A Non-birding Day

I declared today, Saturday, Sept. 1, a non-birding day. No, I was not suffering from the onset of dementia. Let me explain:

First of all, the weather here in Southern California was what Paris Hilton calls "hhot!". How hot is it? It is so hot that the brain of a hatless person would be fried in a matter of seconds. Although it has been said that fried brain is a great fish food. Or is it that fried fish is a great brain food?

Anyway, the beaches would be much cooler, the weatherman said. And of course, all the population of this part of the great state of CA will be flocking there. So we won't even think of going anywhere near those places.

Second, my wife has an appointment at the lab for a you're in (I mean, urine) test at 7:30 am. That should take up the "cooler" part of the morning. Only the most masochistic of heliophiles would want to go outdoors past 9 am at these temperatures.

So what do we do when we are not going to be birding?

Shopping!!!!

At the mall !!!!!!!

OK, those who know me must really think that I must be suffering from fried brain to agree to this.

But then I was promised a brand new pair of sunglasses. So there.

Mercifully, the covered parking lot was not yet full when we arrived at the Santa Anita Mall. We immediately proceeded to JCPenneys. Now I thought it was Cynthia who was suffering from dementia to go to a department store other than Ross or Target or Wal-mart. She must have read my thoughts for she immediately pointed to the price tags that read 50% off and then... additional 15% off if a JCPenney credit card was used in the purchase. Whereupon she suddenly whipped out from her handbag the plastic proof that would assuage my doubts.

Satisfied with her shopping "duties" we then went to Solstice to get my Ray-bans. Despite my protestations upon seeing the price tag (no discounts here) she sweetly bought it anyway all the while telling me how good I look in my new set of shades. It's gotta be the extreme heat that made her act like this, I concluded to myself.

After a Philly Steak Sandwich and Hot Potato with Turkey lunch, we headed home.

And what do you know, I survived a non-birding Saturday without going berserk! I guess looking through a hundred dollars plus sunglasses helped.