Happy 4th of July!

This is the most interesting 4th of July I have ever had. I am sitting in the Empire Mall in Sioux Falls, SD. Just chilling in the food court. Why? Well, I'm lame enough to not have a job and I am awaiting the arrival of my sister at the airport tonight (11:30). So, I rode up with Lyle this morning (he has to work, lucky duck) to avoid making Lyle's parents make an unnecessary trip up (it's 1.5 hours away). And I am bored. Not terribly bored, but bored enough to watch the people around me and wonder at their lives. I found a cushioned seat up against the a long circular stone wall that faces all of the other people in the food court. Unfortunately, everyone else has a life and there are only about 40 people here. Don't worry! South Dakota folk are interesting even in small numbers.

Would you like a recap of my day? Of course you would, if you didn't you wouldn't be reading my blog right? So, I started out visiting the brand new Kohls on the other side of town. I wanted the adventure of driving clear across town without getting killed. In case you are worried, I made it successfully and did not die. It was the largest Kohl's I have ever seen, which made me happy since we all know that Kohl's is the happiest place on earth. And it was fantastic.

They had 4th of July shirts at hugely reduced prices so I got one for Lyle and one for myself. I also remembered to purchase something for my favorite nice and soon-to-be favorite nephew.


After that, the GPS took me on a random path back to the mall and I passed a little place called the Sertoma Butterfly House. It was next to a fantastic looking park and I just couldn't help myself. (side note, I have never seen so many people wearing short-shorts in my life. Seriously, when you are 62 and look like it, you should probably not have shorts that only cover 1/4 of your thigh....with fanny pack attached...anyways)

This is an overhead picture of what the park looked like. It was amazing looking! I would have gone and played on the toys, but I figured the parents would be suspicious since I didn't have any kids of my own. 

This was probably one of the cooler things I have ever done. It isn't super huge, but they have 55 different species of butterflies (I didn't keep track) and you go into a a smallish-biggesh room where they fly all around you. Sometimes they even land on choice people. I almost had a panic attack when I first walked in there because they just fly right at you (there are two random birds in this food court, they just fly around and nibble on crumbs, sorry, sometimes I get distracted). But I got used to that quickly. I tried to capture the beauty of it with my camera, but the little things move too much to get amazing quality pictures. 

The blue ones were my favorite. (PS- of all of the empty tables in this entire place, a weird guy just came and sat one table away from me, where I am sitting there are at least 20 tables that are unoccupied and in spots that are vacated. Isn't there some code that says you sit as far away from other strangers as humanly possible? And now he is talking on his phone. He came and sat close to me to ruin my peace? Hmm....awkward duck). There was a little girl, about 5, who was walking through with her parents. A butterfly almost landed on her and she freaked out! She started crying.... I was trying so hard not to laugh. I know that it genuinely scared her, but it was sooooo funny. They ask you not to touch the butterflies because touching them can injure their wings or legs, so if they land on you, you just have to leave them be till they feel like leaving. There were so many people that had butterflies on them, it was awesome. :)

After that Lyle and I had lunch in the Mall (which lead to why I am sitting here now). We discovered this little philly cheesesteak place here and it's great. (Maybe I just have a friendly face? The creeper went and threw his lunch away, then refilled his drink and returned to his much too close seat. He is wearing a white shirt, red shorts. Has short brownish hair with some grey, and glasses. Just incase I mysteriously disappear. ) And now we get back to the part where I am sitting in the Mall writing blogs while I wait for Lyle to be done at work at 8:00......3 more hours.....it's ok. (Oh my... this is going to sound awful, but certain kinds of clothing should have a weight limit....... .oh my, oh my, oh my.....there are somethings that just can't be unseen even if you try really hard)

Later tonight we are going to try to see a firework show here, but there are usually about 12,000 people that show up at the Sioux Falls festivities every years, so I think we might try to catch a movie in an airconditioned theater. I rather like that idea. :)

Continued updates.... there is a woman that sat down with her family after pushing a sears shopping cart to the table. Whew! Some old lady and younger girl just came and sat down with him. I should be good unless it's a family opperation. :)