I hate to shop . . . but

I hate to shop* . . . but I do like to find good deals. Now, it's hard to satisfy both "likes/dislikes" at the same time. (*Web surfing does not qualify as shopping)

My normal routine (here and when I lived in the states) is to shop at the same stores, know the sales routine and do power shopping when forced. Go in, get it and get out. At this time, I have to admit that I walk around Canadian Tire. I am always amazed at this strange store. Not sure it would fly in the states, but it has it's place here. Hey, I actually found Fruit Fly traps last week. Mind you, I don't need them now, but I sure did this summer.

All that said, I discovered the dollar store up here. I have shopped before at dollar stores in Chesterfield and was totally unimpressed. Just junk. Not really worth the time to park. But, my neighbor kept saying things like- oh, I get this or that at the dollar store. Someone at work told Larry that people get "craft" items there too. I remember my sister-in-law Marilyn saying something about the dollar store before. They got luggage wraps there that we ummmm borrowed years ago and still use em.

So, I finally forced myself to go into the store. It helped that parking was good (unusual for CanadaLand). I walked in and stood there. This isn't like the dollar stores in the States (unless they have changed a LOT since we moved up here). It was big, it was clean and it had "normal" stuff. Not full of cheap plastic china stuff. Well, it had its share, but it also had cool little things that you would normally buy at more expensive stores. If you scrapbook, this is the place to go.

I bought a few things. Stocking stuffers, etc (which is basically cheap stuff that I insulted above-but there is a time and place for cheap stuff and stocking stuffers qualify for that!). And I found the luggage wraps that we have. Yep, they still have them there. I wonder if Marilyn and Dave would like em. I mean, we have only had theirs for 6 years now. Hmmm, a great Christmas item? :) Nothing says Christmas than warped humor gifts.

I bought some balls to use for sculptures. I forgot that Cesar loves to eat Styrofoam. I have to hide it. Whoops, he got to it before I remembered. He ripped open the bag and was having great fun when I found him. Yep, that bag is in a drawer now.
On a different note, we woke up to our first snow of the season. Not much, but its a start.

I am pretending to know what I am doing.

Remember a while back when I said I was doing fabric sculpture? I finally took a few pictures. I have been looking for my camera cord to download the pictures (it was a world traveler if you know what I mean . . . I do believe MainMan took it with him).

The family's reaction was interesting. #1 gave it a couple side long glances and didn't say much but he tried very hard to hide his smirk. I was proud of him. #2 said it was nice but didn't have a face (I know kid, she isn't supposed to have a face . . . .) and MainMan said he really liked it (remember, I have had longer to train MainMan than I have had on the kids).

It's an interesting process to make these things. It was a flat color when it dried and then I painted the highlights. I think I will dip the flowers in the hardening stuff (such technical language here) and then they will be the same color as the lady. Then highlight the flowers a bit. Like I said-its finished but it isn't.

I have to admit I enjoyed it. Maybe gloves are in order next time because that fabric hardening stuff is tough to get off the hands once it has dried.

I have plans for another one. One that be left outside. Now all I have to do is make the shape, get the silk, paint, have a great idea on placement, etc.

Yep, I have plans.

Ohhh, MainMan will be home today. And it's his birthday. So-off I go to shop, get ready for a nice dinner (which he will probably sleep through), clean house, etc.

He has been traveling for over a day and a half. He will be tired.

And once he settles in, sleeps, eats and feels at home again . . . I am going to get him to find the camera cord for this computer. It was put somewhere when we switched from my Dell from Hell to this computer. I looked and looked but it is just hiding from me.

My goal, to start blogging again. Or not. LOL Love you guys!

CanadaLand Update

Oh, what a few days can bring. Hell. Yep, hell.

Anyway, here are the family updates. #2 goes to school and gets home after dark. #1 goes to work and gets home after dark and MainMan is gone for 3 or so weeks. I suppose that means after dark too. And we have leaves. And I am home during the daylight. Hmmmmm. I am guessing I will be raking. Bah.

Hell . . . I suppose you were wondering . . . my computer died. Two hard drives and they both sort of went zonk. I really don't like Dell. MainMan bought me the Dell a few years ago. It died within three months. Yep. The Dell guy came out and fixed it. It died again a few months later. The Dell guy came out. At this time I went out and bought a back up computer (I ended up giving Matthew the back up computer). However, the stupid Dell continued to work (mostly) until last week. I am now working on the back up computer (which was Matthew's until Matthew got his super deluxe computer this summer). It's NOT a Dell. That's a good thing.

But I lost a bunch of stuff. I lost a bunch of stuff when I moved to Canada. It wasn't the computer's fault (yes, it was, cause it was acting up and then MainMan worked on it and by a comedy of mistakes, my stuff was erased). So, I have been working on cool clipart and taking pictures for a year. Zip-nada, allllllllll gone.

I am happy, however, to have a computer to use. I will think of it as I rake.