The visit continued

When my friend Kathy called to say she was on her way to visit me, I already had a full day planned. After we spent time oohing and ahhing over her latest creations (see previous post), I still had places I had planned to visit that day. If I was to make my schedule, I needed to stay on track. I had planned to stop at the Household Hazardous Waste Swap and Shop, which is put on by the county. I had planned this because it was on the way to the seed store I planned to visit.


The shelves were nearly empty this month, but I managed to find some caulk, so I'll be making more of my crazy stiff dresses soon. What I love are the obsolete cans and jars they have collected and placed on display above the swap area.


My second stop was NOT in my garden, but I forgot to take any photos at our next stop because it was a quick in and out stop at the "feed and seed" store. I could have bought a LOT more plants and seeds, but limited myself to four types of basil, which I planted yesterday, along with eight other herb seeds I still have to buy potting soil for before I can plant them. This is actually my reminder so I know which seed packets went in which pot. These are all basil and I have planted two in each of these two pots. You can see the dill is doing quite well on the left side of the photo. The tomatoes, eggplant and one bell pepper will go in the ground tomorrow, when we get cooler weather.

Speaking of weather, while Kathy and I were out, our temperature was 97 F, an all time high record for the day, and for the month of April. As heat records begin to break as early as April, are we looking at another scorching summer?


It was a birthday celebration when I had my pie and ate it, too (grin).

After lunch, we headed to a couple of stores in the area of the restaurant where we ate. I actually BOUGHT house slippers. I needed them, since my other ones were dead, all four pair of house slippers died at about the same time this winter and I have been hesitant to buy anything. However, house slippers are not something I want to buy at the thrift store. And I also got a new toilet seat and mouthwash because they are things I would have bought elsewhere, but since I was there, they sort of cried out for my attention. I also bought Kathy a pair of garden gloves, and an upside-down tomato grower topsy-turvey thingy (technical term for "I have no idea what you call it")!! I called it a late birthday gift.

Then we drove downtown where there were a few specialty shops Kathy was dying to visit. We had planned to visit this neighborhood months ago, but the time got away from us. In fact, we were only able to visit three stores this visit, but next time, we will know where to begin and get an earlier start. After all, Kathy DOES love to shop!!



We visited a hat store, called Hatman Jack's. I was going to look for a link and instead of adding Wichita, KS, I hit the enter button. Amazing, it was the FIRST choice, even without a city and state to guide it. Their 360 degree full screen view of both rooms is far superior to anything I could show. Per their web site:

Hatman Jack's is one of the largest hat shops in the nation. Our selection includes nearly 100 brands ranging from men's and women's dress hats and westerns, to hard to find hats of all kinds. Our accessory department includes Hat bands, scarves, gloves, canes, and leather wallets and belts. We specialize in the lost art of fitting a hat to your face shape, complexion, and size.

Founded in 1976 by Jack Kellogg, Jack continues the hat making tradition with custom-made hats as well as off the rack. He has produced custom hats for the entertainment industry including Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, The Quick and the Dead, B.B. King, Charlie Daniels, Harry Connick Jr., Mickey Mantle, Luciano Pavarotti and others.

~Hatman Jack's

There are also SteamPunk hats for those of you who, like me, appreciate that genre!!


The first thing Kathy saw when she entered the store was the jester's hat. She decided to get it for a friend she has coffee with. I stopped to take a photo of the cowboy hats and men's department, when she scurried away into


the next room that had more hats, this time many of them ladies.


I wasn't sure whether I could be going to the Kentucky Derby or about to visit a royal British event for the Queen's Jubilee celebration. Some of these hats would go to either event.


At first, Kathy was mesmerized by the purses. After all, she loves purses and carries a new one nearly every time she visits.


But it was the hats that drew her eye


as she examined one with feathers I thought she might actually buy.


But then, she found this one and couldn't choose! She ended up only buying the jester's hat, which she carried around the store for nearly an hour.


Out on the street, the pavement was scorching. I looked up and saw more of those metal palm trees like the ones I found at a motel that had been closed and boarded up. And here is a post with the darling palm trees only. Gosh I love those palm trees.


Next up was a high end boutique type yarn shop called Twist. The next and above photos are from their web site. I didn't take my camera out of my purse. I swear that place made me feel like I wanted to leave as soon as I entered and that photo above looks nothing like the day we were there. In fact, the shop looked


exactly like this photo when we entered and when we left! Now I realize I'm not a knitter or crocheter, at least not anymore, but in my opinion, $30.00 to $42.00 is a bit much for a skein of yarn!


Right down the street from Hatman Jack's and Twist was Bungalow 26, where irreverence is in good taste. How do I know? Because I read it on the blackboard I failed to photograph! I teased Kathy about the Zebra rug and I think she was tempted to ask about it, but didn't.


There were hanging signs that pointed to their philosophy, "Pretty Reckless."


I loved everything from the glitter embedded in the concrete floor to the framed windows that greet you throughout the store.


This photo was shamelessly stolen from Bungalow 26's decorating and design page, but I DO remember a couch and chest. In fact, that chest looks very similar to one I owned but left behind when I moved to Wichita.


I have NO idea how I made it out of that shop with my fortitude intact, because it was surprisingly VERY affordable. In fact, I thought it was far more affordable than any of the shops in "Old Town," an area where Kathy loves to shop. I will definitely go back one of these days. Maybe after my year of not buying anything frivolous has passed. So where did we go, you ask?


Why the historic Delana district, of course. Where horse hitching posts are still available should shoppers choose to visit in a carriage!

Actually, these are bike racks made to look like hitching posts. The initial plan was to place them along the most traveled street while the Delano District raises money for future posts. The final plan is to install over 200 bike racks in nine phases, with the first phase already funded.

Now it's time for me to return to my garden, then possibly mark more "to do" items off my list, and thank each of you for visiting today. Have a great weekend.

Finally, does anyone know why my scheduled Blogger posts are not posting? From reading what others have written, I don't seem to be alone, although I may be the only person having the same problem who is using the old Blogger interface. And is this new Google/Blogger responsible for the web sites I often get instead of the ones I'm looking for and trying to reach? Any help would be more than welcome.

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