5 Pink Dogs

We ran some errands today (Brownie is my little companion). I'd gotten some lovely giftcards for my birthday and some coupons in the mail and I like to use them as soon as I can (no time like the present).

I started off at Victoria's Secret where I had a coupon for a free panty. While in the store, I found out that with any Pink purchase you get a free Pink dog, I, of course, had to make a purchase (I love having birthday money to spend!). So I basically ended up getting two free things, which I like. Incidentally, I now have five of the Pink dogs all lined up in a row on my shelf. This time, they had a blue dog or a yellow dog to choose from as well, but I'll stick with the pink theme (pink is the color of my soul).

I then went to Bath & Body. With a $10 purchase, I could get a free signature item (I got three of their antibacterial foaming handsoaps, which I love, and the mango mandarin body wash). Then, if it wasn't enough to get one thing free, with any purchase today they included a free floral totebag. Nice.

I tooled on over to Barnes & Noble and used my giftcards there to get some of the new books my authors have out this month (yeah!). Then off to Michael's to get a few art supplies (plus use my 40% off one regularly priced item coupon). After that, it was off to the post office to mail some bills and thank you's (for the birthday gifts!), then to the tag agency to renew my license plate (which is not so bad to do during the week, before noon--forget Saturday's and waiting in line for forty minutes).

After I left the tag office, I went to Wal-Mart for Brownie's cookies (you'd think they would have these cookies at all the Wal-Mart's, but only the Super Centers seem to carry them). She gets the Vanilla Woofers and the Peanut Butter Lick-n-Crunch cookies. The Three Dog Bakery makes wonderful products with all natural, human quality ingredients. She loves them and I feel good giving them to her. She reminds me during the day (as if I need a reminder) when it is time for a cookie by staring me down and making a big production of licking her lips. When I say, "Okay, let's go get a cookie" she will run into the house and politely sit and wait for me to give it to her. She's funny, but hey, a girl's gotta have her cookies.

On our way out of the parking lot to go home, I saw that man I saw a few weeks ago who I thought was homeless, but wasn't sure. I'm pretty sure now as he had the same bags I saw last time, but this time he had commandeered a Wal-Mart shopping cart to push his possessions in. I also saw two other men on the way out, one sitting on his duffel bag with a cardboard sign (which I couldn't read) and the other was sitting on the bus stop bench with his pull-cart and possessions. I can't recall seeing so many potentially homeless people in the Wal-Mart parking lot before, especially on this side of town. Most of the people with cardboard signs have them right off the freeway, but what do I know? I sometimes wonder if some of them with the cardboard signs aren't making more than I am in a year. And I pray for the others who truly need help. I can't do anything to help any of them right now anyway, legitimate or not.

And there you have it--my errands for the day. Now I need to clean the house and take care of a few things, but it is so beautiful outside that I may have to take some time to just sit out there and feel the sun on my face and not think about anything for a few minutes.