I went Christmas shopping with my daughter yesterday.

First stop was Blaze for a couple of “Build Your Own” individual pizzas.

Except for the sprinkling of parmesan and the red onions on mine, our toppings choices were identical.

We know what’s good.

We patiently waited while they made more pesto, so the manager gave us our fountain drinks for free.

It was a good day.

When you live in a sprawling metropolis, you almost NEVER run into anyone you know. That’s bad and good. But yesterday, while we were eating our pizza, my daughter said, “That looks like Alex.”

“Alex who?”

“You know, Alex – my cousin, your nephew…”

She has two friends named Alex so how was I supposed to know.

I turned to look and saw that he was next in line to pay. So I grabbed my wallet, walked up behind him and said, “Put your credit card away, I’m buying your lunch.”

That was fun.

And it made the cashier smile.

I didn’t even know Alex worked in that town. Does that make me a bad aunt?

After lunch we walked over to Rail & Anchor, where I found a really groovy stocking stuffer for the hub. Finding groovy stocking stuffers feels so good.

So does finding a groovy store.

We went next door to Scout. After we looked around a bit, I ditched my daughter so I could buy her something. One of the clerks noticed what I was doing and smiled. The young man who rang me up put the naked item in a large, handled bag.

“I ditched my daughter so I could buy this for her,” I said.

He smiled and nodded but didn’t get the hint.

“So could you put some tissue paper over it or something in case she glances into the bag?”

Ohhhh….

“You have to be sneaky at Christmas.”

The female clerk smiled again.

Eliciting smiles feels really good, too.

I met back up with my daughter in a store across the street.

Where I found a delightful item that I plan to send to a fellow blogger. So don’t ask me what it is.

We HAD to stop in Gayle’s Chocolates because, come on, it’s GAYLE’S, before ending the day at Atomic Coffee for a chai latte and a bananas foster latte.

I learned, too late, that the owner mashes his own bananas, mixes them with brown sugar and makes his own syrup. I took a sip of my daughter’s and it was not at all too sweet. It was barely sweet at all.

Next time I’m definitely ordering that.

Wood-fired pizza, free pop, running into my nephew, groovy gifts, a dark chocolate/Grand Marnier truffle (which I plan to enjoy tonight), a chai latte and spending the afternoon with my girl.

It was a good day.