Double the Distance, Double the Fun!

Okay, today's run turned out to be so much fun! It was a different one from the get go, and that tends to hold promise for something good breaking from the mundane and all. But, it wasn't just different, it was really fun!

It was not fun for one family runner because she didn't get to come:

"Did you really just say, 'No, Elly, not
today' to me? You've got to be kidding!"

Dogs aren't allowed in stores, so that took care of that. Yes, I just said stores. I was on a quest this morning to find that last Christmas gift touch for my cousin!! She loves Sprees, and up through yesterday, I had exhausted my go-to stores to find them. On a tip from a friend who told me where she has found them in the past, I put that particular store on my morning route and headed out!

It was mighty chilly this morning (just the way I like it), and it took no time driving to my starting point to regret not having grabbed a pair of gloves. But, as luck would have it, our back seat is not usually very picked up. For once, it paid off:

Under the random paper and in front of the umbrella ... gloves!

Thankful for the gloves and with a plastic bag in hand for carrying two dollar bills (not knowing how much Sprees were if I found them), I was on my way! I went along the same route as Monday with the big hill that goes up to the half-mile point. It wasn't nearly the same challenge as it was the other day (hooray!), and I found four pennies spread out along the way! You just can't beat that!

Somewhere around Mile 2.5, I arrived at the targeted store. In no time, I realized they were not stocked with Sprees (bummer), but I also realized there were more stores within running distance. Off I went again!

I had in my head that a drug store (are they still called that?) was probably my best bet. They always seem to have the most interesting variety of such things, don't they? I wasn't really sure how far away the store was in miles, but with such a lovely morning and time to use, I really didn't care. Love those days!!

I also loved seeing this along the way:

The sun caught this just right, and I thought they were cool. I
also almost fell over taking the picture. I'm a tool like that.

Okay, so up the street and around the corner I went to the drug store. It's one I might go in once a year, so I really had no idea what I was getting into. I first saw this display of treats and was totally bummed that they seemed to only sell the bigger bags of candy:

Lots of Jelly Belly bags ... but, no Sprees. Not much by way of
chocolate, either. What a strange candy display.

It seemed weird to me that there weren't candy bars around. At that point, they were nowhere to be seen, but these little critters were fun!

How cuddly-cute is he?! (very!)

Loved these little guys!!
Hated the $21 prices, though ... yeowch !

I didn't touch them with bare hands because I was a bit sweaty even though I wanted to squeeze 'em. Besides, I didn't need to be lingering all smelly and disshevled in the store. I needed to get on with my business! So, I went back to the bagged candy display to give it one last glance (don't you love when you keep staring at something hoping something new will appear?) only took look right in front of me and see ...

Bottom shelf. On the left. Purple box. Mission Accomplished!

I was very stoked to find them! So, go along with me here for a second -- you know those moments when you find just what you were looking for and you take your treasure to the cashier and you're all smiles and happy and the cashier looks at you like you're an idiot? Yeah, that pretty much sums up the buying experience here! I really didn't care, though, because I found Sprees!

"Hey, Nancy, I thought you were out running."
"Um ... I'm totally holding them for a friend."

Victory is sweet. Literally.

I was so excited to have found them that I left the store and immediately thought I should get another roll for a friend of mine who also enjoys them! After all, they were less than a dollar, I brought two dollars with me, and I was right there ! What's a girl to do but get another roll?! The same lady was there to cashier, and she looked at me like, "Oh, you're back." While making my purchase, I said to her, "You know, you're like the only place around that seems to sell these. If you ever needed to know." Based on her absolutely-zero response, she most definitely did not need to know. Apparently, she only needed to give me my change and turn back to what she was doing. She was crabby. But, I HAD SPREES!

With Sprees in hand and change returned-and-found jingling in my bag, it was time to wrap up this run. As I went along, I suddenly realized all of the other places along the way I could have looked for before ever reaching the drug store. I kept telling myself I was wise to have chosen the drug store because no other place was going to have them since I had yet to find them. Right? Curiosity was going to kill me, so I totally had to find out!

I looped back and saw the grocery store I basically passed on my way to the drug store. In I went ...

... and, only found the chewy variety. Chewy, by the way, are
everywhere. It's the original roll of hard candies that eluded me.

Feeling all wise about targeting the drug store, I carried on. Of course, when I came to not one but two other gas stations that are even closer than the grocery store, I had to peek:

HA! No Sprees there! And, that's where they'd be with the
Wonka products ... right? ...

... So much for grouping like-products! There on the other side
of the same aisle ... Sprees a go-go! HA!

I could only laugh. I had so much fun out
and about on foot that I just didn't care!

Even funnier -- at the place where I like to get my post-run Diet Coke, they're right there, too. Right there! I think they were mocking me when I saw them. I just had to laugh!

My whole outing was a fabulous adventure! And, what better use of my running time than to be on a quest for someone I love? It certainly helps that she wanted Sprees. This would have been a really rough run had she hoped for a coffee maker.

Oh, and my unchartered route turned out to be 6 miles of goodness! That's excellent. Annnnnd, it launched me right on over the 700 mile mark for the year! Wahoo!!! Tomorrow's a short run where I have nothing to purchase, and the dog is coming with me! She's already let me know:

"I forgive you today. Tomorrow might be a different story. Wait,
what is it you did that upset me? I don't remember."

We'll see you after that run!