Connecticut Weekend - Part 1

All went well on my trip to Connecticut for nef #1's high school graduation.  I haven't been on a flight with empty seats in 10 years.  There was one slight problem though.  The guy in the middle seat - next to me - never moved.  He could have easily slid over to the aisle seat but instead he decided to snuggle up next to me.  For some reason, he wanted to stay as close to me as possible.  Obviously, I've still got it.

Arrived at Bradley Airport on time.  Sista was waiting in her convertible with the top down in an 80 degree perfect day.  As soon as I sat in her car, I felt 20 lbs. thinner and 30 years younger. 
Life is good.

I'm the younger one.

Sista had a "to do" list that needed to be taken care of.  First thing: pick up 3 koi for her pond.  Second - lunch at her favorite sushi restaurant.  This is life in Sista's world.  You think she doesn't realize the ironies that are always delicately threaded throughout her life and then you realize -  she gives you a sly smile and you realize she does get it.

  

Our first stop... where else ...  the koi shop.  This is my first visit to a fish shop of any kind.  My first observation: what is it about  Connecticut that even makes a fish shop charming and cute?  Not only was the store darling, but the owner and employees were so warm.   Sista chose 3 and told the owner that we had to stop for lunch and, of course, there was lots of shopping to be done.  "Would the koi be okay in the convertible?" she asked on this 85 degree sunny day.  He said he would put their bag full of water in a box and proceeded to recommend taking the koi inside if we were going to be gone for long.   "No problem," sista told him,  "They are in good hands."

Off we went to have lunch.   We walked into the sushi restaurant, asked for a table, and sista politely asked the 8-year-old hostess  if she would mind watching over her new "children."  She also stressed how important it was that the chef not get wind of the "fish candy" up front.  We enjoyed a lunch of delicious sushi and sista approached the hostess on our way out and asked if she would keep an eye on her little darlings while she showed her sister around the gorgeous outdoor shopping mall.  She agreed.

Our first stop... Sephora.  We told the sweet sales lady that we were sick of  the dark shadows under our eyes.  We explained that we we earned them from partying all night with Adam Levine and Blake Shelton.  She didn't look impressed but I think she was secretly jealous.

Sista and a very envious sales lady.

Next stops... J Jill and, "Im not over a size 3," Chicos. Something about these stores... they hire staff to compliment you the instant you enter the store. One sales lady complimented me on my dress and another one said she loved my shoes. Sista was complimented on her beautiful skin and lack of shadows under her eyes.  Little did they know we both had enough under eye concealer to spackle the Kardashian ladies for a week.

We stopped in our favorite koi-care place and picked up sista's beloved "children."  She checked on them and confirmed they were alive and happy and ready to embark on the rest of our adventure.

Our next stop... my beloved "home away from home" anywhere in the world... Homegoods.  Sista hopped out of the car and grabbed a carriage.  She placed the box of koi in the carriage with such unbridled pride you would think the cart was a chariot.  She pushed it around the store like she was Kate Middleton with her newborn.  She spoke softly to them while she filled the cart with candles and other must-haves for her graduation dessert party.

Sista's "kids" on their way to enjoy their first trip to Homegoods.

My Nirvana

Halfway home, Sista tried to call her Mista to ask if he needed anything.  Hmmm... the phone did not connect to the car.  She asked to use my phone and I noticed her Mista had called me - twice.  When she called her Mista she started complaining about her "darn" phone not hooking up to her car.  He told her the reason for that was probably because her phone and her purse were locked in the safe at Homegoods because they were left in the "royal" carriage in the parking lot.  

Sista told him that she had no idea how that happened.  It was certainly no fault of ours.  So then he asked how close to home we were. Another 20 minutes or so, sista told him.  He suggested that we should turn back to retrieve the purse and sista set him straight and told him we were waaay too embarrassed to go back. She continued, assuming the sweetest voice she could muster, inquiring if he would  retrieve that poorly behaved purse.

  

And this, ladies and gents, is one of the many reasons I love my bro-in-law (BIL).  Never skipping a beat he got in the car and fetched the purse so Sista and I could enjoy a glass of wine start getting the dessert party organized.

   Later, after my BIL's journey back from Homegoods, he made my favorite meal .... Rosemary Chicken.  Sista... you've got good taste in men.

Hope your day includes some good bargain shopping!!