TK Maxx

I decided to try the TK Maxx today instead of the department store, since TK Maxx opens an hour earlier. I wonder what's wrong with "J" in Germany?

This store was huge, 2 floors. I have never seen such a huge collection of coats (I may go back tomorrow and look at those since I've been wearing a thin ratty beige fleece pretty much all the time.) But today I was looking for shirts. I somehow managed to bring myself only a few short sleeve shirts and only 1 long sleeve shirt, plus 3 or 4 turtlenecks that I wasn't planning to wear until much later in the winter.

I was under the impression that clothes in Europe were expensive so I was really surprised at the low prices in this store. Of course it's a discounter, but even so I had expected much higher prices. I was also surprised at the quality of the clothes. The fabrics were super soft and cushy. When you buy something on the cheaper end in the US it can feel scratchy or thin, but these fabrics felt luxurious. I bought several shirts for 13-17 euros each, some really nice soft workout/lounge pants for 19 euros and some very cool running tights for 19 euros. I think I would have spent a lot more in the US for these things. I always admire the workout pants in the Athleta magazines and those sell for about $80. Maybe we will rethink our plan to buy the kids' clothes in the US when we visit in the summers...to be determined as I do more shopping.

I managed relatively well in this store since clothes are much more self-explanatory than groceries! And I know my numbers in German, so when I went to the dressing room (multiple times) I was able to tell the attendant the number of items I was carrying.

They had these cool containers with an extendable handle that everyone wheels around with them to hold their stuff. When you want to go in the dressing room, there are some shelves to park your bin on so that you don't have to bring things into the dressing room that you know you're going to buy. What a great idea!

This place was super popular, even on a Friday morning. Maybe visiting on the weekend isn't such a great idea... The checkout line was lengthy but they had about 8 cashiers. Once again my numbers came in handy, because there was an automated announcement that would tell you which cashier to proceed to when you were at the front of the line. "Kasse sieben", mine said.

I have been using exclusively cash since we got here since many many stores and restaurants don't take anything else. That is a huge change in our habits - at home we use credit for everything. But large stores like this will take credit so I was able to use my Visa card (thank goodness because I had compiled quite a basket-full!)

After shopping I went for a run with Diablo wearing my new running shorts (I also didn't pack any of those, just shipped some, so I wore Dan's on the one other run I have been on!) TK Maxx had literally 1 pair of running shorts so I bought them, regardless of what they looked like. I really was quite the fashion queen in my running outfit.

Bright orange shorts, hot pink shoes and a rusty orange t-shirt. I got lots of stares on my route. I'm not sure if it was due to my outfit, my dog (even though this is Germany, people don't seem to be comfortable with shepherd dogs. Is he scary looking to people?), or the fact that I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt on a day when most people were bundled up in down coats and scarves (see photos in my Scarves post). It was sunny and I was very comfortable in what I was wearing. Crazy Montanan.

After my run I had to race to the bus stop to go get the kids, because there is early dismissal at 1:40 on Friday. I had just enough time to pop into one of the ubiquitous bread/coffee/sandwich stores to grab a bite to eat for lunch. I was standing in front of the counter deciding what to get and I noticed that each selection had a handle so you could lift up the hinged covering and take what you wanted from inside. There were to-go bags in little bins in front of the counter. Even though I hadn't been to this kind of "serve yourself" bakery before, I thought I knew what to do so I raised the lid on the "pretzel with cucumbers, salami and lettuce" (sounds like an odd combination but it was actually quite tasty) and reached in and grabbed the bottom sandwich and put it in my bag. As my hand was reaching into the food zone I had the thought that this didn't feel quite right. Even though each sandwich was on a different shelf and I could easily get mine without touching any other sandwiches, it still seemed like I was too close to other people's food. As I stepped away from the counter to put my sandwich in the bag I saw the girl next to me look searchingly from left to right and then take a few steps to another counter and retrieve a pair of TONGS from a holder (which was empty at the counter I had taken my sandwich from). She then proceeded to use the TONGS to grab her sandwich from the bin. Oops! At least I only have to make each mistake once. (I also drank from the intinction cup at communion at church on Sunday. Oops!!)

Today I ran out of money. Completely ran out. As I said, I've been using cash for everything, so the money slowly (or quickly) dwindles each time I go to a store. I used a little bit this morning to buy some laundry detergent and kids shampoo, and a tiny bit to buy my sandwich. I counted what was left on the bus on the way to the kids' school, and I had about 30 euros left. I had planned to take the kids for gelato after school to celebrate finishing their first week of school, and then go to the grocery store to get something to make for dinner. But I had forgotten that there was a book fair today at school and I had promised the kids they could get books. We literally stood in the school library counting pennies to see if we had enough to get the books they wanted. We did, but that left only 1 euro 50 cents left over, and that only buys one small gelato. Boo! Dan has the only ATM card so I have no way to withdraw money. I applied for mine at the bank earlier this week but I haven't yet gone back to turn in the paperwork, and after I do it's still going to be 2 weeks to receive the card. So I am completely dependent on Dan for money. How weird! We weren't able to afford gelato, and of course I couldn't go to the grocery store so there is nothing to cook for dinner and we'll have to go out. I think college is the last time I have had no money and no way of getting more!