Friday, February 6, 2015

Secret Subject Swap: Public Gestures

Welcome to the February Secret Subject Swap. This month 15 brave bloggers picked a secret subject for someone else and were assigned a secret subject to interpret in their own style. Today we are simultaneously divulging our topics and submitting our posts. Read through mine and at the bottom you’ll find links to all of today’s other Secret Subject Swap participants.

Secret Subject Swap | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics


My subject is: I can’t believe I       and no one realized it was me. I will never tell because they reacted       and I am feeling          .
It was submitted by: Karen of Dinosaur Superhero Mommy

I have done a few of these type posts. The first Secret Subject Swap ever, back in October of 2012, my prompt was “I can’t believe the time I . . .” The resulting post was a humorous look at what happened when I got locked out of my apartment.

I also once wrote a post prompted by "I can't believe I allowed this but . . ." . This piece was more serious, I discussed a choice I made concerning my children and the first time I took them to a funeral.

It seems that every time I get a prompt along these lines I have no problem coming up with another story. I’m not sure what this says about me. I’m not sure I even want to know.

What’s different about today’s prompt is that it takes it all a step further. This time I need to tell a story I haven’t told before, basically because of the reaction to what I’ve done. So in other words, you’re expecting me to embarrass myself. Thanks, Karen!

So I’m going to tell this story. But I hope I can trust you to keep this just between us . . .

This happened many years ago. My kids are in college now and I think at the time they were in first and second grade. I was picking them up after school and the line of cars was a nightmare. One of my biggest pet peeves is people who think the rules are for everyone else. Frequently I’d be in line in my car and some mother arriving late would pull up and try to squeeze her car halfway in between 2 other cars, completely blocking the lane everyone pulls out into once they’ve loaded their kids into their car. Because once I’ve got a car full of cranky, hungry kids, I really want to be trapped in a tin box with them, unable to head home.

Anyway, I’ve got a million stories like that and I bet you do too.

One day I was in the line along the curb with, of course, a car just ahead of me and a car just behind me. The kids were getting out of school, parents who’d already collected their kids were starting to drive out via the lane to my left when suddenly the car behind me starts to honk.

I look in the rearview mirror and there’s a dad in the car. He’s got his kids in there and he’s obviously anxious to get home but he can’t pull out because he’s parked pretty much up against my bumper.

He sees me looking and honks again. Seriously? I’ve got a car in front of me, my kids hadn’t made their way to my car yet, what did he think I was going to do, pull out without my kids to accommodate him? So I sat there and waited for my kids. And he, every now and then would make an exasperated face and honk his horn.

Now here’s the first part I’m a little embarrassed admitting. I was so pissed off at this guy that once my kids did get in the car, I put my left blinker on like I was pulling out, turned my wheel all the way to the left and moved up a bit like I was pulling out, then proceeded to let every single car in the lane beside me go ahead of us. Usually people merge in but no, I let them ALL go first. I let that jerk sit in his tin box with his cranky kids just a bit (OK, a lot) longer than he needed to. Karma’s a bitch, buddy.

Just as the guy looked like he was gonna swallow his damn tongue, just in that moment between honks and before I pulled out, I might have, possibly, maybe, just a little bit, made a hand gesture. I mean yeah, it was THAT finger but it was on the down low, and it was only for a second. People were driving, not looking at me. I’m sure no one noticed.

I got home and went into the kitchen to start making the muffins for breakfast the next morning when I heard brakes screeching out front. I went to the door to find two of my friends, eyes wide and jaws wider, walking into the house.

Mocha Breakfast Muffins | www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #breakfast

Mocha Breakfast Muffins | www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #breakfast

Mocha Breakfast Muffins



Yup, someone sure did notice. And believe me when I tell you I have never heard the end of that story. Every time one of these two friends do something that surprises me, they always remind me that it’s nothing compared to the time I gave that guy the finger in the school parking lot.
So, I can’t believe I flipped a guy off at my kids’ school and (almost) no one realized it was me. I will never tell because he reacted irrationally even before I resorted to using hand gestures and I am feeling . . . well . . .  just a tad embarrassed.

I’m pretty sure my kids did not see what I did that day. Yet, once or twice I’ve seen one of them raise a certain finger when they thought no one was looking and I do wonder “hmmmm, is that on me?”


Here are links to all the sites now featuring Secret Subject Swap posts. Sit back, grab a cup and check them all out. See you there:


Baking In A Tornado signature | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics


Mocha Breakfast Muffins
                                                                         ©www.BakingInATornado.com
 
Printable Recipe
 
Ingredients:
1 stick butter
1 1/2 tsp instant coffee
2 cups flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
2 tsp powdered French Vanilla creamer
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup baking sugar or colored sugar

Directions:
*Start to melt the butter in a small pan over medium low heat. Once the butter starts melting, mix in the instant coffee. Stir and melt butter completely. Set aside to cool a bit.
*Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place muffin cups in 12 cup tin or spray with non-stick spray.
*Whisk together the flour, baking cocoa, powdered creamer, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix in the mini chocolate chips.
*In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, vanilla, sour cream and milk.
*Pour the melted butter over the flour mixture, then pour the egg mixture into the bowl too.
*Gently stir until just blended. It'll be lumpy, don't over mix.
*Heap the muffin mixture into the muffin cups. Sprinkle with baking sugar. Bake for 20 minutes or until the center springs back to the touch. Cool in muffin tin for 10 minutes before taking out the muffin cups or gently running a knife around the edges and removing the muffins from the pan.

35 comments:

  1. I MIGHT have done some similar at one time... Maybe..... ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Heehee! You're school pick-up zone is obviously so much more entertaining than mine . . .

    ReplyDelete
  3. I may or may not have used that gesture discreetly (I hope), a time or two. I'm so looking forward to the drop off/pick up lane (sarcasm). I've heard horror stories over the years. I think you did well. I'm certainly not judging you, and it's definitely our secret.
    Now, about these muffins... once we're neighbors, in our blogging neighbors, bring these first. You could bring some now, if you'd like.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Since we're not yet neighbors, how about this: I'm bake 'em and leave the front door open, the rest is up to you.

      Delete
  4. If they're going to learn that hand gesture...best to learn it from mom then anyone else 😉

    ReplyDelete
  5. I may or may not have a habit of flipping people off with my hand on the steering wheel so it looks like *maybe* I'm not really flipping them off! :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. haha! Almost as bad as the time I was in the car with my cousin and her young one, when the youngster blurted out "Mom, what's a mother trucker? Dad called someone that the other day." Busted!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I wish I had one of those awesome muffins while reading this great story! Bravo! These dolts all need some payback like that once in a while.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree. A school parking lot may not be the best place for that particular finger however . . .

      Delete
  8. I love this story!!! I applaud you for what you did---that jerk deserved every bit of it. And this also reminds me of how thankful I am that I don't have to deal with the car pool lane at school anymore!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ignorant drivers drive me crazy as well. The worst are the ones at the gas station.

    There are actually lines of cars waiting to get to the gas pump, but the patrons are still in the store purchasing snacks and sodas. They stroll back to their car leisurely, checking their phone while balancing their bags, don't have a free hand to rummage for the car keys.

    Once they finally do find the key, they walk around the car, stow away their bottled water - one bottle per cup holder, nice and slow, get in the car (YAY you think…)

    I don't know what their activities are, once they sit in the car… Change the radio station? Discuss where to head to next? Wait for the sun to go down?

    The engine is starting. YAY you think. They seem to have a hard time putting the foot on the pedal or to operate the gear stick because it takes FOREVER until they finally pull out…

    Geez! Drive in, pump, buy a Coke, drive off - what's so hard about it?

    Anyway, your post had me giggle at the office :-) I could actually see you getting grumpy in your car...
    I'm pretty sure your sons would have learned the finger gesture some place else sooner or later. Not to worry ;-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL, waiting for the sun to go down!
      And yes, I tell myself all the time that they would have learned about that particular finger sooner or later. Rationalization? Maybe. Realism. I think so!

      Delete
  10. (I tried commenting once before but it didn't show the approval message so if this shows up twice just delete one of course... anyway)

    hahahaha. I have to admit I was shocked by this story but in a good way. Embarrassed? NO way. You should feel like a badass. Kids are going to learn what that finger means anyway, right?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, the other comment disappeared. I think my blog is part magician.

      Well, I did feel like a badass, with a little side of bad example. But now my kids are older and, well, one of them can use that finger like a boss. Remind me to tell you the story some time.

      Delete
  11. It amazes me that after years of school drop off and pick up we still have to educate those silly parents who do not follow the rules on what to do. I too may have expressed my displeasure with a gesture or two only to have ended up at moms group an hour later with the person I "stealthily" flipped off.

    Good for you and I LOVE your friends for showing up at your house to share your experience!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So funny to hear that I'm not the only one who may have lost it in the school pick-up line.

      Delete
  12. Well, now I feel better about the times I've used it towards other parents..........Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good to know I'm not the only one who's been pushed that far by another parent.

      Delete
  13. I can totally relate to those stories. And I agree about the rule thing too. I can't wait to try those muffins! They look amazing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, people who think rules are for everyone else is a definite pet peeve of mine.

      Delete
  14. I can't even count the number of times I've flipped someone off for being irrational. Karma is just - swift or not. I think you're karma is still in the positive. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good to know I'm still in the positive. For a while there I thought I was surely going to hell.

      Delete
  15. super late in reading the SSS blogs...sorry...
    I love it and sorry for the embarrassment....LOL...well maybe just a tad.

    I so would have done the same exact thing. I once gave a hand gesture (well I give lots of gestures to jerks) I motioned something with my hand and mouth...something intimate and the guy was in total shock and swerved away...take that jerk!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There are some pretty obnoxious and aggressive people on the road and although older people tend to say that it's teenagers, I find it's Moms and Dads in the family car who are the worst.

      Delete

Warning: Comment at your own risk. I have Comment Moderation, meaning I approve all comments before they show up here. So go ahead, I'm not scared!