Shopping Expedition

We only had two things on our original list -- a Suduku calendar and a file box -- to start with, but it ended up being an all afternoon shopping trip. Several years ago our friends Leslie and Bill got Forry a calendar that was a-page-a-day Suduku puzzle. He liked it so much -- and he is so religious about keeping up with it -- that we've had to go buy him a new one every year since.

We've had good luck finding the calendars (by Will Shortz of PBR fame) at Barnes and Noble, so that's where we headed in Scottsdale. While there I started looking for something to help keep Grandson Varick occupied while he heals from the surgery on his leg that he is having tomorrow. After looking through lots of puzzles and games, I finally called Daughter Mary Mae to get her input. I talked with a young woman clerk about what I was looking for and MM's thoughts. She took me to a different area of the store and cheerfully helped me successfully sort out what I wanted. But, that success added the need for another stop -- the post office.

Our next stop was at the Office Max to pick up a file box. The store was just down the street from Barnes and Noble, so it was a quick stop -- at least until the check-out. There was a lady in the pay line ahead of me (we waited a long time as only one clerk was effectively working -- the other two were tied up with customer problems...) who started chatting with me about her purchase of a Kindle. She chattered all the way out to the parking lot where it turned out she was parked right next to us. Such a delightful soul who was actually a full-time, long-time Scottsdale resident.

From there we went to the Hopi Post Office, the nearest one according to the GPS. Darn, the game I picked up for Varick was too big and didn't fit into any of the Priority Mail boxes that are self-sealing.

So I went to the other part of the Post Office to the regular boxes they had for sale. As I went to get a roll of tape to put the box together, the lady next to us protested, saying she had just bought a roll and she'd glady share it! She was quite insistent, so I used her roll of tape. She also had a large roll of newsprint which she offered up for stuffing in the box! We laughed and joked about good deeds and karma as we prepared our boxes. She then ended up using my permanent marker to address her package. Another delightful soul!

Our last stop was the grocery store. I had the same checker I have had before. AnnaMaria and I commiserated about our readiness for the holidays and ended up wishing each other Merry Christmas! I had to chuckle on the way home about all of the lovely people we had met today. They made it fun to go shopping.