The beginning of September

I was perusing my blog yesterday afternoon because, truth be told, I couldn't remember my last post.  Tragic, right? 

Cards.  Stamping on Labor Day. My last post was 9 days ago.  N-I-N-E days ago!!!!  It doesn't feel like it's been nine whole days since I blogged but it has been.

Sooo....what have I been doing for the last 9 days?

Well.......last week I managed to finally get my act together and get back to the gym which felt grand.  I am not much of a fan of slacking when it comes hitting the gym and the after-work-out endorphins.  :)

Friday night I met Rhonda for a MUCH NEEDED girls' night.  We met at Salvation Army where we laughed about circa 1980 bad sweaters and jumpsuits.  Unless you are one of Charlie's Angels, walk away from the jumpsuits.  Our evening ended with Chipotle and then a run thru TJ Maxx.

Saturday (backup - Thursday was my brother's birthday) Bryan and I met in Mishawaka, Indiana on Saturday.  It took me 4.5 hours to get to him because Chicago decided to keep the express lanes closed which meant what was normally 5 lanes wide was only 3 lanes wide.  Imagine bumper-to-bumper cars with glaring red brake lights.  It was just lovely (heavy sarcasm).  On a happier note ~ the trip home was sans Chicago traffic.  From the exit off the Skyway onto the Dan Ryan thru the City, it was an 18 minute trip.  Eighteen minutes compared to 125 minutes.   

While in Mishawaka, Bryan and I hit their mall.  (We're not really mall shoppers...we really went there because I wanted to get the diary of Anne Frank from Barnes & Nobles.)  I did, however, find a most fabulous birthday prrsent at Gloria Jean's for my friend Rhonda.  An Audrey Hepburn travel mug.  It's a picture and a quote from Breakfast at Tiffany's.  Delightful. Absolutely delightful.

Bryan is quite a thrifter so when he mentioned finding the Goodwill, I was all in.  We found it!!! And BONUS - they were having an all day / all items 50% off sale.

We both left with sweaters galore.  My amazing find was two J. Crew cashmere-blend sweaters marked $5 each and sold to the girl with curly hair for $2.50.  Cashmere!  I have never owned cashmere.  I am completely smitten with its texture.  I wonder if I could find some cashemere-blend yarn to make a scarf.

After sweater procurement, I read a Facebook post to Bryan regarding our upcoming harsh winter.  And we both were extremely thankful for our sweater finds.

Bryan has wanted a single-brew coffee system for some time.  It seems we have talked at great length about the machines out there.  On Saturday,  we found one for him. I was the go-between....bought the b-day gift for mom and dad.  Bryan was thrilled...nearly giddy about his new coffee brewing contraption.  If he could've, I think he would've brewed a cup right there in the Meijer's store.

Two hundred ninety miles separate us...so spending the day with the big guy was such a treasure.