Doing Without

It's been ages since I've been to BJs. Milk prices at Pathmark came down enough that I didn't feel it was urgent to buy milk and eggs at BJs, though I kept my Pathmark purchases to only a couple of gallons and eggs to an 18 count carton. But we were running low on a lot of supplies that just couldn't be bought cheaply enough at the grocery -- laundry detergent, diapers, and other cleaning supplies. The kicker, though, was the honey jar. Angie reminded me on our last grocery trip to buy honey. But when I checked the price on the shelf, I cringed in disbelief and shock. A tiny bearful of honey was 3.99. I pay less than twice that for 3 pounds of honey. So, down to just the last teaspoonful, I went without it in my tea and on our breakfasts, saving that last bit of honey as if using it would end the supply of honey forever. So I drank my tea with just sugar for a week, all the while eying those last precious drops of amber treasure. When Miguel asked if there was any honey for his tea, I firmly replied that there was not. "What's that?" he asked the next morning, spying the upside down jar on the top of the refrigerator. I couldn't explain why I felt so averse to using that honey up, so I didn't say anything at all.

But all is well, now. I've been to BJs and the teacups once more are liberally sweetened with honey.