ME AND THE DAKOTA

Mike often comes up with unexpected ideas. After 36 years of marriage, I’ve learned to expect the unexpected, so, I wasn’t totally surprised when he said he wanted to travel in the Magnum instead of the Dakota. He and Ken left last Thursday (Oct. 20) for the much-anticipated guided bird hunt in Nevada. They drove from here to Twin Falls where they joined Bob, another hunter, and Bob drove the rest of the way to the Nevada destination. I expect Mike home today.

 

Nellie, who usually stays here in my care (or am I in hers) when Mike ventures out, went with him, since she’s an essential member of any hunting trip. So I’ve been here at the town house alone, marching to my own drummer, except for the nagging knowledge that I really ought to eat regularly, exercise, and keep the kitchen reasonably clean. I’ll admit that my days have lacked a certain structure. And the blog muse? She must have gotten in the car by mistake when Mike left.

So, I was left with the Dakota. I can either stay home, which becomes claustrophobic – or drive it. Mike meant for me to drive it. It’s just that it’s not such a great vehicle for driving around town. It’s not. I sit low in it and it’s a little blind with its big side mirrors and canopy cover. But – I know I can drive it just fine. It’s just a matter of extra caution.

And drive it I did. On Thursday I drove to Moscow for embroidery club and enjoyed an afternoon of sewing with others. The project was a table runner, and I left the meeting with just the binding to apply, which I finished last night. It’s a little long for my small drop-leaf table, but when the leaves are down – which is most of the time – it’s just perfect. I learned a lot on this project, and I worked hard to make it right. For once I am so pleased!

What else did I do? Well, a friend (of mature years) is going to Australia to be with her daughter and family and will be away perhaps the good part of a year. It’s an amazing adventure for her, but we’ll miss her probing questions at study group. On Friday I helped her with her errands. I worried that she wouldn’t be able to hop into the Dakota, but to my surprise she did so with agility – many times.

Those were the things I had planned to do, but Saturday morning I arose to a world that looked like autumn, and I was enticed to get out to the stores. I started at K-Mart, not one of my usual stops. Nothing had changed there. I wandered for a while and left without buying anything.

In our little town shopping isn’t a cohesive experience. You have to drive everywhere. Back in the Dakota, I drove up Thain to Staples where I indulged in a pretty new notebook for my American Girl patterns. Yes -- indulged! Have you priced notebooks?

Then I drove across Thain to Home Depot, Pier One, Ross. Home Depot is – well, Home Depot, but the rest room is accessible. At Pier One, Halloween and Thanksgiving are now in the background and lovely Christmas things are on display. I just don’t need more lovely things. At Ross I was amazed by the lack of stock, Christmas or otherwise. Seemed strange at this time of year. Is there something I don’t know about Ross? I bought a big frying pan for the farm.

Back in the Dakota, I drove to the other side of the complex where I visited Safeway and bought two Bigelow teas – “Pumpkin Spice” and “Ginger Snappish.” Oh – and some Lucerne spiced creamer, “Pumpkin Pecan.”

Starting the Dakota once again, I continued my southerly climb up Thain to Grocery Outlet. Once I had parked I walked next door to Erb Hardware where I found the elusive gasket for this Hermetic jar we bought at a yard sale three years ago – a find that made my day.

By this time it was after 11:00 and the increase in traffic – and shoppers -- was noticeable. As a retired person, I try to avoid weekend shopping. I decided not to wait in line to make a purchase at Grocery Outlet. Instead, I headed out to Thain again, being safe and turning at the traffic light.

One last stop – Rosauer’s – where, as I filled a bag with bulk oat bran, I spied crystallized ginger in the bin above. Mother had an old box of crystallized ginger that she kept in a dark cupboard under the stairs in the kitchen. She treated it as though it were very dear. Now and then she would break off a tiny piece for herself and give me one, too. It seemed a fitting remembrance to buy just a little. She would have loved this outing. If she had been along, we would also have stopped at the magazine counter and selected a number of holiday issues. Today I avoid buying magazines and opt instead to peruse the ones she and I bought years ago.

The silent auction is coming up and I am now working to build my supply of American Girl outfits to donate. On Sunday, I needed a bit of fusible interfacing and headed to Jo-Ann so that I could finish this outfit. Oh! That was a delightful time. It’s not that I bought so much. In fact, I put things back and left spending only $6.00. But I gained ideas – a lot of inspiration. KW