Passenger Seat

It's been a really long summer. Other than picking up the odd design jobs here and there, I haven't been working this summer. Which I anticipated, but I  anticipated going back to work in September which was pushed back to November. I also anticipated getting back a couple thousand from my school this summer, which for many reasons didn't happen. And that made me sad. And totally thwarted my plans to go on an Alaskan cruise in May, which made me want to cry.

The first few months that I wasn't working it was great. I was sleeping in every day , sitting on my butt, and being a homebody. But the thing about me not working is that our income trickles down to just enough to pay our bills with nothing much left over for fun stuff. I haven't been to a movie theater since May, and I had to cancel my Netflix. We have only been out to eat a handful of times, and we can each only spend 30 dollars each week at the grocery store. Guys, all I've had to eat all summer is TV dinners. This is enough to make anyone cranky, and in the last few weeks my boredom has made me cranky.

The other night I picked up A. from work because I was so incredibly bored that I just wanted someone at home faster, so I could have someone to talk too. Usually when he gets home from work, I don't give him anytime to relax before I pounce. Meaning I tell him every mundane thought that has ever popped into my head. I'm pretty sure I once talked to him for an hour about whether I liked the color pink or blue better.  The jury is still out on that one, but thank God he loves me because I'm pretty sure if that conversation was reversed, I would be rolling my eyes a lot.

When A. got in the car, I was dreading going back home to heat up a TV dinner, and I started complaining about it. I knew we didn't have the money to go out to eat, but I couldn't help but whine about wanting to go out. A. agreed that we couldn't afford it, and just told me he was sorry. He was driving, and started making weird turns.  He took a street we don't usually take, and he kept forgetting to make his turns. And for the record we are both terrible backseat drivers. We both have certain routes and ways we like to take, and we are very vocal about it when the other isn't driving like we feel they should be driving. We have been having the same argument about which street is better to drive on in our neighbor for a year!

So this whole time, I am being very critical about the route he is taking. "I mean seriously? You are going to turn down that street?." "You just passed our street twice!". Finally, he just told me to chill out and go with it. That is a no go for me since I don't know how to "chill-out" or "go with it." But I just took a few breaths because I assumed he was up to something. And when we finally stopped we were at a Mcdonald's drive thru. See he was up to something! So I didn't make an ass out of you or me!

Its funny to say this. But it was a really sweet surprise. Yes, it was just McDonald's, but I knew we could barely afford it. And sitting in the car chowing down on burgers and eating McFlurrys with him was like a little mini-date and more than enough to lift my spirits. And when you are having a bad day or week, it really is those stupid, seemingly insignificant moments that make all the difference.