My love affair with StuffMart parking lot or how I need to broaden my horizons

I am my most creative in the StuffMart parking lot and I have no idea why. My love affair with said parking lot began a few years ago after youth group at our old church one Wednesday night. As I recall, it was in the summer. Zach had been lied to by one of the sponsors and not just lied to, but made fun of. Really mature behavior for an adult, right? He was rightly upset and in tears and didn't want to go home. So off we went to StuffMart, thinking I would get some shopping done while he chilled out.

I never even went in to the store. We sat there and talked for about two hours.

After that night, we've gone there every time we needed to talk. He wanted to go there when he decided to come out to me. We've gone there when we've been so upset we wanted to run away. And we've gone there when we were in the best of moods as well.

Today, I went there for weekly shopping and just sat in the parking lot and read my book for about an hour before going in. It's my favorite place with Wendy's running a close second. Sometimes I just watch the people, which is entertainment on its own. Other times I write or mentally compose letters or essays or portions of the book that has yet to have one word written.

Today I mused about why I haven't chosen some pastoral spot with its natural beauty, serene in its isolation. Why a parking lot full of people?

I haven't a clue. Except there I can be alone without being isolated. Maybe there is something in that.

Stephen remarked last night that I never mention him in my blog and since he's the only family member who actually reads this...Hi, Stephen!

He's my firstborn and in many ways we grew up together. He's had his share of angst, not to mention facing up to the consequences of bad choices...as we all do. But his resiliency is remarkable. I probably would have given in to despair many times over if faced with all he has on his shoulders. He is most definitely a self-made man.

I frogged the shawl because it looked just too narrow, more like a scarf. And that's not what I wanted to knit so I went back to a cabled sweater I started a while back. If I don't have enough yarn, I will get another color for the sleeves. I have to go back to West Bend next month to get Zach's retainer removed and can pick something up at Hobby Lobby then.

Going deeper into debt, I made appointments for new glasses. It's been a few years for me and a couple for Zach. I know I need a new prescription because everything is getting a bit blurry for me, not to mention the night I got up out of a dead sleep to answer the phone, knocked my glasses off the table looking for them and then stepped on them, scratching the lens so badly I have a bad blur over the right eye, dead center. And of course, my prescription isn't cheap, even with insurance. Danged trifocals.

I think I'm over the eating frenzy. I just had to let it go its course, I guess. I didn't gain, which surprised me, but I intend to start exercising a bit. I'm going to take Professor for a walk today. His nails badly need trimming but he absolutely won't let me trim them. He freaks out so badly I would most likely break his leg trying to get it done. I'm serious. But walking wears them down so another reason I need to get out there. It's still pretty cold but not windy and the sidewalks look pretty clear. Except for our driveway which is a sheet of ice and I slid down it trying to get out of the car today.

But I stayed on my feet although I did brush the knee enough to feel some pain. I'm just a bit paranoid about that knee. It's still got a huge knot on the bone portion that I will show to the rheumatologist next visit if it's still there.

Time for walkies, then I'll get Tom up for his appointment at H&R Block to get the taxes done. It's such a relief not to have that on my shoulders as well as everything else.

And then knitting and Inspector Morse tonight. 3:10 to Yuma (the one with Glen Ford) tomorrow and various other British mysteries the rest of the weekend.

And maybe some spring cleaning as well.

TTFN