A quieter weekend

We had a much-needed quiet weekend - not exactly peaceful, but lots of chores that needed doing and a bit of time just to sit. We bought another freezer and filled it up from Costco; now that I'm working full-time it's much easier to do a  big shop once in a while and not rely on just picking things up when we need them. And Costco is always an adventure! I didn't buy any strange american food this time, just lots of things in bulk. My husband bought a huge jar of olives which I think is a bit high risk, but mostly we were very sensible. And stayed away from the industrial-size chocolates, despite temptation.

Number one son tolerates Costco and will push the trolley round stoically, but number two son just loves it. He vanishes, and cruises the food samples, then reappears from time to time to tell us what we should go and buy. We say no, we don't need half a kilo of feta, or spinach ice-cream, or garlic and parmesan fries, or singapore noodles, or raw almonds, or organic energy juice. And off he goes again.

In complete contrast to this gluttony of consumption, I have just finished Walden, which I've been slowly reading for a few weeks now. It's not exactly something you rush through to the end, but I've enjoyed it and should probably re-read, in a bit. And it is had the effect of coalescing my plan to retire early, in ten years' time, and get some acreage down the coast, and grow veggies and have chickens. I've always wanted to do this but have been too lazy - it's hard with school and work and social lives to be out of the city - but we can tree-change in our 50s and live slower for a while. This is my plan now, life could get in the way but I am enjoying thinking about it.