Another Day in the lives of CM and CMW

Certain Man and I went shopping together today.  I wasn’t feeling entirely well, and he was feeling like he was getting sick  — so we made quite a team.  It was rather quiet in the mini-van for the first part of the trip.  I hadn’t hurried enough this morning, and we didn’t get off as early as we had hoped.  There were ladies to get ready for Center, some bills to pay and I needed to clean out my purse . . . 

Yes, I NEEDED to. 

Several months ago, I had bought one of those big bags that are so popular now.  Youngest Daughter had sorta’ talked me into it, if I were to be entirely honest.  And I have been impressed and pleased with how I can get so much in there.  The only problem is, it is pretty much just one great big compartment, and of course, I had lost something important in there.  I couldn’t find it among the candy wrappers, crumbs, pens, receipts, calculator, chapstick, Weight Watcher literature, gum, cough drops, life savers, more pens, tablets, Things to Distract Love Bug, coupons, sale papers, and even the two zippered pouches that I put in there to help me “organize” things.  So I sat on my chair, and began to dig.  I found what I had lost, and threw everything away that didn’t belong in there, corralled some of the things into the zippered pouches, put the pens in their own outside pouch, put “edibles” into another compartment, and lined up the wallet, the check book and the calculator in the bottom of the big old purse, and marveled at how much lighter the thing felt.

Certain Man had been in the chicken house while I did all this stuff, and after I finished the purse,  I thought that I would quick pay a few bills that had come in.  Over the time of the funeral, there had been a few things that had gone unheeded, and I wanted to “quick take care of them.”  So I furiously scribbled away.  Certain Man came in, got his shower, got dressed and sat on his chair.  He didn’t look particularly healthy.  I worried.  He didn’t look particularly happy.  I worried even more, and tried to hurry even more.  The phone rang numerous times.  The several times that he fielded the calls, I heard some quiet mutterings about “getting later and later!”

Eventually, we got on our way, but as I said, it was rather quiet in the car.  I was genuinely sorry for making us late, sorry that he wasn’t feeling good, and really wasn’t feeling terrific myself, but then didn’t know if it was because I was just being growly, had a guilty conscience, or if I just hadn’t recovered enough to actually be out and about.

Then the first place we stopped was closed because of a death in the family, and so we aimed our trusty mini van on up to Dover and slowly made our way through various stops.  First to the post office to mail some invitations and to buy Christmas stamps for our Christmas cards.  While there, we also got information about sending a package to Thailand.  I think that first stop is what changed things for us.  We suddenly began looking outward together instead of looking inward and at the other’s imagined (or real) shortcomings.

The day just got better from there.  We did some browsing at “Forneys, Too” a delightful little gift shop where we didn’t buy a thing, then went on to the mall, did some looking at this and that, got lunch at our favorite fast food place, Chick-fil-A, visited Yankee Candle, made a small purchase at Boscov’s, another at Penney’s and then went on to Sam’s Club for some shopping there and then to a carpet store to look for carpet for the living room.  It was just so relaxing and fun!

But towards the end of the day, it became evident that Certain Man really must be catching what I had earlier this week.  His head was hurting, and he felt really, really tired.  So we came home and he slept awhile, went out and did his chores, and then our Grandbaby came by for a short visit.  Things are settling down for the night, and I knew he didn’t feel good at all when he wanted Beloved Son in Law and Eldest Daughter to lock up on their way out at 8:30.  He had my sympathies, and I wasn’t going to object.  So I think we are going to call it a day at Shady Acres.  Middle Daughter is working, Nettie has already taken herself to bed, and Cecilia will follow as soon as I get her ready.  This was the day for my cleaning gal to work her magic, and work it, she did!!!  I am thankful for a clean house, a sweet fire, and the memories I’ve been blessed to make today.

Sweet Dreams!