Snaps

I took a few pics on my walk home to the loft for lunch. First - this really cool art in the jewelry store on Grand. The items are made from computer boards. Recycling. Novel idea! The picture doesn't do them justice - coppery and shimmery. So pretty and unique.

Next - one of my fave stores on East Grand...especially this time of year. Seed. I know - I'm not even a green thumb. Or anything close! They have cool yard art.

Paul has agreed to visit this gay bar before we leave loft life. After a couple drinks first (elsewhere). My gay friend at work, Jeff says people don't dance at Blazing Saddle until Friday about 9. Friday after we get back from our big shopping trip to Williamsburg perhaps? Bucket List checkoff plan...

After work, we headed to Jordan Creek Mall to browse around. We had a lovely grilled artichoke at Cheesecake Factory.







Those tiny figures are Paul and Odie

After we got home we took Odie for a walk to visit the Iowa State Capitol Building. I took this photo after P and O scaled the stairs. Odie is going to be tired tonight! Last night - she finally chewed her toy open. Pop goes the weasel.



It sprinkled on us on the walk home. It was a fun walk. I'm going to miss it here.

Odie and her weasel - had to toss it today - she was eating the fuzz

Tale of 2 shoppin' trips

The day after shopping with my buddy Deb, I met my young son to purchase the clothes he needs for his internship (see the braggy blog from a few months back when I talk about how he landed a cushy internship at John Deere) at Jordan Creek. He's kind of a shopping snob and doesn't usually like to go to Valley West - my fave shopping grounds.

But we were shopping for him - it was all about the Judster. I was at a meeting when he texted to say he was leaving Ames, around 11ish Friday a.m. Surprising since he'd partied after a rough week of finals - 3 on Thursday!

We started by eating. When Deb and I met the day before, we had a leisurely lunch at Jason's Deli with more chatting than chewing (ha - does that remind you of Van's Chat and Chew in Atlantic?). With Jud - we headed to the food court and got Chick-Fil-A sannies. We chewed quickly and chatted a little.

Then we headed to those stores where boys his age buy a lot of clothes - he ended up getting shorts to replace some shorts he says he got mayo on that won't come out. Those aren't for the job of course. My boy stays pretty traditional - they're tan.

Then it was off to Younkers to look for work clothes. There he tried on lots of basic chinos, before I found some supposedly athletic fit no iron Izod brand that fit him in a way he approved. We got navy and a buff color. He says the ones he has are tan. He says Friday's at JD are jeans day. He may need to buy another pair - I tried to talk him into gray, but for now he's sticking with these. Also got a slate blue polo. He's got several colors already.

We headed to the shoe area. Younkers was woefully understaffed here - there were some he would have tried on, but nobody to help. So we checked out, once the checker looked up at the are near the door. This was a theme this week - staff everywhere but nobody available to take my $$!?! We looked at shoes at several places and ended up with some Timberland slipons at Dillards. I like them.

Finished with a long sleeve shirt at Aeropostle and then we headed for home. In other words we were all business! There was no camaraderie - chit chatting, back and forth examination of styles. That's okay though - this is my kid. It was a good outing and we got accomplished what we needed to. And through the years we've spent very little on him for clothes - especially post high school when he didn't need new sports shoes every season.

Now he's home for a couple nights before he heads to Moline for the big day - Monday when he starts. He'll live in a motel the first couple weeks - then he moves into the dorm at St. Ambrose University. There are something like 60 interns from across the country in the program at this site, so it will be quite the deal! He's gonna learn a lot from this experience - and shopping with Mom was just the start.

Getting back on the horse

This is not the purse I found on sale, but it's the right brand!

If at first you don't succeed...when you get bucked off the horse, you need to get right back on again...anything worth doing is worth doing well. There are lots of sayings that work here.

The whole shopping thing. I tried again tonight, and it went better. I tried my ass off! I went to Valley West - really my fave in DM. Oh, yes I am seduced a bit by Jordan Creek, the fancy new mall. But when I wish to get down to biz, I head for Valley West.

In order to get into the proper frame of mind, I entered through Calypso, the quirky fun store that contains antiques to funny stuff. I like looking around there and the people who work there are nice. They didn't let me down this time either - as I was greeted by a couple people who didn't sound like they were just following the "you must greet each shopper" rule.

Then I headed to Von Mauer - the ritzy store. I perused the men's sweaters - yikes one I liked was $125. No thanks. I got to thinking about purses - my present purse (Fossil, anniversary gift from my beloved Pool Boy - yes I bought it myself) is a winter leather. So I'll be needing a summer model soon, right? Wow the store had a Dooney and Bourke on sale at $62! I liked it. My enthusiasm soared! Yet a clear head prevailed. Younkers too carries purses I told myself.

So I strolled through the mall - noticing that a couple stores closed. Sports/shoes. I slipped through Eddie Bauer's. Good prices, but nothing calling out to me. On I went, stopping in the CD Warehouse to see if they might have a Lion King soundtrack (the play not the Disney movie). Nope.

The stores are beginning to set out spring clothes - and I'm more impressed with them than the winter stuff. But come one - the skinny jeans are not good for my womanly hips! I scoped out the purses in Younkers - no sales of D&B purses.

On my way back to the other end of the mall, of course I had to swing through my fave shoe store. Be still my heart - saw lots of shoes I'd love to have. But nothing I needed to shell out money today for.

While in the shoe store, my baby girl called. She's needed some support this week - it's tough to be a new kid in town. After that, one last swing through Von Mauer to gaze upon the purse. Maybe I'll get it next week if it's still there. Or maybe not.

But the thrill was there!