The day after Christmas is the sirens' song of sales and discounts. My mother invited me to join her at Talbots when the store opened at 8 am. I agreed in the hope that she would get sidetracked and drive me back to my apartment (she didn't). The shop is in a relatively new strip mall on the state highway that runs through my parents' town. Since the place opened during the summer, my parents have been urging me to stop by the stores because they are "very nice". The chain stores are actually just mall stores in a... strip (hence, strip mall). Granted, nearly all those shops (Gap, Banana Republic, Pier One, Starbucks, etc.) are within a five block radius of my office in Manhattan, but at least there I have the benefit of walking and sidewalks. Suburban sprawl is a pet peeve of mine. So anyway, Talbots, at 8 am. Apparently the theme of this Christmas really is "waspy chic".
Back at my apartment, a box from my brother was waiting for me. The packing materials he used were old wedding invitations, a (clean?) diaper, among other random items. At least nothing in the box was alive or formerly alive. The rest of the afternoon was spent comforting the cats after two days of being alone, reading, napping, and continuing the peanut brittle diet. Eat all you want--consequences be damned! Keep off the post-Christmas blues with sugar!
The days of the two week vacation begin to run together. Was that Tuesday or Wednesday? Friday? We still have those? Saturday and Sunday do not count as holiday days as they are merely weekend days.
