I’ve been feeling a little crabby lately. Sadly, it is all self-inflicted. Still, it is always nice when you can shift the blame to a known or unknown person! So, what has me “wrapped around the axle” as my dad would say. A few things.

The Amazon app on my iPhone. I have a problem: my inability to stop ordering stuff from Amazon. I can’t tell you the last time I set foot in Target. No need—everything is available with a tap of your finger. Out of vitamins? Amazon. Out of Bounce? Amazon. Need waterproof pants for an upcoming trip? Amazon. It is too easy. I think of something, and the next thing I know, I’ve tapped the app, typed into the search bar and bought it! Usually with one click. Amazon has wisely stored my credit card information and address so I need to do nothing but hit ‘Buy Now’ and I’m done. It is embarrassing how many packages I find on my front porch. It is so bad that I look around my house before retrieving them to make sure none of my neighbors can see me. And each month when I get my credit card bill, I am met with pages of Amazon charges. Every once in a while, I decide I am going to try and match the charges with the items I bought, but instead, I make a fake promise to myself that this month it will be different. It never is. At least at Target, I was faced with an overflowing cart and could edit my purchases. Now, I feel bad about my addiction to the app and guilty when I see delivery trucks clog up the street every day—all because of my laziness. I just can’t quit you, Amazon!

A Free Little Library thief? As regular readers may remember, I installed two Free Little Libraries in my front yard. One has books for kids, and the other is for adults. I live in a neighborhood with sidewalks so nearly every day someone will stop, take a look and leave with a book. It brings me great joy. I love to read and want everyone else to love it, too! The libraries have been in place for more than a year, and people are starting to recycle their books, which is the whole point … to make it self sustaining. But over the past few months, I have noticed that some people are taking five or six books at a time. I fill the library up one day a week, and like clockwork, a small group comes by and overly helps themselves. Now, rational Patty sees this as just a cost of doing business, but irrational (or the unleashed) Patty gets downright mad when I spot a car pull up and help themselves to the entire content of the libraries. I swore to Carey the other day that I was done! No books for anyone! (Yes, a very Seinfeld reaction.) Then I think, maybe they really need all of the books, and I should just stop getting aggravated. It is a fun thing for me to do, but why can’t everyone play fair?

You’re probably thinking, “Real rough life you got there.” The sentiment is warranted. Thanks for listening to me whine. I feel better, but I doubt you do.

Peace my Peeps.