Magical Powers and Mind-Control Gas

Tuesdays are my Merrick days. She's not just penciled in - she's penned in. Oh yes. We shop, we find food, we goof around. (exhibit A:)

(Taken sometime when a jacket was necessary.
Not so much in 101 degree weather like yesterday).

It's always a good time. For a good time, call Merrick.

Today was no different, and our shenanigans were very much necessary after the day I had. My desk is messy to me (indicating "busy"), but to the normal, non-slightly-OCD person, it's probably tidy:

Mmmm, Vitamin Water. Okay, looks fine. BUT... let's take a look closer, shall we?

Hehe.

We have this great routine: I metro to McPherson Square and meet her at the bus stop, we take the sweet bus to Old Town, grab her car, and go! Our usual stops include Trader Joe's and the regular grocery store, but today we hit up the mother of all strip malls: Potomac Yard. Follow the link if you want to be edumacated on its history. I learned so much! Thank you, Wikipedia!

Target was the place to BE tonight, let me tell you. I won't bore you to tears with our shopping antics, but really, does Target have magical powers? I think that it does. You enter the bullseye doors with absolutely no agenda, but after every single visit, you leave with $40 worth of STUFF. HOW does that happen? Is there subliminal advertising? Is there some kind of mind-control gas being pumped through the air conditioning vents? How did I enter Target armed with only my wallet and leave with a chapstick three-pack, Orbit gum (new flavor!), a Sudoku book, band-aids, and a tee shirt?