Home Country

Annette George, owner of the Soup ‘R Market, picked up the list of her New Year’s resolutions:

1. Replace cracked glass on the meat cooler.

2. Walk two miles each morning before work.

3. Lose 15 pounds by summer.

4. Take a class in Spanish.

She thought about the kind of person she’d be at this time next year with all those things done, and it made her smile. Then she looked out the window at the snow and crossed off number two. “Each morning” was just too…too, inflexible. It’s always best, she thought to make promises you can keep.

Annette tapped her teeth with the pencil.

The Spanish class was in the city, and with gas prices being what they are…well, she could always pick up a Spanish grammar book at the Read Me Now bookstore. Number four reluctantly had a line drawn through it.

You know, that glass has been cracked on the meat cooler for six years now, and it has never caused any kind of health threat. So the line up the glass causes a slight distortion as a shopper looks at a pork chop. So what? And have you seen what they get to replace that glass?

The pencil drew again, slowly but deliberately.

This left number three: lose 15 pounds by summer. This is one she will not scratch off. She remembers sitting by the swimming hole on Lewis Creek last summer watching the kids swimming. Next summer, she’ll swim with them. She will lose those 15 pounds. How? Well, by…eating better. Sure. Maybe one of those chocolate milkshake supplements each morning. Well, better not say each morning, but…whenever, you know. And walking. How much? Who knows? But walking.

Yes. Walking. Losing 15 pounds. By summer. She smiled and decided to celebrate with a candy bar. Only one, of course.

Life is good.

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