My Exhausting Weekend..

                         

The shopping frenzy started late Friday evening, on a very rainy day.  I don't know what was more irritating, the rain, or maneuvering a baby stroller around in the store.

STORES DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON ARE NOT BABY FRIENDLY!!!

I'm sorry the stroller just knocked down another row of t-shirts and sweaters from the overcrowded isles, but, there is NO ROOM!  How do stores expect people to shop around these overcrowded stores with strollers, or wheelchairs, or larger people?  Doesn't anyone out there in retail realize how aggravating this is?!  After I made my sweep through Mervyns on Friday, I'm afraid I left a mess.  I used to work in retail during the holiday season, and I know what a pain it is to fold, and refold items that people drop on the floor.  I felt awful.  I picked up as much as I could. 

Saturday was much better; the stroller was left at home with toddler in the care of Daddy. 

I don't know if anyone of you is familiar with the store Hollister.  It's a popular unisex clothing store for young people, with very scantly dressed, shirt less male mannequins that wear jeans belong the pelvis line.  I cannot tell you how much I hate this store.  Not only is lighting purposively dark, the clothes on the most part, overpriced, and you may need a flashlight to actually see what you are buying.  I do not recommend this store if you have strong prescription glasses.  If you are familiar to this store you know what I mean, but there is even a more important reason why I can't stand this store---it's discriminatory to people in wheel chairs and strollers.  From the outside of the store, it looks like a beach bungalow with cute little chairs on the porch near the half nude male mannequins, so you have to walk up a few steps, and then walk down steps to get into the store of darkness.  Sure, there are other doors on the side, but they are latched up.  My mother tried to go through them, and couldn't, and almost went through a door.  Not good. 

Keeping up with mother can be hard.  It was another rainy day, and my joints were really bothering me; especially my hip.  When I was a small child, I twisted my leg while in Portugal---and whenever it rains, this particular hip tends to feel very sore.  (It's a long story, but I think it has to do with that "doctor" who twisted my leg back into "place" in the back of the taxi.)  We left at 10:30 and returned home at 5:45 with a trunk full of bags of merchandise and boxes.  I was tired and sore. 

I was so sore, that I had to wake up in the middle of the night to rub some Ben Gay on me.  The sheets still smell like Ben Gay--that unmistakable eucalyptus scent that screams "a old woman sleeps here".  The granny flannel pajamas didn't help either.  Even hubby took notice..  Sorry, but it was freezing, and as long as I felt old, might as well play the part to the hilt. 

Sunday I felt better, but I felt like a zombie.  It's Monday, and I have menus of Christmas eve dinner and appetizers dancing over my head..teasing me...  I have lists to make..more shopping to do...  Being at work it's almost seems like a much needed break---there is simply not enough hours in a day!!!