Books and Beggars

I don't go shopping much. I've never enjoyed it to my mother's despair. Big, expensive stores, yard sales, discount outlets, fairs: they all leave me cold. I make long lists of what I need and do power shopping. I'd rather do without than go buy it. Every once in a while, I'll lose my mind and decide to go to a book store or a craft store, two places I like because they sell my most favorite things in the world. I can never get back out quickly enough.

I used my Borders gift certificate today and spent twice as much. I bought On the Road by Jack Kerouac, You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hays, The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain and the workbook by Betty Edwards, The Dangerous Book for Boys by Conn and Hal Iggulden and the 2008 Writers' Market. I have no idea when I will be able to read these with the 2007 NaNoWriMo starting in a week and a half and then all of the holidays. It is necessary for me to win millions so I can stay home and write and read and craft. I do plan on using the Writers' Market. I need to try to make some money with my writing to see if I'm any good.

I bought a starter kit of Sculpey at JoAnn Fabrics along with a couple of books on the subject. I had an idea. Hopefully it works. You'll see it at my craft site if it does.

In my car with the window down because it is gorgeous today, in the parking lot of JoAnn Fabrics, trying to leave, a woman wearing designer jeans and t-shirt, stopped by my car and told me she was almost out of gas and asked me for money so she could get across the bridge. I told her I didn't have any cash on me.

When I stopped at the library to return my books and pick up two I reserved Snoogs, I think a guy was following me. I feel silly saying this because I'm old and looked like crap this afternoon, but I think he was none the less. He pulled up next to my car when there were lots of other spaces. He got out of his car, then got back in, pulled away, pulled back, then he was there again when I came out and waited and waited until I got in the driver side of my car. Then he said hello to me and made a few inane comments and then went the opposite way in the parking lot but then was there again behind me and followed me down the street. He finally turned off in another direction but watched where I went. Creepy. He was about 28 with dark close cut hair, no facial hair and driving a white car like a Nissan Versa. Just weird.

I watched our new yard sprinkler system work this afternoon. I found the process fascinating and I even ran through the one that crossed the driveway sidewalk. I looked to make sure the neighbors weren't watching first.

And now I'm going to spend the rest of the evening looking at my new books and crocheting my cousins scarf finished.