A post in which I have to go home

Mom and I debated going out for breakfast this morning, but in the end didn't.  I know she likes to do that, but we had been out for breakfast yesterday morning, and I just felt like hanging around the house this morning.  We made breakfast in my new pan, which performed just beautifully.  I'm most happy with it.

On the agenda today was a trip to Fred's.  I had never been in one, but it's a favorite of Mom's.  Mom loves stores fulla crap.  Now I like junk stores, but generally don't spend a lot of time in Dollar Tree and the like.  Mom LOVES them.  We were looking for a little lamp for my living room.  My old one (which I picked up inadvertently at an estate sale years ago in a box lot, and which I have never been crazy about) died a couple of months ago.  I hadn't replaced it because I was waiting to go shopping with Mom, but having a non-functioning lamp in my chronically under-lit living room was starting to wear.  We had looked at Target last night, but there wasn't anything there that just slapped me on the ass and called me daddy. 

Mom told me that Fred's had a good inventory of little lamps, and my trust in her expertise was not mis-placed.  There were shelves of little lamps in various shapes and sizes, along with an impressive selection of lamp shades.  After some futzing around, I found one that would work.  It was really reasonably priced too. 

That accomplished, we headed up the highway to meet Lisa for lunch.  She was on her way back from the beach, and was stopping in Columbia to pick up Ava, who had spent the weekend with her father, he-who-must-not-be-named.  We met Lisa at Carolina Wings in Cayce.  Lisa showed up in high spirits and full of stories about her weekend away.  I'm SO glad she had a good time.  She mostly works and takes care of the kids, so I was really glad that she took some time for herself.  She's been so worried about leaving Ava with you-know-who for his weekends that I was pleasantly surprised that she decided to take the opportunity.  I had some truly excellent buffalo shrimp (one of my favorite things), and our waiter was super nice.  Ava's dad dropping her off was a minor flaw in a nice visit, quickly made up for by getting to see my darling baby princess niece Ava.  She loves her some Uncie Steve, and I adore her right back, so it works out well.  She happily climbed all over me for a while, but then I had to hit the road. 

The ride back was uneventful, and I made good time.  I got in, unloaded about twice what I had taken down (it seemed like anyway), was cussed out by the cats, and started getting ready for the week. 

I put my new lamp in the living room, then discovered I was completely out of light bulbs.  My ex used to stockpile them (he had a bit of a thing about light bulbs), and when he left he bought all fresh light bulbs to take with him (I don't know either).  I've been using the ones he left ever since.  I just haven't bought any in years, and now I never think to.  In the process of changing out the lamps, I found that the bulb in my old lamp was burned out, which is probably all that was wrong with it.  All these months.  I felt like an idiot.  But since the plug was broken, it needed to be replaced anyway.  Or fixed.  Or something.  The new lamp looks fine, but I can't decide if I'm happy with it.  It's very tasteful and all, but it's a new lamp made to look old, and that kind of harshes me.  Most everything in my house that looks old looks that was because it is old.  A new bulb may help (the one I stole from another lamp is too dim).  If it doesn't though, I am free to shop for one I like better now. 

It was a great weekend, and so good to see Mama.  But I'm ready to be home for a bit!