Healdsburg Square

I got home from from class today and decided I needed a day away from dogs, husband, the vacuum cleaner and the garden. Having solved the rearrangement of the living room furniture problem rather successfully, and with no need to buy anything new, I feel I have earned a daylong sabbatical.

I decided to go to Healdsburg with a definite goal--a shop I saw months ago when we were in town, but knew better than to venture into with OilMan in tow. Even if I manage to cajole him into any sort of shop, even the grocery store, if I venture from the pursuit the stated item(s), he inevitably wanders outside and starts staring at the street. The man does not know the meaning of the word browse.

When we began our search for a Sonoma County home, we started with Healdsburg and the Alexander valley. We soon learned that it was too remote, too hot, too expensive and too touristy. Trendy hotels, tasting rooms, and restaurants line the square. However, he square itself is virtually unchanged and I think it is still a nice place to visit.

I had a lovely afternoon wandering aimlessly. A dress shop satisfied my love of clothing which is a bit "different", A the Oakville Grocery provided me with a nice lunch, and I polished off my visit with coffee at the Flying Goat.

When I got home, OilMan hadn't fared so well. Two oil lamps we ordered arrived broken, with a note saying refunds were easy when the items are returned in the original, unopened condition. The mosquito repelling citronella oil didn't arrive at all, and a friend called to say that her friend's flight from Santa Rosa was cancelled without explanation. What has happened to customer service? David, who was supposed to be picking up our giant pot has yet to appear.

I complained to Amazon, called my friend to say that the flight was cancelled due to visibility problems due to smoke from a large fire burning in Napa, and suggested to OilMan that David might have shown up if he had been given more information as to the whereabouts of the pot than "the pot shop".

Time for a gin and tonic...