Happy Halloween

10/31/2010

The house is quiet. So quiet, I feel like any noise I may make upsets the balance of the universe. I just clanged the top of my ashtray and it felt like a sonic boom. A and C are both asleep and I've been up since about 2:30am, after going to bed around 9:30pm. Not too terrible, I suppose, but still not the eight hours my shrink psychiatrist thinks I should have.

While I've been awake, I've managed to play all my Facebook games and get them caught up, play a little bit of trivia, which isn't as much fun when you're the only one playing, but it does at least stimulate my brain, catch up on all my faves, and now I'm finally here to write an entry. I just don't know quite what to say that I didn't already say in yesterday's entry.

I'm really looking forward to going bowling today, since we haven't been in ages. I rather miss the Saturday morning bowling matches with Mom and Dad. It used to be so much fun, but then A started getting cranky about it because it was every Saturday, and then Mom tore her rotator cuff, and then Dad's back and legs were acting up again. Now the latter two are better, but I doubt seriously we'd go back to bowling every Saturday. Maybe we could find a way to do it once a month or something. A might be more receptive to it then.

I know the "official" shopping season for Christmas hasn't started yet, but I've already bought a couple of things. We got a Fingerhut catalog a couple of months ago, with a pre-approved limit, so I ordered something for A. I made him get rid of his stereo equipment, because he never used any of it and it was old and some of the pieces didn't work properly. Long ago I made him get rid of the two gigantic speakers he had for it, and believe me, he was none too happy about letting that stuff go. I felt bad, but we just didn't have the room for them here. The trailer isn't that big.

Anyway, I bought him a 6-in-1 stereo from Fingerhut. It plays albums, of which he's got a ton he'll never get rid of, plays cassettes, which we both still have, plays and records CDs, has a 6-CD changer, and even has a place to plug in an MP3 player, aside from having the AM/FM radio. It's really got everything. I hope he likes it and will be surprised by it. C is storing it in her bedroom closet right now, and he's been in there a couple of times, because he's doing the remodeling on her room, but I'm not sure if he's seen it or not.

At any rate, that's what he's getting. I also bought him a New England Patriots Snuggie from Kohl's, which should be delivered some time during the week. He keeps using my Bears one, so I know he likes them, but he is not a Bears fan. He's a Patriots fan, so I thought it would be something nice for him. While I was buying from Kohl's, I also bought Mom a Bears lap desk. I'm pretty sure she doesn't have one. I know she has a lap desk already, but not one like this.

I've already told C that I've spent a crapload of money on her and that's pretty much taken care of her for Christmas. I still have to buy her prescription sunglasses, but that has to wait. I found something for B & Ch, too, but I won't have the money for it until my Social Security check comes in, if I even have it then. I might be buying a car, if my brother finds one for me. We'll have to see. But when the battery almost died on me the other day, I knew then, we really cannot afford to just have the one car. I've also found a gift for AJ, but that, too, must wait until payday. Other than that, we only have to buy something for Georgie, and I'm fairly certain he's getting clothes from us. I think he'll need them more than he'll need a toy. But that's it, and then, I'll be done with shopping. Oh, and Dad. Can't forget him. He's the most difficult to buy for, unfortunately. There's nothing the man actually NEEDS or WANTS, but I'll find something. I always do.

A was really against me spending money for Christmas because we're trying to get OUT of debt, but I told him that we didn't buy anything last year for anyone, and not even for each other, and I felt worse about that than he even knew. I wasn't going to do that at all again this year. It's a pretty sad state of affairs when we can't afford to give gifts, no matter how big or small. I'm not going to go crazy hog wild with buying gifts, but I like to give things to the people who matter to me.

I really wish we'd win one of the weeks for the football cards our church sold as a fundraiser. That money would come in real handy right about now, but I'm not counting on it. I don't have good luck for winning stuff.

Oh well. My writing muse has flown the coop now, so I guess I will go and peruse my Monk book and start going back over some of the principles and virtues, making notes and highlighting the things I want to remember.