"Like a ghost into the fog"

"... where no one notices the difference between white on white."

That's what it was like this morning when I left the house at 8:45. Needless to say I was perturbed though not surprised to see so many cars without headlights on. Amazingly I wasn't run over. Aren't we all happy for that.

Photo from The Register-Mail.

We're a little less than happy about the initial productivity of this errand run. You see, sometimes I set off on a particular route with a goal of accomplishing something, like picking out a Playaway audio book, or visiting the post office or shopping for a desired item at Store X. That was today's errand. Sunday morning my wife and I rose early and headed out for the post-Christmas sales. We bought some holiday goodies on clearance at Target, then hit JCPenney to see what they might have that we just had to have.

I was intrigued by the Sharper Image U-Video Camera on clearance for $35.99. It's a knock-off of the popular Flip USB video camera. I couldn't decide how badly I needed it at the time, however, so I passed it by. Only three remained in the display. My bad. I looked up the camera online when we got home and decided it would be worth it, especially if I took the $10-off coupon from the Sunday circular. But the store closed at 6 and I was too late.

So today's route took me north on Seminary Street to Carl Sandburg Drive and out to the mall. Imagine my consternation when I discovered that JCPenney was back on its regular schedule with a 10 a.m. opening time. Thus it was that at 44 years young I accidentally became a mall walker, hugging the outside wall and following it like a slot car. I must have made half a dozen half-assed circuits (yeah, I skipped Bergner's Court half the time and didn't always venture all the way to the end-court exits by the anchor stores). Still, I think I clocked a couple miles, which I did not include in the stats below. In the end, however, it was for naught, for the U-Video cameras were gone. Had I wanted camera binoculars or grilling tools or a knockoff mp3 player I would have been set.

I decided then to stop by my favorite Galesburg store to see if it had any similar video cameras. Big Lots, too, was fresh out of that style of simple, YouTube-ready camera. But I contented myself with a search of the video bins and checked out the Wii accessories (got one for Christmas as a family gift). Catch of the day, even though it was a purchase and not a street find, was "Star Trek: The Animated Series" on DVD (all 22 episodes) for a mere $10! As a bonus I picked up "Star Trek: Deep Space 9" Season 5 on DVD for the same price. The great thing about that one is that season has the "Trials and Tribble-ations" episode, which blends vintage footage from the original series for a time-travel scenario. Great fun!

I did add nine aluminum cans to the collection today and my one road find was actually on the terrace just off the sidewalk -- a big plastic mug from Rask Transportation in nearby Victoria, Illinois. Rask receives an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

Bee Mine Bear reigns supreme now, seated like a king on a
throne flanked by guardian dragons. He's come a long way
from his frosty, bedraggled beginnings (below).

Finally, because I was thinking about it for some reason, I have a couple of updates on past treasures. Most recent and also most disappointing is the status of the Hy-Vee Little Smokies I snagged on Willard Street last Friday. A more careful inspection of the package, which is still perfectly sealed, shows they were intended for sale by February 2008. Somebody must have been cleaning out the freezer. I'm guessing there's enough chemical preservatives in those tiny dogs to keep them safe for a decade, but I'm not that daring just now. Out they go. On a happier note, you may recall the Sweetheart Bear I picked up on Mary Street back at the start of the month. He was covered with a layer of frost and what appeared to be dog slobber (a theory supported by the tears in his golden fur). Well, he's all better now. I washed him, dried him and stitched up his holes, even secured his big "Bee Mine" heart to his tummy again for safe-keeping. He's looking pretty good these days. A very happy bear.

Today's Stats

Temp: 16 degrees F

Distance: 4.75 miles

Treasure: 1 large plastic mug (Rask Transportation, Victoria, Ill.); 9 aluminum cans; Season 5 "Star Trek: Deep Space 9" on DVD; Complete Series "Star Trek: The Animated Series" on DVD (DVD series were bought, but at bargain prices).

iPod Playlist (shuffle)

The River of Dreams - Billy Joel

Yesterday - The Beatles

Fool In The Rain - Led Zeppelin

Stop - Pink Floyd

Is There Anybody Out There? - Pink Floyd

If I Fall - Matchbox Twenty

Penny Lane - The Beatles

Lonely Girl - Pink

Lightning Crashes - Live

Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) - Green Day

Fireflies - Owl City

Slow Down - Ryan McCullough

Two Steps Behind (Acoustic) - Def Leppard

For You I Will - Teddy Geiger

Sullivan Street - Counting Crows