Fail

I went to give blood tonight. I get emails and calls from the Red Cross all the time, reminding me that I should/could/can/may/ donate blood. In recent years, they offer incentives – gift cards and entries into drawings and T shirts (I wear my regular white Red Cross shirt a lot because it is big and I am big and that is a good combo) (I got a long sleeve T at Christmas time that I love…it’s super cute and comfy…but a bit Christmas-y, or at least winter-y. I will wear it a lot next December) which I usually decline (except for the aforementioned). I always wonder if anyone who donates blood is actually motivated to do so by getting a reward (I really like when they give me two snacks. I like fruit snacks an inordinate amount, and I am crazy about goldfish crackers. I took a second snack last summer without the lady saying I could and I was guilt ridden the rest of the day. Apparently I cannot resist raisins, either).

I scheduled my appointment at 5:45, knowing that I would miss brass band rehearsal, but the place was so close to our house that I just couldn’t pass it up. At some point, I realized that if I was missing brass band, I was also missing a car. Oh, well, I would walk home. I mentioned to Keith that he could drop me off on his way and I would walk home. He said it was too far. I repeated the nearby school name (private school – our kids didn’t go there) and he repeated it was too far. I told him he was silly and there wasn’t another reasonable option. I realized I do not know anyone in the area who I could call to ask for a ride, which was a bit sad, but not very sad. But it’s not far, I could walk. He finally mapped it on his phone. It is 6/10 of a mile. Um…even he agreed I can get that far.

I got there five minutes early and checked in. Then I waited 45 minutes for someone to call my name. I was very appreciative that she apologized for my having to have to wait. I said, yes, it had been a long time – really, just making conversation more than meaning to complain – but then I ended up having to repeatedly say that it was fine, that I wasn’t mad, that she didn’t need to worry. I think I convinced her. She started doing all the pre-donation questions and stuff, then did my hemoglobin and I failed. We tried again with the other hand and I failed again. Bummer. I had to keep all my blood.

I walked home, listening to an audiobook. I decided it was too scary and violent (Damascus Station – highly reviewed spy novel) and just stopped and returned it.) I have never done that before. I wasn’t very far – one hour into 13 hours of book, and just decided nothing good could come from listening to it and why would I want something that nothing good could come from.) (But really, aaahhhhh, I waited for it, I got it, I returned it! What was I thinking? Returners regret…) (But violent…) I started another book that arrived from the hold list today. It’s about a kid being held in a basement, and now I find out her mother was murdered, and another lady down the street was murdered. So glad I returned the scary book?

We also had corn on the cob today and I got to use my new corn holders. 🙂