We nearly always travel cheap, so I started burying myself in information we have on each province. I'd make reservations in spots we knew and liked. Other places I'd find something quirky and inexpensive. It's a task I absolutely love, and I stayed at it until the last week in March. We had air tickets, a car rental, somewhere to sleep each of the 64 nights, ferry bookings and even one dinner reservation at a special place for our 32nd anniversary. We went to Subway to celebrate.
By the end of April, after paying taxes, crying over our quarterly estimates and being continually stunned at rising gas prices, I'd cancelled everything and taken losses that broke my heart. (We'd been going on frequent flier tickets, paying more than $130 for fees or some such thing, but to cancel - NOT EVEN GET ON THE PLANE!! - we had to pay $100 each! To CANCEL, for Pete's sake!)
Right now, in early June, with a paid-for car that only gets 22 miles per gallon, and with gas drilling us for nearly $4 a gallon, it costs us nearly $5.50 to drive round-trip to Newberry. To drive to Irmo and back, it's more than $8. JUST TO DRIVE! To visit Hugh's mom in Jacksonville, we'll shell out $120.
We're planning our drives now, lumping in all sorts of chores. A trip to the doctor means seeing the guy but also getting a few groceries, filling up at the cheapest gas spot and picking up prescriptions. To go and not do four things is considered a frivolous adventure.
In January I decided to clear out the junk in our house. Of course, it was stuff I labeled junk, but by May I had every room like I wanted it. A friend and I endured a day at a flea market. We went to Goodwill numerous times. And we gave away our junk to whomever wanted it and put the rest in a consignment shop. Profits will pay for gas to Newberry or Irmo, I guess.
Believe it or not, I am cooking a little. We used to eat out a pretty good bit. Now, we only eat out for lunch after we go to the gym, and a dinner out is nearly nonexistent. I'm not Martha Stewart for sure, but Hugh says most of the stuff I put before him is edible. Do I like all this? ARE YOU KIDDING?!
I think, though, I need to clear out my mind a little bit, change what I think is exciting and fun. Hugh and I have been able to go and play for decades - and the time might come when we can do that again. Right now, though, I think we'll snuggle in, settle down and ride out the tides of change that are choking us.
Emily Clements, of Little Mountain, is a columnist for The Newberry Observer.
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