More of those unrelated thoughts that I mentioned before

I didn't want to overwhelm you with a super long post, so I decided to break it up into short, manageable segments. Hmmm. Now, what in the world was I going to write about?

A couple of days ago I made a trip to the thrift store to drop some stuff off. And it made me happy. It always makes me happy. I really like getting rid of stuff. Sometimes I feel suffocated with clutter, but it is so hard for me to get rid of, so when I actually manage to find stuff that I am willing to part with, I am overjoyed.

I had no intention of going in. What good could possibly come of it? But when Harrison realized that we weren't stopping he got very, very angry, until he finally convinced me that the best course of action was a quick trip through the store in the shopping cart. (He would be in the shopping cart, not me. Though they should offer Shopping Cart rides. I would take one! Especially if it is was fast and dangerous! Cuz that's how I roll.)

So, into the store we went. I tried to look at some clothes - Harrison needs some new pants - but it was futile. Some thrift stores probably have good stuff, but here, with all the students who make sure they always "use it up" & "wear it out" BEFORE they donate it, and all of the students who depend on thrift stores to provide their every earthly possession, the chances of finding anything good are exactly 538 to 1. So I gave up and we went to the toy section. I let Harrison get out of the cart and go to town on the toys, and I looked at the purses.

And Harrison fell in love with a stuffed Elmo. I tried to take it away when it was time to leave, but he hugged it and kissed it and wouldn't let go. So I gave in. And then I saw the same doll in better shape, and when I squeezed its tummy it sang the Sesame Street song in its cute little Elmo voice. I said to Harrison "Oh! Let's get the one that works!" (At this, little alarms went off in the back of my head, but I ignored them. Dumb alarms. Who needs 'em?) So we managed to walk out of there with Elmo, a purse for me, and a very nice copy of "Northanger Abbey" all for only $5.00. Part of me hated knowing that I had just bought stuff to fill up the space I made in my life by getting rid of the stuff I JUST dropped off, but really, what choice did I have?

And oh, how Harrison loves the Elmo. He hugs it and kisses it like he never does me. I let him take it to bed with him last night, and Elmo sang him to sleep. All was well, until 5:30 this morning, when I woke with a start to hear Elmo, blasting through the baby monitor, singing his little song over and over. And over. Never a peep out of Harrison. He just pressed Elmo's tummy over and over, for the next 20 minutes until he fell back asleep again. I cried softly into my pillow. Richard snored away. The song haunted me. Even now, if I close my eyes I think i can still hear it.

So, now I am facing the dilemma every mother must face at some point: is it wrong to brutally maul and incapacitate my child's very best friend in the whole world?