After several very hot days we are finally experiencing the type of weather I actually packed for – cloudy, rainy, chilly. I was beginning to think this was a repeat of last summer in Lithuania where the weather was so cold in August, winter gear would have been the only stuff needed. Rain jacket and umbrella are now perfect.

Today’s excursion was very successful. We started out at the first shop I identified to have football (soccer if you’re American) gear. Turns out that there are more sporting goods shops than anyone could probably count (I have no data to back me up and I’m probably wrong but right now it seems more of those shops than pubs & bars).

Each store I visited sent me somewhere else. I did restrain myself from buying a pair of shoes although the color drew me to them.

I did see a beautiful v-neck cashmere sweater in the same color calling my name, and which I will probably buy before we leave here in a week.

Each sporting goods shop had different football cards. I wish I was more educated about any of these, but I’m truly clueless – the only thing I can really say about football is that I love watching my grandson at practice.

The bottom line was that some chains are permitted to carry certain things and others are only permitted to be carried by independently owned shops. Four shops, 3 packs of trading cards. A successful day. I also managed to sneak in a stop at the wool weavers shop that had that beautiful sweater. There were several things calling to me all of which will be completely and totally impractical in Arizona, but some of which I will absolutely have to purchase anyway.

We walked into the Chocolate Hotel and I could probably move in there quite happily – I have no idea whether there is an actual hotel connected to this shop but the assortment of chocolates will definitely have to be examined in depth, and perhaps a tasting is called for too.