What I did on my autumn vacation

It wasn't really a vacation. I took a week off to help a friend. I've gotten a lot of snaps for that, but believe me, it was one of the best, most rewarding weeks of my life. A friend became a true friend. A sister really. And that was worth all the flying.

It was definitely a working vacation, but it wasn't all work.

I got to meet two other online friends, people I've "known" for a long time whom I now know face to face. That was special. And if that wasn't enough, one meeting involved really yummy Burmese food, and the other some excellent crab cakes and a very good Irish red ale.

Remember about the shoes? Well, of course I did go to DSW. It really is like a candy store for me. I'm very picky about shoes, as I am about all of my wardrobe, but in a store that size, it's hard not to find something that catches my eye. I needed a new pair of ballet flats, and I found a really good pair, with not too much frou-frou and an actual grip on the bottom instead of the slick sole that my current (well-worn) pair have. And then there were the booties on a display that caught my eye. Guess, not leather (I call them "vegan boots"), but so friggin cute. I tried them on twice, because I really didn't need them. I walked around in them, looked in various mirrors, and decided I'd get myself a treat. At DSW, everything is discounted, so it really didn't break the bank. Or my customs limit.

I also stopped into Ulta. We don't have Ulta in Canada. I've seen the name often enough in InStyle, and now I've seen a store. Huge! Bigger than the Sephora stores I've been in. I didn't need anything except Nail Envy, so I didn't go wild, but I did pick up some really eye-catching purple nail polish for winter. I could see having fun in that place.

And then there was Target. We're getting Target soon in Canada, but I had to go anyway for other reasons. I imagine my slavery footprint doesn't get any smaller going to Target than it would going to WalMart (where I do not go), but I like Target stores so much better. And, hey, I really needed those jammies! I could have done a lot more damage if my suitcase hadn't already been full.

I hit my first Dunkin Donuts in ages! I grew up with DD, or "Drunken Donuts" as we called it when I got a little older. The first full day I was there, I treated myself to a breakfast sandwich. Real Hillshire Farms sausage! It was very yummy, even though they put it on an English muffin instead of the biscuit I asked for (which apparently they didn't hear).

Transportation needs were well covered too. I quite enjoyed my rented Nissan Versa. They make inexpensive small cars better than they used to. My Subaru is now old enough so that it's missing little features that show up even in cars like the Versa.

My flights were fairly uneventful too, which is what you want. But oh, whatever did I do before there was free wifi in airports? Read a lot and listened to music, which aren't bad things at all. But as an interwebs addict, I love being able to go online while waiting, especially if I have a long layover. Email, Facething, blogs, all the comforts of home! Some free wifi is better than others, of course, and sometimes I think it depends on where you sit. At least now you don't have to camp out on the floor near an outlet. Some airports set up stations. Some have outlets at certain points in the chairs.

I had luck on my side on the way home. On the small plane for the first leg of the trip, there was no one in the seat next to me. And on the longer flight, which was otherwise rather full, there was only me and a skater boy in a three-seat row! We both appreciated the extra room.

I have a crackpot theory that if you dress decently for a flight, you get treated a little better. At any rate, I like to do so. I wasn't wearing anything fancy on the way home—purple long-sleeve top, black A-line skirt, purple tights, pink and blue and purple scarf—but I know I looked nice. I decided to take a chance on the new booties, which went well with the outfit. I made it for well over 12 hours wearing those boots, including lots of airport walking and taking public transit all the way home (love the Canada Line!) in the rain. I was ready to kick them off when I got home, but my feet didn't feel too bad. It was only today that I got out my ruler and realized they had a lot higher heel than I had thought—four-and-a-half inches with a half-inch platform! Funny, I didn't feel that tall. I love those boots! Although I might not go dancing in them.

I missed the anniversary of starting this blog (it was October 27), but here's another milestone: my 100th post!