Successful search for popsicle makers from the Willow Grove mall to the Giant - New chair and ottoman empire - Fox

I was on a mission today. Summer is halfway over! Look how dark it gets by 8 o'clock. Wouldn't it be refreshing, I thought, to eat popsicles to beat the summer heat.

When I was six and living in Cleveland Heights, mom used to make pops from a metal container - cherry pops, lemonade - they were delicious.

My quest began at Williams Sonoma - I'd called ahead of course - and the nice aproned man showed me the popsicle makers.

$49.99.

I'll pass, I said to the Nice Man.

It was so nice and cool in the mall I did my daily walk there. How the mall had changed in the four or so years that Helen's Daytime Group has ceased meeting there.

I walked on all three levels, window shopping.

Reminds me of one of the books I'm reading:

 My son Dan, our family war historian, who reads about arcane wars all over the planet and a couple on Mars and Venus, lent it to me for my Tuckerton trip.

Bin Laden's older mentor, Qutb, is appalled at the materialism in the United States. Both men spent considerable time here storing up memories of what depraved degenerates Americans are.

It's all in your point of view!

Monsters is how we think of these men who kill without compunction. Qutb's radical right mother would have been proud of him.

So I'm looking in all the windows as I bound past in my magic Vasque sneakers.

 What's this? Nordstrom Rack? It's been at the mall for four years, says Eve, who hails from Panama and Jamaica.

We talk about diabetes which runs in her family. Eve, 28, is not fat, though obesity runs in her family. We discuss healthy diet. Meantime, I'm thinking of all the stores I looped by in the mall: GODIVA CHOCOLATE, and yes they give free samples, Gertrude Hawk Chocolate, and rows of candy bars at a kiosk in the Food Court.

Yes, I am a depraved degenerate.

Rick Fleishman brought over the chair and ottomon I ordered to complete my living room. The make is Twins Upholstery.  Made in the USA.

I needed a few things at the Giant tonite. Was gonna make popsicles in my ice cube tray so I bot some cranberry juice.

Three young men in green Giant shirts were walking along looking for things to do at 9 pm so just for the heck of it I asked them about popsicle makers.

We all went a-looking and came up empty-handed.

When I was in the juice aisle, they found me. See the above popsicle makers? They're in my freezer right now.

Price comparison:

Williams Sonoma......$49.99
Giant...............................4.99

 Did you know I eat all my meals outdoors? Am eating on the front steps, then run back inside to try to capture a buzzing bee on the purple hosta blossoms. He's in there somewhere, I swear!

Oftentimes I stroll around my estate.

Hello rose of sharon. Please don't stick your tongue out at me. This is in the backyard along with

sweet peas that come up every year, courtesy of the late Carroll Beame aka "The Iris Man," which was one of my immortal poems.

Scott took a series of shots of our backyard critters. He brot them to work tonite to show one of the guys.

Ladies and gents, may I introduce:

 Groundhog, sideview

 Groundhog, frontal view

This dude needs no introduction.

 Omnivore.

 Here kitty kitty kitty. Ouch!

When Sarah comes to town she always hopes to catch a glimpse. They're very skittish. As soon as they know you're there, they skedaddle.

Scott took these from his upstairs bedroom window through the screen. I think they're pretty good, don't you, Roberto?