Oh, Trader Joe’s, How I’ve Missed You So….

Made my first trip to Trader Joe’s today since being back.  I have missed it so very much.  It was just as I remembered, and I even got my favorite parking space.  The one in front of the store next to it, but is still close, so I don’t have to tromp Charlie through the dangers of the parking lot to get into the store.

We didn’t get much; I was in a bit of bad mood, truth be known.  But I did get a few of my favorite things:

• 2 Greek Honey Yogurt
• 2 Organic Gala Apples
• A bottle of Trader Giotto’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 bottles Italian wine
• 2 packages Trader Joe’s Mountain Spring Water at their insanely low every day price

I think that’s it.  I wanted to get their freshly-prepared Italian stuffed chicken breasts, but they didn’t have any.  Hopefully they haven’t stopped making it.  That’s ok.  We just came home and had the turkey meatballs from yesterday in the homemade pasta sauce I made.  Can you tell I’m a bit of an afficiando Italiano?

I was so homesick while living in Iowa that I made a 9-hour round trip drive to the Trader Joe’s in Minneapolis, Minnesota one Saturday.  Des Moines has no Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, or anything of the like, sadly.

The movers arrive bright and early tomorrow morning with my furniture, and more importantly, my kitchen stuff.  I can’t wait to get cooking in my new kitchen.  It is so nice.  That’s the difference between renting from a private owner and a corporate-owned apartment complex.  The quality of all the “little things.”

This place is especially nice because the owner used to actually live there and made it his home.  So now that he’s moved on and is renting this place out, I get the benefit of his good taste and better choices!

The townhome is described as a “San Francisco Style Victorian.”  I’ve been in a couple of true San Francisco Victorians, and this place really does have that feel, especially in the kitchen area.  It’s very spacious-yet-cozy and just has a great feel.  I’ll post pics once we get settled in a bit.

Charlie loves it, too.  The room that is his has a ceiling fan and they painted the walls blue with clouds all over them.  The bedrooms are on the top floor, though.  Hopefully he will stay safe on the stairs.

I guess now I’ll enjoy my last night in my sister and brother-in-law’s condo.  I will sleep well tonight, for in the morning, I unpack!