Malled.

Hard to believe I got these from two different Flea Market sellers !

Whoo-hoo ! The IL’s doctor rescheduled them, so we didn’t have to go to OldTown today ! However, I do have to take them on the pharmacy run Wednesday, but Dearest Son wants to stay home, so those packages are covered. Great how it all worked out.

Still had to do some re-re-shuffling of our plans for the week, and decided to keep my promise to take Dearest to the Local Mall, for decorations and gourmet pretzels, today. This was a completely stupid idea, I know that now. If I EVER decide to do that again, I deserve what happens.

(sigh) I should have realized that, when both University and Public Schools let out for Winter Break Friday, that would mean a lot more traffic – not everyone’s going over the river and through the woods, most folks are probably staying right here. And suddenly find themselves bored enough to think that going to the mall is a fun way to pass the afternoon. And that animatronic displays and overwhelming, stunning decorations went the way of the Disney Store I used to work in – our mall looked like it did in summer, just with poinsettias and a small plot of floor space dedicated to a Santa Photo industry added. There were a few seasonal displays, but most of the decorations were banners, strings of lights dropped in parallel lines straight from the ceiling (such an effort !), and Buy One Get One 50% Off signs.

Inside, it was nearly as bad as any Mal-Wart, just bigger and more expensive. Lost kids, screaming kids, indifferent herds of teenagers, some speed demon on a Rascal Hover-round mobility scooter evidently fearing Old Navy would run out of crappy t-shirts, so she needed to run me over outside it to get the last ones, oblivious parents, and conspicuous shoppers needing to make sure everyone saw their Victoria’s Secret and Eddie Bauer bags.

It wasn’t all bad. Dearest was set upon by a tiny greenish-red ladybug just before we walked inside. I got her off his shirt and she investigated my hand while we took her over to some flowers, but she wouldn’t let go. Maybe it was my imagination, but I could swear I could feel tiny legs digging in. Had to use a flower petal to dislodge her, and she wasted little time scrambling away from unappreciative me. She really was very beautiful.

The pretzels were also good, but $12. for two and a couple drinks seems a bit overpriced. To add insult to financial injury, I got a ‘next pretzel’s on us’ coupon. Arrgh. We ate by the poinsettia-decked wishing fountain, watching six sizes of remote controlled helicopter devices from The Drone Station demo their stuff. For all the joy of the season, I really couldn’t tell it on the faces of those I people-watched. Maybe they were looking for the same not-for-sale intangibles I was.

Getting home was a mess, but we stopped by the IL’s, and Dearest got to drop off the ornament he made for them, to much praise and appreciation. They don’t have a Christmas tree up, so they claimed that his was their tree his year.

I was so happy to be home I mostly sat in a stupor for an hour before I realized that I was dizzy and needed to lie down. Unfortunately, just then, Beloved Hubby let me know he was on the way, so I needed to move the car. I should sleep well tonight !