Not June Yet!

No, it is not quite time for Summer yet. I do however begin to look forward to the Summer months every year about this time. You must know what I mean. It is still barely Spring here, and yet I yearn for the Summer days when coats are no longer needed and the weather begins to somewhat settle in to a normal summer. Saying that, there do not seem to be too many "normal" things anymore. Normal is simply a relative term anyway. It means whatever a particular person means it to in their own mind. Some would say that I am not normal as normal was considered in years past. I would take that as a compliment, let me tell you. What I am trying to say simply and somehow am making complicated in doing so, is: I want Summer to be here. I want to be able to take out the summer clothes and put away the winter ones. I have been working on that on occasion because my drawers have become too full to close, and as I continue to lose the weight around my neck, (and other places, joke here)it feels good to get those large clothes out and ready to take to donate to some other deserving soul. I must say, I had my eyes opened as I stopped at the Goodwill to try to find some in between jeans. Don't you hate that? I seem to always be "between" sizes. One size it way too big now, and nearly slides off, but the other is still way too tight to be comfortable. What I found during this search is that the items cost even at the Goodwill is increasing. Now I do not mind paying $4.00 for a pair of quality jeans. I do not care if anyone knows I found them there. I have never been that way. I appreciate saving money. I could not survive without second hand stores and discount places. Pay $40.00 for one item? Preposterous! The old reasoning for "quality" does not seem to hold true anymore either. I have paid full price and found the quality lacking. I would rather buy inexpensive and not worry about staining or having to Dry Clean an item. When I found out that the chemicals they use in the process could be hazardous, that was even more reason to avoid such use of money.. I used to think that I was learning to be "tight" from my parents. Now as I shopped the other day, I realized that whatever I learned from them, I enlightened upon it. I wonder when people find themselves with more money, if that trend ever leaves them. Do they "slink" into Walmart with a Hat and Dark Glasses to buy unnoticed? Do they sweep into Target and still catch the Sales or Clearance racks? How do they transition to being able to buy in places where the least expensive item is over $200.00? I remember my mother always shopping and shopping and worrying about how much the items she loved would cost, and leaving the store with very little, like they do on that show "What Not To Wear". $200.00 for a blouse? Never! Calvin Kline jeans? NOPE! Gloria Vanderbilt, who is she? (ok, I DO know) I have never been "in" to brand names on clothing or anything else. We never had enough money to be that way. Not when I was growing up and not when my children were growing up either. We were glad to HAVE a pair of shoes, let alone a closet full. That was unthinkable! We were lucky to have enough food on the table. Heat in the wintertime. A warm cozy bed with enough blankets. These were things we were appreciative of. I used to think it never bothered me, our doing without. Now I wonder. The reason I wonder is that I have become addicted to shopping for bargains. For a time, I was buying things because they were on sale, or a good price. Not because I needed anything. Maybe all those years of doing without caught up with me. I always wanted to provide more things that the girls wanted growing up. Things that the other girls their ages just expected as the norm. Of course that being said, at least our family never had to take out Bankruptcy as some we knew did. We said no when we had to, and yes when we could. I only hope that my Daughters know that some day. I began this article intending to write about the time of the year. As happens often with me, I have wandered away into a totally different arena. I know it is ok, and someday I will organize my writings and perhaps find a better place for this writing. Until then, it will remain here. I do look forward to getting outside soon and working in my flower gardens. They need a lot of tending to as I did not do much of that beyond June last year. I had a rocky summer and fall. Winter was better. This Spring WILL be much better because I will not allow it not to be. Now as it is almost 8 am already, I must end this writing and see about getting outside for my walk before that wind comes up again. It is to be in the Seventy degree range in temperature today and I think it will make it as it was already fourty four degrees when I got up at 5 am. Talk to you soon again as the mood hits me to type! Hugs, have a good day! Then a better Tomorrow! Be Thankful for your Life, and don't forget to live it! Katie