random thoughts – Day 1,390 – (Saturday) – hermit

Saturday, how I love you. There is the sleeping late (7:00, sometimes 8:00!), the relaxing on the couch with coffee and a phone call with Mom, then getting rolling for the day (or not). Today followed the formula.

The alarm went off at 7:00 and was snoozed until 7:30 or so. There was pajama time on the couch with online news, emails, and a call with Mom. We swapped stories about what we’ve been up to over the past week. She recently had a shopping adventure with my sister that sounded like a hoot, but the only adventure I could offer in exchange was my week-long aching arse and sciatica, which felt like I wasn’t holding up my end of the entertainment.

After a breakfast of half of a bagel, a plan was formulated. Sunday is usually grocery day but the weather forecast made it feel like today had to be the day. The list was mainly the usual produce that gets me through most of the week and I probably didn’t even need to go, but I felt compelled.

First, there was a stop at St. Vincent de Paul to check for soup bowls. While circling the housewares rack, there was a conversation with a guy who was looking for an ashtray for a prop for a show that he is directing. During the chat and search, he mentioned his wife and kids, causing me to wonder later if he thought maybe I thought he was hitting on me (I didn't) or that I was flirting with him (not the case because I don't have even the tiniest clue how to flirt). There were no soup bowls and I managed to successfully avoid looking at the clothing, but chatty director guy found an ashtray and gave me a postcard for the show.

Approaching Market Basket, the thought was that if there were no parking spots visible, I would keep on driving. There were a few spots seen from the street and I ventured in. 

Hermits for a hermit.

The store was busy, but not horribly so. It was a quick trip gathering cheese ends, half-and-half, the usual produce items, a loaf of bread, cream cheese with lox, and some hermit cookies from the bakery section. Mummu used to have hermits sometimes and it felt like I was trying to buy the memory, and I like the name because I feel like a hermit. 

The temperature indicator on the car showed 40 degrees, which felt questionable for leaving the groceries in the car for the next phase of the day and a quick stop at the house allowed for proper refrigeration. Then, it was downtown to The Brush for a new studio grand opening with a young artist who does crochet work and had sweaters as well as cute crochet critters like octopi. Gallery Z was visited, then LaLa Books to reserve my Boozy Book Club space for March. Another book was bought, which came with another free bonus book. No lie, the book buying is starting to feel a little bit like an addiction.

Pet aisle sciatica treatment.

Driving home from downtown, thoughts of mac and cheese made with the fresh cheese ends danced through my head, interlaced with fantasies of herbal tea and curling up on the couch with a book or two, or ten. A stop at Family Dollar involved the search for a tennis ball for a recommended way to relieve sciatica. There isn’t a sports section, but I thought maybe the pet aisle would have a ball, and sure enough, there was a set of two balls for $1. Sweet. 

Back at home, no mac and cheese was made. Instead, it was Netflix, drying the laundry that was washed earlier, and the realization there had been no lunch. Produce was trimmed and cut and sautéed, then tossed with rice. Salmon was cooked. The late lunch/early supper was delicious, and worth braving the pre-snowstorm crowd at Market Basket. The hermits are thinner and moister than the ones I remember having with Mummu, but still good.  

Suddenly, it was 6:00, the parking ban was in effect, and the first snow of this winter was quietly falling onto the empty street. Sheets, fresh from the dryer, were put on the bed. Millionaire Matchmaker played on Netflix and a tennis ball was pressed into my glute. Next up, curling up with a book.

Laundry is done. Mac and cheese production is postponed until tomorrow. There will be book time on the couch, eating hermits, and being a hermit. It’s nice to have cozy, comfortable things to look forward to.