a fun gadget

I now have a GPS for my car. I bought it from a friend who was upgrading. Recently, she showed me how to use it and I tried it out yesterday, programming it for a place that I already knew how to get to. It was interesting to see how it directed me - wanted me to go south through the center of town, with lots of traffic lights, rather than take the highway a bit north of where I live. I know that the route the GPS suggested was shorter in distance, but it would have been slower and certainly more aggravating. I ignored the suggestion and went my way. As soon as I turned the "wrong" direction, the GPS recalculated and found the route I planned to use. So it did work the way it should. I'm sure there are tricks to using it that I don't know. No paperwork came with the unit, but my friend says I can go online and read the operating manual. Maybe I'll do that today. We are supposed to have rain/snow today, so I plan to stay at home. So far (8:20 AM) it is cloudy, but nothing is falling from the sky. I would enjoy a bit of the white stuff, but I'm sure that working folks who have many things to do on Saturdays would NOT agree with me. It's nice being retired!

Jill (the temporary cat) was dropped off yesterday around noon. She went to her usual hiding place, under the bed in the guest room. However, when I came back from lunch (and shopping), I had to drag her out to give her a pill. This is quite a traumatic thing, both for her and for me. However, I succeeded and she forgave me quickly. A bit later, she came downstairs to check out the living room. I sat in my recliner and watched her patrol the room, looking under each piece of furniture and squirming her way behind the couch. She tried out both a chair and the couch to see if they suited her as places to nap. She also came up, briefly onto the footrest of my chair, but wouldn't stay or sit in my lap. I think she was looking to see if she could find Lynne, although why she thought Lynne might be behind the couch, I can't imagine. LOL Maybe she was just hoping to find something interesting, like a house or a cricket. (Sorry, Jill, I haven't had either one recently.) Anyway, Jill seems resigned to being here and not too unhappy about it. At least she didn't come banging on my bedroom door last night, like she did during her first visit to my house. She is still under the bed this morning, but I'm not surprised. Lynne is not an early riser and Jill is probably used to sleeping in. When she wakes up, I'll have to force another pill down her throat, but after that we should be ok.

Yesterday, I did my bit for the economy - i.e. - I went shopping. Macy's was having a clearance sale and for once, they actually had all the sale (75% off) items on separate racks, clearly marked. I didn't really NEED anything, but I cannot resist a real bargain. I ended up with a cardigan, a lightweight jacket, trousers, and three knit shirts for less than $90. Pretty good deal, I think! What I need to do now is go through my winter clothes and discard the items that I haven't worn in several years. I'm really bad about keeping way too much in the way of clothes. Somehow, I just can't bring myself to discard something that is still perfectly good, but just never gets worn. That is probably why I have three chests of drawers and three full size closets full of clothes! Time to donate to thrift shops!