My Trip to the Big City

Yes!  A lot like Little House on the Prairie minus the covered wagon and sunbonnets!  And I didn't have to take my yearly bath before.

So, where did you go Cheesehead Chris you ask?  Well, where all good girls go, Best Buy to get my MP3 player!  OMG it is so small!  But my kiddo was slightly impressed so all is good.  And he said I can get a cover for it.  I said ooo, you think they have pink leopard?  Or lots of glitter and shine?  He didn't know.

Then I went to Borders.  I LOVE Borders (or any good big bookstore...OMG!  It is a drug.). That is the one thing I really really REALLY missed when we moved here and that saying coming from a town with a "Little Professors" for a bookstore.  Oh there are lots of bookstores here if you like Christian reading, three Mennonite/Amish stores, a Rod and Staff etc. and believe me when I say they have nice books too, I enjoy some of the fiction, cookbooks and old fashioned housekeeping books.  But I am not going to find books on paganism, orthodoxy, architecture, true stories of homesteaders,  horses, Quakers, yoga etc., even if their stores do carry the lastest greatest computerized sewing machine.

I had a 40% off coupon but didn't find anything. Oh, I drooled over the swedish baking book, esp. the breads.  I am such a bread snob.  I cannot stomach store bread.  What happened to real bread?  Even the German exchange students who came to my German Club (no, I am not German but that is another story) said the one thing they missed was BREAD!  See?  I am NOT crazy and I have never had German bread!  Anyway, problem was every recipe was started with a raisin or fruit "yeast" and the directions were persnickity as to temperatures time etc. (and in this drafty house I cannot control anything) so I left it behind with only the memories of them to niggle in my brain every time I go to the store and pout that bread sucks!

Of course I sometimes make my own.  I used to make all our bread.  Loved it, but no one here appreciates it as they gobble it up and I don't even get a taste.

So then I went to Scheels...you know, the ATHLETIC store?  I thought, oh I will be safe, looking for some running socks.  How bad could that be?  So of course I get mauled by male sales associates and ask where are your running socks and can you suggest a good one that keep my feet warm and cool without bunching up?  Smartwool both said.  So I looked.  $15 a pair.  I had a pair of these from Christmas last year given to me in an exchange for my dressage club.  They were knee highs.  Yah, maybe for these skinny bitches but me, I had to roll them down to anklet size :).  But I saw they had ankle size and go to XL so I splurged and got two pair of L in funky colors.  Put the pink ones on last night...LOVE THEM!

I then got bolder and picked through the clearance stuff.  All these skinny women scooting from one rack to the other oohing and aaahing.  But no looks, no giggles or pointing or even anyone paying attention to me.  So I tried on a ladies XL running jacket.  Nope, stuffed sausage look, put it back.  Decided to go to the men's section.  Hoping for pretty colors...orange?  Green?  Nope, just grays, black, more black.  Turn the corner, clearance rack of bright blue and eye pounding red.  They looked like the track suits my highschool coaches wore.  And of course only XL in RED.  I tried it on, it fit.  Thought for a bit, turned around and saw another.  Black, blue, white, full zipper (other had 1/4), clearance.  Tried it on, decided to get that one instead.  Not so 70s trackish looking.  No mirrors of course so I am using my imagination which of course I look FANTASTIC in.  I bought it.  Yikes!  Now I gotta' actually USE IT!  Right????   Anyone got a bedazzler I can spruce it up with?  Or funny "fat girl running" patches?  That would be fun.  Start our own virtual team but take it to the streets locally.

And believe me, the running is only going to be in my dreams for awhile.

Ok, so all this shopping and excitement and stress had me hungry.  I decided to walk across the mall parking lot and have my "Last Supper".  I wondered what the people who actually stopped to let me thunder across the road thought as I headed to the Culvers?  I thought hey, I could just be using the bathroom for all they know.  Yah, me and my clipboard with a letter attached to write to my penpal.  Yah, that makes sense.  Anyway, yes, I was b-a-d and went for my last fast food splurge.  I got my usual, mushroom swiss burger, onion rings and you guessed it, diet pepsi.  Three of them (small cup, ha ha). I spent a good hour in there writing on my letter, watching people.  I like just sitting in those places and watching folks.  I like their music too, very coffeehouseish.  They do have side salads (my resolution last year was to add one to every meal and I did), salad meals (I am sure they are high in naughtyness though) and even Boca veggie burgers which I have never tried there.  I should.  But it won't be for awhile because remember, this was my "Last Supper".



Last Supper



 So, after that I then headed to Walmart to get my last six pack of Diet Pepsi. I almost choked at the price, $1.50 more than home.  Proof that junk is cheaper in poorer communities.  Anyway, I got that, a 100 ct. bottle container of Aleve (See?  Planning ahead!), and "Runners World" magazine.  Yup, funny huh?  Hey, this store has self checkouts so no one needs to know but me and God and God doesn't laugh at me.  At least I don't think so.