Retail Therapy and Fun...necessities of life.

So last week was a really hard week.  I got angry, bitter, morose, sad and felt sorry for myself.

THEN...

I went shopping and bought 8 new skirts, 3 shirts, a pair of rollerblades (NOT for me), and a pair of shoes for $40 (yes that is less than $3 per items - including 2 Talbot items, both for less than $1.50 - with the tags still on) at my favorite thrift store with my friend Jamie and her daughter Jillian.  Then I ordered and received a $300 color printer, fax, scanner and copier for FREE.  Then I got to go to Hobby Lobby and buy stuff to make a friend a bracelet, some things to take up to John Preston's grave site and some flowers to take to my mother's grave site. Then Jimmy Ray and I went to Walmart and shopped just for fun.  Didn't buy a whole lot, but just the act of shopping and buying works for me!

Getting to spend time with Jamie is always fun and crazy.  She is one of those precious few friends who will talk about John Preston, say his name, ask me about my memories.  She will even talk with me about they day we found out that he was no longer alive and all of the details (and I mean ALL...achk) from the 24 hours I was in the hospital.

And of course, anytime Jimmy Ray and I can go do something together is precious to me.  As a dairy farmer, he isn't around as much as the average working bear.  I think part of why our relationship is so strong is that because we know the time we have together is limited and we make the most of it.  We don't see each other from 5pm on every weekday evening, we don't spend the whole day together on Sat and Sun.  I see him for about 2 hours every day, maybe 6 on Sat and Sun - and only then if they aren't planting or harvesting beans and corn, hauling silage (corn chopped up for feed), cutting hay or fixing equipment bigger than my house.

And today, my sister and her fiance are coming into town to hang out with us and Jimmy Ray is taking most of the day off and we are going to visit John Preston, visit my mom's site, eat brunch in midtown and go to the zoo!

So instead of blogging this week, I have been shopping, playing and living.  All of those things are amazingly helpful at healing (or possibly just postponing) some of the pain.  But either way, at the very least, they are a great way to get a break from myself!