Monday

I woke up  this morning with an unusual sensation. It felt as if I went from total deep in the dream sleep to wide awake in the blink of an eye, as if I traveled up through darkness at a high speed that made me disoriented and angry at once. Instead of jumping straight up, I laid in bed until I got my bearings. I couldn't have jumped straight up anyway because Cheese decided sometime during the night that my abdomen was the softest pillow to sleep on. He was firmly planted there. Since I have no core strength to speak of, sitting up with him there would have taken more than I have. I had to call out to my sister, who was in the kitchen to shake the treat jar to prompt him to move. Thankfully, shaking the treat jar is the best cat whistle we have. Needless to say, my day got off to a rough start.

But I was soon to learn that I was not the only member of my family who wasn't having the greatest of mornings. My eldest son (40 years old) decided that it was time to have his wisdom teeth removed. When he was a teenager, we looked into it and were told that they'd all come in straight. As long as he kept them clean it was his choice to keep them or not. He chose to keep them. Last year he was in an auto accident and broke one of them. He tried to get the tooth repaired, but no dentist is willing to do that so he made the decision to have all four of them pulled while he as at it. I knew about the accident, but was unaware that he'd broken a tooth during it. Needless to say, he is having a rough go right now. Luckily for him, as when he was a teen, the teeth were straight in and not impacted.

It has rained or snowed here pretty much every day this winter. I'm not complaining as this is what I expected the weather to be like here. But yesterday and today we have been given a most welcome reprieve. Two warmish, sunny days in a row to enjoy. I decided that to shake off the bad start a nice walk was in order. The Humane Society Thrift Shop is one of my favorite places here, and it is about a half mile from my house. The entire walk is on a nice sidewalk through our neighborhood.  And with the weather the way it was it made for a very pleasant walk.  I wasn't looking for anything in particular, I just wanted to browse. They have done a spring cleaning on the store since the last time I was there. Everything was so much better organized and clean. It makes the store even more inviting. I found a picture frame and a cross stitch book while I was there. I was charged a whopping $0.66 for my purchases, paid with a dollar and told them to keep the change as a donation. Yeah, I'm extravagant like that... I then went to the market next door to get some toilet paper and to the local sub shop on the next corner for a couple of sandwiches for dinner. All in all my walk cost me about $30. I could have made dinner at home and saved most of it but I was in a better mood after my walk.

On my way home, my younger son, Matthew called to tell me that Tim had his wisdom teeth out that morning. It was good to hear from him. I kind of fussed at him for only calling me when someone is sick, and that I don't want to have a wedding and funeral type family. After talking with him for a while we finished the conversation. Within an hour I got a text from Mollie saying that Matt told her I was upset and that she'd call me soon. Seems I just have to fuss at the right kid.

The walk today really did me good, not only in the way my mood changed but I just felt good afterward. It doesn't really make sense that I choose not to get out on rainy days. I have rain boots, a rain coat and poncho and a very good umbrella. I can stay dry if I really want to go out. I think that I will give up a sedentary life style for Lent this year and try to get in the habit of walking or cycling every day.