A quietly given gift soothes an irritable person; a heartfelt present cools a hot temper. Proverbs 21:14 (The Message)
I’m feeling contrary today. I blame it on the Zytrec I took last night for allergies. On Saturday, I touched up the trim in the bathroom. The high gloss paint was not low odor so it made me sneeze. Then, yesterday, I did some heavy duty cleaning so my head was stopped up. I had a hard time getting out of bed this morning and didn’t really feel right until Noon. Whether the medicine is responsible or not, I’ve felt cranky and irritable all day. A staff member who I have tried nicely to tell that I am not a morning person yet who continually “attacks” me with problems and decisions to make as soon as I get out of the car in the morning finally figured out he needs to leave me alone until 10:30! I had a lot on my plate today and many interruptions. Once my head cleared, I got a lot done, but still felt out of sorts when I came home tonight. Unfortunately, I had to spend some time paying bills and that always aggravates me. I can’t believe how much money we spend on insurance. And why does youngest son use 411 at $1.99 a pop so much? In the middle of balancing the checkbook, youngest son HAD to use my computer. His has a virus and a black screen so why did he think I would let him use mine? He HAD to order a stethoscope for school next week. And he HAD to have my credit card. Which I realized after we had the order made that I couldn’t find! I was sure I had left it in my pocket and it was probably in the washing machine, but it wasn’t there. So, I went in search of it looking on my dresser, behind my dresser, in the drawers of my dresser and so on. Repeat the process for my desk, the couch cushions, the kitchen, laundry baskets, bathroom and my purse. No credit card. I finally located it on the fourth search of the washing machine. It had slipped underneath the agitator. A good place for it since I was mighty agitated by the time I found it. Not only because I couldn’t find the card, but because I had to listen to husband recite all the reasons I was so careless and ask why I didn’t put it away in the first place. Then, he kept trying to get me to call and report the card as lost as he lectured on how many things some thief would buy when he or she found it before me. Like I hadn’t thought of that already. But, in the process of tearing up the house, I found some old pictures of youngest son that made me smile and get all mushy inside. How far he has come. As soon as I found the card, I went and ordered him the green monogrammed stethoscope he wanted. And I don’t feel so cranky anymore.
I know how that goes… I have a hard time staying mad at my boy because when I look at his almost-as-tall-as-me body, I remember cradling his tiny new one in the dark on the front porch and looking at the stars.
My husband lost his checkbook last week. He has a bad habit of leaving it in the car and when I went out that day, discovered that both glove boxes were open. Not that weird for him, but it was for me – I immediately thought someone had rifled the cars and stolen his checkbook. I cancelled checks and put a flag on our account – then I found the checkbook under the side table upstairs. Definitely a weird place to be, but at least it wasn't stolen!