This last weekend was a fun one for socializing and shopping.

Friday was our annual teacher’s shopping trip (which, sadly, had been canceled last year). We had 6 of us that managed to get together to shop, starting at the bookstore in Troy and then visiting a number of local knick-knack shops. There were a few I’d not been to before. I bought stuff in most of the places; sadly most of it for me, rather than gifts for others.

After shopping, we ate at La Piazza and another coworker (actually, former coworker – she’s in Columbus now) joined us. The seven of us probably laughed all the time we weren’t eating. I have fun and funny coworkers!

I visited mom & dad afterward, since I was in their new hometown, and made plans for pancakes the next morning.

One of the local churches does an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast the first Saturday of the month during most of the year. (The church used to host the Kiwanis organization which did a breakfast every November. Kiwanis is now gone, but thankfully the breakfast lingers on.) So the folks came by (in the truck, to transport more stuff from their “Warehouse” (old house) to the new place). We walked to breakfast, then to the post office.

While at the church, I saw an ad for a local arts & crafts sale at the Bruckner Nature Center. I suggested that to the folks and they thought it would be fun. So once they’d loaded the truck with more antique furniture and deposited it at the new place, I took ’em to Bruckner. Wow, tons of cars there. But I found a nearby parking spot and we shopped.

And shopped. Man, there were a lot of local artists. They took up 3 floors of the nature center (often just in hallways between permanent exhibits). I saw plenty of people I knew. Even a former school friend – bought something off of her which I can’t say here since one of my friends on this list will be receiving the present. Anyhoo, lots of talented people in Miami County and other neighboring counties.

Yesterday was a lazy day. I cleaned (both Roomba and I vacuumed the place) and then worked on my thesis project. And that’s what I should be doing right now. Got cat on lap and Post-It notes ready. Just need to finish typing this up. Heh.

Those of you getting snow in the next few days – stay safe! (I’m not pleased by the promise of sleet. I intend to be oot & aboot tomorrow evening you know! Harry Potter 6 is on DVD!)