Ponder Post: I Won!

What a nice uplifting surprise I got today. While on an afternoon walk with Frank, my cell phone rings and it is Alden Lane Nursery calling to tell me I had won $200 total in gift cards. I drove right over to pick up the prize.

How did this happen you ask? Last Friday, Frank and I had made our annual circuit of stores in local downtown Livermore that participate in a Holiday Open House Passport event. At each store you are invited to purchase one item of your choice at 25% off. If you collect a stamp from all eight participating merchants, your name is put in a drawing for $200 in gift certificates. It was my name that got pulled out! Now I get to go back to every one of those stores and spend my $25 at each. That will not be hard. I am familiar with and like each of these shops. Although not required to get a stamp, I bought something in all but two stores of the eight stores, each fun to browse and every one to my taste. Here is a smattering of photos of the unique shops.

In Between Stitches is my local quilt shop. I can always find something in there I just have to have!

Next to In Between Stitches are two home decor stores, Main Street Designs and Proctor's. They each carry a small selection of costume type artsy jewelry, also.

Also along Main Street is Divine Boutique and Outside In. The first is for clothes. I enjoy the inside decor even though on our holiday passport this is one store in which I did not buy something. I did try something on, but I passed on purchasing it.

Outside In carries home and garden decor. They have delightfully whimsical novelties and they are adjacent to my quilt shop so I browse there often. Friday was a look-but-not-buy day here.

Coolykatz Toys is one block away from Main Street. Last Friday we made several purchases in that store. Notable purchases here in past Christmases with the holiday passport 25% off have been a rocking locomotive and a rocking firetruck both carved out of wood, Now I am positive I will make good use of the $25 gift certificate in here!

Our next-to-last stop was the Main Street Christmas Store. It is a bit early, but never the less, we got to immerse ourselves in the season for a brief time. They had some lovely Christmas picture books here.

Alden Lane Nursery is not only a pleasant place to be but the last weekend of September every year they host a quilt show. It had been our final shop to visit where we dropped off our filled out passport Friday and where I returned to pick up that exciting $200 prize today.

I love Livermore!