We had gifts first thing this morning. It wasn't really a surprise since we both knew what we were getting each other, but that was okay. James' gift isn't released yet (volume two of Steve Canyon on DVD), but I did have a little extra surprise for him: a DVD of four episodes of the other Milton Caniff television series, Terry and the Pirates. This is one of those public domain sets, so I expect the picture isn't very good, but it's a nice bit of lagniappe.

James gave me what I dearly desired: a reproduction Shepard's clock. It's only about five inches tall, but has lots of nice memories behind it. It was the place to meet if you were separated when shopping in downtown Providence. One day when I was about eight, I chased the Santa Claus and the reindeer who were in the Christmas parade and was separated from my mother. She found me exactly where she had told me to go in case I was ever lost: next to the Shepard's clock.

Today as a treat we went out to Fry's. I am considering a small purchase to "stimulate the economy." (I'll mention it if I buy it. <g>) We also checked out the software and I ended up with a DVD: the 1961 movie Misty. The version I have is fullscreen, and since it was filmed on location in Chincoteague, pan-and-scan really ruined it. The company that has released the new widescreen version is the same as released the full screen version. I also have their full screen version of A Dog of Flanders. If they've released Misty in widescreen, maybe there is hope for a widescreen Dog as well, as pan-and-scan for that film sucks as well.

James got two inexpensive DVD sets, one of World War II era aircraft, and another of formerly classified briefing films from the Army Pictorial Service.

On the way back we stopped at a little Catholic store I'd seen on previous trips. It's just a pleasant little store with some pretty things, books, statuary, Bibles, medals, etc.

Stopped at the hobby shop where we remained for a while. I was reading Safire's Quoth the Maven and we were waiting until 4 p.m. when it would be dinner time and we could use our Olive Garden coupon. Turned out that was the right time to get there, too; there was only a ten minute wait. James has the chicken and shrimp carbonara and I had the claret-braised short ribs; we both had the chicken and gnocchi soup—all delicious! We brought the black-tie mousse cake home to have later.

When we left a little after five the line was out the door and the wait was forty minutes. Woot! good timing!

So then we got Costco over with. As we left with our purchases we saw a man going in dressed in a tuxedo! A little overdressed for shopping, what? I assume he was going in for some flowers.

Traffic was terrible on the way home, a result of the holiday, I suspect. We spent the waiting time munching the grapes we'd purchased.

Watched the newest Ask This Old House—they did projects you can do with kids, which included making your own miniature golf putting green and shooting off bottle rockets—and the next segment of the New York brownstone remodel. This part was filmed at Christmastime and they had a lovely snowstorm going by the end of the show!

After that I put on an episode of Rosemary and Thyme and now we are watching the declassified films. James said they are mostly from the "Market Garden" campaign.

Labels: food, gifts, shopping, television

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