Weekend

Yesterday Patrick and I went to the Mall of America (aka the Megamall and Hugedale) and walked all three levels. There were plenty of other mall walkers, hearty middle aged and elderly people, many in sweats. One woman was zipping along carrying two bottles of water.

For those of you who have never been to the Megamall, it is a giant cube. There is an amusement park in the middle. Four levels of shopping surround the park. Three of the four levels have continuous walkways, very much like an indoor running track. Mall security would probably stop you if you tried to run. But walking, even fast walking, is fine. We started on the ground floor and worked up, around level one, then around level two, then around level three, ending at a Caribou Coffee for coffee and scones.

We got there a little after nine. expecting that the stores would be closed. Most were open, and there were sales going on: 50% off everything. How does this bode for the Christmas shopping season?

In any case, we got in our walk. I picked up wrapping paper at the Hallmark across from Caribou Coffee. Then we went to Art Materials, a wonderful art supply store, to do some Christmas shopping. Then we had lunch at a noodle shop, went grocery shopping and came home.

I asked Patrick to go out for a while today. I plan to wrap presents and put them under our Norfolk Island pine, which is taller than I am and serves as a Christmas tree, then go to a local coffee shop and read and maybe write.