Brand new morning

Saturday morning. I've been up for the past, roughly, three hours and I've been busy. So far I've showered, shaved, cleaned the bathroom, changed the sheets on the bed, started the laundry, had breakfast and done some light cleaning.

I've felt...disconnected...from reality for so long, it seems. It's good to be back doing some of the simple things in life. Some of them are annoying but necessary, some of them are just simple pleasures.

Yesterday, I had lunch with one of my best friends, back in town for Thanksgiving, and it was great catching up with her. Miss hanging out with her, and we had a great time. After having some great wings (and cheesesticks) at Quaker Steak and Lube (someplace else I haven't been in awhile), we drove over to Caribou Coffee (a place she doesn't have over in Vegas) for a delicious Chai. The place was busy...I guess everyone was out shopping on so-called Black Friday.

The day after Thanksgiving, here in the States if you aren't aware, is traditionally the busiest shopping day of the year and the one day I do my level best to avoid the stores. However, after lunch with my bud, I ventured forth to one of the department stores because, well, I'm a schmuck.

It was great, though! It wasn't all that crowded...like a normal weekend shopping day. I guess because all the stores were open since the middle of the night, all the hard-core shoppers got up at 2 in the morning (if they managed to avoid the effects of tryptophan in the turkey they had the day before), leaving it free for the rest of us.

I'm glad I did stop. I've needed new flannel sheets for a little while, and they had a complete set for $13. Fitted sheet, flat sheet and pillow slips...thirteen bucks. That was a bargain!

But the best place to go the day after thanksgiving...the grocery store. It's amazing...it's virtually empty! Everyone did their food shopping the day before Thanksgiving, and everyone's still too stuffed to go shopping. I intentionally let the shopping go so I can go to the store on Black Friday. There was no milk in the house for two days, just so I could avoid the store until yesterday. Amazing feeling, going through the store that day, and there's hardly anyone else around. I love it.

Well, I've rattled enough. Back to laundry and cleaning. Think I'll get the Christmas wreaths out today and hang them in the windows today. I can start to feel the spirit of the season in me, and there's nothing better than the feeling of Christmas.

Breathe, kids.