Time to Replenish

I heard a story once about a mother who gave all her food away to the needy. She gave and gave and when it was time to feed herself, had nothing left in the kitchen. It's a great metaphor for the overachievers in the world (or the really generous mothers) who give until the tank is empty. Good one, eh?

I realized that you cannot keep giving and giving and giving without (every now and then) stopping to replenish the cupboards. Or, you give away all the good coffee, soups, spices, and snacks and all you're left with is seven year-old sugar free jello boxes and decaf coffee that no one has touched since the Easter of '05.

Yes, it's time to replenish the proverbial cupboards. This chica is down to food coloring and cherry pie filling. There is nothing good left to give anyone.

SO what am I doing? I'm taking a night off work tomorrow night, going out with new friends in the city, and getting my mind off work. Then, when the hoopla of moving is over in two weeks, I will breathe a sigh of relief that my husband and all my material belongings are in the same time zone. Last, if Jack lets me have my way, I will soon be booking our November vacation. We have it narrowed down to Puerto Rico or the Bahamas. THAT, in itself, will provide a significant source of fuel for my tank.

So what's the weirdest thing left in your cupboard when you're about to run dry? When do you KNOW you must finally break down and go shopping? When do you KNOW you must finally break down and take care of yourself?