote GM and said that his GM car refuses to restart when he buys vanilla ice cream, but never when he buys other flavors. A diligent GM engineer then looked at the problem, not wanting to go with the explanation that that GM cars are allergic to vanilla ice cream, and it turned out that because vanilla is such a common flavor, it was placed in a display that was faster to get to, so the car didn’t have enough time to get over a problem that was discovered this way. Other flavors took longer to find, so that problem wasn’t discovered before that 🙂

      What’s the moral of this story? Ally (not vanilla) Bean’s taste is special, imagine if all paintings were “vanilla”, just beige? It’s the “others” that make things interesting, not the plain vanilla … (Which I will not have in principle, meaning, I’d rather not have ice cream than vanilla flavor).

      Side note: this car-won’t-start-for-vanilla-buyers story has been rolling around for years, but it’s an urban legend 😀

      Like

      • EW, I’ve not heard that story but am sure it explains why the *parked* car was where it was. No doubt you’ve figured it out. 🙄

        I don’t hate on Vanilla ice cream, if it’s top shelf, but I prefer Spumoni. Or Caramel. However Vanilla has its place when used a la mode. One must be open-minded about all flavors and how they can fit into a dessert. 😉

        Like

  48. Hilarious observations! I love the horsey couple.

    When I worked at King’s Island, sometimes people would pull up to the gate or maybe into a parking space, everyone would go into the park – leaving the car running! 😜

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  49. I “discovered” your blog when your response to a post by Joy got my attention. I can already tell I’m going to enjoy following you. The conversation about the heating pad had me wondering if your husband is a blonde. 😂

    Did you know that spumoni is not an ice cream flavor? It’s not technically ice cream, but a milk sherbet consisting of three flavors. As to my own favorite ice cream flavor, it’s Cherry & Chocolate from H-E-B’s Creamy Creations line. It used to be Blue Bell’s Homemade Vanilla until they had to shut down for a while in 2015.

    That is curious about the parked car. They must have been in a super big hurry not to take the time to back up and pull in the right way. Hmmm!?

    Like

    • BarbCT, thanks for stopping by to read and comment. I’m glad to make your acquaintance. Joy is fun, isn’t she?

      My husband usually is with it, but somehow his concern for my well-being seemed to have blown his logic circuits. It was funny to me, waiting to see when he’d catch on to how ridiculous his statement was.

      I didn’t know that about Spumoni, I just know that it tastes good to me so whatever it really is, is fine. When I can find it.

      I dunno about that car. A mystery for the ages.

      Like


      • I haven’t had spumoni since I moved from Fort Worth in the early 90s. Spaghetti Warehouse always served it. Have you googled it to see if it’s available near your or maybe you can order online?

        Well, off to get some medical tests done. Have a great day.

        Liked by 1 person

  50. I love the graphic you shared at the top of the post. I agree with all of it. ❤️

    I don’t like it when people use the word “weird” to describe something others’ enjoy. By the way, spumoni ice cream is available year-round in the freezer section here. Not to brag, but simply inform your lawyer friend that it is not weird, but rather Italian. If you ever come to visit, I’ll have spumoni ready. 😘

    Liked by 2 people

    • Kari, well the thing is lawyers gonna lawyer which is to say I’ve been around them all my life [father, uncle, husband, friends] and they love to provoke people in front of an audience which is what Mr. Lawyer Man was doing with me. BUT I take your point about not being judge-y by using the word “weird.” My preferred word is “unique.” 🤓

      I’m not surprised you have Spumoni available all year. You live in a city more aligned with an Italian influence than here. Still I admit to being slightly jealous.

      Liked by 1 person

  51. Maybe the car just died. Right there.
    As for ice cream, I’m kind of judgmental about people liking vanilla. It’s so boring. I mean, there’s a reason people call boring things “vanilla.” You’re not vanilla. You’ve very spumoni!

    Liked by 1 person

    • The Travel Architect, yours is as good of explanation about the car as any. It was just downright odd to see it where it was while everything around it was normal.

      I know that while I like some fancy brands of Vanilla, usually it tastes blah to me. If I can’t get Spumoni, which is to say almost always, then I prefer Caramel which is Vanilla’s sophisticated cousin. 😋

      Liked by 1 person

  52. Like my boring BS meter, I am boring with ice cream too evidently as I’ve never had spumoni. I remember going through a phase of loving “Moose Tracks” ice cream when it was so popular. I guess spumoni is not something you can make in your ice-cream maker Ally? I remember you wrote a post about it awhile ago. That was a snarky comment about you liking spumoni and insinuating it was not Kroger that was remiss in not carrying your favorite flavor, but you are odd for liking it. People floor me more every day with their words and actions.

    Watching older couples interact is funny sometimes as they just appear to feed off one another as to the wisecracks and sarcasm, even though you know deep down just how devoted they are to one another.

    That parked car would stymie me as well. I would have been tempted to sit in my car and wait to get the “scoop” because who does this and gets away with it? It wouldn’t be an abduction as they’d wait until the driver pulled into the space. Because I always have a story … about 25 years ago, a coworker, a young attorney, had a brand-new, blue Splash truck. As she approached the truck on the top floor of the parking garage, a man behind her showed her a gun and told her to give him the keys and he’d drop her off somewhere and not harm her. Sitting beside him, as they were ready to exit the parking garage, she told him how to swipe the garage pass (and, in doing so, showed him incorrectly on purpose) and hopped out as he fumbled to get the gate to open. Her purse, briefcase, keys, everything – gone, but she was okay. She ran into the building, had the security guard call the police – they canvassed the area, but he was long gone. We had to change the locks for the Detroit office and two satellite offices. The police drove her to her apartment and waited until a locksmith could change the locks. They never found the truck and it happened on the Ides of March.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda, I apologize for not explaining Spumoni. I figured everyone knew about it, but from the comments here I now know that was an erroneous assumption. Spumoni is 3 layers: pistachio, cherry vanilla, and chocolate. It’s of Italian origin. And unless I made it in three batches over the course of many days, I cannot [will not] make it using our ice cream machine.

      I agree the older couple were devoted to each other and I had the joy of hearing/seeing their love play out. I smiled the rest of the day about them.

      The thing about the car is that when I came back an hour later to the parking lot the car was still there. Nothing had changed with it or the cars around it.

      That is a heck of a story about the woman having her truck stolen. Almost like something out of a TV show. I’m glad she was okay, thanks to her clever thinking, but what a mess afterwards. Changing locks, getting her personal information like a driver’s license and credit cards replaced, it would be a huge undertaking.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Thank you for the explanation of spumoni Ally. Somehow I thought it consisted of candied fruit and nuts inside regular ice cream. That would be painstaking to make, that’s for sure.

        This young attorney was thinking quickly – I wondered afterward how I would have reacted in the same circumstance. As to the saying “Beware the Ides of March” – exactly one year to the date, Kim, who was a runner, was running one morning before work, hit a patch of ice and fell down hard. She shattered her ankle so severely that she had pins put in and was off work six weeks, in a cast for six months, then a regimen of PT until she was finally able to put weight on her leg/ankle, almost eight months later. She joked that she would stay home every March 15th the rest of her life as she felt she was jinxed by the date.

        Liked by 1 person

        • Oh man, that poor girl. I know runners and ice don’t mix, but to take a fall like that on an infamous day after what happened before… I shall think of her AT HOME tomorrow… sending safe thoughts her way… and I don’t even know her.

          Liked by 1 person

          • I know – she was such a petite girl too and when she finally got the walking cast and returned to work on crutches, it looked like the cast weighed more than she did. I always think of her as well every March 15th.

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  53. I like the little bit of advice at the top of your post. I do all of those things, and it’s fun to see other people follow suit occasionally, especially when it comes to traffic or door-holding.

    First, I have to say you’re not odd for liking Spumoni. I adore it, and never can find it. It’s on the menu at some of the high-end Italian restaurants in the area; I know, because I’ve done intensive online searches for the stuff. Occasionally I wonder what would happen if I showed up at one of those places and asked just for the Spumoni.

    As for the car, here are a few hypotheses: it’s electric, and someone didn’t recharge the battery. It’s stolen, and got dumped by the perps. There was a shopping cart in the space, and when the driver saw it, rather than looking for another space, lazybones just parked anyway. Weird, for sure.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda, I liked that meme for the reason you do. I do those things as a matter of course, so to see them listed all together made me smile.

      Another Spumoni fan! I’m finding there are a few of us. The last time I had any in a fancy Italian restaurant it was served with one small scoop of each flavor side-by-side. Like the ice cream came in three different tubs rather than one container.

      I hadn’t thought of the electric car angle about this car. It could have been stolen, it looks like a newer vehicle. I especially like your idea about a shopping cart in the way when whoever pulled in and instead of getting out of the car to move the cart, he just stopped and parked where he was. Lazy is a good explanation. Don’t that ring true?

      Liked by 1 person

  54. Wonderful LOL anecdotes! The crazy car could have suddenly had some problem, but I like to think that the ditsy driver, like a dog seeing a squirrel, suddenly thought about the place that sells cupcakes and just stopped, jumped out, and ran off to buy one.

    I haven’t had spumoni in ages. I love it, but maybe if I ate it more often, it would lose its unique charm.

    The old couple was a real delight.

    Is that what the manufacturers printed on the hotpad?

    Re. the blue picture at the top: That’s not how you change the world exactly, but each of those small kind actions influences those who see it to do the same. It makes for a pleasant community for all.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Nicki, I like your flash fiction story about why the car is where it is. There is a gourmet cupcake shop not far from this park, like a 1/4th mile walk so NO DOUBT your story is the correct one.

      I think you’re right about how not having Spumoni regularly makes it special. Yes, what my husband was saying to me was what the manufacturer had printed on the heating pad, thus he was in a serious mode not thinking about how absurd what he said was.

      I’m with you about wanting a pleasant community around me so I’ll keep doing those suggestions. Every little bit helps.

      Like

  55. Pingback: Let’s Laugh: Three Absurd Conversations + Something I Cannot Explain | In the Net! – Pictures and Stories of Life

  56. I’d not heard of Spumani before and had to consult google. From the pretty pictures I found there, I recognise it, but not being a fan of candied fruit – would’ve sidestepped it. Himself says it sounds gorgeous. Can you tell we have different taste in ice cream? 😉

    I love the old couple and their wit, and would give anything to see Himself do something that crazy, but he’s usually the one dispensing the wit and I’m the one doing crazy stuff and falling about laughing.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Deb, when I wrote this I didn’t realize how many people don’t know what Spumoni is. My bad for not defining it.

      The older couple made my day. The look on the wife’s face as she rolled her eyes was priceless. It’s interesting how any of us who are happily married can see our roles in that scenario. I’d be the eye-roller, he’d be the horse whinny-er.

      Liked by 1 person

  57. I never heard of spumoni ice cream before! Hats off to the couple with a sense of humor, a sign of an intelligent way of coping with life’s frustrations. And those warning tags — they do make you wonder how they get written sometimes. I have no idea about that car, unless it finally ran out of gas…

    Liked by 1 person

    • Barbara, I apologize for not defining Spumoni. I assumed everyone knew about it, but from the comments here I now know that is an erroneous assumptions. Spumoni is 3 layers: pistachio, cherry vanilla, and chocolate. It’s of Italian origin.

      I agree that the older couple were showing signs of intelligence and respect via humor. They made my day.

      The car could have run out of gas. That’d explain it. There is no gas station near that park so if someone went off to get gas it would be a long hike.

      Liked by 1 person

  58. Spumoni is a weird flavor!! What is it even supposed to be? I feel like they could (or maybe already have) make a Seinfeld episode about spumoni; that is how weird it is. I can just picture Jerry saying “What is it even supposed to be?” Ha. I am a plain ice cream fan, usually vanilla, or maybe chocolate chip or mint chocolate chip if I am feeling frisky!

    The car…who knows! I picture a botched get away; is it near a bank? Or a hospital? I am guessing that logically it must have run out of gas, but how silly would you feel if that was you and you ran out of gas right there? And why wouldn’t they just get someone to help them push it into the space? It is definitely weird. Maybe when they left it there it was dark and it was the only car? And they were drunk. !!??

    Liked by 1 person

    • Kyria, I don’t deny that Spumoni is an unusual flavor of ice cream. It would be something that Jerry and the gang could have made fun of. Many people prefer Vanilla, I like it when a few chocolate chips are involved.

      I like your ideas about why the car is where it was. The parking lot is nowhere near a bank or a hospital. Like you I’d think that if the car ran out of gas the driver would get someone to push the car so it’d be within the parking spot. I would do that. Of course someone could have been drunk and just left the car there. This parking lot is near many bars, but mid-day? I dunno.

      Like

  60. I don’t like the vanilla guy’s response. You should be a sheep and learn to like vanilla? I think you should be a wild and free spumoni lover. And if it’s around Christmas time, I am a wild and free candy cane ice cream lover and I complain every year that they no longer seem to make it. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to eat vanilla. I make my own candy cane ice cream.

    I loved Zen-den’s perfectly logical approach. I think that’s why they make most of them with automatic shutoffs.

    Regarding the car. I have been there so what I’m wondering is whether there is a hospital or urgent care nearby. It looks to me like someone transporting someone with a wheelchair couldn’t find a handicapped spot and was in a big hurry. Someone driving me would get me out and then park the car but I wasn’t there. No trail of blood? Could be someone with a wheelchair who could drive and get out of the car on their own parked like that but of course couldn’t get the car parked correctly. Not the best idea.

    I haven’t read all your comments today. Maybe someone else had a better idea. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • Zazzy, Mr. Lawyer Man was just goofing around. I’ve been amazed by how many commenters think he wasn’t being fun. I’ve lived among lawyers all my life, they always rib you for saying what you say, they’re trained to argue the contrary.

      Heating pads have automatic shutoffs? Who knew! Ours is older, which I guess is obvious considering the conversation Z-D and I had.

      Good guess about the car but there’s no hospital or urgent care anywhere around this park. There were plenty of open spots, both handicapped or just away from other cars. If this was an emergency, I don’t know where the person had to be… other than at one of many bars nearby. 😁

      Liked by 1 person

      • “… other than at one of many bars nearby.”

        Well, that certainly might explain it.

        BTW, I was aware the vanilla guy was joking. It can be hard to tell, of course. I was joking, too.

        Like

        • Okay, I didn’t know how to take your comment which is part of the difficulty of only connecting with people via the written word. Thanks for clarifying. As for having my preferences laughed at, same as it ever was. 🙄

          Liked by 1 person

  62. Maybe someone else has said this, but I didn’t read all the comments:

    Why on earth would someone remark on someone elses choice of ice cream!?

    Many heating pads turn them selves off after a certain amount of time.

    I’d park that way if I ran out of whatever kind of fuel my car took. If I didn’t have a piece of paper and a pencil, I would not leave a note.

    Like

    • Margery, Mr. Lawyer Man was joking around about my ice cream choice in the way that lawyers do, by arguing the contrary. I didn’t realize people would find it odd that a lawyer would be joking around like this. I’ve been around lawyers since the day I was born so I’m used to their humor and ways. 🤷‍♀️

      Our heating pad is older and I didn’t know new ones had that feature. Time for a new one?

      Yes, your scenario of what might have happened with the car fits. When I came back to the parking lot an hour later the car was still there.

      Like

  63. My first thought with the car was, “old man parking job.” But looking at the photo again, I think it’s even worse than that. I have no words…

    As for your taste in ice cream, you don’t deserve to be laughed at! Nothing wrong with liking an unusual flavor. And I might point out that if you ask for a dessert menu at an Italian restaurant, it almost always includes Spumoni. And that was my Grandma’s favorite, too. She lived a few blocks from an Italian neighborhood, and never had trouble finding it.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Ann, the car is baffling. Many theories here about what could have happened, but we’ll never know for sure. It makes little sense to me.

      As for laughing about Spumoni, that was just joshing around in a way that entertains lawyers. I’ve always been around them, father, uncle, husband, friends. My comeback was that he was blaming the victim [me] instead of going after the perpetrator of the crime [Kroger]. That, too, got a laugh.

      Liked by 1 person

  64. Love #2, and I totally agree…a sense of humor is priceless. BTW, I would never laugh @ your ice cream of choice. I think you should get an extra box of it, just because.

    Liked by 1 person

    • DM, the older couple made my day. Their banter was natural, funny, and spontaneous. I’m glad I overheard it.

      If I could buy Spumoni somewhere I would buy a couple cartons, but it is awol around here. Too old-fashioned to be worth stocking I suppose.

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  65. I’m with you on spumoni! It needs to be more popular and prevalent! Vanilla? Please. So boring.

    That couple in their 80s are too precious! I want to be them when I grow up!

    Your funny hubby!!!

    My only thought on the car is it was a tight spot and the person was afraid of not being able to open his or her door if they pulled all the way in? Or, super old person who ought not be driving any more.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Betsy, thank you for your support about Spumoni, a flavor that suffers from underrepresentation among a gazillion different brands of vanilla. *yawn*

      The older couple were so alive and clever and obviously in love with each other. The look on her face!

      I take your point about the parking space being a tight spot. They are actually which is why I drove further down to park where no other cars were.

      Hadn’t thought of a really old person who shouldn’t be driving, but that would also explain it. The lot is adjacent to a nice flat walking path so I could see that scenario playing out.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Vanilla ice cream is among the most overrated products on the planet. If you must have it, mix in some chocolate or caramel swirls. Even peanut butter cups would do.

        That older couple are my heroes.

        And perhaps the driver was concerned about their nice car getting dinged by other car doors.

        Like

  67. I’ve noticed that my depth perception isn’t as great as it used to be, but that parking job is ridiculous. I wonder if they forgot to put it in PARK and it rolled back?

    I agree with your friend, choose a different flavor of ice cream and your life will be easier. 🤗 (Kidding!) But you are the only person I know who likes spumoni.

    Yes, even the brightest of stars can be dim now and then. I hope your thigh is feeling better and you were able to have your sleepy self wake up to turn off the heating pad.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Suz, I’m thinking your explanation might be what really happened with that car. In a hurry, distracted by life, it’d be easy to do.

      Fortunately my second favorite flavor of ice cream is Caramel and that’s available all over the place which makes it easier.

      My thigh is feeling fine, just twisted it somehow, and only suffered for a day. Thanks for asking. I did manage to turn off the heating pad before I fell asleep, as per the warning label.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Crystal, the 80-something couple was a delight. They had it going on and I smiled all day after I overheard them. Yep, commenters here make this blog. I never know what anyone is going to say… which is fun.

      Liked by 1 person

  69. You have to admit, spumoni is a weird favorite flavor. Growing up, my family loved going to The Old Spaghetti Factory, and a dish of spumoni was the default dessert. I always asked for vanilla instead. The classics never go out of style!

    All I know about the car is, that wouldn’t have happened if they’d backed in.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Mark, if nothing else the comments on this post has confirmed that many of us ate at The Old Spaghetti Factory when we were kids! I hadn’t thought of that place in years.

      Sure if someone had backed into the space, it is possible they’d not be in the way. Or maybe in the way more? It’s a baffling situation with no clear answer.

      Liked by 1 person

  70. I like Coffeemate Peppermint Mocha Creamer. Awhile ago they only sold it at Christmas, so I tried to stock up. Turns out others liked it to. Now the stores stock it all year long. So, maybe there is hope for spumoni!

    Love the next two conversations! I love when husbands and wives can laugh about a foible. No idea why the car is parked that awkwardly. If I had done it, it would indicate that I had to go to the bathroom and just left the car where it was to take care of business. But since it was placed in a city lot, I wonder if it was a stolen car that either ran out of gas or broke down somehow. My old car broke down at a stop sign when the timing belt suddenly stopped working.

    Liked by 1 person

    • L. Marie, yours is an inspiring story. I’m happy to know you got your favorite creamer flavor back.

      Any of your suggestions about the car could explain it. I’m leaning into thinking that the vehicle ran out of gas and the driver went to get some more, but as I’ll never know for sure I’m open to all possibilities. If nothing else the photo is a good flash fiction prompt!

      Liked by 1 person

  71. As always, I was thoroughly entertained by your blog, Ally. Thank you for that. Here’s to senses of humor that remain intact for the duration! I like almost any flavor of ice cream, though if I had to choose, I would narrow it down to moose trax and peppermint. I can get moose trax most anywhere, but peppermint is tricky except at Christmas time. As for the car. My first guess is it died before the driver could get all the way into the space. Of course, in that case, a note would have been nice, particularly for the people that have to work around it. Also, in this day of cell phones, you’d think the driver would be nearby trying to work things out or call for help. Interesting…

    Liked by 1 person

    • Christie, hear, hear! Let’s hope we’ll be able to appreciate humor for all our lives. Peppermint ice cream shows up around here at Christmastime, too. I’ve never thought to look for it at any other time of year.

      Like you I wondered if the car just stopped. But IF the car died while the driver was pulling into the parking space, then I would have expected to see someone on a cell phone nearby getting help. However, there was no one around and when I got back an hour later to the parking lot the car hadn’t moved. Still in the way. Still no explanation of what was going on.

      Like

  72. I don’t have time to read the 200+ other answers, but I know the answer anyway. The driver saw a tiny sign while entering the parking lot “Spumoni – on sale – last store on the right – til sold out.” The driver got so excited they couldn’t wait to park properly. Opened that car door and raced to the store. They’re there now, licking the bottom of the ice cream container.

    Liked by 1 person

  74. I’m trying to see if the angle of the car would impact the red car’s ability to back out. Because, that’s when things could get interesting. My money’s on alien abduction. Horse story– cute that the couple would intentionally draw you into their horsing around.

    Liked by 1 person

  75. Vanilla ice cream is so b o r i n g… that dude should be laughed at for liking it. As to the older couple in the store — so perfect! I loved their interaction. As to the car – I think it must have died and they couldn’t move it. Bizarre.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Bernie, yes Vanilla isn’t anything special, although it is popular. The older couple made my day. The car is a mystery for the ages never to be revealed. Still it makes for a good speculative conversation.

      Like

  76. Not being able to find spumoni helps one from overeating ice cream.  And makes it extra special when you can find it.

    Ah, it was like a Peaches and Diesel like shopping adventure, I love it. 

    I hope the delight in getting the brainy one to see the light of reason helped take some of the pain away too.  Laughter is the best medicine. 

    The driver couldn’t parallel-park either, so opted with the half-arse technique. Likely gave it all the gas it could until it couldn’t no more. 

    Liked by 1 person

    • Shelley, the thing about the ice cream conversation is that I rarely eat ice cream, it’s not my favorite dessert choice, but when I do…

      Yes the older couple were like P & D. Hadn’t thought of that. The whole short conversation with Z-D tickled me more than it should have.

      Your explanation of the car is as good as any. I have no idea what was up with that parking. I came back an hour later and the car was still there with no one around.

      Liked by 1 person

  77. I like butter pecan ice cream and have been told repeatedly that it’s for old people. Buy, hey, you like what you like!

    That car being parked like that leads me to think about so many scenarios, some innocuous, but many scary! I’d love an explanation!

    Liked by 1 person

    • NGS, my husband like Butter Pecan and has been told the same thing! You like what you like, ‘ya know?

      The real story behind why the car is as it is will never be known, but it does make for some great conjecture. Hoping the reality is innocent, not nefarious, but…

      Like

  78. First conversation: There is nothing wrong with spumoni. In fact, in one episode of Star Trek Discovery, an alien has a “thing” for spumoni. In addition, I love fruitcake when it’s done right. My mom did it right. I accept nothing less and do not accept criticism for those who have had the bad fruitcake and judge others.

    #2: Humor is one of the things we have to embrace as we get older because our decreasing filter and “don’t give a shit” attitude allows us. I’ve embraced humor all of my life (thanks dad!) and I can’t wait for what comes out of my mouth when I’m 90 and have completely lost the filter. My otherwise stoic mom was hilarious in her 90’s.

    #3: Yeah, the “doh” moments. We all have them. My heating pad automatically turns off after two hours, so I guess I do kind of turn it off after I fall asleep.

    The car: The other day, I was at Wal-Mart and parked in a somewhat out-of-the way spot. This other car, although the driver had plenty of open spots around him/her, parked very weirdly and was either A) inebriated, B) worried that someone would park too close to his/her vehicle and put a ding in the car, or C) was in a hurry and didn’t care (good enough!). I have no idea about the white car…maybe the person had to go to the bathroom and couldn’t wait the extra seconds to park correctly.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Mary, I didn’t know about the Star Trek connection to Spumoni so thanks for sharing this bit of trivia. I don’t like fruitcake but I like mince tarts that are along the lines of fruitcake.

      I grew up in family that could laugh about things. Be polite but don’t take yourself too seriously. I look forward to reading your unfiltered thoughts as you age.

      Until I wrote this I didn’t know there were heating pads that turned off automatically. Ours is an old one and that technology wasn’t around when we got it. Thinking I need to spring for a new one.

      I’ve seen drivers do what you saw at Walmart. Just kind of angle into a space or two way at the back of the lot. For whatever reasons. Your explanation about the car in the photo makes sense. We’ll never know for sure what was happening but it did make for an interesting photo.

      Liked by 1 person

  79. I see a lot of cars not pulled in far enough, but that takes the cake. I feel like spumoni used to be very popular when I was a kid, but I never see it anymore. I remember the first time I had it because my friend was over and my mom offered us some and said something about my friend probably had it before because she always goes to Italian restaurants. You really sparked a memory there and she’s still my bestie, so I’m going to have to ask her if she remembers it.

    Older gentleman are often very cute. That’s probably not a word they’d want to be called, but it’s true.

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    • Bijoux, the half-parked car is one of those things I’ll never be able to adequately explain. Who knows, eh?

      I first had Spumoni as a child, my dad liked it and we ate at one particular Italian restaurant that served it. I wonder if your friend will remember it?

      This older man was cute, and ornery, and so proud of himself for getting his wife to roll her eyes at him.

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  80. Thanks for the laughs this week Ally, & stick up your guns with your choice of ice cream. Love the old couple and their puns, very cute.

    I’m going alien abduction with the car 🛸 or maybe the driver slipped into an alternate dimension…ever seen the leftovers 😳

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    • Rae Cod, when I can find Spumoni I’ll eat it, but I can be happy with a few other flavors of ice cream so all is not lost.

      Sure, sure, the car could be part of an alien abduction or you’re also right that the driver could have slipped into a different dimension. Both are very rational explanations. 🙄

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  82. Ooh, I’m thinking that they forgot to put the car in park and it just rolled like that. Something like that happened to one of my teachers in high school! Their car was just in the middle of the parking lot lane, and that’s why!

    I’m sorry you can’t get your fave ice cream flavor but I don’t think that’s your fault! womp.

    The conversation between the older couple is just so sweet. I love that!

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    • Stephany, interesting about your high school teacher’s car. That scenario would explain what happened to the car in the photo. We’ll never know for sure what the real story is, but it’s been fun to conjecture.

      Thanks for your support about Spumoni. While I get the humor about knocking my choice, and that’s why Mr. Lawyer Man said what he said, I still prefer it so there! He didn’t change my mind.

      The older couple’s conversation was delightful. They were who I hope Z-D & I will be when we get to that age.

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  83. Maybe they really had to pee and thats as far as they could get it to the spot before they had to go run and find a potty. lol. Not me trying to make this craziness make sense. Almost as bad as your husband and the heating pad. *deep sigh* poor dear. I would have laughed my tail off. lol. I enjoyed this. I’ll be subscribing.

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    • dizzycloset, I like your explanation about what happened to the car driver. Yours is a reasonable one that rings true. When you gotta go you gotta go. As for the heating pad conversation, it was a classic. Glad it made you laugh.

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  85. I never knew about Spumoni! (And I’ve even been to Naples!) Spent 5 nice minutes ogling at the colours on google. What a cheerful choice!
    (My favourite ice cream flavour is tiramisu, but it really has to taste strongly of coffee and/or alcohol, otherwise it’s just sugary and not good.)

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    • The Snow Melts Somewhere, Spumoni is an old-fashioned flavor but considering the number of Italian immigrants to this area it is [or was I guess] popular. It reminds me of being a child. I’ve never had Tiramisu ice cream but I bet I’d like it. I’ll look for it but not getting my hopes up, this is the midwest USA land of Moose Tracks and Chocolate Chip.

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