THE PRICE OF FREEDOM

There was a need to leave the house today for I have remained a prisoner to the walls within for far too long. Freedom from a particle so tiny, one wonders how it can have such power over human beings much larger than it. Pollen is not my friend and has caused too much damage this month with putting off the many things which have been waiting to be completed. I could wait no longer, so I dared to venture outdoors. But not without a price.

The warmer temperatures today made it difficult to stay indoors. At 72F degrees and the sun shining bright today, one wonders if it really is January and not springtime. The day started early with my having taken the decorations off the Christmas tree. I had considered keeping the tree until Saffron returns in two weeks but felt the crispy branches and decided it was too late to keep it any longer.

Breakfast was quick. Coffee with poppy seed lemon cake and a slice of bread with peanut butter and honey. Afterwards, I set out to work on my 'to-do' list. Mostly I prefer online shopping, but sometimes it is not possible. The first stop was the gas station. I cannot recall the last time I was able to fill up the minivan with $25. The gas station I found on FM2222 at HEB sold gas for $1.72 per gallon. I thought it was a good bargain until I drove but a minute further and noticed the price for three cents less. Even later in the day, I noticed Costco selling it for ten cents less.

My next stop was The Container Store. Intending to buy wooden hangers, I found they were all sold out and on backorder. As I wandered to the opposite side of the store, I noticed the boxes for organising Christmas decorations reduced by 50%. The clerk at the store noticed my cart filled with a few of the boxes - ones I have looked at for the past several years to buy but never have - and said they were just marked down this morning. A good find for me and perfect timing since I just took down the Christmas tree.

Crate and Barrel was next and is a place I look for anything small and colourful for seasonal decoration. An aqua cotton napkin was one of my purchases for replacing the plaid runner on the wooden cabinet in my living room. It was a small purchase which offers a splash of colour for the winter season. Target was next on the list for necessary household supplies but I skipped Costco until later in the evening when I ventured outdoors once again to complete the shopping for the rest of the month.

The most important reason for leaving the house today was to take advantage of the holiday bedding sale at Macy's. I had put off buying the children down comforters since last spring as I kept waiting for a good deal. Having skipped the Christmas sales, I thought it best not to wait any further but simply buy three of the down comforters for the children's beds. Now I will no longer have to rely on thin blankets and cranking up the heater in order to keep them warm at night.

I returned home shortly after 14h, ate lunch, and chatted for a while with my boyfriend before deciding to go out again at a time when I normally would stay at home and make dinner. I took my camera with me and ended up photographing a tree in the Pottery Barn parking lot for today's photograph. Costco, Pottery Barn, and GapKids were my last stores to visit for today. My daughter's birthday is coming up later in the week so I know I will have to go out again to buy lemons for her cake and madeleines but until then I will limit my time outdoors as the price I paid for venturing into the beautiful sunny day today has cost me my health due to these allergies. Despite that, it was nice not to be confined indoors at least for one day.