Out and About

Hi everyone! Oh the fun, the joy, a freedom feeling! 

My friend L and I got out for a bit of fun girly shopping over the past two weeks. Stores here are open and very very clean; few customers, everyone wears masks. We planned ahead that if the shops were crowded or made us uncomfortable [as had Old Navy back in September] we would immediately leave.

First was a trip to the local shoe repair man; we are being asked to please patronize local small shops like this and my new LL Bean boots needed a stretching. L had to double park as I went in; maybe business would improve if there was anywhere to park?

Then onto the new Dollar Store. Keep in mind we have never been to a Dollar Store, lol. It did open, replacing Pier One. It has the rare attribute in our town of having a parking lot and good curb parking too.

The store was---okay. Not impressive. They did have a selection of holiday decor and on another day I might rummage through. 

I need pink, silver, rose, red, ornaments to fix my ornament wreath every year; my brother made it for me , one of my best holidays treasures. It's quite fragile and always needs a few replacement baubles. 

There were NOT all the crafts and usable house tchotkas that are featured in FB craft videos. And oddly nothing was a dollar---everything, even a card of hair clasp, $2.99 s was much more.

I was very happy to see the large sewing and knitting supplies aisle.

No more driving an hour to Joann's for thread or a zipper or knitting needles. 

I liked the doggy beds and the fry pans, and I thought the NYC souvenirs were fun to use for sewing kits for friends or swap recipients.

I bought nothing. L bought scrunchies.

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At the market the Halloween ales are now replaced with winter beers. Always fun to see, good marketing. I am guessing the beers are all the same, just different cases? But as a non beer drinker, I am not sure--I know varieties of beer abound. And I remember bock beer [though not a fall beer], prized by my parents, especially loved by my mom. bock beer

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And then. Over the bridges! Into the real world we went. Look at that blue ocean, softly amber marshes.

View as we waited out the drawbridge. These dense messy shrubs are bittersweet, and will be beautiful orange in a few weeks when the berries pop open at Thanksgiving. 

We only had a half hour to  spend at Home Goods. Poor planning as the store was absolutely stuffed with wonderful Christmas treasures.  click photos to enlarge for details

Mercury glass Trees of all sizes are very popular this year. Silver, but also red, green , pink, pastels aqua.

Mammoth red handblown Christmas balls for my window, but TOO red. And very large. Basketball sized!

More blown glass, orbs filled with snow and bottle brush trees. Not snow globe shakies, no water inside. L bought one to send to a little niece in Florida, who has never seen snow.

Snowmen...darling snowmen.

And a few mercury glass pumpkins too; I got a tall slim gourd.

Such fun. So much more but we ran out of time.

 L said too, "It almost feels like old times." We needed that joy!

Hope we can go back before Thanksgiving , while there's such a delightful selection. We'll see [ugh clinic Monday, a week wasted.]

Have a good rest of the weekend!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....

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Camera held up over a wall, whatever would my camera see?

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From Nicky and Penny in SA. Pristine defined.