Shopping

I'm wading around waist deep into shopping withdrawal.

For years and years I never went shopping.

Seriously, never.

My kids got all their clothes from relatives or at Christmas time or birthdays. There were no trips to the mall, or any other store that wasn't a grocery store. I didn't buy nail polish or even a book...and forget about new clothes. Thank goodness I didn't gain weight back then.

The grocery budget was a solid $50 a week for a family of 5, and you did NOT go over it. It's no wonder I'm not a gourmet cook. You don't need a stove when the diet is peanut butter and jelly or fruit.

So now after years of neglect, I'm suffering from shopping withdrawal.

I'm in the "I want" stage again. The serious I want stage.

Last time I was in this stage, I opened 7..... SEVEN... charge cards. I've since paid 4 off. Then a week ago, I opened a Lowes card and bought patio furniture. And it felt gooooooooooood.

Le sigh......................... and now I want more.

I want to landscape. I want to buy planters and plants.
I want to build a lattice fence with roses, and azaleas and shrubbery.

I'm bummed.

I built a landscaping allowance into the pool budget but, between repairing the house damage of the 3 hurricanes last year; 2 cars that broke, got repaired and then died; a son going to college, and no help from the ex, the budget was wiped out.

I want the damn pool finished.

It's holding me hostage. Which is probably a good thing.

Fortunately the weather is not 'swim' weather.... yet. Somehow I know I will feel better when I'm floating lazily, drink in hand in my pool.

In the meantime, I will not shop.... I will not shop... I will not shop.

I want to be able to afford the water for the pool.

Somebody pass the patience, pleaseandthankyou.