Rocco Raccoon is Ready for Easter!

Rocco the Raccoon was too easy to spot in Trader Joe's yesterday. It looks like he's ready for Easter!

Upland Trader Joe's Closing

I heard about it on Facebook last week, and then when I went over to Michael's by the Upland Trader Joe's, I saw the signs confirming it - the store is closing. I have no idea why. Every time I go there, there are many people there, but, I don't get there too often since we have our own TJs in Claremont.  I also saw that Party City next door is gone. Not that I shopped there very often, but it was good to know that it was there for the few times I needed party goods.

Rocco Raccoon

Today Rocco Raccoon is sitting on top of the tea section at the Claremont Trader Joe's. I've seen signs in the store telling kids to look for Rocco and when they find him they will get something (a sticker?). I never paid much attention to it since I don't think they would consider me a child, but the other day I went into TJs with C and asked her just what the raccoon was, and she told me that it is a stuffed animal. 

Today I made sure to take my camera into the store and found him right away. No sticker, but I did get some blog fodder.....

Random Friday Photo

As seen at Trader Joe's this week

Wedding Tidbits

Here are a few things about the wedding that were fun. For the rehearsal dinner/picnic, the ladies from Lubbock made 11 pies.  ELEVEN.  Fresh berries and all! Not only were these pies scrumptious, but they sported dinosaur cutouts as decorations since the bride is particularly fond of dinosaurs.

My dear husband found a free app for his phone showing various ways to tie a tie. Not only are there different ways, but you can chose a certain way depending upon your height, face shape, etc. He chose the Kelvin knot which is slightly asymmetrical.

We had lots of fun shopping not only at Trader Joe's for the wine, but also at Costco.  Note the Dr. Pepper - a real must for Texans.

This might be my favorite tidbit story. Kat, the bridesmaid, made the bride and groom cards which said "bride" and "groom". This way they could play the "bride card" if they didn't want to do something, or if there was something they particularly wanted to do. I'm not sure if they actually did use their cards, but I played my hypothetical "Mother of the Bride Card" when we went to Dutch Bros. for coffee on the morning of the wedding. (Notice that it was cool enough to wear a sweater in the morning.) After we hemmed and hawed about what kind of coffee to get, the nice guy in the booth told me that it would come to $7. I looked at him and said, "What kind of discount can I get since my daughter is getting married today?" He thought a moment, and without missing a beat, he said, "That will be $3.50." Needless to say, he got a tip, and then we went back the next morning, too.

Friday

Life in Claremont today included:

• playing tennis with Jennifer
• biking to Trader Joe's
• walking downtown to the bank and library
• practicing the viola
• working on my current composition (string quartet)
• reading a book on menopause (it's time to bone up)
• enjoying the overcast sky and cooler weather

I had to entertain myself today since Claire was working and Hal is in San Diego (Escondido, actually) umpiring a state tournament. I have no trouble entertaining myself!

New Things

Today I rode my bike to Trader Joe's, filled two bags with yummy food (thanks for the bag, Rosemary!), and put the bags in my new handy-dandy bike baskets. Loaded down, I coasted downhill, easy as pie. Then I learned that if I leave the bags in the basket and put the bike on the kickstand, it doesn't stay standing. Lesson learned.

I am so excited about this TJs - close by and spacious! I'll probably be making a trip there about every 4-5 days....

Hal spent about an hour researching and ordering us new phone/internet service. For the price we now pay, we're going to get cable internet and phone - free, unlimited calls and 10X faster internet.