My search for undies, and facial cleanser

Well, I got my underwear today. 

I slept in until around 9 and took my shower. I tried to free the pump action dispenser for my new facial cleanser, and I couldn't get it loose.  I must have looked pretty funny, standing there, face twisted in frustration, naked, water running, cursing and fighting with the damned thing! 

I never did get it working.  I used the acne soap instead. 

I believe I am suffering some hormonal changes.  Weirdness with my cycle, suddenly dry skin, hair half greasy and half straw-dry, yeah, some changes for sure. 

I had been able to use good old Acne Soap for the last 30 years, some variation of it.  Now it's too drying and my skin feels awful after I use it.  My face still feels dry and tight, 6 hours after my shower.  I got some Noxzema, but it doesn't take enough off.  My regular bar soap is too drying.  So I persist in trying to find a decent skin care routine. 

And I have been so derisive about moisturizing products!  Agh! 

The rest of the shower was uneventful.  I realize now I will need to start using conditioner (my hair is about halfway down my back), as it looks awful with just shampoo.   That is also new.  I got to thinking maybe I should go to Walmart today. 

Ron had offered to pay half the cab fare, and had a small list if I did go.  So, when I got out, I told him I was going, got the money, and the list.  He wanted more beef jerky.  I am always happy to get that for him as it is protein and red meat all in one.  God knows he can use both. 

I got dressed and called Arturo.  He said he was tied up and it would be about an hour.  I told him I would call the cab company, but give him first crack at my ride home if he wanted it.  He said yes.  I called the company and had a ride in about 10 minutes.  He was nice enough but didn't really speak English aside from taking directions. 

I went in and started looking around.  I went over to the facial aisle.  They had a lot of wet wipes for the face.  Not really what I wanted.  Creams.  Every kind of cream in the world, some of them quite expensive.  Not quite what I wanted.  And more pump action dispensers!  Nooo!  [laugh]  I knew the right product was out there, somewhere, for me.  Bar soap.  No, I had done that a lot and was finding it too drying.  Cream in a jar.  Naaah.  I went back down the aisle, and saw something with pink flowers on it, on the bottom shelf.  It was rose water (I love that) facial cleansing wipes.  Back to the wet wipe for the face.  I stood there with them in my hand (about $4) and looked up and down the aisle.  I didn't see anything else I thought would be a better product, so I put them in the cart.  We will see how they work. 

My only fear is that I will like them, a lot, and then they will be cancelled.  That actually happened with another facial cleanser product Walmart had.  Apparently I was the only one buying them! 

Then off to the underwear, before I forgot.  I found a huge display and hunted all over.  I found what I wanted, but not in my size.  Well, crap.  I went to the other side of the display, fancier underwear, not my size. 

I was feeling very insecure, wondering if I WOULD have to buy my underwear online now.  But I am not that big, considering (size in the low 20's), and have gotten all my underwear from them before.  I turned around to ask the fitting room lady where the big girl undies were and saw the display on the side of the fitting room: featuring large women flaunting it.  God love them. 

I ran over and found what I wanted in a minute or two.  I decided to get two packages. 

Here's my problem: my cycle is generally very regular.  While I'm having it, I wear designated underwear so I don't mess up the "nice" ones by mistake.  I just find it easier. 

My very regular cycle would go about 5-6 days.  Not right now, I am having a very low flow and have had it for over a week past the end of my cycle.  I am running out of underwear (and tampons)!  So, I bought both. 

It has been over 15 years since my last women's exam.  Clearly I am overdue.  Hopefully it is just menopause and nothing major.  But it's a pretty low flow so I'm not freaking out.  It's just another factor in my life right now. 

So I got the tampons, and the underwear.   I was getting down pretty far into my stash.  I like to do laundry about once a week so that can deplete pretty quickly! 

I also got some shampoo to go with some conditioner I already have on hand (welcome to Heather's pantry!), already had the facial cleaner, I looked for Santa's Sack mixed chocolates - you get over 2 pounds for $6, but they were out. 

I got some canned food and some fake crab, I like to eat it right out of the package, and I can use the protein.  I got Ron's jerky.  He told me he wanted chips, too, so I got him some.  I also got him a pack of t-shirts, because, like I said, I like to do laundry once a week only. 

I went over to the cat aisle.  I had just bought Biscuit half a case of Friskies so I wasn't worried about that, also plenty of litter.  But they had the surfer treats Ron likes to feed them.  I put that in Ron's part of the cart.  He had given me some cash to cover his part of the purchases and one way cab fare. 

I couldn't think of anything else, and I thought hard.  I had just bought a package of pillowcases, so I didn't need that.  Just did most of my shopping yesterday, so

AWESOME.  I just remembered the mac and cheese I got for my dinner.  I love my short term memory issues.  It's just a fun world of discovery sometimes, when I open the fridge. 

So, I got the mac and cheese, I also got a couple of chicken strips for Ron because he needs protein and he never says no to chicken strips. 

I found a cashier I like and checked out.  She managed to cram everything into my single, reusable, tote bag.  I paid, then she rung up Ron's, I paid for that, and then she shoved it all in the same bag. 

I went outside and called Arturo, he said he would be there in 20 minutes.  That's a good time frame for Walmart so I took it.  I had forgotten my garage door opener, and realized, to my horror, I had forgotten to put out the stuff for Salvation Army. 

Arturo was right on time and we headed home.  I paid him and took the stuff into the front door.  The cats watched me until I walked up on the porch, then they left the window and ran off, not bothering me with escape attempts. 

Actually, Torbie is the bad one on that.  Every now and then she will get a wild hair and run out, or into the garage right as we're leaving, etc.  Pretty odd for an old lady.  But she was a good girl today and I got inside.  I put my bag down and immediately put the Salvation Army stuff out. 

I just checked, they took the bag of coats, but left the chair.  So I have a wooden chair.  I need to decide if I want to put it out at the curb for the scavengers/hoarders or put it back in the garage.  I have room for it so I will probably keep it. 

I put the refrigerated food away and gave Ron his chicken strips.  They woke him up pretty quick.  He worked on that while I put the purchases away. 

Battling depression today, so it would have been easy to just throw it on the floor.  But I wanted to get it put away, my house is a mess but in some ways I am very organized.  I got it all put away and Ron woke up. 

He offered to give me money for Walmart, I told him he already did.  I need to give him his change the next time he gets up. 

I ate a little of the mac and cheese and took a nap.  Well, I tried, but too much caffeine today.  Ron was very quiet creeping up the hall towards the kitchen, but he forgot to turn off an alarm, which went off at 2:30.  I was sleeping with Biscuit and rather annoyed at that.  I finally got up. 

I prepared all my new purchases for the wash (underwear, and Ron's t-shirts), put them in, added a week's worth of socks and underwear, t-shirts, etc.  I added some color brightener, it is a generic version of Clorox 2, I think.  I also threw in one of my less-favored detergent paks.  I ran it on soak. 

It scared me at first, it didn't make any running water noises when it normally does.  Then it started.  I let it soak for an hour (it's a cycle, it fills, agitates a few minutes, soaks for an hour and then drains).  When that cycle finished, I threw my inside-out "Meowy" Christmas t-shirt in the load and ran a regular cycle.  That way the t-shirt does not suffer any unnecessary agitation. 

It just finished so I threw them in the dryer.  Everything but the socks, which just can't get clean.  I will hold them back and run them with the jeans load, or maybe the bedding load (but then I will be picking ankle socks out of the fitted sheet for days!), tomorrow. 

I was going to take the sheets off my bed and throw them in to soak, at least, but Biscuit is curled up on my bed looking precious so I will leave them.  One more night won't make a difference. 

It is supposed to rain and probably a cold front tonight, so Ron wants to stay home tomorrow, too.  I would go to work but he's the manager. 

I'm not doing any more caffeine today so I should sleep OK tonight.  Once I post, I will go eat my Mac and cheese (ugh, my face is so dry and itchy!), and take my pills. 

I plan to go to bed early.