What do YOU do when it all gets to be a bit too much?

As most of my readers know it is flu season here in Australia and, as predicted, the flu seems to be a bit more widespread than in previous years. It has put in an appearance in this household as well resulting in the CEO ending up on his second course of antibiotics for a chest infection and our son being out of action for a day or so but recovering quickly. Of course, as in most households I imagine apart from the 'perfect' ones which I can only dream about, the wife/mother is the nurse and caregiver but even the most well intentioned and most generous lady can get a bit 'over it' and need to escape for a while. So what does one do in such a situation?

If I lived at the beach I would go down and sit on the pier and look out onto the ocean...

...this photo is what the pier at the back of the unit we stay at actually looks like :-)

If it was a nice day I could go outside and sit in the garden and relax and unwind and not listen to anyone moaning and coughing. But alas, it is blowing a gale outside and the weather is not conducive to getting away from it all.  So the only solution is.... to take a trip to Spotlight!

With two Spotlight gift cards, that I had been given for my birthday, burning in my pocket I arrived to find that there was a sale on. I have been avoiding going to the store recently as I need fabric like a hole in the head but thought I would have a walk around and just relax and enjoy looking at pretty things for a while. 

I love checking out the quilting fabric but it is usually quite expensive so I only buy it when it is on a 50% off special so I spent some time in that section. I wandered down to the bottling shelves and wondered whether to buy a new thermometer as I use one for my soap making but I don't really need a second one so gave that a miss. I really try not to buy anything I won't use these days as we just have no room and decluttering is on my list at the moment. 

Then I walked past the clearance shelves in the yarn section and priced the sock yarn but it is still $11.99 and I still haven't finished my second pair of socks so kept walking and came across some Moda Vera Denbigh yarn for $2 a ball. 

I know, I know ...it is very bright but I did need cheering up and it was the only colour available and seeing as I am hoping to improve my knitting skills and knit a scarf or two for the homeless for winter next year I am sure that the colour won't be an issue when keeping warm takes priority. I also hope to learn how to knit a beanie so that I can have some  ready to give away next year. I have never knitted a beanie but I imagine they aren't that hard to make. Anyone got an easy pattern for beginners?

While in the all things bright and beautiful frame of mind I checked out the towels as some of ours need replacing and picked an orange one to keep me happy. No problems with matching the colour scheme as there isn't one in this house :-)

Then I headed over to the tea towel section and tried to work out which ones are absorbent as so many tea towels I buy are just hopeless when it comes to wiping up. The tea towels are washed each day as the residents wipe their hands on them and they wear out quite quickly.  I mean what part of 'Please don't wipe your hands on the tea towel' don't they understand ;-)

I thought of Kelly and wondered what she would choose as she would know what a good quality one would be like but then again, Kelly makes her own and if you would like to see her in action check out her video.She is one super talented lady and I don't even know how she made the video never mind the weaving of the tea towels. LOL!   If anyone finds a good brand of tea towels that are absorbent then let me know please!

Then it was time to buy a couple of cards for upcoming birthdays before heading to the checkout as I had already used up one of the gift cards. I was quite pleased not to have bought anything I wouldn't use and I didn't give into to the temptation of buying any more fabric to add to my stash. 

It was time to head back to my role as nurse once again. It was a nice break and just what I needed to cope...not that I really have anything to complain about compared to a lot of people. 

Now that you have listened to my winge for the day and would like to read something nice, then head over to Faye's blog This Blessed Hearth and read about her visit to Anne of Green Gables' house.   That would cheer anyone up don't you think?