Shopping at Wal-Mart

I can't believe I'm writing about this but that is what happened yesterday. It was a day spent with my daughter at a Super Wal-Mart store because she needed new glasses, an oil change (her car did, anyway) and more stuff for Ethan.

And I got my hair cut so that I look more like my blog portrait: straight and just passed my shoulders. I no longer have to wear a ponytail.

The day with my daughter began pleasant enough, having lunch at the locally-owned Strongbow Inn restaurant, famous for its home-grown turkeys and turkey dishes. It was Senior Day, and we were the youngest people in the restaurant. Ethan's age dropped the average age of the customer from 80 to 60.

I had always wanted to eat here as it's been around since 1940 and has always gotten rave reviews. I ordered the $7 turkey pie that came with a salad. When the pie arrived it looked more like a shrunken calzone, but once I poured the gravy and cut the pie open as directed, then added the side of cranberry sauce; my how tasty that was! It was my one big meal of the day it lasted so long. I definitely will recommend this place.

http://www.strongbowinn.com/

Weather was lousy again, I wore heavy pants and it never got above 68F.

Sadie patiently waited in the van for us. Luckily the weather was in her favor. I rewarded her with a walk around Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve afterwards for a quick walk on the 3-mile path.

I spent nearly $500: $226 for the glasses, over $120 for baby clothes and $42 for the oil change, $16 for my hair cut and $26 for lunch. At this rate I may have to fast that first week on my return trip next week just to stay even!!!

Once we departed at 4pm we went separate ways. Had we stayed together I would have spent more money anyway. The last two hours were spent at a book store looking over my route next week. After pondering what to do in Iowa--there's really not much to do in the middle of the state but plenty on either riverbank--I've decided not to rack my brain over this and drive through the state in two days, focusing more on South Dakota and Montana. I'll spend a week each in either state, exploring, driving and hiking. I hope I have left myself enough time for the other states like Utah and northern Arizona.

It's now Wednesday and drizzling again. In an hour I have to get ready to meet Chuck in Eagle Creek park north of Indy.