Pretty soon the view of the sunset will be blocked by the new walls of the mall. Just imagine the fun we’ll all have browsing, dawdling, and walking around in our newly constructed neighborhood. Since we don’t go downtown anymore, and we don’t really have sidewalks to go to the corner coffee shop, we go to the mall.

Photo taken yesterday:

Photo taken in August 2008:

The construction has seemed to continue despite the worried U.S. money world. Though, I do think a highly-touted development down the way has ceased to continue. I walked by on what should have been muchachos bubbling about and bulldozers buzzing around to silence - a big, empty lot 1/2 dug out.

So it looks a bit split on the question of “how’s the economy here?” As always, and no matter, it really depends on how you look at it. I’m hearing that this year, people are making home-made gifts and staying closer to home. I wonder? Perhaps we all needed a little kick in the keester to remember what Christmas, life, is all about. There’s just so much more to IT than Cabbage Patch Dolls and Nintendo.* Our mall won’t be open by Christmas, so I guess I’m off to finish that cross-stitch and start baking.

*Did I just completely date myself with that Cabbage Patch Dolls thing?
Remember the terror of not having one way back when??!!