and safely home

Ran a somewhat-abbreviated set of errands this afternoon, because they're warning of cold and perhaps ice tomorrow, and it's unclear when. (It may well be we don't have church: the minister drives up from Fort Worth, and if it's unsafe for him to drive, we cancel)

I'm glad I went and did it but I'm even more glad I'm home. It was not fun.

A couple of lowlights:

On the way home, someone driving very fast and very aggressively passed me, but nearly sideswiped me as he veered into my lane. I watched as he blew on by, periodically veering into the righthand lane from the left. Distracted driver? Drowsy driver? Just bad driver? I don't know, but it scared me to see his mirror so close to mine.

I bought seven bags of chips and six cans of refried beans and the packets of taco sauce (will buy the beef at Pruett's). The checker at the Target was like "Honey, do you *need* all these chips?" and I was standing there like "Wait, did the Target checker just fat-shame me?" and I kind of mumbled that I had to feed about 20 college kids this coming week, and she was like "Well, last week they were on sale" and I didn't SAY it, but I was like "How on earth does that help me? I didn't need them last week and anyway I was in freaking NORMAN last week." But yeah. It was a weird exchange and I do admit the first place my mind went was the fat-shaming place.

Baby having a GIANT melt down, like GIANT SCREAMING MELTDOWN in the Target. But instead of feeling angry about it, I thought, "Yeah, kid, I feel the same some times." I am sure the child was over tired and maybe hungry and just wanted to be HOME.

Rude guys in the graphic-novel section of the bookstore. They had "kids'/all-age graphic novels" on sale, and I found a copy of Volume 2 of "Phoebe and her Unicorn" and wanted to see if I could locate Volume 1 (have been wanting to read them for a little while) but gave up because I guess only dudes or people under 40 or something get to shop for graphic novels, or something. (I'll see if Amazon has it; surely they do)

The Kroger has gone all-in for the "send in your web order and we'll 'pick' it for you" but that means there are people trundling enormous carts up and down the aisles and grabbing stuff and darting in and out among customers, and it just adds another layer of stuff you have to watch out for. (If I could PREDICT when I would arrive at the Kroger - I always do it last of my shopping - I might consider doing that just to avoid the giant carts).

Also, voicing my unpopular opinion: perhaps some brick and mortar stores need to go out of business and be replaced by online. Partly because WOW are people pushy and grabby and rude now, but partly because it's distressing to walk into a big store like Target or Wal-Mart and find that some of the stuff you want is just an empty spot on a shelf. (I get "lean" inventory and all that, but when you've driven an hour's round trip, it's just not cool to not be able to get some things).

That said: I did get the aforementioned "Phoebe and her Unicorn" book. And the women at the Ulta were nice to me. (I bought a new lipstick and some hair masques - yes, I know, but they seem to work and they're not THAT expensive).

I bought more bath fizzies because that's a thing for me now.

I also bought an oatmeal face mask advertised as "skin soothing" and I admit I thought "where are the masques for soothing one's soul?"

I wanted to buy cupcakes but didn't because of trying to reduce and also trying to avoid things with much added sugars. But yeah, I WANTED a cupcake. I'm telling myself a warm bath tonight will be almost as good.

I bought these:

It's a little hard to see in the packaging, but it's a "Frozen" Elsa spoon and fork. Yes, they are for little kids. They are going to go and live in my desk at work. Because earlier this week I forgot the spoon in my lunch and had to go get a plastic spoon, and someone else was like "just bring a spoon from home and leave it in your desk" and I was like "But I don't own enough spoons for that!" (I have eight teaspoons but I think some have got lost, and with oatmeal every morning and a couple servings of fruit and vegetables at each at-home meal, I go through them rapidly). And so then it was "Just go to the Salvation Army Store and buy some old ones and that's just a nope for me because

a. I am fussy about spoons. I have an ultracheap set I bought at the wal-mart but only use them to stir with because the edges aren't rounded and it bugs me to eat with them. (I have a few weird specific sensory issues)

b. There isn't a Salvation Army store in my town. There's a Goodwill, but it's hard for me to get to, and the thought of maybe having to go down there a couple times in search of spoons (because they're a small store and may not have them at any given time) is just more than I can deal with.

Yes, I looked at the "grown up" flatware first, but it was all in place-setting boxes and EACH PLACE SETTING WAS LIKE $40. Gah. Flatware is ridiculous now! Seriously, for a family of four, $160? So I figured I'd buy these - the choices was this, or Minnie Mouse, or Peppa Pig, or I think Cars? So this choice seemed the best to me.

(And yes, of course, on the back there is the mandatory advice about "don't eat too much and exercise a lot" and I admit I get so sick of hearing it everytime and everywhere that food has to be mentioned)

I have food now, though. I got some of the pre-cooked beets which I admit is a luxury but if it 
means I'm more likely to actually EAT them.....

I might make cheese grits this weekend, I don't know. I did buy a little package of ground bison for chili....It is hard trying to eat mainly vegetables and cut back on carbohydrates because vegetables get tiresome after a while.

But yeah. This week felt like it was a month long. As I was driving home, I thought how nice it would be to have a Significant Other or family member of some sort where I could come home after a hard week and just get a hug and/or have someone to tell what my week was like, but you don't always get what I want.

(I also still want a cupcake....)

I will say, though, my card for the card-exchange came today (apparently it got stuck in a mail whirlpool? It was mailed out in January).