"Shade"

My husband and I drove to The Heights section of downtown this morning, to meet friends K and B for brunch. The restaurant we went to is called "Shade..." modern in its design, with vintage-looking lamp-shades covering all the light bulbs hanging from the ceiling (one over each table). The eclectic menu changes from time to time, everything from homemade soups and breads and desserts, to vegetable-filled omelets and interesting salads.

We got there right when they opened at ten o'clock, and by the time we left at noon, just about every table was filled. There aren't all that many restaurants in the middle of The Heights, and this being Sunday, Shade may have been the only option. But it's a delicious one, and it was nice to see K and B, and K's granddaughter E (who flies up from Corpus Christi from time to time to go to the ballet or the opera with K and B).

After lunch, instead of walking around the nearby antique shops, we all drove to Arne's Discount Warehouse. Think of a "Party City" store on speed.... and then multiply it by a zillion.... and you'll have Arne's. Everything you can possibly think of for every occasion on earth, and even things for dinners and parties that you didn't know existed. By the time we looked around some, my mind was on over-load, and my mostly-non-shopping husband had seen enough stuff to last him for the next five years. Maybe ten. Quite possibly twenty.

I did buy some things for Valentine's Day, St. Patty's Day, and Easter.... gift bags and pretty napkins mostly. The prices there were more than reasonable, but some were more expensive than the local dollar stores. Still, they did have things I hadn't seen before, and had I not already bought mostly everything for the Valentine's party, I could have done some major damage in that store.

We said goodbye to K and B after that because they had to get E to the airport to catch her flight back to Corpus. We drove on to The Whole Foods Market to get some groceries and look around. We bought specialty cheeses and homemade soups and foods, and a carrot cake for my birthday tomorrow. We have enough cooked food in the house so I won't have to cook tomorrow. Can't cook on your own birthday, that's a rule. And I did all the laundry this afternoon, so I don't have to do that either. That's another birthday rule... no laundry.

Pretty day today... blue sky, lots of sun. Could have been a little warmer, though... but it wasn't raining. Yet. The week is still young.