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I try to post something every week so you’ll know I’m still alive and kicking but some weeks I just don’t have anything ready to talk about. So, today I’m posting an article I did for a writing class many years ago that I never published. I hope you enjoy it.

Playing Now at the Mall of America

By Linda Sand

The Mall of America, just across the freeway from the Minneapolis/Saint Paul airport, promises, “There is a place for fun in your life!” Did they have me in mind? I doubt it. Sure, sometimes I shop there; they have lots of great stores. Sometimes I go for “normal” entertainment–dinner, a movie, or an evening at one of the clubs.

But, sometimes I go just to play! In unlikely playgrounds. Come, let me teach you how to play at the Mall of America.

Electric Treasure Hunt

Electric cars at amusement parks and on golf courses are fun to drive. They’re fun at the mall, too. Information Desk clerks rent “electric convenience vehicles” to anyone who can provide photo ID and a major credit card. Let the fun begin the minute you enter the mall!

You’ll need a road map. The Mall of America is such a dynamic place even the stores move around. You never know where you’ll find a jewel. Pick up a map at the Information Desk to help you plan your hunt.

Learning the Game

Entering a store for the first time with play on your mind can be a little scary so let’s start with an easy place. Barebones, an educational store, is full of puzzle games, Magnetic Poetry ™, yo-yos, and balls shaped like eyeballs and other organs, etc. This store encourages play. Clerks sometimes toss toys to customers. Or juggle blocks as they answer your questions. Practice picking up toys and playing with them. If that’s still too hard, pick up a book and thumb through it first.

Fun with Electricity

Another easy place to start your play is Sharper Image, a mostly electronics store. The clerks here are likely to be playing, too. They may be shooting baskets or playing air hockey or a computer game. They won’t chase you out for trying the demonstration games, though they do require people under 16 be accompanied by a parent.

My husband and I, playing at Sharper Image with a pocket computer, found it great fun to impress the staff with our knowledge of bits and bytes. We heard one clerk warn another not to offer to help us. “They know more than we do,” she warned. That meant we got to play longer.

Brookstone has electronic toys too. Also, pocket tools to do just about anything. And all the camping and travel gadgets ever invented, I think. You can listen to a talking globe or take a break in a hammock. Clerks will demonstrate how to use their chair and foot massagers, which will feel wonderful after you have been at the mall awhile.

Building Confidence

At the LEGO Imagination Center, play with the blocks. Pretend you are related to one of the kids there if you need help settling in. Admire the child’s construction while idly fiddling with blocks until you get up enough courage to build something of your own. Be sure to notice if the child leaves. If you aren’t ready to leave yet call out, “See you later,” or “I’ll wait here.”

Memories

Displays at A Simpler Time are likely to bring back your childhood. Their household decor items offer smiles of memories. Norman Rockwell pictures and sculptures. Replicas of old toys and household goods. And pictures with ghost figures where the artist shows what it’s like to be an adult remembering childhood.. When my daughter and I left this store we sat on a bench sharing memories awhile.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac store is another trip down memory lane, even if your memory doesn’t go back very far. Everyone remembers penny candy, though, don’t they?

Lake Wobegon is another good place to remember the past as well as laugh at the present. This store has the best T-shirts! You can buy a man’s extra-large that says, “Still plays with cars.” The clerk giggled while telling me which T-shirt is her favorite. She also said a lot of people come in, chuckle over stuff, then leave. I bet a lot of them come back and buy, though.

Learningsmith has lots of toys set out on play tables: a wood doll house and furniture, Brio ™ trains, rhythm band instruments, and peg games made using golf tees. They also have computers on which you can explore the newest games. A clerk is likely to ask what age you are shopping for, so be prepared to say, “All ages,” if you want to explore everything.

Art Galleries

Okay, so the clerks call them are art “stores”. That doesn’t mean we can’t just go in and admire the paintings and sculptures. I especially enjoy Celebrate! which specializes in African American art. I enjoyed the sculpture of a mother claiming gum from a child in church and the one of a father lying on the floor while his toddler climbed all over him.

Libraries

Many stores offer reading rooms. They don’t call them that, though. Still, read everything—T-shirts, greeting cards, posters, magnets, etc. Be sure to choose a diploma from the diploma mill at the Fun Shop.

Playing Everywhere

Once started, you’ll find imaginative ways to play in almost any store.

Stuck at LensCrafters while your spouse has glasses fitted? Try on various frames and ask yourself who you look like or what you might become if your wore them.

Bored while your sister shops at Linens and Things? Imagine how you would decorate the perfect house if money was unlimited.

Someone pull you into a Hallmark store? Read the funny cards. Look at what people are willing to buy for others. Think about what you buy and what that says about you.

Find yourself at Suncoast Motion Picture Co.? Look for old movies and remember when you first saw them—who you were with, what you did, what you wish had happened.

If you wander into Tee Rex, enjoy reading the T-shirts but try not to shake your head too much at what people are willing to announce to the world.

In The Great Train Store think about a train under a Christmas tree, then think about great holidays you’ve had.

Once started, you’ll find a way to play wherever you are.

Hungry?

You’ve many choice of where to play with your food.

If you go to one of the food courts notice the variety of food available. Ponder whether certain types of people eat only certain types of food. Notice what types attract you. See how many types you can get for how little money. For instance, at Panda Express order half rice and half noodles before you even get to the entrees.

Enjoy people watching. Sit near an aisle and watch groups move toward you. Guess if they are together or not. Sometimes clothing is a clue, but you can get fooled by two groups intermingled by the crowd. Guess where they are from. If they are speaking a foreign language as they pass, they probably are not Minnesota natives though they might be residents. Men wearing sport coats with jeans are not Minnesotans.

If you prefer someone else to fetch your food, consider going to Odyssey. Walk down the hallway looking through the binoculars and windows to pick the area where you’d like to sit. If there is a waiting list, go into the gift shop and dig through coins of the world, play with nature-oriented toys, admire third world art, or listen to Celtic music.

Or go to one of the other entertainment oriented restaurants like Planet Hollywood where you might see a movie star or Rain Forest Café where you can admire live parrots and waterfalls.

Exiting Gracefully

Reassure any nervous sales clerks by talking to yourself. For instance, in science stores mumble about the educational value of toys. Or name people you think would like an item.

The first time a clerk offers help, smile and respond with the standard, “Just looking.” If one approaches a second time, it may be time to leave that store for another one. If you can’t bring yourself to leave yet, be prepared to buy something in exchange for all the fun the store provided. After all, this kind of fun in your life is worth the expense.

TTYL,

Linda

Have you ever built a sand castle? Did you build it close to the water only to see the tide wash it away? Did you build it far from the tide line only to see it dry out so the wind blew it away? If so, why do we continue to build sand castles? What is it about them that makes us want to build another one?

Did your sand castle have a moat? If so, was it because you liked the look of it? Was it because the castle felt done but you weren’t ready to quit building? Or was it to protect your castle from marauding waves? Or from imagined enemies?

Have you ever been to a sand sculpture contest? Did you participate? Or just watch? Were the builders making castles? If not, why do you think not?

Did it ever occur to you that sand castles could have so many questions that could have philosophical implications connected to them?

While I have helped build the occasional sand castle I don’t remember ever starting one. I was much more likely to build cottages than castles. I guess I was a minimalist even as a child. I’ve always preferred the small and simple to the large or ornate.

Except when it comes to stuffed animals. I do like large stuffed animals. Mostly because I am into soft and cuddly and it’s easier to cuddle large ones. But they don’t fit well in small RVs so I currently don’t have any. I have to settle for cuddling some of my throw pillows instead. And other people’s grandkids. And that’s OK.

TTYL,

Linda

 

I sure hope the person who designed this multi-use container has no idea what it says to someone like me.

TTYL,

Linda

ps. Down another 2 pounds this week in spite of going way over my points allowance by eating Cheetos two days with one of those days being a BIG bag. How am I supposed to stay motivated with results like that? Think it might have something to do with the extra walking I did this week?

I’ve just been reading the blogs of some friends talking about what Memorial Day means to them which started me thinking about what it means to me.

As a child, my family called this Decoration Day and it was the day to go tend family graves. My Mom and my Grandma did that. We kids were not involved. Those graves are in Illinois so now my step-mom and my step-sister tend them along with their own ancestors’ graves. Dave’s parents were cremated so the closest we can come to them is to go sit by the river in which we distributed their ashes–a peaceful thing to do.

As a youth, Memorial Day was the weekend camping began. My parents packed up our trailer and we headed off to some state park for the long weekend. We usually went with a group of friends so had lots of cookouts and long hikes. When Dave and I started camping together we declared Memorial Day to be too crowded so we stayed home that weekend then went camping the next weekend. When we became full timers, Memorial Day became the weekend when we couldn’t get into any of the good parks–or didn’t want to do so because all the amateurs were there. 🙂

Now we are settled into an apartment in the Minneapolis area and are feeling a little lost. The family had a huge picnic Saturday to celebrate the marriage of our niece so there is no family gathering today.

So what I am doing this year is sitting here counting my blessings that all the soldiers and sailors in my family came home. And that we live in the Home of the Free because of those who have, and do, serve to keep it that way. Thank you.

TTYL,

Linda

Some of you have been asking how I can get a whole house into a Sprinter van. Here’s my answer.

As you can see the driver and passenger seats swivel so they can become seating in my lounge area.

The sofa bed is twin size and comes with three seat belts for those who are drinking because they are not driving. If Dave should change his mind about going with me the sofa can be replaced with one that opens nearly to the cupboards opposite but this one is big enough for me and should provide better daytime seating than the larger one. I also plan to buy a folding ottoman that I can use to turn the passenger seat into a recliner.

That “custom cabinet” next to the sofa is a desk. I tucked a passenger seat under it in the drawing to indicate that my office chair will fit there. This is where I will do my computer stuff and also where I will eat. There will be several 110 volt and 12 volt outlets here for plugging in my various electrical items.

Next to that is a full height cupboard. It will contain a microwave/convection oven at my eye height with a storage cupboard above it and a hanging closet below it. The hanging closet door will be hinged on the right so when it is open it provides privacy to the dressing area.

Next to it is a full height pull-out pantry. Who knows what I’ll choose to store in it but it fit the space so why not?

Then the bathroom with its tiny corner sink. The faucet of the sink pulls out to become a hand-held shower.

Behind the bath is a five-inch space where I will store my broom/vacuum/duster handle, etc. Yes, I bought a vacuum that will fit in that space. I may have to open the back doors to get everything in and out of there, though.

Opposite the bath is an empty space where I will park my Travel Scoot. There will be an outlet here for recharging its batteries.

Next to the Scoot space is a full height cupboard with shelves for storing lots of stuff.

Next to that is the refrigerator cupboard. My frig will be a 7 cubic foot electric frig with a compressor so I don’t have to be as particular about parking level as most RVs have to be. As long as my space is level enough that I don’t roll out of bed I should be fine.

Then I have six-feet of upper and lower kitchen cupboards. This area will have several outlets including one with a separate 15 amp circuit for my induction hotplate. The sink has a pullout faucet that can reach through the door to rinse anything I might not want to bring inside otherwise.

There will also be upper cupboards above the Scoot space, the sofa, and the cab area.

Most people also have storage under their bed but I’m having a custom-sized 40 gallon fresh water tank put there so I’m not sure how much space will be left for storage. To offset the weight of all that water things like my diesel furnace and the charger/inverter will be in cupboards on the passenger side. My black and grey water tanks will be 20 gallons each. I’m hoping that’s enough to let me camp without hookups for at least a week at a time.

For energy while boondocking I’m having four solar panels put on the roof at the front with the equivalent of 4 AGM batteries under the floor at the rear.

My three big windows are awning windows which means I can keep them open in the rain if it isn’t blowing sideways. The two smaller windows are sliders since it is not a good idea to put an awning window behind the sliding side door. Add the ceiling fan to draw air through those windows and/or my little 12 volt fan which can sit on or hang above my desk and I’m hoping to seldom need the air conditioner. I also have the option of putting screens in both the big side-door opening and the rear door openings if I really want to bring the outdoors in without the bugs joining me.

No, you don’t see a TV anywhere. I never watch TV. The closest I come is checking the weather and I do that on my computer.

So, there you have it. All the comforts of home in a 24-foot van.

TTYL,

Linda