Saturday evening personal

Have had a full day already. My original plan had been to quickly run down to Home Depot and pick up a couple of folding cloth lawnchairs for E. (same as the ones I got a couple of months ago for the terrace - they had a mess of them), first stopping off at CVS to buy a small fan along the way. (I have a fan from CVS at work and love it.)

Well, CVS had no small fans at all, and where those folding lawn chairs at Home Depot had been was occupied by a whole lot of Christmas stuff. I found out they no longer carry that particular chair (or else ran out). (In any case, they had only one type of folding outdoor chair, which was really ugly - white molded plastic.) Meanwhile I picked up a surge protector for E.'s computer and TV and also got a small, potted ponytail palm for E.'s place (the last one they had). (At least it looked small until I got it into my car.)

I remembered the nearby Target had a large collection of lawn furniture, including folding chairs, so I headed up there - only to discover that the lawn furniture section had been replaced by a whole lot of Halloween stuff. (They did have a few outdoor items left, including one folding chair that was a close-out item. If they'd had two, I might have bought them, but I didn't even bother to look at the price.)

Then I thought, well, I could take a chance and drive way up to the other Target north of Aventura Mall, or check out WalMart, which I hate but is closer.  So I drove over there and headed straight for the outdoor furniture section, which I immediately spotted way off in the distance. They did have some nice folding cloth outdoor chairs, with arms, but there were only three left in the same color - red. I'd wanted to get something more neutral, but ended up with two red chairs. They'll definitely add some color to E.'s place. (I assume all the walls are painted eggshell.) I also found small fans there and bought two (one for E.). They were only $5 apiece. I got him a purple one. (As long as we're getting colorful.)

Then, since I was right by the Ross in the same shopping center, I drove over there. I thought they might have folding chairs or some bistro chairs or something cute, and if I found something there I liked better, I could always return the ones I'd bought at WalMart. But they didn't. However, a piece of artwork caught my eye. Hope E. likes it. (He has a red car himself.) If he doesn't, he can always exchange it for something else. (I have no idea what kind of car this is, but, judging by the chrome and the whitewall tires, it's vintage.)

E. is going to call me when he gets off work, and we'll both drive up to the new place. The electricity should be on by then. I'll bring the two folding card tables along with the other stuff I bought today (except the surge protector, which I put in the box with the laptop). He'll get the laptop once he's moved in and is living there. I'm also bringing a roll of paper towels, a roll of toilet paper, half a bottle of Fantastik, a couple of (colorful) hand towels, a big red candle that he'd bought for this place years ago (which I cleaned up), and a few bars of Dove soap (his favorite).

BTW, I'd asked one of the ladies at WalMart whether they had any other folding chairs besides the lawn furniture, and she said no, that was it. It turned out they had a whole section of folding furniture, including chairs, a variety of tables, and bar stools. That's one reason I hate WalMart - the employees don't seem to know the store (something similar happened when I asked where the fans were) (but, then again, it is a vast maze). The folding furniture, however, was very plain and ugly.

I avoid WalMart like a rash. I overheard the guy behind me at the checkout, talking on his cell phone. He was complaining that this particular WalMart was "the worst" in the entire chain, saying he'd been to a lot of them. I have to say, however, that the patrons appeared well-dressed (and I was watching).