My trip to the store.

I left the house around 11.  I had my "expires Feb 2019" bus pass, a few dollars and some change, and my heavy coat.  The small bills and change were for bus fare, if the card didn't work. 

Ron was in his room, sleeping. 

I opened the front door and found 3 talking book cartridges on the porch.  Each unit holds 3 books, so that's a lot of reading for Ron.  He had been decrying the lack of books, and constantly asking me to check the mail so he could get more. 

I don't know if the mail carrier left them, or a neighbor got them and delivered them, but I knew he would be happy and less inclined to brood/pick fights if he had some books to read.  So I put them next to him in bed.  Then I left. 

An uneventful trip to the bus stop, some mud but it is mostly sidewalks all the way there.  I had to wait a little while but not too bad.  11 AM hit, which meant I could eat.  I drank my protein shake and a diet Dr Pepper. 

I had just about finished my soda when the bus arrived.  I boarded and "tried" my pass, and it worked.  Apparently the expiration is just numbers on a card, the actual card itself works fine.  Which is good, as I still have a $30 credit on that rascal. 

I got to my stop.  I had thought about going to a popular restaurant, but one look at their parking lot screamed "Run away Heather!"   It was packed.  The bank wasn't open yet so I went to a nearby grocery store. 

I don't like the chain much but it was something to do.  I wandered around for a little while.  I got some thyme, a couple of cherry fritters, 3 Diet Dr Peppers, and a single canning jar (actually a glass jar with a screw on lid).  I needed something like that for the 7 ounce packet of curry I'd bought recently.  Once I open it, it needs to go in something airtight. 

I paid and went to the bank.  They weren't open yet so we lined up.  A guy in front of me, a guy behind me, and a guy behind him.  We were a mix of races and ages.  When the bank opened, the first guy needed a money order to pay his rent. 

The bank offers a very reasonable checking account policy.  I don't know why he would go the money order route unless he bounced a check and they will only take a MO now. 

I made my deposit.  I kept a little back because, at some point, I need to go to Walmart and buy some new work boots. 

It is tricky, I like - love, online delivery, but I need to keep some cash in hand, too.  It is a balancing act, keeping enough cash vs online money.  Last month I put too much in my account and scrambled for cash. 

All done with that, I headed out to the bus stop, munching on a fritter.  It was pretty good considering it cost 65 cents.  It didn't have a lot of fruit, did have a ton of sugar, but it was filling.  I saw the restaurant parking lot was still packed. 

I got home without incident.  One man got off at my stop and headed into the wooded lot next to the bus stop.  There is nothing there.  Occasionally the homeless camp there and "live off the land" - defecate everywhere, make messes, get on the bus and go beg somewhere, buy alcohol/drugs, come back and abuse their substance of choice, etc.  I wish the lot owner were more vigorous in doing clean-outs.  But he didn't bother me. 

I couldn't help but think, much as I love the woods, that maybe they need to sell the land and let it be developed.  That would end the homeless problem. 

But I had my stun gun and he didn't follow me. 

I went home.  Ron was still asleep.  I ate my other fritter, took my AM pills (forgot to bring them, I was so upset), petted the cats, and laid down for a nap.  Ron woke up and I could hear him opening the cartridges on the books.  They just say "TX talking book" in braille now, they don't have titles.  The user has to put the cartridge into the machine and access the "bookshelf", I think they call it. 

I still managed to sleep OK.  I was curious to see how Ron was going to handle trips tomorrow.  He needed to make the trip before 5.  His alarm went off at 4.  He didn't say anything to me so I stayed in bed for a while.  I had a pretty good headache, unfortunately mine can also be stress triggered. 

I got up around 4:30 and drank a Diet Dr Pepper.  That helped.  Biscuit was hungry so I fed him some of his special food.  He eats it with a pretty good appetite.  I am glad he is good about that. 

Then the girl cats wanted food so I fed them, standing over the bowl so no one ate the wrong thing.  I looked at the trips online. 

Sure enough, Ron had made a trip to work and home.  Also one to the doctor and home.  I saw one trip to Walmart, which he cancelled.  So he did not keep his promise to take me to Walmart. 

I figured oh, well, I will go on Tuesday.  I don't want to hassle with going to Walmart when there is a deadline to get home and another ride to catch, especially one to see Ron's doctor. 

Ron came out and told me he was not taking me to Walmart.  "I saw".  He gave me some cash and told me to take a cab.  He had it all laid out in his head that I would go tomorrow.  I told him I wouldn't.  He was very upset, but he didn't ask.  He just made a bunch of assumptions.  If he had actually woken me up and asked, I would have told him. 

Then we went a few more rounds about the cats.  I think I did establish some things. 
1.  He will not threaten, or hurt, Biscuit in any way.  I am not worried about the other cats, he is more bonded to them. 

2.  I am not going to Walmart tomorrow.  It is too bad if that's what he had planned for me, it won't work out, too many chances of screw ups. 

3.  He said, and I believe him, several times that he would never harm Biscuit.  When sober, I believe that.  But Biscuit doesn't get near him when he's drunk. 

He sat in the kitchen drinking and the girl cats begged for treats (this, after eating full meals in front of me).  Ron gave Baby Girl a lot of treats but she is still begging.  At least now he is telling her no. 

He opened the freezer and was fumbling around in there, knocked my TV dinners out.  I had to fix that.  Then he took great pains to ask me what he had in his section of the freezer.  I told him and he selected a frozen Taco Bell burrito.  I can't think of anything less appealing but it's his food, not mine. 

He is still drinking in the kitchen.  I don't see how he can do that because I know he is on his last bottle. 

He was going on for quite a while, how he couldn't believe I threw away his treats.  I don't know what he expected after threatening Biscuit.  I wasn't going to leave them around to be used against my cat.  I would never do that. 

If you make something a weapon I will neutralize it.  He made it a weapon. 

He still has this (and I don't get it at all) thing that he will not give Torbie treats, he will only treat Baby Girl, and I have to "love my cat" by shoving half a cup of treats into her every time she peeps.  If I don't rush to do this I am a "bad mother" "Bitch" and worse. 

I told him he is welcome to give her treats if he wants.  He says I have to do it.  This is new, by the way.  I don't get it one bit and maybe it's better I don't. 

His head is a very twisty place.