The school year is dotted with fund raisers and next weekend is the Spring Gala at the Battleground Country Club in Manalapan.

Parents donate items towards themed baskets to be auctioned at the Gala. In years past the themes were basic: beach, movie night, game night, etc. This year, with a new slate of officers running the school's Parents Association, the themes were cranked up a notch. And, this year, I have two students to contribute for. In Tim's class, the theme is "Disney," probably because most of his classmates take their initial annual vacation to Orlando during this first preschool year. I bought some ball caps, T-shirts and a beach towel at the Disney store at the Freehold Raceway Mall. This was the same day that I bought my perfume at Macy's. I never go to the Mall, never, ever.

For Kenny's class, the theme is "Pottery Barn Kids" so I went to MarketFair Mall on Route 1 in Princeton. I wanted to buy some sheets and maybe a quilt. I get their catalogue in the mail, so I have an idea of how much things cost. That morning, two working mothers offered to go in with me on whatever I bought. They have daughters, so I bought girls' stuff in Queen / Full size because most of these girls have queen / full sized beds and it was the only size they stocked.

And walking around that mall in Princeton at lunchtime, I thought, Manalapan has nothing on Princeton. Women dripping in jewelry, even the sales staff; men driving in convertible Porsches and BMWs. Eek. I told my friend afterwards and she said, "Well, it's a good thing that you didn't go to the Pottery Barn in Short Hills." Yes, I suppose that's true.