My loss

Cliff and I went to do the shopping today. For quite a while I tried to give my business to the local grocery (eight miles away) with the noble purpose of giving support to my community. I really wanted it to work. I was willing to pay a little more for my groceries.

Unfortunately, it didn't work out so well: They didn't stock certain items and brands I use all the time, and they'd advertise items on sale they didn't have, and didn't intend to have.

"But it's in your ad," I'd whine.

"Oh, our bigger store at (another town) probably has that."

So it's back to Walmart. I'm sorry, Guy in Oregon.

Since we had to make a stop in Lexington, the nearest Walmart from there is across the river at Richmond.

Cliff gets home from work at 3 A.M. and sleeps till 10 o'clock. We headed out shopping at 11 A.M. I get hungry at noon.

But I was not going to give in, not this time. I wasn't going to suggest the Chinese place or Sonic... I wasn't! Why spend too much money eating unhealthy junk someplace when we have plenty of food at home! Trouble is, I hadn't bothered to cook dinner ahead of time. Cliff leaves for work at 2:30. There's no chili in the freezer at present, nor anything else I can fix without some preparation.

Then I remembered a cooked chicken breast in the freezer. Chef salad! "I'll buy some lettuce and a couple of tomatoes and a cucumber, microwave-thaw and dice up the chicken to toss in the salad, and sprinkle some grated cheese on top," I said to myself. I had to talk to myself; Cliff was off somewhere in the automotive department.

When we had loaded everything into the trunk and were in the car, I told Cliff about my mental battle (it's a common one for me; I love to eat out). Boy, was I proud of myself for overcoming temptation.

"I was thinking about Subway, myself," he said.

"See? We saved all that money.... wait just a minute! I spent $1.39 for a head of lettuce, $1 for a cucumber, $1.95 for three puny tomatoes... and I still have to make the salad when we get home! Subway would have only cost us $5 plus tax.

Cliff found the whole episode humorous. Me, not so much.

At least the salad was good.