Monday 19 November 2007

U.S. Shopping

This last weekend was our annual shopping trip to the US.
Christmas is coming and our dollar is above par for the first time in 40 years.
My sister Donna, my daughters,Rosanne and Sherry and myself departed in 2 vans , yes we really needed both to hold all our purchases.
We left bright and early on Friday morning ,heading for Saginaw Michigan for Deer Widows Weekend at Birch Run.The men go hunting for Bambi's and the women shop.
We met up on the ramp to the 401 were Rosanne presented Donna and I with
a file folder of maps and coupons to Birch Run and Saginaw. Nice touch.
We stopped at the duty free to pick up some liquor products.
Then on to the Blue water bridge and oh, wasn't there a line up,45 minutes to get to the guard booth and then the inspector asks for my sister's keys, open the back door and our vehicle was searched first by a dog and the our baggage was checked, meanwhile my daughters, much younger and cuter by the way,
in the other van were through with out any check and pulled up waiting 5 minutes for us.
Guess my sister and I look like we are a threat to national security or drug smugglers.
Finally we were let through and on we went.
We got to Saginaw and checked into the Fair field Inn part of the Marriott chain. What a clean lovely hotel.
Dumped our belongings then hurried over to Fashion Square Mall , shopped for the afternoon , went to dinner at Outback , so good, then off to Kohl's were one could shop til Midnight Friday night.Donna and I found Kitchen aid mixers on special and bought 2.
The girls shopped til midnight , Donna and I pooped out.
Up Saturday had a nice continental breakfast at the hotel then off to Birch Run, it was very busy some long lineups to check out but great bargains.
Donna and I lasted til 2 in the afternoon then we returned to an afternoon rest, rested for a while then off to Meijers and Target for an hour, meanwhile the girls shopped til 7 in the evening at the outlet
came back went back to the mall called us to meet them at TGIF's for dinner, said we would be there in 5 minutes , we arrive no girls, they were closer than us , we
wondering where they could have gotten to ? They
just had to hit one more store before dinner LOL.
Back to the room to show and tell all our purchases, have some wine and chocolate and generally regroup .
Sunday AM , another good breakfast then Donna and I pack up with the help of the girls , head for home, meanwhile the girls shopped more, we crossed back into Canada around one after a stop at Cracker Barrel , no problem at the border this time , the girls shopped more and got back to Canada around 6, they wait at the border another 45 minutes to cross.
We had a great time , lots of shopping , lots of laughs and we are doing it again.

2 comments:

Rosanne said...

It was a good time! And did Sherry tell you about the coffee deal, we got two of the big Columbian coffee for $5 each!

Victoria Williams said...

Fun fun, fun! Good for you! I wonder if the weak dollar is keeping some Americans closer to home. Bet you love having the situation reversed!