Billings, MT... the epicenter for shopping!

Living in northwest Wyoming possesses some challenges. Like shopping... We do try to shop locally to help out friends and family here in town. We keep trips to Walmart to a minimum for that very reason also. But sometimes you just have to go to the mall! The nearest mall is in Billings. Today was that day. With Construction Man in tow-- he actually drove as the roads were slick in some spots; about one hundred miles north we did go, to the sprawling metropolis where there is no sales tax. This can be substantial savings on big ticket items such as washers, dryers, furniture, clothing, groceries at Costco. It was an all day adventure with lunch at Famous Dave's, because pig meat is man food. Unlike Olive Garden, where pasta is chick food. (The world of victuals according to Construction Man!) We skipped Costco as the sun sets around 4:00 p.m. and makes one sleepy and duped into thinking it is later than it really is. A small amount of Christmas shopping is done, and with fuel calculations, a conclusion was reached that the rest of our shopping will be done closer to home. The hidden costs of going to the mall were too high a price to pay. Sad.

My Mom and my sis-in-law, Tonya, at my birthday.