Friday, July 17, 2009



On Wednesday, a brand new Super Walmart opened in the Town of Niagara, so guess where I headed today? I realized everybody and his Aunt Sue would be there, (oh, the humanity!) yet I wasn't bothered by the crowd, but rather, delighted. How fun to experience something new with so many people. I kept wanting to grab women's arms and ask, "Isn't this great?" But I refrained and just gazed into their delighted eyes.

Of course, I know how some of you feel about Walmart. Myself, I'm not a huge fan. But oh... I'd never in my life visited a Super Walmart and ours is special. Well, I think so, anyway. They even have lots of the organic/natural foods I'm used to buying at Tops and Wegman's (if you don't have a Wegman's, well, you are missing out. They are huge,cool supermarkets and I'm not the only one who takes my out-of-state guests there for tours. Spend some time in the produce, bakery and deli sections with their workers all dressed in spiffy uniforms and hats, and well, you'll feel as though you'd flown to Europe. Or maybe South America. Or anywhere else except here.).

So I spent a bit over an hour at Walmart, and though I knew I was forgetting some things (I'd forgotten my list at the house), I realized it was time to leave before it stopped being fun and adventurous. Time to make my retreat before that GetMeOuttaHereI'mSoOverwhelmed feeling hit. You know that feeling? Trust me, I'm well-acquainted with it. When we first moved to New York many was the time I'd run out of a store after only 5 minutes because I was not used to so much stuff upon so many shelves.

So I bought my groceries and the cute little pull chain with ceramic doo-dad for the linen closet upstairs (which I finally finished painting) and took off through this town which I could probably show you around with my eyes closed. I remember 12 years ago standing outside Marshalls at the Fashion Outlet Mall thinking, "I never, ever would have imagined, way back in California, that one day I'd know my way around a town so near Niagara Falls. From any point in this town, I could find my way home... and I love that."

I made the long country drive home, unloaded groceries, fixed a turkey sandwich then carried it to the front porch where I read a lovely book I bought this week at our library, Gift of the Deer. Only because this day is dark with clouds and rain could I sit out there--on sunny days the porch has turned oven-like, even with the curtains closed, by 10:00 a.m. But on this cloudy day I could sit out there till evening if I like. And I just might do that.


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Our summer miracle? Our air-conditioner is still down in storage in the basement! This is the coolest summer I recall in all my 16 years in Western New York. The majority of our days have been right around 75 lovely degrees. People with swimming pools are complaining, but not me, for we have no pool. Besides, I'll take three extra months of Springtime any year!




I showed this closet to you when I began painting away its extreme dreariness months ago (the before photo declares its horribleness). This week I finally got up there and finished it, though I do want to paint the clothes pole, white.

1 comment:

Elizabeth said...

Debra,
I never heard of Wegmans' but it sounds lovely. If I get to your area,I will look for it.