Shopping is not a four letter word

Shopping is not a four letter word, so how can it be bad? I am far from being the shopaholic girl featured in Sophie Kinsella's books, but I do admit to loving shopping (though I am definitely not talking about shopping of the grocery type persuasion!) Some of the best times of my life have revolved around shopping and the friends shopping with me.

My Mom and I took a trip to Seattle the summer after my dad passed away. We both needed to get away. My brother Robb told us what tourist spots we should visit. Friends told me about plays we should see and good restaurants to check out. Well, we saw none of that! It was girls gone wild - if by wild you mean wild about deals!!! We landed in Seattle with no plans as to where exactly we would go. All we had was a map and directions to the nearest factory outlet. Along the way we found Target, Ross, Marshalls, Kohls, and Nordstrom's Off the Rack. It was heaven!

We ate breakfast and dinner - there was no time for lunch! The only mid-day snack allowed was a drink and some popcorn at Target, which we ate while still pushing our carts. We laughed together at outrageous and hideous outfits, rolled our eyes at exorbitant prices, and encouraged each other to buy, buy, buy. Heck, when a cool shirt costs $9, you go for it baby!! We had our Ikea commercial moments - you know the one - where the lady thinks something is too cheap she must be practically stealing it and yells at her husband to "get the car" before anyone notices. We'd give each other "the look" and hustle out of the store, high on getting an amazing bargain.

We stayed in Seattle four nights and never once booked a hotel ahead of time. By 2:00 p.m. we'd start thinking about finding a room, but then we'd find another store. We just didn't want to stop to worry about something as menial as checking in! Like I said, we were wild!! Fortunately we never had to sleep in our car. Though given the motel we stayed at, in the town where they filmed "Twin Peaks," it might have been a better option. But even then, getting a room where the windows looked out at a cement wall, a shower that didn't heat up and only dribbled water, and a TV whose lack of cable meant having to watcher "Cheaters" simply added to our laughter.

During those five days my Mom and I grew even closer as friends. It was a great time that we'll always treasure. We laughed...we cried...we shopped...