If we were meant to always do the right thing, why did Ceiling Cat invent alcohol, cigarettes and the beach? This is where I got into trouble.
You see, back on Labor Day I spent a lovely 3-day weekend with good friends at our family beach house at the Outer Banks of North Carolina. My friend Terri, a lovely, petite, fun-loving woman with enough energy to power NYC, gave my husband and I a lovely basket of goodies, including his favorite spiced rum, and my Blue Sapphire gin, as a thank you for having she and her husband accompany us to the beach house. The only time Terri smokes is when she is drinking, so sure enough, after we'd made our cocktails and settled onto the deck to enjoy the beachy night air, Terri lights up. She offers one to me and I say "What the hell, we're on vacation!" and accept one.
My husband gave me the stink-eye, so Terri told him to leave me alone. That smoking on vacation is like drinking on vacation. You don't drink in real-life like you do on vacation, right? So this is just a temporary vice.
Riiiiight.
I bought a pack of cigarettes on my way home from the beach...because in NC a pack costs only around $3.00!! I smoked about 4 out of the pack before gagging. I ended up giving the pack to a co-worker.
Two weeks later, I drove down to Charlottesville, VA to see a concert with a girlfriend, and to go to Monticello the next day. As I arrived in Charlottesville, I stopped for gas, and saw a sign "Camel Lights - $3.50." I swear to cheeses there was a parting of the clouds and a voice spoke to me. So I bought a pack.
Since then, I've smoked a pack a week. I know that's not too much really, but heavens to Betsy Ross, I'm supposed to be a fitness professional! I profess Wellness in my daily 9-to-5! And furthermore, I haven't come out to my husband that this has become a regular habit. I'm living a lie!! Ceiling Cat, help me!
By the way, I don't blame Terri at all for my fall from grace. I"m responsible for my own decisions and actions. She just provided the opportunity. I made a pact with another co-worker that this weekend I will quit. Since doing that, I'm noticing the Camel Lights are barking back at me...I've actually gagged on the smoke twice this week. This is a good thing.
