On Friday I met with friends and we went to the Goodwill store in Delavan.  I got a new purse, some ribbon and a queen-sized sheet which I hope will become the back of my newest quilt. We have been going to this Goodwill for years.  It is a huge store and has a ton of really good stuff. I have purchased items of clothing with the tags still on them.  The queen-sized sheet was still in its original package.  ($2.99 can beat it.?)

We had some excellent laughs as we found so many interesting things.  I found a very cute wooden sun mirror and picked it up for Nancy. She is making fairy gardens around her yard and I thought it would be a good choice of items. She got it.

I rummaged through a bunch of puzzles, toys and games and found the most hilarious game called Exploding Kittens.  It brought back memories of one of my best friend’s son.  He isn’t my FB friend so I am not spoiling the surprise.  I bought the game and sent it to him.  Years ago, we used to go out in our boats on the lake and tie up together.  We called it flotilla.  The kids would swim in the lake and the adults would indulge in refreshing beverages.  We sometimes brought and shared dinner out there.  If the kids got bored we played games.  One game was called, “101 things to do with a dead cat.”

Friend, Ellie, is a cat lover and hated when we played this.  I think she managed a few laughs though.

The Exploding Kittens game reminded me of this and Ellie’s son, Jay.  It brought back many memories of Jay and all the outrageous things he and my girls used to do.

Back to the Goodwill story.  I looked through all the t-shirts but didn’t find any good ones.  They do have a bunch of ladies World Series Cubs t-shirts if you are looking for one.  Several years ago, I got my husband a t-shirt at this store that read, “Armed and Hammered.”  He wore it until it was tatters.  I sewed it back together because it is such a great shirt.

I managed to get away from the Goodwill store spending only $40.  I’m trying to get rid of stuff at my age.  I got a package of good pencils for only a quarter.  (I do the quiptogram in the newspaper and you have got to have a good eraser for this, and no, I don’t do it in ink but I do the crossword in ink.)  I also got four in-the-package glue sticks for only $2.00.  The ribbons I got were 50 cents each and one package had about 8 rolls for $1.99.

We ventured on down the highway to one of my favorite restaurants, Daddy Maxwell’s.  It looks like an igloo and is decorated with the inanest stuff.  They have Christmas lights over the windows with fluffy clouds of garland.  On this they put stuffed animals, Dr. Seuss creatures and really kitschy stuff like that. I love the place.  Look it up on line as I couldn’t snarf a photo.

The best part about Daddy’s is that you can get a beer.  We all got Spotted Cows.  Nancy and I got the fish tacos and Garnet got a grill tomato and cheese sandwich.  We shared deep fried cheese curds.

Somewhere during this luncheon Nancy told us the sillies joke about someone going to see a shrink.    This reminded me of a great old joke.  A man goes to see a psychiatrist wrapped in Saran wrap and the shrink says, “I can clearly see your nuts.”  We were laughing so hard Nancy got a stitch pain. I was almost crying at my own silly joke.  So then Garnet pops up with this one.  She is standing next to two guys at the Goodwill and overhears one of them ask the other, “have you smelled moth balls?” He answers, “yes,” so Garnet chimes in, “how did you get their little legs apart?”  I almost peed my pants.

Luckily, we were the only customers in that room at the time because we were laughing so loud and with such gusto.  I noticed that when new customers came in they put them in the other dining room.

Daddy Maxwell’s is known for its homemade pies and cakes.  They had carrot cake and cherry pie that day.  Decisions, decisions…  I opted for the carrot cake and Nancy and I shared it. It was not nearly as wonderful as my carrot but it was a good second. They made it with cream cheese frosting.  I make mine with Caramel.

Since Nancy drove (we call her van the Septran bus because it is huge and can carry seven people.) Garnet and I paid her lunch bill.  It came to eight dollars each.  Garnet gave me the eight bucks and I went and paid my bill and half of Nancy’s. I was still braindead from all the laughter. So Garnet pays her bill and the confused waitress asks who pays the other half of Nancy’s bill.  Garnet calls me over and says, “I gave you the eight dollars.”  I felt like an idiot!  We gave the waitress a very good tip.

On the way home, we stopped for beer and to use the restroom.  I had the most fun day I have had in a very long time.  I hope the other girlfriends who backed out on this trip will make it for the next one.

Photo above is not at Daddy Maxwell's but is a bunch of my favorite girlfriends in the world.

Peace be with you.