Vancouver

This is my first trip away since the non-shopping began (well except for having been in NO when I did begin). The airport on Thursday was hard--I adore airport shopping. Things not bought include a pashmina, a Globe and Mail and a little purse for carrying reading glasses. Ok, I might not have bought the pashimina, but the glasses case, yes. On Friday though I had to sublimate the shopping impulse with a sweater off the dollar rack at the thrift store (actually needed as I didn't bring warm enough clothes) and a belt (not needed). Being in a new city with a whole crop of cool stores really does set off my shopping impulse. I figure that acquisition is a very human activity but (rather like our desire for fats) only became a problem in the modern world when mass production has made aquisition so easy.

My nephew's 2nd birthday is coming up so I set out to see what I could find for him and came up with a yellow plastic dachshund that wags its tail and barks when you pull it. Pretty cool and lord knows the world does not need anything more spent on kids toys for kids who already have more than enough. He probably would have been equally happy had I sent him a cardboard box and a stick.

Almost had to buy a new toothbrush as I left mine at a friend's on Thursday night but my brother's partner has a large collection of dentist toothbrushes, so she gave me one. Not used, but at still likely something that might not have been used otherwise. I did, though, buy some hair volumizer and while it does appear to fit in the category of consumables--one can't exactly reuse product--I find it kind of hard to claim that more volume in my hair is really something that I need (though I am sure some would disagree with me about that).