Gettin' colder.

We are still in a daze about yesterday's news, trying to get used to the idea that we are having a little girl. It's very exciting. We decided to get out of the hotel and find something warm to do. So, why not go window shopping at a mall?

There is a very upscale mall near the hotel, just up the road a mile or two. It's the "Shoppes at Short Pump Mall." We'd heard about it from our realtor and it's always being advertised on t.v., so we went.

We pulled up, went inside Dillards, then found ourselves back "outside" but the interior side of the mall. Darn! I left my jacket in the car because I hate to lug it around a nice warm mall. Hey, where's the indoor mall here? It was SO cold! We found a calendar store to warm up in and get a new calendar for the new year. We have tons of dates to remember and write down already. We found the Apple Store and played with the iPod and iPhone for a while. Then back into the cold mall area again. My leg was starting to hurt and I don't walk very fast these days anyway.

My right leg had been hurting me for a couple of days after wrestling with Ringo, trying to put drops in his ears the other night. (He's strong for a cat!) I wrenched up my hip joint bad and it felt like grinding bone on bone. I thought it was getting better, but no. We had to head back to the hotel. But first, we went to the nearest Wawa gas station, (I know, it's a weird name), but that is where we get gas AND free coffee from 4 to 7 everyday. They have an array of flavored coffees and creams, free for the taking! Of course, decaf for me - darn it. It's great - and warm!

Short Pump mall is beautiful and I bet on a warmer day, a great place to hang out. The stores were plentiful and had everything you could possibly imagine. Here's a photo of me that Dan took near a huge Christmas tree in the center. I would have taken a photo of him, but he was even colder than me, so we snapped this and took off for the warmth of the car.

Now, here's my thought: the busiest shopping time of the year...note all the emptiness behind me...no people ANYWHERE. I think they need to hire one of these builders from Las Vegas to create a faux exterior feeling like they have at the big resorts like the Bellagio, Paris, or the Venetian. Fake the exterior and keep the warmth! We'll go back there one day...in the springtime!

Tomorrow, to escape cabin fever, we are heading to Virginia Beach to check out the Aquarium and the Boardwalk...weather permitting! Wish us luck.