I find it odd that, many months, by the end of the day on the 27th, much of my money for the budget cycle has been spent. In fact, I actually placed a grocery order just after midnight, having waited since Monday to do so. You see, I am going to try the whole healthy smoothie thing (though NEVER with kale), the ones that include chia seeds and flax seeds. More importantly, to address the slowing motility in my lower intestines, the order also included wheat bran and oat bran. I plan on fully exploring the world of bran muffins!
Today, despite a most ferocious storm which took down trees all over Fort Wayne (sadly a beautiful one across the street was completely uprooted) and re-flooded recently cleared neighborhoods, I ventured out to tend to my errands. My neighbor and her son volunteered to go with me. Yes, my neighbor admired how good I looked in my yoga pants! She also stopped to gasp at the overnight amount of rain that was in my trashcan. Simply staggering!!
The first stop was Lowe's where I picked up an on-line order of a systemic for trees and shrubs (I think I will need a second container), yard waste bags, and a small bolt for the airing porch door. This is the second time it has blown open and left the floor covered in water. That beautiful antique wooden floor. SNIFF. SNIFF.
The second stop was to Target, where my primary goal was two-fold: 1) a return because I grabbed the wrong size and 2) paper towels. I also used the Cartwheel app to get some groceries and household items. Every single thing I purchased was both on sale and had a cartwheel app coupon, except for the paper towels, which only had an app coupon. I saved over $13! I was afraid the shirt would no longer be there, as I just discovered the error when I tried to wear it for the first time, but it was. WHEW! You see, I had bought it with a 30% off coupon if you buy three. Returning it would result in no money because I would lose the discount on all three of the shirts. I had picked out the shirts by hanger size marker and forgot to check all the tags.
By the way, I learned something about the Cartwheel App: the more you use it the more opportunities you get to save. By that I mean, as your savings total increases, so does the amount of coupon slots you can use. I started out with 11, I believe. I just earned my 15th slot. That means more potential savings per visit. For example, today, I scanned the barcodes of everything in my cart and everything had a coupon, even if just 5%.
Then, we went to Walmart, where I had some additional groceries and household items to fetch. My discipline slipped there, because I bought chips and stuff for queso. Yes, I broke down and bought some Velveeta. So much for being healthy. I miss Tex-Mex with my entire being. At all three places, my neighbor and her son fetched needed items, too, so I felt better about them going with me. My neighbor wants her adult son, who is autistic, to practice more independence. So, she was actually happy that three times I realized we had already passed an aisle for something on my list and sent him off to fetch it. I did end up with organic (and expensive) eggs, but I didn't say anything about them not being what I wanted. He got the other two items correct and I didn't have to retrace my wheelchair steps.
I walked in Lowe's and in Target, but couldn't for Walmart. I was bushwhacked, but pleased we tackled so much. My last stop was a Panera order, for the high sodium salad. I used the app to order it so my neighbor son was sent in by himself to find the pick-up cupboard and bring it out. He did splendidly and was proud of himself.
Once home, they carried everything inside save for the two bags I carted. I quickly put away the perishables, emptied the rest of the reusable bags onto the counter, folded the bags by the back door, and sat down to enjoy my meal (and get a pick-me-up from the sodium fest). My new goal is to have a sodium fest at least every other week. That takes budgetary shenanigans on my part. However, I am really saving on my shopping....
I did learn that the PDFs of my Dare to Read booklet on the Christian Book of Concord (HTML version is here) were broken. Someone emailed back in April, but not to my regular address. The website mail has not been used since 2011, so I stopped remembering to check it and forgot to set it up on the MAC when I got it two years ago. I now have it set up on the MAC and am working on getting the links restored. It tickles me that the website had had over 16,000 pages views from many countries around the world and thousands of downloads of the PDFs. I wanted it to be a free resource and it has been.
All that technology trouble wearied me further.
I felt I deserved a Snapple.
I also find it odd, I can make a six pack last a couple of months, drinking only half a bottle at a time and being very disciplined about them. The same goes for many other "treats." But, for example, whenever I treat myself to Honey Nut Chex (which I did today), the box lasts only a few days. I have it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner without a second thought. Or take desserts. I can leave stuff in the freezer for weeks and months and have small, infrequent portions with just about anything. However, I will not even publicly acknowledge just how fast I can polish off a batch of Brown Sugar Oatmeal Cookies. Even your most outlandish guess would not be even close. SIGH.
And I noticed last night that, a while after I took the Xanax, my never-ending, dull headache eased somewhat. But I am not sure that is odd.
The headache has been building all day today, with it nearing that difficult-to-ignore level. The shooting pains are quenched by the Tylenol, but I am most definitely aware of when it is growing near the time for the next dose. I am a bit proud, sort of pleased, and most definitely thankful that, at least, I am managing quite well, anxiety-wise, on the half dose and am able to face (without despair) the side effects of reducing my dose. After all, I was able to write on my blog addressing sexual abuse yesterday without melting down or any significant upsettedness. I would like to get back to regularly posting there, working through some topics I believe are important.
I didn't even feel guilty about not sharing a single crumb from my dinner with my beloved fluff-ball.
Now, Amos most definitely found that odd.
Wildly so!
We spent the evening on the airing porch. It was so delightful ... and windy! Sing with me ... "the answer my friend is blowin' in the wind, the answer is blowin' in the wind"!
We stayed through sunset and then some. It was so utterly peaceful and lovely and just what I imagined summer nights on the airing porch would be. Now, if it will only stop raining day in and day out.
What an odd spring and beginning of summer....
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