A disasterous day!

 Slept in after remaining up quite late watching a somewhat dreadful movie (because I wanted to see something besides a sporting event on the new, big t.v.) and then spent a fitful night fighting to breathe due to the lastest weather-related allergy thingy. My man was even more miserable and had spent several hours in his recliner. That was an appropriate beginning to a day that went steadily downhill.
It's always a strain on the relationship when we make a MAJOR PURCHASE, like the big-screen t.v. that entered our lives yesterday. The family room is in shambles, and since the "move in" occurred when I was out of the house, and no one thought to call me and ask, things are not as they should be, and photo books, videos, decorative items, and books have all been moved and many are in various spots on the floor. I can't even get to my chair in the regular way, and it's so irritating! Hubby is grouchy, especially since he has realized this is going to take several more purchases before the spending is complete. Had to buy a blue-ray player, need a sound board (our old surround sound isn't syncing with the new arrival) and the television certainly can't reside on the sofa table where it is now...no way! Our entertainment center, which is very pretty and elegant with a dark cherry wood finish, is staying, and we will add an appropriate piece, not that old raggeldy thing!! After fretting much of the day and browsing furniture sites on-line, I made it to my favorite local furniture store and shopped for a proper cabinet. Found it will be pretty impossible to match the wood color to the entertainment center pieces, and that BLACK is the going color for furniture now, especially good since BLACK is the color of the new T.V.! I'm not particularly sold on BLACK furniture...think  "heavy and Victorian," but it seems to be more than just a fad, and who am I to argue with furniture fashion? OK. You who have labored through this piece may be thinking boring, and I think I agree; also, what's this got to do with disaster? not a blessed thing.  It could be a disaster tomorrow when hubby goes to check out the cabinet, finds out the price, and faints dead away, but that's not what I'm referring to.
There are two disturbing things that happened that really fit in the "disaster" column. One, I found that our long-time Kroger store is closing in 17 days. People we know and like and have seen for years will lose their jobs. . . a disaster for them and for us who consider them friends. That's the way it is in a small town. You know the people that check out your groceries and put back that roast for you or slice the ham "just so" or call you when the Spring strawberries arrive. Heck, just losing a store is a disaster of sorts for a small town like ours. It leaves two groceries and the "big box" store where we can food shop. It's depressing and makes it seem our town is shrinking.
Speaking of shrinking, that leads to the second rather disastrous happening. I stopped to grocery shop before returning home, and saw an elderly couple approaching the door as I entered. The lady spoke to me, and,  really, after looking past her at her husband, I realized they were friends of mine, a couple I had known for many, many years, and I hadn't recognized her until she spoke my name! It had been months since I'd seen them, or maybe even a year, but SHE had SHRUNK! She didn't look the same because she had lost a lot of weight, had no make-up on, and her hair was pure silver! When she talked, it was all gloomy and negative. He still had a twinkle deep in his eyes, but there was a sense of worry about him. What had happened to my friend? She had been thinner, but still the same person last time I saw her, but now she was DIFFERENT! She was OLD! When did that happen, and if it happened to her,oh, dear God, chances are it can happen to ME!
Oh, dear goodness! I chatted as best I could, and continued in to the store. I pushed my buggy around, tossing things in, hardly knowing what I was getting, I was in such shock! Get a GRIP, I thought. She must have been ill or something...maybe they just ran in to quickly pick up a few things, and she hadn't taken time to "put on her face" is all. Of course, as I walked and mulled and put things in my basket, I went from shock to depression to defiance...NO-O-O! That will not happen to me. I will not get OLD. I will be mature and "age gracefully" over the next 20 years or so until I finally lose my mind, but in the meantime, I refuse to be OLD. I will think YOUNG, take care of myself, try botox maybe, apply my make-up, DEFINITELY (decided today) keep coloring my hair and PLAY!  It has been my firm conviction for some time now, that when one stops PLAYING, one gets OLD. My friend has had to deal with some significantly sad events in her life, as has anyone who lives long enough. I guess life has finally gotten her down and she has lost her way and she is shrinking and disappearing. That, my friends, in my way of thinking, is a disaster.