Adventures in Shopping

Yesiree, bob, we are makin' progress. The ceiling and walls have been texturized (twice in some cases) and the plastic, paper, and tape have been removed from the premises. The painters come on Monday to paint the kitchen and living room ceiling. Then on Tuesday, the floor people will come to remove the old carpet and what remains of the vinyl; on Wednesday, they'll prep for the new stuff. Then on Thursday and Friday, we get new kitchen vinyl and carpet everywhere. Unfortunately, the bathroom flooring is on back order for 2 weeks. But at long last, the end is at last in sight.

I'm still working on Aryanna's cardi. I'm about 1/2 way through the second sleeve. Hey, I've worked my buns to the bone this week. With a 3 day trial coming up next week to prepare for and training the new associate attorney, along with all the regular office stuff and the house stuff, I've been just a tad frazzled this week.

Then on Friday, I realized I do not have enough decent suits to make it through next week. Because not only do I have a 3 day trial, I also have a full day deposition and a 1/2 day hearing. And the only black heels I have kill my feet. So, yesterday after work, it was off to Chico's to spend the $200 gift card I've been saving. They were having a sale at 15% off, and had a full rack of discontinued in my size. SCORE! So Tool Man pulled stuff off racks and I tried on. Walked out with a black and white print dress, a black jacket, a necklace, and a pair of earrings. And still had money left on the card! On to Kohl's, where I found a great pair of black leather pumps with black patent bows on the toes.

This morning, we were going to eat breakfast out (it's our Saturday morning tradition) but everywhere was packed so we skipped it. Which we would regret later. So we went on to Ross, where Tool Man found a killer black crepe suit for me that marked down from $149 to $21.99! And a cute brown and pink pinstripe suit. And a pair of black slingback heels and a pair of heels in a cream color leather with a pearl finish. All on sale; total checkout was $79.92. Tool Man and I are on a roll by now, so on to Payless shoes where they're having a buy one get one 1/2 off sale; so I pick out a pair of medium brown open toe pumps and a pair of dark brown slingbacks. By now, I'm done, whipped, finito, toasted; and Tool Man's debit cards are smokin' hot. And it isn't even noon yet. But remember, we didn't get breakfast, so we're starved. But we have to go to the grocery store before we go home.

Never, and I mean never, go to WinCo on Saturday at noon; especially when you're hungry; never on the day before a holiday; and never when you only need 3 things. All of which we completely ignored and went anyway. So we had to park approximately 27 miles from the door, sprint into the store in the rain, dry off a cart, and fight our way through the mob to get: a single box of lime Jello, a tub of small curd cottage cheese, and a can of crushed pineapple. All of which are diabolically located as far as possible from each other while still being inside the store. While gathering the mere 3 things on our list, we also snatched up a six-pack and the new edition of Knit 'N Style; we considered them our reward for not killing anyone or their "darling child" before we got out of there.

All this because my sister-in-law Faye told Tool Man last week that she and neice Jane were planning the menu for Easter, when Jane said, "How about a fruit salad; Bobbie makes a good one." So Faye relays the message to Tool Man, who relays it to me. And I ask, "Which one?" His answer: "I don't know; she said something about lime Jello." Now, as Ellen says, "Honey, I was raised a church-going Midwestern Protestant. My people know the multi-layer Jell-O salad." So, after getting home alive and relatively in one piece, then slapping together a sandwich and virtually inhaling it whole (by now it was almost 1:00 p.m.) I whipped up one helluva Jello salad for Jane. I hope this is the recipe she was hoping for!