Shrinking World

I am not much of a shopper any more. Now the great white hunter would be snickering at that statement but really, I finally figured out that I was buying stuff I did not need about the time I did my big de clutter in 2008. I do/did have favorite places to go though and although I am a very frugal (the great white hunter would say, "CHEAP") shopper, I enjoyed those places.

In the last four or five months, the place where I bought most of my clothes has gone out of business, my favorite junk/used book store closed and now the neighborhood grocery store that I have shopped at for twenty some years has closed. I am now in search of new places and to be honest, have not found anywhere that I like as well.

The grocery store was a local chain but one of their smaller stores. I have shopped there since the day it opened, knew where everything was, knew the cashiers on a first name basis and going there was EASY. There is another store in the same chain close by but it is a SUPER store and not near as easy to shop in.

The junk/used book store was where I went for a treat. They had a great selection of used books and lots of other thrift shop goodies. I really miss going there but now there is the Good Will store about two blocks away so I am finding my thrift shop fun there. As for clothes, have yet to solve that problem. Not that there is a lack of clothing stores, it is just that I LIKED the one that closed. I am old and set in my ways and changing is hard.

Used to be when I went to my dentist, there was no place to park because the complex was so busy. I have been to see him twice this week and there were empty spots all over. Many of the little offices have closed.

Empty shops and stores mean lost jobs and lost futures for many, and that is a much bigger problem than Norma having to find a new place to shop. Hopefully things will start to turn around soon!

On a plus note, I have blogged a couple of times about my beloved Betty Crocker Cooky cookbook that I have used since I was a teenager. It has been reprinted since the first edition copyright in 1963 and I have that copy too. Yesterday I was wandering around the book isle in Good Will and look what I found.......in almost mint condition.




In fact there were two and I am headed back to get the other one. At $1.99, I am sure it will find a home. The one I bought yesterday is for my great white hunter son #2, who is a great cook. If the other one is still there I will stick it back for Julia when she is ready to bake her own cookies. I would say she could have mine but it is in such poor condition from lots of use over the years, I am not sure it will make it that far.