Self-Care Day vs. Borrowed Credit Card Day

Lucy’s got some ‘splainin to do

Unfortunately for my penny-pinching husband, I’m free from my couch prison.

Released by the doctor to do what I will. The doctor said it, not me. I’m just following the doctor’s orders.

I was finally going to be out of the house and could take pictures and write about my experiences. Because January was sad, depressing, sitting here alone, in the dark, waiting to die stories.

Seriously.

My January stories included seasonal favorites like My Daddy Didn’t Love Me, I Have 3 Babies in Heaven, and the Barbie movie made me question my life. I erased them all but I seriously needed to get out of the house and have a good time.

Yep, finally got in the car and drove. Unfortunately, it was to the hospital to see my best friend in the ICU. She had a heart attack the day before and needed emergency double bypass surgery. Shocking, emotional day. She’s only 3 years older than me, whose brain thinks she’s still 30 and whose body is 58. Everyone my age is having life-threatening medical issues.

What the actual fuck!

My blood pressure was through the roof on the way home.

Today, I couldn’t wait to get out of the house and spread some positive energy.

I decided to take my husband’s credit card with me in case of an emergency. I have my own credit card, but what if there was an emergency? That’s my story, I’m sticking with it.

The man gives the man much higher credit limits. Not my fault I needed to borrow his. Blame “the man”. And I didn’t want to wake him up to ask. See how considerate I was? He pays all the bills anyway so it shouldn’t matter which one I used. This is how I’m going to explain myself to him when he wakes up:

The week before Thanksgiving I was going to get my haircut because we were hosting Thanksgiving this year. And then I broke my leg so it never happened. My hair looked like straw on the end of an old-fashioned broom and my eyebrows looked like I was part Wolfman.

Ladies, did you ever need a haircut and eyebrows trimmed so bad that you feel 10 lb. lighter after? Yeah, that was me.

Point #2, It’s a cold, rainy day in Wisconsin. While I was sitting there getting my haircut, I realized my foot was wet now. I looked down at my gym shoes and could see my pink sock showing through the hole on the top of my black shoe. Burrrr.

So I decided what the hell, I’m going to get myself a new pair of shoes next. In the fall when I needed a pair of boots, I went to the second-hand store and found a pair that kind of fit for $6. So I kind of earned the below shoes I was about to buy, right?

Normally I hate shopping, even for myself. But today I just felt like I needed a present. A material possession hug.

Except the first time I whipped out that credit card, it was like I tossed a snowball down a hill and there was no way to stop it.

IN MY DEFENSE, your honor, while my husband and I were raising our kids, struggling to make ends meet, many many years ago, we decided not to buy gifts for each other. Kids are in their freakin 30s now, but we still don’t buy presents for each other. So even though my birthday was in November and Christmas was in December, I hadn’t received any gifts, or even left the house since I broke my leg in November.

Hoping he’ll be feeling sorry for me at this point of my story. Maybe even guilty? No presents for my wife, how dare I! How am I doing so far? Even though he spoils me by being the sole breadwinner and took me to Hawaii for a week in September to celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary, I made up for my not spending lately in one day. But I promise, I’m done.

So, I went into an ACTUAL shoe store to shop for shoes this time. Not a second-hand store, not Super Walmart with a diaper aisle and spoiling fruit smell wafting through the air. An ACTUAL shoe store.

I saw this beautiful pair of the latest Nike Air gym shoes with burgundy suede on the side. The lights were brighter or something in that part of the store, shining down on these on the top shelf. I thought I heard Angels singing when I looked at them. How could I deny angels? Sold!

But I don’t own any burgundy shirts. So of course, I had no option but to go to the clothes store next. I found two beautiful burgundy shirts, because I had to, to match my new shoes. Again, no option, obviously.

Then, I was so exhausted from all that shopping, of course, I needed wine and an appetizer at Olive Garden. I was feeling guilty I had spent money on myself for wants, not needs. I decided to spread the love and make someone’s day. I ordered an appetizer, and the wine, and left the young waitress a $20 tip on a $32 bill. It felt good. I’m broke now, LOL, but I’m not sad anymore and I made somebody else’s day!

Hoping the good karma fairy saw that shit.

I called my daughter and she said “oh great Mom, a self-care day, you needed that!” Yeah! That’s it, a self-care day! That’s what we’ll call this. Not borrowed credit card fun day. Bev’s self-care day sounds so much better! That’s how I’ll explain it when he wakes up in 4 hours.

Tick tock Lucy, tick tock.

I added some weight to his credit card. Mine never left my wallet. But I spread happiness into the universe.

So it’s a wash, right?

UPDATE: He was glad I took care of myself ♥. I normally don’t. But he is holding onto my credit card for the next month. “Great, you got all that with mine, so you won’t be needing your credit card. Hand it over Lucy.”

Touche!