Ah. The 3 words JUST ADD WATER, second only to I LOVE YOU…

Ah. The 3 words JUST ADD WATER, second only to I LOVE YOU…

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I’m a kind of busy person.

I’m my Mom’s Caregiver. I call myself her full-time Personal Assistant. We always get a good chuckle about my PA position, but it’s pretty much the case and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I’m a wife, Mom of 4, mother-on-law of 4 and Grandma to 10 and expecting #11 any day now.

I’m a retired English/Reading teacher and now a full-time Blogger.

I love to cook and entertain.

And I’m a somewhat of a novice runner and triathlete, training at the moment for a 70.3 Half Ironman.

So what does all of this have to do with JUST ADD WATER?

(No, it’s not about swimming!)

It’s about TIME MANAGEMENT.

And it’s about a funny little thing that recently happened to me at a very big supermarket.

I was grocery shopping with my Mom at her favorite supermarket. My Mom LOVES to grocery shop.

I don’t.

I love to be in and through and out and I love to compete with myself on just how fast I can be in and through and out of the market in record time.

My Mom loves to check each item in each aisle. Sales. Coupon items. Etc.

I generally don’t shop with a written list, because everything I need is stored in my head. I buy fresh fruit and veggies, fresh ingredients, and I love fresh fish and poultry and meat from my local fish guy/butcher.

My Mom lives by her lists, most especially her grocery shopping list. (BTW, I know by memory my Mom’s standard shopping list. It never varies!)

But it’s OK. Mom loves to grocery shop. I’ll do it.

SO one day last week, I was in a bit of a hurry.

What’s new?!

But as much as I try to NOT hurry my Mom, that day was a push the cart a bit faster, Mom kind of day.

I was thinking about… well, all the things I had to do that afternoon.

I don’t get agitated at all, but I was getting antsy.

And dancy.

Like almost skipping up and down the aisles.

Looking for a few things I needed along the way.

But what I couldn’t find was Lentil Soup mix – the JUST ADD WATER kind. I love Lentil Soup (oh, the good, hearty stuff in it!), but I don’t often have the time to make it from scratch. I want to JUST ADD WATER and let the goodness simmer for an hour or so while my home fills with homemade aroma and I get in a good Abs or Yoga or Strength Training DVD.

I know where the Lentil Soup mix is in MY supermarket, but I felt like I was on a scavenger hunt in a foreign country here at my Mom’s supermarket… searching, searching high and low and everywhere in-between.

My mind became obsessed with Lentil Soup mix.

My Mom continued her journey of looking at a thousand things while I sought the help of a grocery clerk.

I found a guy… oh, maybe in his early 40’s, who was more than willing to help.

Nice, nice guy.

I explained, “I’m looking for a package of Lentil Soup mix. I’m not looking for one particular brand or other, but it has to be rather natural and a JUST ADD WATER brand. The JUST ADD WATER kind.”

He smiled. “Oh,” he said, “it should be here with the soups.”

“I would seem,” I replied, “but I looked and I can’t find it.”

He looked.

Hmmmmmmm.

“No, it’s not here,” he said. “Let’s take a look in gourmet.”

We did.

Not there.

Now he was becoming as befuddled as I was.

“Let me search for you,” he offered so nicely, noticing that I was with my Mom.

My Mom and I passed him a couple of times as he sped from aisle to aisle. He was not going to give up.

At last, he came running down our aisle with two packages of Lentil Soup.

Nearly breathless.

“I found it!” he exclaimed. “In aisle 3! With the packaged bean products!”

He was SO happy.

But he was most happy about this…

“JUST ADD WATER!” he said, pointing at these 3 magic words as he handed me two brands of packaged Lentil Soup mix…

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I thanked him for his hard work and said, “The 3 words JUST ADD WATER are second only to I LOVE YOU!”

He laughed and said, “I have to write that down!”

Yep.

Me, too.

Heck, I just did!

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I haven’t yet tried either of these Lentil Soup mixes, but will soon… and I will post when I do. (Oh, this is not a sponsored post.)

We are expecting 2 winter storms this week here in the Northeast, so I’m sure I’ll get my chance.

Do YOU have any favorite JUST ADD WATER hearty Lentil Soup mixes… or favorite ANY on the natural side soup mixes?!

I’d love to hear about them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About Audrey

Audrey McClelland has been a digital influencer since 2005. She’s a mom of 5 and shares tips on her three favorite things: parenting, fashion and beauty. She’s also a Contemporary Romance Author.

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4 Comments

  1. 2.4.14

    I had to laugh at the fact that you compete with yourself to see how fast you can get in and out of the grocery store. I TOTALLY do that too!!! ha!

    Great post Sharon. Make that soup to stay warm tomorrow!!

  2. 2.4.14
    Sharon said:

    Melissa… isn’t it so fun and satisfying to do a Personal Best at the supermarket! You stay warm and cozy, too… but I have a feeling we may be headed to Women & Infants in a snow plow!

  3. 2.5.14
    mel said:

    So funny! I do not like going grocery shopping but that is one of the things I do! I try to go as fast as I could! That soup is perfect for today!

  4. 2.6.14

    That’s awesome! But yes, sometimes you just need it easy like that!! We are all so busy!

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