Krees goes Dutch Kiwi!: Shopping spree!

We haven't done much shopping in the nine months that we've been here. There are a variety of reasons -- not the least of which is that we don't want to have to ship a lot of stuff back to the States in two years. And we don't want to buy stuff that we're only going to have for two years unless we really need it. That, coupled with Dutch style (as far as clothes are concerned), quality (of household goods), prices here and the fact that consumerism isn't shoved down our throats here the way it is in the States, means that we just don't buy as much stuff as we used to.

I have mixed feelings about this. Of course I'm thrilled to feel less of a slave to "the man." (The man in this context being the marketers who try to convince us that we need all this stuff that we really don't.) But at the same time, I can recognize my own materialism and the enjoyment I get out of new purchases. I tend to be a bit frugal anyway, so I don't usually spend money unless it's something I'll really like or get a lot of use from.

But Friday afternoon we had a mini and somewhat unexpected shopping spree in Groningen. Woo hoo! Charles wanted to go to the Media Markt (think Best Buy - only blood red instead of eyeball-piercing yellow) for a new external hard drive so that we can archive and serve up all sorts of baby photos with the new camera we just ordered. And he's also had fountain pens on the brain and wanted to see if he could find a place that sold some nice but inexpensive Lamy pens he'd found online.

Media Markt was sort of a bust, but we found a mid-level hard drive across the street at Computerland for a mid-level price. Cha-ching! Purchase #1!

The weather was sort of cruddy, we didn't know what stores were around that might carry fountain pens and, well, I'm nine months pregnant and not in much of a mood to be walking around a lot in the rain. So we almost headed home. But (again, nine months pregnant) I was also in search of a toilet, so we kept on walking and considered getting a cup of coffee somewhere. And what did we see across the street? A stationary shop called Jacobs Kantoorboekhandel. Lo and behold, they sold fountain pens. Super lo and behold -- they had the Lamy's! Charles got an inexpensive clear one to play around with while he ponders other pens and refills of various colors. I got a pretty blue one with a nice weight as a pregnancy/birth gift, and I also got some note cards to use for sending thank you's for all the great baby stuff we've received. Cha-ching! Purchase #2!

We left the shop and what was next door? Schlaman Bonbonatelier. Cha-ching! Purchase #3 was a small handful of ginger covered in dark chocolate, chocolate truffle cups and mocha creme filled chocolates. Nummers! Because who am I to argue with science? Chocolate makes for happy moms and happy babies!

After that we headed back to the car, but what did I see in the window of an outdoor/activewear store? KEENS! I have a pair of Keen shoes that I bought on our last trip to Chicago when my feet were killing me and I was getting blisters. Not only did my feet not get any worse while wearing them that day, they actually felt BETTER at the end of the day. Although Charles calls them my "liberal's shoes" (because only liberals would wear things that looked like this on their feet), I am an ardent fan. And since I know I'm in need of casual summer sandals, I decided to look in the store. Cha-ching! Purchase #4 was a pair of RED Newport H2 sandals at Waterborg Buitensport. Woo hoo! Liberal's sandals for me!

And last but CERTAINLY not least, we passed a pet food store selling -- what? They have it?! Beer for dogs! Charles insisted. Cha-ching - Purchase #5: we bought beer for our dog. Maui didn't seem to care for it much, though, so I'm not sure WHO'S going to drink the remaining three bottles.