DAY 20: Us Country Folk Are In The Big City Now.......

DAY 20:  Manitou Springs, CO  - July 20, 2010

Ahhhhhh.........you would truly think that Chuck and I live in an underground bunker and never, ever come out other than to go to Wal-Mart, but since we moved from the Big City to the Country several years ago, we really have very little else......so when we see stores "other" than Wal-Mart, we truly feel a pang of excitement; our heart rates go up; sweat beads develop on our foreheads and we get a wild glow in our eyes and yes, sometimes we even salivate.

Today was one of those days.

We hopped on the old trike and headed into Colorado Springs where we had seen a TJ Maxx and an Apple Store.  I was in search of new shoes, as you know, and Chuck was just in search of anything Apple.    I am going to give you the best description I can of what I felt when I walked into this fabulously HUGE, sensational TJ Maxx store.  Ready?  Ok........first, I had my Goodwill backpack purse attached to my back so it would leave my hands free to touch and hold everything.......my mouth, I'm sure, was in the OPEN position as I was in awe of what I was seeing and experiencing....  It was truly an out-of-body experience....truly.  This was, hands down, the BEST TJ Maxx store I have ever, ever seen.  Carla, my dear friend, we could do some serious damage together if left in this store together.

And here's what I came home with:  two decorative glass reed diffusers, 1 small candle, a glass cake plate dome (been looking everywhere for one of these...$9.99!!), a sweatshirt and a sweet little dress blouse....AND......the coolest painted picture of a Murphy-look-alike ever........but no shoes.  You should have seen the checkout girls face when I asked her to wrap the glass cake dome since I was on a motorcycle.... Oh ya, and I'm definitely writing a nice letter to the manager of that store!!

Anyway, Chuck was equally as happy with his Apple store findings and came home with an iPad For Dummies book that is at least 8" thick.  Who knew that glorified monster iPod Touch could do so much??

But as good as all of that was, the best part was visiting with our friend, Israel, tonight over dinner.  We met several years ago here in Colorado Springs at the Honda store and have been email friends ever since.  This is only the third time we've met him and each time, I'm reminded how very  "blessed" we are to have him in our lives.  We feel like we've known him forever.

But who we "aren't" blessed to have in our lives tonight are our new RV neighbors and their 3 loud, rowdy grandkids.........

I guess we have to take the "good" with the "bad"............