A Day without CrazyFriend.

Okay.....well, I must admit I am feeling a tad guilty but I had a day without CrazyFriend yesterday and it was fun and pleasant. But since I am the guy, I can't help feeling like I was sneaking around and cheating.

I had to go to Charlotte to pick up some medicine for our dog, Cookie. I don't mind going to Charlotte, in fact I enjoy the drive and I enjoy having lunch up there BUT everytime I go up and take CrazyFriend with me, I wind up having the most unpleaant, stressful drive and it just makes for an unfun day. Because we ALWAYS wind up arguing about her "boyfriend" and being trapped in the car for an hour an a half, I usually lose it and go ballistic about 2/3 of the way back to Columbia. It is so bad, I can just about tell you the mile marker on the interstate where I am going to lose it and start yelling. I turn into the guy. I know I am right, and I say things I know I shouldn't say, I raise my voice, I throw in a few expletives and then I am sorry and wish I hadn't done it. Sometimes, I even make her cry. Jeeez, it's too hard being the guy.

But..yesterday, I drove up there by myself. I love I-77. It is flat and straight and fast. I got to listen to my CDs the whole way. I had coffee and I stopped at the rest stop for a 5 minute pee break (not the usual 20 minutes it takes when I am with CrazyFriend.) When I rolled into Rock Hill, I called Cousin suzie (who I really like....think Barbara Jean on the Reba Show.) She said she could meet me for lunch. We met for lunch at a place called the Peach Stand> It's a really nice place with a restaurant, all kinds of gourmet foods, a bakery, souvenirs and treats. We had taco salads and talked about going to New Brattonsville next week.

Since Cousin Suzie lives right there, she went with me to the vet's office (which was very helpful because she showed me a much easier way to get to the vet's office). We shopped a little bit (all the same places we shop anywhere...Books-a-Zillion, the Goodwill Store, Best Buy. And then we went to Starbuck's (don't usually go there but we wanted coffee and something sweet). It was fun. FUN is the operative word here. There was no whining or complaining about the food or spending 20 minutes in the bathroom.

We killed the entire day and made plans to go to New Brattonsville next Tuesday if the weather is decent. (CrazyFriend can go with us for that.) I enjoyed the day very much.
And on the way back, I stopped at a gun and hunting store just outside of Rock Hill. It was just on the spur of the moment. I'd seen the signs for it so many times and this time I decided to stop. It was HUGE. I was very surprised. I didn't buy anything but it was fun finally stopping.

I made it past mile marker 83 without having to yell or curse or go ballistic. I drank my soda, listened to Bette Midler, rolled 70 mph the whole was and got back here at about 5:00. What a nice, relaxing FUN pleasant day. It was a gorgeous clear, sunny day, in the high 50's and I must admit, I actually enjoyed myself this time around. I wish CrazyFriend would learn to lighten up and let go of things a little but to spout a platitude, you can't change a leopard's spots. We all are who we are.

Unfortunately, when I got home, I found out hubby did not have quite the nice day I did. The transmission on his truck went out about as far away from home as it possibly could. He had a terrible time getting back with it since it wouldn't go more than 30 mph. And it looks like he is going to need a new transmission (This is the truck I asked him to wait and look around a little more but he bought it straight out = we won't go there...)

And it is pouring with rain today And he HAS to go out because he has two doctor's appointments (who schedules TWO doctor's appointments on the same day??) and he has to have dinner with his buddy.) So guess who's car he has to take. Yup. Uh well. He drove the thing the whole time I had my broken ankle. I just want him to be careful and I want him to fill it back up with gas and I want him to clean the SAND and dirt out of it when he is finished with it. In other words, please just give it back to me in the same condition that I gave it to him.

I am going to stay home and have a nice quiet day. CrazyFriend just called me a second ago wanting me to meet her for lunch but I declined. Guilt guilt guilt. Sneaking around?? No, it wasn't me. I am going to lay low for a day or two. Isn't that what the guy is supposed to do?