Old Habits Die Hard

One of the hardest things I have ever had to personally conquer is/was smoking. I had my first cigarette at the age of 14. Coughed, hacked and felt terribly nauseous. The second one, well I was hooked. By the time I was 18 I was up to nearly two packs a day! Yikes!!
But, I had a new lease on life at the age of 20 (that being a personal invitation from Jesus to start all things new with a fresh batch of mercies each morning), and with that extra booster of strength and power I began to kick that habit. I had my last cigarette somewhere around the age of 22 - actually it was only half a cigarette. I am very happy to say the shackles have been removed. BUT I know danger when I see it and it would seem I am a smokeaholic - meaning cigarette smoke still smells pretty good to me and I had better stay clear of them because one of them would probably send me back on the road to two packs a day. I am definitely not someone who can "take it or leave it". I'm all in.
Which, sadly, leads me to my Frumpy Sweater. You know, the one I was supposed to dispose of some time ago. The one always covered in cat hair and toothpaste dribble down the front with holes in the pockets etc. etc. Yes, I admit it, I'm wearing it as we type. But, I want you to know, I've tried, really tried, to let the old girl go. I bought one sweater to replace it but it was so cute I wanted to keep it nice. Besides every time I picked up Frodo the cat he would get his claws stuck in this sweater and it would take at least two people to extricate us. Then, I bought another sweater; pockets, comfortable and Frodo Friendly. I threw it in the wash and lo and behold it shrunk! So here I am, still wearing old Frumpy.
It took me quite a few years to kick cigarettes - may take me a while to shed this sweater. Old habits die hard ya know.