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Nov. 2nd, 2007 09:55 amSo yesterday I spent about four hours shopping for - wait for it - underwear and socks for the hubby and the kids. Why on earth did it take me so long to buy what can reasonably be assumed to be basic items? Because I couldn't find more than one set of anything in the sizes I needed in each store. Seriously.
It's long been a rather bizarre factor of life here in the Netherlands. Even the bigger department stores have this weird tendency to carry only one of each size of something, so if you're not quick on the uptake, or need to bring it back to exchange for a different size (which often happens with kids), then you're SOL. Not all the stores are like this, of course. But enough of them are. If you don't mind paying 12.00 Euros for an undershirt and a pair of panties, why of COURSE you can find it. Same with pajamas and socks. Consequently, I'd find a pair of socks for hubby, one pair of pajamas for the boy, one set of undies for the girl, for example, and then move on to the next store and the next long line of people at the register.
Maybe I'm spoiled after living in the US, where you can go to Target or K-Mart and buy cute, inexpensive clothes for your kids with no hassles, but sometimes I feel like I live in some kind of communist country where you have lots of money, but nothing to buy with it but 100 cans of beans or rubber bands by the thousands. *sigh*
ANYway, I did finally manage to get everything together. And then I bought myself a present. A Ninetendo DS Lite. In pink. ;c) I even bought a pink case for it. I also grabbed the new Zelda: Phantom Hourglass and I'm having a blast playing it. Who knew that an old geezer like me could have fun with such a silly gadget? I sat up 'til 11 last night playing, and then forced myself to put it away and go to bed. LOL! While I enjoy video games on the Wii or the Xbox, I don't have the patience to sit in front of the tv for hours on end. But this little thing I can take with me to daughter's swimming lessons, or while I'm waiting in line, or at the kitchen table waiting for the food to cook.
Don't worry - I'm laughing at myself here so you don't have to. :c) It's that second childhood that everyone keeps talking about. The older I get, the more I appreciate the ability to play.
Still trying to decide about LJIdol. I think I'm going to do it, but I wish I could filter out certain people from reading it.
It's long been a rather bizarre factor of life here in the Netherlands. Even the bigger department stores have this weird tendency to carry only one of each size of something, so if you're not quick on the uptake, or need to bring it back to exchange for a different size (which often happens with kids), then you're SOL. Not all the stores are like this, of course. But enough of them are. If you don't mind paying 12.00 Euros for an undershirt and a pair of panties, why of COURSE you can find it. Same with pajamas and socks. Consequently, I'd find a pair of socks for hubby, one pair of pajamas for the boy, one set of undies for the girl, for example, and then move on to the next store and the next long line of people at the register.
Maybe I'm spoiled after living in the US, where you can go to Target or K-Mart and buy cute, inexpensive clothes for your kids with no hassles, but sometimes I feel like I live in some kind of communist country where you have lots of money, but nothing to buy with it but 100 cans of beans or rubber bands by the thousands. *sigh*
ANYway, I did finally manage to get everything together. And then I bought myself a present. A Ninetendo DS Lite. In pink. ;c) I even bought a pink case for it. I also grabbed the new Zelda: Phantom Hourglass and I'm having a blast playing it. Who knew that an old geezer like me could have fun with such a silly gadget? I sat up 'til 11 last night playing, and then forced myself to put it away and go to bed. LOL! While I enjoy video games on the Wii or the Xbox, I don't have the patience to sit in front of the tv for hours on end. But this little thing I can take with me to daughter's swimming lessons, or while I'm waiting in line, or at the kitchen table waiting for the food to cook.
Don't worry - I'm laughing at myself here so you don't have to. :c) It's that second childhood that everyone keeps talking about. The older I get, the more I appreciate the ability to play.
Still trying to decide about LJIdol. I think I'm going to do it, but I wish I could filter out certain people from reading it.
