They gave me a free cupcake from the store bakery, a free cake mix, and a birthday card of my choice (naturally I chose a card with a cat on it.) Not only did I get a nice airing on a cool but sunny afternoon, but the bus over was on time (an infrequent event) and the bus back was about ten minutes late (a more frequent event,) and arrived at the bus stop shortly after I did, so very little waiting. I managed to get the ice cream I bought home without any melting.
I also got home in plenty of time to eat the cupcake for lunch desert, and then walk over to the Plaza. At the Goodwill store I found an interesting book. It is a paperback of Henry James's novella The Turn of the Screw. I've never gotten around to reading it, though it is quite famous, but I did once see a televised dramatization, which was one of the scariest things I've ever seen.
This particular edition of the novella includes a section detailing the revisions James made between the first publication as a serial in Collier's Magazine in 1898, and the second version published in book form in 1908, which is the text in this book. All this is followed by about 300 pages of critical essays examining the tale from various perspectives. The novella itself is only a little over 100 pages long. It looks like it will be an interesting, if somewhat heavy, read, if I ever get around to it. Right now I'm still working on the frivolous mystery book with the cat who plays detective.
I've decided not to even attempt a trip to Safeway for this week's bargains. I've gotten plenty of stuff at the other stores, and can get a couple of items I'm still missing from Grocery Outlet or Trader Joe's. Anyway, the best deals at Safeway this week are mostly coupon-related with coupons that don't expire until early February, so perhaps I will be able to arrange to go after the new ad comes out Wednesday. I will need to get to Grocery Outlet soon, though, as I'm almost out of donuts again.
The weather for the next few days is still looking good, with partly cloudy sky and temperatures in the low to mid-sixties. Walking can be very pleasant when it's like this. It's too bad this part of Chico itself is not an especially pleasant place to walk. One of these days might be a good time to go downtown again, if I can get my act together long enough. The last time I was there I confined myself almost entirely to the University. I know there are other things to see there.