Just today, I recalled vividly what could likely be one of my earliest childhood memories.

Many years ago when I was roughly knee high to a grasshopper, I remember my mom picking me up from school.

I remember getting in the car (it may have been the brown Buick Regal at the time) and saying loudly and probably obnoxiously:

“Mom, I’d like a cold, cold, cold, cold, cold, cold, cold, cold, cold, cold, cold, cold glass of water…  When we get home.”  Yeah, I said “cold” that many times.  It was definitely obnoxious.

Then, once we got home, I remember my mom bringing me that large, cold glass of ice water with a napkin (I spilled a lot.  On my shirts.  And the floor.), and sometimes a small red plastic bowl filled with Cheetos.

It was the most refreshing, pure clean taste.  It was delicious, in fact.  The cold glass.  The ice bubbling up to the surface after a healthy swig.  I’d drink it as I watched afternoon cartoons (I know the line up included Inspector Gadget and maybe Transformers.  GI Joe was on in the AM, not the afternoon.)

It’s funny, the reason it probably tasted so good was because I was enjoying it at the end of a long, hot, productive day.  That contrast was important.  It was sort of like the reward.  I didn’t need sweets, or chips.  I could’ve even gone without the small red bowl of Cheetos (but I’m glad I didn’t).

All I really needed was that water.  This was simple wisdom.

Unfortunately, these simple things we know when we are young, are easily forgotten as we get older.  For instance, what’s the first thing you do when you get home from a long hot day?  I’d be willing to bet you don’t drink a large glass of cold water.  A lot of folks probably crack open a cold beer.

Now – Fast forward thirty some years…

For the past couple months, I’ve been indulging in a new habit based on something I recently discovered.  It’s not a bad habit.  Not at all.  In fact, it’s likely a very good habit.

Here it is:  I’ve been drinking a lot of La Croix Sparkling Water.

That’s a lot of water for one week. Might need more…

This stuff is delicious.  Plus, it’s literally (literally!) the only thing that I’ve found (for me, anyway) which can curb those unnerving, unhealthy cravings (i.e. sugar: ice cream, cookies, etc.).

Just today, while in the store considering whether I should buy one, or two twelve packs of this scrumptious nectar of the gods, it hit me:  I’ve seen how well this stuff works for me in terms of:

• Keeping hydrated
• Avoiding unhealthy food, etc.

So, I thought to myself, “Why not bite the bullet and get all the La Croix I need for the entire week?”

I went to the extreme and bought  three, yes THREE twelve packs.  That’s right.  Thirty-six cans.

A person might typically think that thirty-six cans of this stuff is a bit much.  I can see how one would think that way.  But, this is definitely more cost effective than other alternatives, and it seems to work tremendously well for me.  For instance, if I wasn’t drinking this throughout the week, I might be eating ice cream (which seems to be, on average, $5 per container).

For what it’s worth, that was when that memory came back in the store today.  There might be some value here.  It seemed important to get it written down, and what better way than this blog?

It’s a good memory.  I think the next time I go home to visit the folks, I’m going to remind my mom about this, and say:

Mom, can I have a cold glass of water, please?

Photo Credit:
pinkomelet © 123RF.com
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