Saturday

A very odd day indeed...fun, but odd. Here's why:

I woke up early, knowing that I was going to the Women's Expo with my SIL. I drove to my MIL's house to pick her up, because she has been staying there due to recovery from surgery, and to give her mom the pleasure of taking care of her daughter for a little while--and she was ready to go, so we piled into the car and drove to the expo, stopping momentarily at her house, which was on the way.

While there, this little orange and white tiger kitten walked across her yard, and I called to him. He came right into the car with me, sat in my lap for a minute while we petted him. Nice little cat--purred very loudly. I nearly took him home with me--but of course, hubby would never have it. Since he was clearly someone's pet, but no collar, I let him hop out of my lap back into the yard to continue his exploring. I hoped that he was there when we returned, because I would have taken him home with me, regardless.

Both of us were excited about getting to the expo, too--so off to the races!

When we got there, not a parking place to be had. So we continued up the road a piece and parked in a lot, and took a shuttle bus to the expo.

Do you know how long it's been since I've been on a school bus? Because that's what the shuttle was--a school bus.

Do you know--I really don't remember the aisle being that narrow?

And all of us (as there were several waiting here for the shuttle) embarked and commented on the narrowness of the aisle and how our knees were jammed into the seat ahead--how DID this happen?

The world may never know.

The bus departed the parking lot, and we were off like a prom dress--headed for the expo. When we arrived, we stepped carefully off the bus, remembering the training we had when we were in school, I suppose--being careful that we don't fall down the steps--it was a cool trip down memory lane, remembering some of the things we used to do on the bus with our friends and boyfriends--and girlfriends...how we would sit in the back seat and listen to the radio on the high school bus...ah, memories.

Once off the bus, the rain misted down upon us, so we hurried into the building and got in line (remember cafeteria lines?) to sign up for the raffle and then headed into the Expo.

Wow!

Lots of booths and lots of food--so much to do! There were two mediums, several massage places, all the hospital and diet booths that you can imagine. Quilting and sewing groups. Home repair. Cleaning (yuck...didn't bother to stop there, and not really worth mentioning, since I rarely do that sort of thing, but for those who do enjoy that sort of activity, I suppose that I should mention it)...a couple of bead places and so much more.

My sil and I stopped at a medium, and I got my palms read. She told me not to reveal the reading for 48 hours, and so I won't, but I came in trying to be open minded, but the first wrong answer she came up with, things started shutting down, and I came away wondering how "rehersed" was that reading anyway? Why the secrecy for 48 hours? So that we have time to forget it? So that we don't tell anybody at the expo that she's full of it? I suppose that there were some items that were "possibles", but they were few and far between--but I have to say that 75% of the reading--perhaps even 90%, was dead wrong.

I got the idea the reading was scripted after while.

My SIL went in first, of course. I think she was satisfied about her reading, and she felt the same way, although I don't think she came away with the idea that the reading was completely scripted. Much of the reading could apply to ANYBODY, being so general as to be nearly worthless. There was a good deal of glad-handing, too. Stroking the ego in hopes of getting more money, I suppose.

I have always contended that these things should be FREE. They are a gift given to you; therefore, they should be a gift you share with others.


After the medium, my SIL and I stopped at a purse booth. They had medium sized handbags with assorted "covers" that you could change and give your purse "a new look". I bought one bag and 4 different covers. It was like I couldn't stop! After this, however, I was broke and owed my SIL $20 for the medium.

We stopped and got our heads massaged with these odd "fork-like" contraptions. But the sensation was strange, and we were starting to decide that it was time for lunch.

So we sat in a couple of chairs and waited for the shuttle to return so that we could leave with our purchases and notes, and go somewhere for a salad. We decided on Wendy's. While we sat, we chatted about our booth reviews and I pulled out a pair of socks from my small bag and started casting on. By the time the bus arrived, I had about 28 stitches on each sock.

When we got on the bus, it was pretty surprising, because a lot of the people on the bus in the later day, were the same people we'd met in the morning! It was like Kismet, but we returned to our cars and drove away, my sil navigator and I driver.

When we got to the bank, I put my card in to withdraw money to pay her back the $20 I owed her, and then we drove on to Wendy's, where I quite literally heard her father tell me

"Tell her that I love her."

I remember feeling touched about that. But I forgot to tell her, because it wasn't a good time to say

"Oh, by the way, your dead father tells me that he loves you, and wanted me to let you know that he told me that."

HUH?

So, I didn't say anything at the time, and then forgot completely. Eager to get home, I dropped my sil off at her house--no kitten--darn! She opted to take her car to her mom's, and since I was eager to get home, I drove away, having forgotten completely (again) to tell her what her dad told me.

Now, on the way home, I thought, hmm...I could stop at JoAnn's and do some demonstrating with my socks....but my gut told me to go home, so I did.

When I got home, my hubby said--

"What the heck are you doing here?" (note: I cleaned up the language a bit.)

"Um, it's my house?" I answered, wondering why he was in such a foul mood.

Apparently, he'd made plans with his mother to have cake and ice cream at his mother's at 6, and he had called me to let me know--however when his sister had called her mother, she had said she was going to the grocery store to get a few things and never said a word about cake and ice cream! I'm willing to wager that the phone call came when I was in Wendy's and the phone was in the car, so I never heard it, and since I don't check my phone every time we're apart, I never knew that I was supposed to stop at his mother's and wait for him there.

No big deal. Nothing to get your panties in a bunch over, but he was apparently miffed about something else, and the whole "I'm pissed at the world" attitude had my mystified!

He'd been studying, and wanted to study on the way to his mother's. Of course, I wanted to knit, but because of his foul mood, I opted to let him have his way. It didn't have the desired effect, I'm afraid. We stopped at the gas station and he purchased a sub sandwich, and saved a little of it for me later. I worked on my socks while he ate.

I swear, he spoke harshly to me all the way there. I wanted to chatter about all the stuff at the expo, and he wanted to study. Finally, I left him ALONE, like the hibernating bear. He behaved badly the entire drive, and even when we arrived at his mother's, and I commented on his attitude.

"Well, I know it seems like I don't listen to you, but quit with the attitude already! I'll be so glad when this Physics class is over with! You are impossible trying to cope with the stress this class is causing you, and you're making my life a miserable existence because of it!"

After which, he realized how much his attitude was affecting me, and behaved a little better, for which I was grateful. He got a little testy with me later, and everyone looked at me, wondering if I would say something, which I didn't--but they could see the hurt in my eyes. Glad to know they couldn't see the hurt in my heart. I did my best to let it go.

Later in the car, I asked him if he was angry with me over something, to which he replied no, that he didn't know what was wrong, but that perhaps his meds weren't covering him during the day. I told him that if he wasn't angry with me, why had he been so short with me? All I could come up with was the homework from his Physics class. He really has no idea what he is reading. It doesn't make sense to him. He has a tutor. I think that makes him angry, too. Perhaps he thinks he's getting dumber, and the idea bugs him to no end? Maybe it galls him that he has to ask his buddy from high school (who is his tutor) to help him, and he believes that he should be man enough and smart enough to be able to understand and complete this stuff? Maybe he's upset that he figures it's so "over his head" that he can't concentrate?

Well, the world may never know. In the end, I offered some stress relief, but he would have none of it. I do know that the other night, he didn't sleep at all, and he's spent the last two nights sleeping really hard, and even now, at 10:00 am (spring ahead) he's still snoring! I would be too, if it weren't for my backache.

So that brings us full circle to the present. Today, I thought we were going to his mother's for cake and ice cream, but since that happened LAST NIGHT, I suppose I have the day. Stress relief for hubby later, perhaps, and some time for the most hated 5-letter word in the world.

Clean.

Yes, friends, today I plan to empty the dishwasher, refill it, and start it on it's merry way. Later, perhaps another load of clothing in the washer/dryer. I might even dust my laptop screen (admittedly VERY dusty--noticed last night!). But there's a great deal more housework that could be done.

Shudder.

Pray for me.