I’ve been busy planning and hosting meals for the teachers and staff at my son’s school. (I’m the PTA Hospitality Chair this year.) I’ve spent hours planning for our upcoming school Valentine’s party. I’ve had company. I’ve been overloaded with house chores and grocery shopping. Tied up running across town to pick up the (prescription..vet purchased..cha-ching) food for our cat, Babs. She starts meowing the second she sees her empty food bag go into the trash. It doesn’t matter that her bowl overflows. Once she knows we’ve poured the last of that bag into her bowl, the non-stop, annoying cat mewing begins!
I suppose it is true that we moms tend to prioritize our needs to the bottom of our to-do lists. No arguments here. Which reminds me--I am also in serious need of some personal clothing items as well as clothes in general. And shoes. I keep wearing the same pair day in and day out. They are the most comfortable ones I own! About the only thing I manage to keep up with is my hair. Well, I mean, if you count waiting twelve weeks between appointments for my last cut, color, and highlights, keeping up. I’m not so sure! I think the fact that I begin to look like my son’s grandmother rather than his mom forces me to get on the ball and make that hair appointment.
With that being said, I find the fact that I went leisure shopping yesterday quite puzzling. Maybe amusing. I’m a bit torn as to what to label it. After getting my son off to school, picking up a rental car, seeing my husband off for his day-trip out of town, doing my volunteer work at the school, and my aforementioned haul across town for cat food, I had about 40 minutes to spare before pulling into the school pick-up line to receive my child. I drove through Starbucks to grab a bit of fuel in the form of a venti sized skinny latte and decided I’d spend my few spare minutes at one of my favorite places: Half Price Books. Browsing books with an iced latte sounded divine! I find myself daydreaming of such shopping trips at times when I seriously need a break. I adore books! And bookstores!
Flash forward thirty minutes later to me standing in the check-out line with SIX books! Yes, I found and purchased six books in a record period of time—for me. (I’ll have to blog another time about how it takes me forever to do most anything. Usually!) During check-out I casually mention to the clerk that I am getting a Kindle for Valentine’s Day. Yes. I am aware that a Kindle allows you to purchase books and download them right to your device, alienating the need to purchase the physical book! The irony! The clerk merely smiled.
Enter my split-personality. (Not really, but it works here.) The book lover side of me is elated to have found these particular books. Three are authored by Herman Wouk; I’ve taken such a liking to him and am on the road to collecting all his works. The other three were on my list of books to buy. I felt like I had struck gold. The practical side of me was busy kicking my intellectual backside for the remainder of the day over the fact that I had just spent money earmarked to purchase those desperately needed items, instead, on desired books! Now I’ll have to wait yet another payday.
I guess it is true what I have said so many times—I’d rather buy books than shoes! Or makeup. Or clothes. Or…well, you get the point!
