Center City Kitty

Hoo boy, have I had a LOOONGGGG day! I'm dead tired and have a lot to cover, so this will be brief. I finally got a hold of Mom this morning before I headed out to the bank and to do some shopping in Center City Philadelphia. Mom's worried about my almost-4-year-old nephew Skylar. He was just put in day care and is proving rabidly unsuited for it. He's hitting, kicking, and punching everyone in sight, especially children.

I don't have kids, and even I could have told Mom all this a long time ago. Skylar lives with his overly-indulgent working mother who tends to ignore him when there's a phone, a man, or friends nearby and has even more indulgent grandparents, especially a grandfather who sees the boy as a way to make up for not spending more time with his own son. I agree with Mom. What Skylar really needs is psychological help as soon as he's old enough and to attend the Special Services School District. They'd never handle him in the regular schools. (They couldn't handle ME in a regular elementary school, and the only thing I ever did that was even close to aggressive was kick the side of the school building in frustration.)

Actually, the real reason I called Mom was to find out if she wanted anything for Mother's Day. She said, "No, I just moved and I don't want any knick-knacks cluttering up my new house." Fair enough. I'd just get her a card. I finally headed out, making a quick stop at the bank before riding over to the PATCO Train Station in Collingswood, enjoying a beautiful, mild, sunny spring day.

This was my first long outing in Philadelphia since my after-Christmas trip and my first Philly visit in over a month (since I took Jessa into the city), so I really enjoyed it. The greenery and lights had been replaced by banners of orange and black cheering for the Philadelphia Flyers on their way to the Eastern Conference finals, a miracle for a team that was one of the worst in the NHL last year. Even some of the SEPTA buses flashed "GO FLYERS" between the names of the streets they were headed for. I thought it was a nice touch.

I had a great shopping day, too. I picked up two paperbacks (the novelization of Young Frankenstein and an Indiana Jones-type adventure) and a gorgeous sepia photo from The African Queen at my favorite used book store, Ralstoff's Used Books and Records on 10th Street. I a Sesame Ginger Chicken Sandwich and an iced tea at a nifty little sandwich shop called Cosi. I bought a Lil'Kinz Gray and White Cat at the Suncoast in the Gallery Mall, and since they were having a sale where you could get 20% off a family DVD if you bought a WebKinz, I picked up Volume 3 of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon. I bought cards for Mom and for Uncle Ken (whose birthday is today) at the Hallmark in the Gallery Mall. I bought a Rachel Ray cookbook for Uncle Ken (who loves Rachel Ray and Food Network in general) and finally found the two sequel novels to my favorite book, The Scarlet Pimpernel at the big Borders on Broad Street.

I made my favorite find of the day at the FYE across from the Broad Street Borders. They were still in the midst of rearranging the DVDs on my last visit here, but they were definitely finished now. I didn't have to go very far to find something I really wanted. I was browsing through the Disney DVDs when I came across a surprise - the Walt Disney Treasures set Mickey Mouse In Black and White used for only $34.95! I have the second black and white Mickey Treasures set and it's one of my favorites and have been debating getting the first one online for months. The sets from the first two Treasures waves are among the rarest and most expensive online and almost impossible to find with their tins intact. This one not only came with a slightly scuffed tin, it also had the mini-poster of Steamboat Willie. (The only thing missing was the original blue cardboard wrap-around banner.) Not only that, but it turned out to be about $32 with my FYE Membership card. Sweet, and probably cheaper than anything online would have been with the shipping. (The shipping is a big part of the reason I don't buy more online.)

I briefly went to Messages, the store in the Liberty Place Mall where I bought Linda the Collie, to see if they had any good WebKinz and to buy cards. No good WebKinz this time, and no good cards either, so I headed back out. I walked down the street and through City Hall (admiring their "Vengeance Now!" Flyers banner on the way through), then down Broad Street...before realizing I didn't know where in the HECK I was. Long story very short, I finally made my way down Broad Street, turning at Race Street and heading for Chinatown, which I know is near Market Street.

At one point, I walked under the Philadelphia Convention Center and found something I'd heard about from several people but had never seen before - Reading Terminal Market. Reading Terminal Market is kinda Philly's large-scale version of the Collingswood Farm Market, selling fresh meats, produce, cheeses, ice cream, and baked goods...not to mention, its rumored, the best cheese steaks in a town filled with them. It was around quarter after 5, and most of the stores were starting to close down at this point. They also only took smaller bills, and all I had was a 20. Pooh. I walked on, finally getting an iced tea and a slice of Lemon Pound Cake at the Starbucks near the 9th Street entrance of the Gallery Mall.

After I took a stuffed-full train home, I made a brief stop at Dad and Uncle Ken's to see if Uncle Ken was home. Not only were he and Dolores home from their trip, but several neighbors and relatives were around as well. I showed off my finds and gave Uncle Ken his card and cookbook (he loved both) before heading home for a very late and much-needed dinner.

Oh, and meet Maisie, the sweet, athletic Gray and White kitten! Cassie the Himalayan Cat is going to take care of her in their Candy Bedroom. She came with the cutest little plane the WebKinz can ride in!