A Shopping Trip to the Mall

As Saturdays go, mine are usually cleaning and studying.  Now that fall is here I have to fit in football.  As many of you know, I am a UGA fan.  GO DAWGS!  Well, Saturday was not a highlight, but they are my team none the less!

I like to get my errands out of the way early.  Like Mother, I want to get to the store before the crowds and get home.  I do love my home time!  Well, Saturday was a day for a dreaded trip to the mall.  Many of my friends just love to shop.  They browse and caress the items on the racks.  They try on this and that, just to see what they think they might like.  Not me!  I have a picture of what I want in mind, locate that article, try it on, pay and leave.  Shopping is NOT one of my greatest pleasures, especially when it is clothing for me.

Since I have lost my weight, I have found that clothes shopping is not quite the chore it used to be.  I just love to have a new outfit every month or so and this was one of the things I would be hunting on this Saturday.  I happen to have, what I refer to as a linebacker figure.  I have a broad back but narrow hips and the misfortune (?) of the noa$$atall syndrome.  I will leave it at that.  One of the designers which fit me well is Jones New York.  This designer’s garments tend to be trim through the hips and fit me nicely.  I love Jones New York.

My husband wanted some new sheets.  He despises when the fitted sheet pops off during the night, causing his feet to get all tangled and he fights the cover the rest of the night.  I must admit that he and I have very different sleeping habits and rising habits.  I like to get to bed early and play the TV all night long.  I long for cool air and warm covers.  He, being part orangutan, is perpetually hot!  He wants dead quiet and a fan blowing.  He sleeps in and the smallest noise wakes him.  I rise EARLY and now have to leave the house just as he is getting up.  So, the best fit for us for sleeping is separate rooms.  Several years ago, he bought himself a new mattress without me being there.  Now I have no problem with the money spent, but he bought a mattress that is about 2 miles deep!  Sheets are hard to find that will stay and he did not have any that would stay put.  Hence, another item for the shopping list.

So, off I go to Stonecrest Mall, destination – Macy’s.  I  knew they carried Jones New York and that they have an excellent linens department.

First stop – women’s clothing.  I walked and looked at the signs.  I walked some more.  I must have covered the downstairs of the department store twice before I got wise and asked a saleslady where the Jones New York collection was located.  “We no longer carry Jones at this location, ” was the reply which I received.  UGH!  I was disappointed.  I wanted a new black skirt and maybe a pair of black slacks.  I thanked her and walked away to pout.  No new outfit for me on this day.  Oh well!

Next stop – linens.  I love pretty linens – sheets, bedspreads, towels, kitchen towels, and the like.  I walked and looked and dreamed and finally found the sheets which I thought I could not live without.  Checking the price tag, I quickly changed my mind!  Who in their right mind would pay $300.oo for two sheets and two pillowcases?  Certainly not me.  I continue my search.  The saleslady came to my aid.  I explained my problem of the extra deep mattress – 16″ and she had just the ticket!  The DaMask collection are made to accommodate mattresses up to 18″ and then they have an extra deep line that would fit mattresses up to 21″ deep.  The colors ran from jewel tones to dusky pastels.  The jewel tones are new for them this year.  I got a pale, dusky green for Mark and a cinnamon color for me (my mattress is a Sleep Number and I love it!)  I got both of these sets and extra pillowcases of both colors for well under the price mentioned earlier.

So as I left the department, I passed the towels.  I dreamed of purchasing a closet full of new towels as ours are getting well up in years!  They still work, but they are getting a bit ratty.  “Maybe another day,” I lamented.

I had one more stop at the Best Buy to make a return.  Now I had my receipt in hand but was beyond their 15 day return policy.  They would take it back but I would get a store credit instead of the refund.  Just dandy!  Mark and I are the worst about using this type of credit.  I did not want that so the very polite, young man suggested that I shop for a few minutes and just “trade” the unnecessary part in.  Okay, this should be easy.  So, off I go, wondering with money to burn!  Well, I must admit that I left with more items than the credit was worth.  But, we will enjoy the movies which I purchased.

I waited for Mark to get home to try out the new sheets.  I left them in the package so that he could have the pleasure of pulling them out.  He liked the color and remarked that he hoped these would stay put.  Making the bed was a joy on this occasion.  All the other sheets for his mountain of a mattress was like stuffing a size 14 behind into a size 8 pair of jeans.  You would need a crowbar!  I had struggled many times to get his sheets on the bed.  Not today.  This was so easy.  The new sheets, I think the tread count was 650, felt so soft and sleek!  And new sheets smell good to me.  I am happy to report that the new purchase was a big hit!  The fitted sheet installed easily and stayed put all night long!

Taking care of a spouse’s needs and wants are all a part of my variety of country living.