Writing is like being able to put life into a snow globe. It takes the things that are too big and scary and reduces them into a form that I can put away when I want and look at from a distance. It also takes all that’s good in life and captures it into something I can take out when I want and look at close up and keep forever. It makes the bad things into something I can hold…and the good things into something I can hold onto. Both help so much that I need that little souvenir of life.

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Improper Poll: Gone with the Whim

Ahner's Greenhouse in its Former Glory
It’s been a summer of disappointments. The heat and lack of rain meant it was hard to go to festivals and outdoor concerts. Most of the Fourth of July fireworks were cancelled.

Then I found out two of my favorite summer products have been discontinued. The horror! Harry and David’s Strawberry Green tea is absolutely delightful iced. Why would they get rid of it? Especially when no one else I know of has a strawberry green tea?

And Clean Sweet Layer was my absolute favorite of all the Clean fragrances by D’lish and one of my favorite summer perfumes. Sure, I can still get it online, but someday those supplies too will dwindle. Besides, fragrances don’t have the shelf lives that companies pretend they do. Stale is stale.

But one of the worst is that I keep finding out more beloved places around town have closed. The one that absolutely broke my heart was Ahner’s greenhouse and gift shop. I had no idea it had closed until I drove by it. What a shock! It was not only closed, but going through some kind of deconstruction process that had it all hollowed out like a monstrous carcass on the side of the road. Brought tears to my eyes.

Have you lost a beloved product or store recently?

9 comments:

  1. Pepcid Complete chewable tablets. Scarce as hens' teeth.

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  2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BvkLfBW9OUM/Tf6wJd-9XcI/AAAAAAAAKic/qdiimzGzD64/s1600/Random-Funny-Photos-Part-143_34.jpg

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  3. Seems like everytime there is a product I really like (especially if it can only be found in certain locations), you can bet your last dollar it will disappear. Most recently: Weight Watchers yogurt. Seriously, why in the world did someone decide to get rid of that?

    Pat
    Critter Alley

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  4. "...hollowed out like a monstrous carcass on the side of the road." What a visual that phrase creates.

    Well, this goes completely against Pat's, but Trader Joe's discontinued their MILK chocolate Cocoa Almonds. They still carry the dark chocolate ones, but they aren't as good as the milk chocolate ones. I got hooked on them years ago, long before we had any TJ's here, and now--they've vanished...

    Perhaps it's a good thing they're gone?

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  5. Val, I've found any kind of chewable medication is pretty scarce.

    Tom, are you saying what I think you're saying? Organ donor lunchboxes have been discontinued?? The outrage.

    Pat and Sioux, that's me. If it's a favorite of mine - whether healthy or not - it can be counted upon to get discontinued. Okay, so "healthy favorite" is in this case an oxymoron, but I'm talking in theory here. Sioux, you're making me want to go to TJ and look for them.

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  6. Dang, I can relate to how you feel, Tammy. I am so upset that they have sneakily discontinued Excedrin. Why in the world would they do that? You can still by a Walmart generic brand that works, but what is with this?

    Also, Mary Kay has discontinued Elige, which is really the only fragrance that I wear. I just opened my last bottle.

    Thanks so much for stopping by!

    Kathy M.

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  7. "Sneakily discontinued." Love it! That's exactly how it feels, isn't it? Good news, though - looks like the Excedrin, anyway, is coming back, Kathy! http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2012/07/26/excedrin-production-resumes/

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  8. That greenhouse is near me and it looked like it was bombed and I'm hoping it's just getting updated/renovated, maybe? Trader Joe's had some awesome chocolate milk that was like drinking a liquid fudgesicle (probably a good thing it's not there any more) and they also had Joe Joe's vanilla cookies that don't exist... another good thing I suppose.

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  9. Didn't Ahner's look awful, Lynn?! That would be wonderful if it came back to life. You are too descriptive for me, though. The words, "liquid fudgesicle" alone could make me gain weight. It doesn't help that they make me want to go hunt for chocolate....

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