This afternoon we loaded up the kids, including Jacob and his friend Tony, and drove to Sioux City to do some shopping. Maria, Luke, and Jon F all needed new gym shoes and some school supplies that Walmart had run out of. Jacob wanted a few things for his dorm room. I needed new sunglasses and Dwight was the designated driver.
Sioux City is about 45 minutes south of here. I wasn't sure what to expect, but was told that this was the closest place to find a Target store. Wow, we were pleasantly surprised by the shopping options we found. The Target was even nicer than the new one in Holland. For future shopping options, we also noted a large Kohls, Talbots, Coldwater Creek, Lowes, and many, many more. We got everything on our list, although somehow we managed to lose the hot pink ruler that we bought for Jon (actually, it appears it fell out of the cart before we got to the check out).
I was able to buy a small electric tea kettle for $7 that I plan to take to my office. There is a lovely workroom in my department that is equipped with a refrigerator and a microwave, but it doesn't run to a hot water dispenser like we had in the lounge at HC and tea made from hot water heated in the microwave is just not the same. I also got a new stylish pair of sunglasses. The fact that I have broken two pairs of sunglasses since we moved to Iowa is a testament to how sunny it is here. Actually, one pair was in bad shape already, but the other pair were new this summer.
After shopping, Tony and Jacob hung out at our house and stayed for dinner. I keep telling everyone how much we like this little house and how we really have almost enough space here. Tonight, though, I really missed my Holland house. Even just the addition of one extra person really strained the house at the seams. I was trying to cook and everyone was in my way, mainly because there just wasn't any other place to go. Tony has 5 brothers and sisters, so he didn't seem to mind the chaos at all, but it just wasn't as easy to have kids drop in as it was back in our house in Holland. Still, everyone got fed and no one got hurt so it's all good.
I end with this note: After we got back from shopping, I told Dwight that I wanted a gin and tonic and he made one for me - with diet tonic water and no gin! I'm sure there's a message there, but I'm too tired to decipher what it is.
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Considering how rarely you and I shop (both got to Grandville maybe once?), the distance probably isn't going to be a big deal :-) What's happening with the sale of your little house in Iowa? Are you able to find other options?
ReplyDeleteYou are right, I hate to shop so the distance doesn't concern me much. I do like not having to deal with the related traffic while getting around town.
ReplyDeleteThe little house is sold and we have to be out by the end of October. We still have not found a place to move to, but we've all been so busy with starting new schools and new jobs that I've decided not to think about that until next week :-)