Shopping with Zoe (5th December 2009)

Went to The Mall in Camberly, which adjoins The Vue where I saw Terminator Salvation some time ago. Actually bought quite a lot of stuff even though I was trying hard to buy only a few things!

New Footwear

1 pair of Karrimor K-SB, in black and grey colouring. Long ago I used to own some black trainers and really liked them. My white ones are distinctly tatty compared to new trainers. These light hiking shoes immediately caught my eye due to their style, colouring and fabric. Also bought 3 pairs of Karrimor wollen socks.

Never heard of the brand before so we’ll see how they go. Unfortunately, the packaging says .cpm instead of .com for the Karrimor website. Somebody’s embarrassing typo, I imagine. Had me wondering whether some 3-letter ccTLD had been introduced, though!

The packaging also talks at length about them being “built to Karrimor end-user specification” and is wholly convincing about it.

I now own the following shoes and boots:

Jumpers

1 red jumper. Initially tried a Small and quite liked the tightness. But it was just a bit much and the sleeves were really short on me. So I went for a Medium and this was a better balance.

Tailoring is probably the only way I’ll get a really good fit from tops.

They also had this jumper in a bright blue. Blue is a colour I like, in many shades. But I have no red clothes and brighter colours are something I’d like to try.

Jeans

1 pair of dark blue new-looking jeans. It seems quite rare that new jeans look new; they all seem to have deliberately worn-looking patches. Some looked positively creased and even grubby!

Thing is, jeans last a long time. Demim is sturdy stuff. So I like getting ones which look new. Then I can enjoy them gradually changing appearence with natural wear. Becoming all the more trendy throughout their lifetime, it seems.

Underwear

3-pack of, according to the packaging, “Loose fit knitted boxers”. Although to me they seem more like what a previous package called “Jersey Shorts”.

Hopefully these will be equally snug and insulating. Quite important when there are chilly Winter breezes!

Shirts

A blue/green marle parttern T-shirt. Impulse buy; I’ve been meaning to get some more colourful clothes and this type of pattern has always appealed to me. It’s a bit like looking at the static from an old TV which has been detuned. But blue and green rather than black and white.

A redominatly dark blue chequered shirt. I had one in a lighter blue ages ago but grew out of it.

Luch

Ate at the Pizza Express just outside The Vue entrance. Zoe has been recommending we go to one for ages and I was very much satisfied with the food and the service. The orange juice was proper orange juice, too!

Can’t remember exactly what pizza we ordered between us. Turned out to be exactly the right portions, the right temperature and the right level of spicey hotness. The dough was thin yet succulent and not at all soggy. An amazing balance to strike!

Driving

Lots of driving, including getting lost in a suburb which my SatNav dutifully took us too. It seems it thinks the city centre is the geographical center rather than the center of activity. Zoe managed to redirect us back to where we needed to be.

Oh, my parking in the multi-storey was epic! There was barrier on my left, a car on the right and quite a tight area in which to nab the spot. Got it absolutely spot on by reversing in! Used the mirrors a lot and largely ignored the shrill wailing of the parking sensors.

It was rather tight and I took it slowly. Ended up just beyond an inch from the barrier and had adequate space to exit from the driver’s side. (Zoe got out on the passenger’s side before I started reversing into the space.)

Zoe finds my commentary whilst driving highly amusing. Somehow it seems a lot funnier when there is another person in the car. Also, the context of it being a recreational half-day out changes the feeling.