I Have to Go Shopping Now

SHOPPING DAY!!!!!

Every year, Mom and I take a day and head outta town for some Christmas shopping. I normally do about 90% of my shopping on our day. This year I had some done already before we left, and I do still have just a few things left to get. But allow me to share with you the highlights (and a few lowlights) of the day.

* This year we shopped in Castleton, so I suggested we eat a big breakfast down at Perkins in Noblesville and hopefully that would fill us up enough to shop, shop, shop! Of all the tables in the entire restaurant, we were seated next to the two ladies who never learned about inside voices. I answered every question they asked - right out loud - and they never heard me. It was rather comical, I have to say.

* After leaving Perkins, we made our first stop at the enormous Jo-Ann, etc. shop by the Castleton mall. I stopped in their bathroom and had just closed the door behind me when I heard a loud voice say "What are you doing?" As I spun around and freaked out, I realized the voice was the store loudspeaker beginning a commercial. I didn't know the speakers fed into the bathroom. WOOPS.

* Shopping YAY - found a dressy red shirt to wear for the Christmas program at church. I am a scripture reader (remember the Aramaic at Easter? mmm hmmmm). #1. I am generally about 10 degrees warmer than the average person. #2. Our church is very warm on any given Sunday. #3. I will be nervous. #4. We have a large array of candles burning for the Christmas season. This combination indicates I should wear a bathing suit. Since that is not really front-of-the-church appropriate, I set out in search of something festive yet COLD. No sleeves. No high necks. No thick material. BINGO!! And on sale to boot.

* Today was chocolate distribution day at the mall, apparently. I received an entire handful from a very nice man with a Hershey bag. Praise the Lord for that.

* I think I mentioned a while back that my life's-most-perfect-day-planner has been discontinued. This has, for several months, caused me MUCH consternation, since you have no idea the joy I receive from an above average day planner. It was a Franklin planner, so I visited the Franklin store in search of something comparable. I told the nice men in the store just how distraught I have been. I described the planner in great memorial detail and they found a new model that is slightly less perfect, but generally acceptable. Bless you, nice men at the Franklin store.

* DEAL O THE DAY. (again - please don't tell my mother. It's her gift.) I found a purse for her and through a series of deals ended up paying $1.04 for the purse. SWEET!

* Later in the day, in another store, I met the kindred spirit of the Perkins ladies. Through a non-inside-voice phone call, I learned all about this lady's father's illness, his need for hospice care, and both the similarities and differences between his illness and her mother's illness a few years ago.

* Upon arriving home, I found the most beautiful sight on my front porch...my feather pillow-top mattress has arrived. It is blissfully thick and soft and wonderful and once I put it on the bed, I may never leave the bed again. Food deliveries will be accepted.

Successful shopping, 2009. Check.