I can feel it in the air

Yesterday was filled with bravery, new experiences and some overspending.  Okay a lot of overspending.  I was the brave one as Tom decided not to go with us to dinner and I drove to Madison by myself.  I'm a nervous driver, especially when I'm not familiar with the terrain.  I had been to the mall at Madison once or twice so I had a good idea where it was.  We had to drive the maze of streets looking for Red Lobster but we eventually found it.

Zach was also brave in eating foods he had never tried before.  He decided he didn't like lobster but was glad he got to try it.  I got a platter of seafood so we could share if he ended up not liking the lobster.  You may wonder why that's bravery but he has OCD and food is one of his issues.  Trying new foods is something he has only lately tried.  Part of his resistance is attributable to a youth leader at our former fundie church who made him eat foods that made him sick in spite of me letting the leader know of Zach's issues.  This man determined that I was babying him and forced him to eat beans, which always make him throw up, and then threatened him with punishment if he threw them up.  See, they believed both his Tourette's and his OCD were character flaws that needed to be addressed with discipline rather than acknowledging they were in fact real disorders.

So, he didn't like the lobster, but managed to eat most of it.  I handed over my shrimp and part of my fish and took over the lobster.  We were stuffed and ended up taking some of the fish and scallops home for Tom.

But that was one expensive meal!

Unfortunately, Red Lobster is right across from Barnes & Nobles bookstore so we had to trot over there and spend even more money.  Zach found a book on dragons that he couldn't take his eyes off of so I bought it for him as another birthday gift.  Then I found two books on Druidry that I couldn't resist as there is only one book in the library system.  And I got a set of Rider-Waite Tarot cards.  I had been using Zach's but they never felt right and I had a hard time learning them. I learned on Rider-Waite and felt a great affinity with them so I got myself a set.

I can't buy anything for at least a year.

Except for yarn.  I got some Red Heart SuperSaver yarn today in order to make some hats and scarves for the library's community knit out next month.  I wish I could afford better yarn but I did choose some yarn that felt as soft as Vanna's Choice and looked a bit tweedy.  I got two colors, in fact, hoping I can get a few sets out of the lot.  I'm not going to knit mittens because aside from the mitten/flaps that I'm knitting now, I haven't found a good pattern that is warm and those take a while to knit.  As it is, I'm going to have to go light on my own projects in order to get some things done before the knit out.  I just saw the announcement today.

I got some dvds at the library today so I have plenty to watch while knitting away.  I also have things dvr'd.  I desperately need to stay home long enough to get the house cleaned up and focus on some other projects as well, like healthier and more from-scratch cooking.  And exercise of some kind. 

I think it rained last night.  I heard rain on the air conditioner (that doesn't work) but it didn't look wet at all this morning.  It's been overcast with dark gray clouds all day though.  No rain so far and I haven't seen a forecast but I didn't try to wash and hang out any clothes today.  Hopefully tomorrow I will though.

Professor has been sitting on my lap a lot lately.  He hasn't done that since last winter so I know it's time to get the storm windows on and the plastic up.  Definitely this week.

Today is the 9th anniversary of my cancer free status.  I still never feel safe from its return but at least I don't obsess about it anymore.  I should do a lot more to maintain my health and I think my problem is being overwhelmed by the enormity of doing it.  If I could manage to just take baby steps, I would be in better shape but I get lectured by the doctor and my mother to the degree that it seems I'm expected to do it all.  And right now.  Makes me want to run from it all instead.  

Time to go start supper:  homemade macaroni and cheese with a salad and a veg of some kind.  Real comfort food.  I found some shredded cheddar at Piggly Wiggly a couple of weeks ago at a really good price.  I should have gotten more than one but I did freeze what I got and now need to use up the stuff I already had before it grows green.

It promises to be a cozy night tonight, knitting under the covers.

TTFN