Adventures At Home

Last Friday my aunt and I went to the mall in Sioux Falls for the Black Friday sales. My mom however, was going to have no part in this- she hates the mall, and shopping, and crowds. Although the mall opened at 5AM, we really did not feel the need to be there that early. Arriving at 9:30 worked just fine for us. Aside from the mass of people that filled Younkers and the line at Old Navy that went from the front of the store all the way to the back of the store, we did not find any crowds. JCPenney's had all kinds of employees around to help you and I found a $20 robe for my brother for Christmas that was originally $84. Macy's was handing out Craisins to "give you energy to shop". We also stopped into Naturalizer where my aunt was able to find a pair of shoes. After that, my aunt had a cup of coffee and I had a pretzel while waiting to get my hair cut. Then we left the mall, made a quick stop at the grocery store, and headed home.

Since my dad had to work on Friday, my uncle and brother just hunted on our land, but they didn't get anything.

Saturday my mom, aunt, and I headed to Mitchell, SD to go to Cabela's to look at winter coats. Unfortunately, their selection of winter coats was rather slim. While standing under the "Women's Outerwear" sign we found 2 coats. Being rather disappointed with the selection, we went to the hunting section, found my dad what he told us to get, and went through the checkout. We then put our stuff in the car and my mom suggested we eat at the restaurant inside. So, we head back inside and find a couple more women's winter coats along with the UnderArmour that was on sale that my mom saw in the ad and we then forgot about. We then discovered that the restaurant was no more. It was now a fudge shop with miscellaneous other items. We each got a free sample of fudge though. We then ate at Culvers for lunch which was packed- as in if you wanted to sit down to eat you basically needed to wait for someone else to vacate their table. Then it was back onto the interstate to go to Scheels in Sioux Falls which had a lot more selection and a salesman who was determined to not let me use the big hook that is used to get down coats that are too high to reach. Not allowing me to use the big hook was probably in the best interest of the rest of the store, as I had no clue how to use it.

Then it was another quick trip to the grocery store before we headed home, where my dad, uncle, and brother were hunting after my dad and uncle had not had luck finding pheasants elsewhere.

Sunday my aunt, uncle, and their 2 dogs left. Then I cut my brother's hair since he doesn't trust my mom to do it. I think his original plan was "Cut it short so that mom won't try to cut it before the end of February when we are coming to visit you". However, my mom says it's short enough now that it won't need to get cut until my graduation at the end of April. Words of wisdom: Don't assume that your 17-year-old brother knows what blade should be used to cut his hair. Then, while my mom and brother went to church I attempted to finish drying some sheets that I was planning to taking back to Colorado with me that afternoon. My dad and I headed into Sioux Falls a little later and met my mom at a snowboard shop where I was hoping to get boots, but that didn't happen because apparently I'm too picky about how the boot fits. Then we went to Perkins where my mom had to have her usual debate of whether she wanted to eat breakfast or lunch before my dad went to the auto parts store to get some fluids to put in my car and my mom and I went to the cell phone store and the mall before picking my brother up from a movie. A little while after getting home, my mom and I had to go back into town to get an additive for a fluid that my dad was putting into my car. Then it was an attempt at going to bed early since I was getting up at 2AM (1AM Colorado time) to drive back. I made a video of the drive up from Denver and I will be posting it in another post, as I'm not totally sure how to upload a video and I wish to have as few things as possible to make disappear, re-arrange, or otherwise mess up.

Monday morning I was not exactly raring to go when my alarm went off and the fact that I tried to make hot chocolate with only hot water is a sign of that. I woke up soon enough though and enjoyed the wonderful 14-hour drive back to Colorado. At the Student Government meeting we didn't have enough people to vote on anything and since this coming Monday will be finals week, we don't have a meeting again until next semester.

Tuesday in Accounting we were told we'd basically have a take-home final. She is posting it this weekend and then we can come in on Tuesday to work on it, otherwise we can do it on our own. While Accounting was an enjoyable class this semester for the most part, I don't think I will be taking "Part 2" next semester as it has yet to "click" and so it results in more frustration than anything.

To say that it has been chilly in Leadville lately is an understatement. Yesterday morning it was -15. Yes, negative. Today it was a balmy -12 when I got up. It's now -2. At least it is sunny though. One of my friends was joking this morning that a heat wave must have come in overnight. Many of us are getting impatient with the negative temperatures. It would be one thing if there were snow on the ground or if it were currently snowing. But it's not. It's just ridiculously cold. Those of us working at Ski Cooper this winter are really wishing for snow about now. Hopefully we'll get a bunch of snow this weekend, as they announce on Monday whether or not they are opening for the coming weekend.