Organics and Oz

Next Monday is when the boys' "Sky's The Limit" Maui Adventure begins. We've poured our hearts and souls into this adventure. It's been a labor of love. The fundraisers were so successful, that we were able to not only arrange a helicopter tour of Maui, but a paragliding session, a round of golf at a nice resort, and still have a bit spending money left for them as well should they want to have a nice dinner somewhere. Bryson and two other friends paid for their own airline tickets and accommodations. The "Sky's The Limit" fund covered the activities (thank you again to everyone who helped). So, after months of preparation and planning, the time is close at hand.

I'm on a mission. I want to pack little snack bags for the guys for their trip. Airline food isn't that terrific and it's expensive for what you get. Now, packing snacks for four college boys sounds easy. Most twenty-somethings of the male persuasion will eat just about anything you put in front of them. Especially if it's free.

One thing, however, poses a bit of a challenge. Jeff and his parents are very proactive in his healthcare. While he's been waging war against his nemesis cancer through chemo, he's also very careful to eat only healthy, organic foods. That is to say, when he feels well enough to eat. His mom raises her own veggies and herbs, their fruit is all organically raised and she makes her own keifer. Labels are read and re-read, and they keep an extensive library of herbal supplements. Their kitchen and pantry look like the inside of a Mother's Market. So, I figured my best bet was to visit the Organic Farmer's Market close to my house and my favorite place to shop; Trader Joe's.

I took my time, walking up and down every aisle and painstakingly reading label after label. I found some awesome items that were not just healthy, but fun as well. Clif Bars are always a hit and I knew I couldn't go wrong with Trek Trail Mix, and some Blue Corn Tortilla Chips. Found some Apple-Carrot Juice squeezers that were only 3 oz., so I knew the TSA wouldn't take them away and Clementines are small, sweet, and easy. I was feeling pretty happy with my choices, and excited to be able to "pack lunches". That was something I loved doing when the kids were little that has long since been retired. It was nice to reminisce.

I just wanted to find one sweet thing to balance out the savories I already had, and began my walk up the second to the last aisle, when I noticed a package of Seaweed Snacks (Nori sheets) in the cart of another shopper. I stopped, pointed to the package and asked the lady where she found that. OH MY GAWD...epic mistake. I got a four paragraph soliloquy on every nook and cranny in the store. She couldn't just point and say; "over there." She had to give me a turn by turn directive. I kept trying to stop her with a polite "Thank you, I'll head that way now." But that wasn't going to happen.

As I started to walk in the direction she had indicated (I think), she began to move with me, all the while telling me about the digestive and health merits of the seaweed. I heard how she hadn't yet tried them, but that she had been watching Dr. Oz and he was a great proponant of this type of snack, etc. etc. I tried to tell her that I regularly bought them, had been eating them since I was a child, and that my kids all love them, but I wasn't able to get a word in. She just kept going on and on, walking with me, and soon, we were both standing in front of the display.

"Here you go, Honey! I hope you enjoy them. I can't tell you how they taste becase I haven't had them yet. I just know Dr. Oz says...."

At this point I've completely shut her off. Had she listened at all to anything I tried to say, she would know I could tell her how they taste. But, I decided it was useless. She just wanted to talk. To anyone.

I was ecstatic to find that the snacks were on sale for $.99, and so I began to grab them by twos and throw them in my cart. By the time I had loaded the 5th or 6th package, the eyes of Dr. Oz's number one fan were the size of saucers.

"My goodness! You're taking a big chance on those aren't you? I know Dr. Oz likes them, but how do you know you will?"

I pointed to my cart. "Organics...brain food. Gives me ESP."

She didn't follow me anymore after that.