Christmas Shopping

I got stuff for SB a bit ago because I knew I had to mail it, yada, yada.

Anyway, so that means I started Christmas shopping last night. I was true to my procrastinating, fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants nature. I popped up to Fedele's to get my mother's favorite chocolate covered cherries. They are hand-dipped cherries with the stems. I hit 2 stores over the next hour, then got gas and tea. It wasn't too crazy, but I didn't go near any malls. Then right round 9, I was headed to the gym. I pulled in and got the best parking spot next to the door and there were very few cars there. Have I mentioned how much I love this gym? LOL Anyway, I had just shut off the car and was stuffing my sneakers in my gym bag when Jen called. I thought she was shopping, but it turns out her "pit stop" at home turned into some thing longer. She wanted me to dump the gym and go do more shopping and dinner. So, back in the car I got.........lol

We popped into Ulta, where I have the hardest time not buying things for myself.....but we have that austerity program going on. So I picked up a few more things for my goddaughter who I am so proud of. Deb called earlier today to tell me that she just got the results of her second of five teaching exams. She passed on the first try, just as she did on the first exam. I guess some people don't and she thinks this will help her with getting into the master's program. So, congrats to Deb.

After Ulta we went across to the Olive Garden for a so-so dinner. But I didn't have to cook it and I didn't have to clean up afterwards, so I was happy. Jen had me in stitches over her work's Yankee Swap. Jen hates them and she was ranting about this years. I've actually never participated in one. After dinner, Jen and I agreed to meet in the morning for more shopping and breakfast. I told her my plan was to be at Borders when they opened at 7 am.

She called me at 9:15 am and asked how it was going. "Failure to launch. I am still in my bathrobe cleaning the kitchen." She laughed and told me to get a move on, she wanted breakfast. So off we went. I called her on her cell during the ride to the pancake place. WTKK was talking about the Yankee Swap/lottery lawsuit. Jen said it proved her point. Nothing good comes of a Yankee Swap.

We finally arrived at the mall just before noon. There were some crowds, but nothing crazy. There were some deals. Two hours later we were done. We wanted to cap it off with manicures, but all our usual haunts were booked.

All thats left now is one last trip to Walmart for stocking stuffers and wrapping.

I'd plan on working tomorrow, but my brother Frank moved his birthday party. It's always around dinner time the Sunday before Christmas, but the Pat's are playing at 4:15, so the party has been moved to 1 pm.

So when I leave Walmart tonight, sometime after midnight (I'm at work and I'll go to the gym after work), I will have completed my shopping in about 29 hours.