Escape!

It's always sad to me when a local store or business closes it's doors for the last time. Edged out by bigger places and cheaper prices, the little guys just can't compete and keep their heads above water. If I can shop local, I will. But I am also guilty of shopping at a big store because of my small budget and cheaper prices. Anyway, the Ben Franklin craft shop in the next town over is going out of business and their last day is on Saturday. They have been advertising in the papers their closing sales and this week is 75% off. As sad as I am to see them go, I am not above saving some money and ran down there to see what they had left at cheap-o prices!

Poor Hubby is sick and not feeling well, so he called in sick at work to stay home and recuperate. I see a silver lining in this: I can shop without having to bring the kids with me!! Should I take pity on the poor husband and let him lie in bed, moaning and groaning, shushing the kids and keeping them away? Ha! When I am sick, I still have to get out of bed and take care of the kids, so if I can do it, he can do it too! Ta-ta Hubby! See ya later alligator! In a while crocodile! (can you tell I don't get out much on my own?) I'm off to the clearance sale! I made him chicken soup from scratch for lunch, ain't that enough?

There is nothing better than driving in a car with no kids calling, "Mom! Moo-oom! Mommy!" I can turn up the radio as loud as I want on the station I want without Hubby going, "Ugh! Country?" Well excuuuuuse me! I happen to like this particular country station because they play the country music from when I was a kid and I can actually recognize the music and sing along. Johnny Cash's 'Ring of Fire', Crystal Gayle's 'You Make My Brown Eyes Blue', Dolly Parton's '9 to 5', to name a few... My dad was a country music buff and I grew up on all the older country singers. I don't know any of the younger, newer singers of today. But I digress-- I'm talking about driving alone in the car, all by myself, with no one but me in the car, solo! I can actually drive for more than 10 minutes and not have to pull over to pick up a dropped sippy cup and the girls are strapped in their car seats and screaming their heads off because they want the freakin' sippy cup and no, a stuffed toy won't suffice, it has to be the sippy cup, and no, a pretzel just won't do, I'm not hungry, I'm thirsty and I want the sippy cup! I am reaching behind me while I am driving and keeping my eyes on the road and my hand is feeling around on the floor trying to feel for a smooth cup-like shape that must be a sippy cup but instead all I grab is fistfuls of animal cracker crumbs, a sticky spot from spilled juice, a blanket that is getting tangled up around my wrist and a book with the pages all bent and folded from being stepped on. My car is overdue for a clean out, I know, but at the moment I am trying to drive and quiet the cacophony of screams. Finally, I pull over and I find the sippy cup only 2 inches from where my fingers were searching for it. Everybody happy now? I can drive and you all will be quiet now?

Anyway, I am driving alone and loving it! I get to the store and I have a spring in my step knowing I am about to get my hands on some possible bargains and I don't need to worry about the whereabouts of 3 little girls. I find a store that is nearly empty and maybe 15 shelves left of odds and ends. The fabric department is wiped out save for a bolt of ugly woven fabric that I can't possibly find a use for. The scrap booking supplies have dwindled to a few piles of not so pretty paper and a bunch of rubber stamps that I have no use for. Some personalised ornaments and key chains are left but none in names that I know. Anyone know a Samantha or a Xavier? There are some snowman ornaments you might be interested in... I did manage to score some great grosgrain ribbons at 25 cents a yard, so I bought 12 different styles, 10 yards each. They will make some cute belts or handles for some future bag projects I have in mind. I grabbed a planet mobile project set for a future home school lesson for a mere $4. Picked up some snazzy buttons, thread and snaps. And some of those plastic strings for braiding bracelets and key chains with. Remember those? When I was about 8 or 9, I went crazy for those and begged mom to buy me more, more, more so I could make more, more, more. There wasn't much left and I said my good-byes to a store that I honestly didn't shop at very much, but remembered going to, with my mom as a kid.

I took my time coming home, singing along to songs and enjoying the mountain scenery. It's always nice to come home after being away for a few hours, and seeing my girls (and Hubby!) jumping up and down at the back door, excited to have mommy home again. I love the squeals and the hugs and the hands that reach for me to pick them up and hug them. Middle had a picture for me she colored, Youngest had a wet kiss for my cheek, and Oldest was hiding an unfinished project, telling me, "Don't look!" Yes, it's nice to drive in the car alone, but even nicer to come home to my family.