I have discovered that I am allergic to the sun. This is news to me, as I typically don't have any issues with being in the sun. As of this week, every time I'm in the sun at all, I break out in hives. It is isolated to my forearms. It itches and burns and makes my skin look awful. I do not want to have to see the doctor but I don't want to have red, splotchy, itchy arms all summer. So that's a bummer.
I will say, though, that this weather has been amazing for my spirits. I had a downturn mid-week. I didn't tell anyone because I hate telling people. I hate being that friend, the one who has itense bouts of insecurity and darkness. It makes me crazy to be that friend.
So I kept it to myself.
In other news, I have been reaping the benefits of not spending money. I found a pair of flip-flops at the bottom of the entryway closet. I don't have any beach shoes for the summer. I mostly have been wearing my sneakers, but it sucks at the splash pad.
I have been seeing a blue flip-flop, part of a pair I got last summer, floating around the house. I hadn't been able to find it's mate, though, and didn't really have the extra money to get new flip-flops.
On the morning we were going to the splash pad, I made a last-ditch effort to find Ms Blue's mate. I dug deep in the closet and while I came up empty, I uncovered a pair of black flip-flops. Score!! They are in great shape, hardly worn. Yay for being persistent.
Then, last night, I was trying to find PJs for Doug. His room, unfortunately, is a catch-all for all storage overflow. There was a box of shoes sitting there that I had forgotten about. I started digging through and lo and behold, I found a pair of sandals just Doug's size. I had completely forgotten about them.
He just started wearing SMOs, something thankfully covered by early intervention. He wears a special sneaker to accommodate the SMOs, but again, at the splash pad I worry that they're going to get ruined.
I wanted to get him some sandals and normally I shop resale shops, but my kids have wide feet and it's nearly impossible to find them shoes secondhand. Now he's got a pair of sandals and I didn't have to spend a dime.
I'm not trying to garner sympathy for my situation. I actually have a pretty decent savings account going right now. I am strapped but it's because I'm trying so hard to live with margins.
It sucks to not just be able to go out and get things when I want to. At the same time, the answer is not always instant gratification. The answer is sometimes to wait and see.
And there's the blessing. I could have broken down and spent $15 on new flip flops. An argument could be made that one cannot have too many pairs of flip flops. This may be true. It's a little geeky to wear sneakers and socks to the splash pad. This is pretty true.
The reality is, I survived wearing sneakers to the splash pad. I could have gone on wearing them, if it meant I could save a few dollars to do something else that's fun for my kids. Really, though, it was fantastic to wear flip flops that I bought years ago and had forgotten about.
I think sometimes that's the gift of being strapped, that I understand the value of stuff. I try to take better care of the stuff I have. I make things stretch. I ask for help. It's uncomfortable but it's helping me grow.
Really, that's a gift money can't buy.
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