My first Phoenix Outing

Without my dear friends from Minneapolis to join me, I have put off outings for three years now. Sure, I've had visits from my Mpls/Tucson friends and other friends and relatives during the season. We've had dinners out, visited the Desert Gardens' Luminaries and attended spring training games, but there's still a lot of time to fill between these events.  Much to look forward to as well.

Today I found myself on the brink of depression. I was swearing at my opponent on my Kindle Fire Scrabble game, was totally indifferent to any Sudoku puzzle and was very annoyed with my Spider Solitaire game, which I seldom win.  Realizing I had to do something else with at least some of my time, I sprang forth from my leather recliner and marched purposefully out the door and down the block to Dillard's, located in my neighborhood shopping mall. Three blocks later I reached the traffic light on that busy street that I've always driven on or across, punched the pedestrian button and walked across the street, where I found it interesting that there was no sidewalk, just a surprisingly empty portion of the Mall parking lot, 

At Dillard's I browsed the shoe department, bought some socks, then rode the escalator upstairs where things were eerily quiet for the week before Christmas.  Reviewed the kitchen gadget department. Did you know you can buy gadgets that prepare two grilled sandwiches at the same time and another gadget that makes quesadillas?  Lots of one cup coffee makers there as well.  So many gadgets to fill the empty cupboards of the truly trendy set.  I visited with a delightful American woman who lives in the Netherlands, but is here for the holidays.  She told me the Netherlands is the most successful free enterprise country in the world because they realize the importance of taking care of all their people.  

Then I visited with an employee named Roxanne, who moved here from Minnesota after her husband died.   We discussed families and our situations.  She suggested I might join a Singles group at a church, perhaps a Bible Study group.  I don't think so, but she did assure me such a group would probably accept me even though I'm "getting on in years" (my words).  There were no interruptions and we could have gone on for hours, but I was getting hungry.

Finally, I was off to the Paradise Bakery for a sandwich, after which I ventured outdoors and found my way back to my parking lot and intersection and home again.  I bought three pairs of socks and some small gift type items for my cousins and feel so much better for the outing, I'm almost ready to play another game of Scrabble on my Fire.