Monday

I had such a disappointing weekend! I was supposed to leave very early Saturday morning to go see Joe in Salem. But, there is no gas. My friends called relatives who live in Charlotte which is about half way to Salem from Atlanta and they said there was no gas, that they were having the same sort of issues we are having here...so I worried that I would get stuck somewhere - particularly north of Charlotte where there are only small towns with small gas stations. I called Joe, who was at the movies, we exchanged text messages - me apologizing and him assuring me that it was all okay. We made plans for me to go to Salem the last weekend in October. They are having "Piketoberfest." Should be fun.

When I realized I wasn't going to be going to Salem I sent an email to the tennis team captains telling them my plans had changed and telling them that if they needed me to play I was available. Jennifer said yes, Peggy said no - she was satisfied with the line-up; they lost.

I have been on a shopping spree. I hate shopping and that is all I have done for the last week or so. Shopping for this or that. I've bought pants, new t-shirts, a dress, a new jean jacket, some shoes, therabands and resistance bands to train at home; I still need a belt. It's madness. I think it's a combination of just damned bored and loneliness. I need to exercise a little self control. However, I think I'm done for the rest of the year - except for maybe a few long sleeved t-shirts.

The Horstman's rescued me on Saturday and invited me up for dinner - I took the wine (2 pinot noirs, a Bergerac and a "dry" reisling. The pinots were good, the Bergerac was good and we poured the Reisling out! It was so unbelievable sweet neither Sirpa or I could stand it. I can't remember the last time I poured a bottle of wine out! We had steaks, asparagus, grilled tomatoes and potatoes. It was lovely. I took Cassie and she and Cocoa had a great time running around the yard and being pretty silly dogs. Cassie was so tired all day yesterday. It was awesome.

Sunday was tennis match day (after I went shopping I went to cheer on the team) and book club. At the tennis match, Julie Thomas told me she had a bone to pick with me about how much Rebecca and I talked at the tennis lessons!!!!!!!! At first I didn't think she was serious then I realized she was and I was so flabbergasted I couldn't respond. I told her I thought Rebecca was very professional and that she ran a great practice. Anyway, I saw Rebecca later that evening and told her what Julie said - Rebecca wasn't sure who Julie was, then she said that the only time she and I had talked was during pick-up!

Book club was boring - there were only three of us. We read the Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. I enjoyed the book, but didn't read every word of it. The language was very, very British (as can be imagined) and sometimes it was difficult. But, by the last five chapters I was completely hooked. I'm actually going to finish the book today. Since no one was there we didn't pick a book for the next month. The EC book club has a low commitment level - a lot of people never read the book, a lot never come. But, for the other book club I just was able to join, we are reading Twilight (one book in a series of four) designed for the tweens. It should be an interesting read. After that we are reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

I was going to walk this morning before yoga but I have walked the last two mornings - one a death march with the dog - and my heels are really hurting. It's yoga day, yippee! I need to stop by Publix and get some Splenda on the way down to yoga so afterwards I can mail Lesley her Luna bars and Splenda. I'm trying a new place for shipping - FedEx in the Fresh Market shopping center. I want to see if the UPS store is ripping me off...I suspect they are but you never know.

Must go shower and start, somehow to sort out my recent purchases and get going on the day. If there is ever gas available I am going to drive Lesley's car!