Writers’ Day Off, Shopping Edition

Yesterday, we went south.  It was our Intention to hit Old Orchard Beach for some quality Atlantic Ocean time, then go to South Portland, specifically The Maine Mall, and particularly Williams-Sonoma.  We had previously checked the web and were assured that Williams-Sonoma was still in the Mall, the proof of this statement being a list of Hours Open.

We were on the road early, for science fiction writer values of “early,” stopped in Saco at the Lucky Logger for breakfast — great breakfasts at the Logger, for those who like diner food.  If you’re ever in Saco, give it a look-in.

After breakfast, we walked down to Reny’s — and I have a New Favorite Reny’s (it used to be the one in Damariscotta, which is pretty dern cool).  The Saco Reny’s has EVERYthing.  No, I’m not kidding.  I bought a jar of lingonberry jelly, made in Sweden;  Steve bought of tin of those chocolate straw cookies he likes — Piroulines.  We could’ve spent more time — and money, too, I’m guessing, but the ocean called, so we paid for our purchases — during which the cashier was pleased to notice our wedding rings and wished to know if we were silversmiths — and headed for OOB.

It was, let me say here, a perfect day.  The air was clear, the sky was blue, the sun was bright, and it was August.  Yeah, I don’t know what I was thinking, either.  If there was a place to park in OOB (absent the parking lots, which, in celebration of the perfection of the day, were charging $25-$35 to park), we didn’t find it.  We did continue down to Pine Point, where we found space at the public boat landing, and visited the ocean from afar.

We then took counsel; decided that it would doubtless also be August in Ogunquit, Wells, Kennebunk, and so on, and turned our wheels back to South Portland and the justly famous Maine Mall, and Williams-Sonoma, there to purchase much-needed new pots.

Except — despite the promise of the internet that Williams-Sonoma in The Maine Mall would be open at 10 am on Monday, it was instead!

Not there at all.

Closer investigation revealed that the location had closed at least a year, and possibly more, back.  So, that was a setback.

Steve asked if there was anything else we needed at the mall, and I mentioned that I have been for some time trying to solve the riddle of an office chair with a back that stays fixed and the seat doesn’t rock back and forth.  I had been looking at chairs on the internet, but — you gotta sit in the chair before you buy it; that’s my view, and it’s none too easy to do, given Maine.

Steve steered us to Best Buy, where the guy on the gate didn’t really think he’d ever seen a chair in the store, but we were welcome to order one online (my point).

We sought out the Mall Directory, where we learned that there was an actual furniture store in the mall — Jordan’s Furniture, and we set out for that location.

Let me pause here for a moment, and tell you that Jordan’s in The Maine Mall is on its own hallway, next to the big arcade, which is possibly called “Entertainment.”   As you come into the long darkish hall, lights begin to flicker, and if you look up, you can watch a series of pictures — birds, planes, abstract —  flow across the LED ceiling.  I recommend leaning against the wall for best viewing, and also so you don’t fall over.

Once you’ve recovered from this, you enter a large foyer which is actually a rope course — two different rope courses; one for Littles and the other for Biggers.  Beyond that — is the furniture store.

To clarify — you don’t have to traverse the rope course in order to enter the store.

I don’t get out much, but Jordan’s-the-store would have been quite enough entertainment on its own.  It goes on, and on, and on, room upon room of furniture and accessories, rugs. . .just a beautiful place to wander, eyes decently averted from the price tags.

I wandered later.  First, Steve and I met Mimi, who asked if she could help us.  I said I looking for an office chair, and she indicated that we should follow her.  As we walked, she asked after intended usage, and I let her know that I was a writer and spent from 6 to 12 hours in my chair a day, and she said, “I know exactly what you want.  My son works at home and he’s in his chair eight hours a day.  I got him one of these.  Sit down and tell me what you think.”

Well, what I thought was that my back had died and gone to heaven.  Which is why I’m expecting delivery of an XChair next Thursday afternoon.  Yeah, it’s spendy, but so’s the chiropractor.

You would have thought that would be enough adventure for one day — and you would be wrong.

Leaving the mall, we stopped at Books-a-Million to sign their sole Lee-and-Miller work — the mass market of Fair Trade. While we were there, we spoke to Rob the manager, who was able to confirm that Salvage Right had been in stock, but had sold out.  Oh, and we gave away cards.  Note to self:  restock purse with Liaden cards.

Duty done, we hit the road, and by Lucky Accident, found LeRoux Kitchen on Payne Road, where we were able to achieve our Goal #1 of new pots.

Exhausted by our efforts, we stopped at the Sebago Brewing Company for lunch — haddock sandwich for Steve; orange chicken bowl for me — and so to home.

Today, I have things to do — clearing the old pots out, setting the new pots in.  I’m also going to try to get the first chapter of Wolf in the Wind, the Archers Beach novel that Will Not Be, up on Splinter Universe.  I’ll drop a note in All the Usual Places when that happens.

In other news, I see that Salvage Right has broken 500 reviews/ratings!  Thank you all!

For those who haven’t yet reviewed — don’t think you’re off the hook; reviews are always appreciated.

And I think that catches us all up.