My friend, Maurine, called and asked me to take her shopping in the Big City. Since her car wreck 4 years ago everything overwhelms her. Plus, she just had her lg. bowel removed a couple of months ago.

She's divorced and doesn't really have much support from family, so I'm taking her shopping on Monday. We've been friends for years and years, so it will be fun.

I just have to remind myself not to be in a hurry and to be patient, then I'll be okay. I DO like to shop, so that helps! :)

I did some small shopping for presents for my dad online. (couple of audio books, and something for his Kindle and his iMac).

I took my mom to Target on friday afternoon to get my dad another present. I was really really sick with a cold...I stole an asthma inhaler from my mom's stash of inhalers so that I could breathe. My mom had more energy to walk thru the store than I did, and she usually needs the electric scooter. (there werent any, apparently the old folks home had brought a bunch of their residents in to shop in the off hours)

My mom walked thru the store with me using a shopping cart as a walker, (I was practically crawling on the floor)

We got my dad his one present that she'd been looking at getting him, walked around a little bit, looked at stuff so I could get an idea of what she wanted and then I insisted on going home so I could collapse and die on the floor from hypoxia.

Took my dad back down to Target later that night to get grape flavored Delsym and buy my mom one of the gifts that she'd expressed an interest in.

That's about all I've done in the actually going out Xmas shopping.

I did buy, on my dad's request, one item from the Home Shopping Network the other day. Very cool. I'd bought something from them in 1997 or 1998, and they STILL had my information in the computer (old address tho) I'm going to do some more HSN shopping in a couple of minutes.

I think my dad's upstairs watching QVC...I need to tell Santa Dad that I want the cool camcorder I just saw on that channel a couple of minutes ago...

I think he's also shopping on Amazon. He goes thru a link from his credit card company, and anything he buys with his credit card he gets double points for his credit card's reward program. My dad is a shopping monster...as long as he doesnt have to leave the house.

Too bad my mom is one of those that has to go to the store...and I always have to go with her to do it.

At least I can have her watch HSN or QVC and she might do some shopping from that (telling me what she wants to get, and I do the calling to order)

Hopefully I'll be over my cold in a few days and will have the energy to take her back out shopping. Hopefully I dont catch another cold out there with the unwashed hordes of rude shoppers.

DH has asked what I am going to get for his neices, nephews, and the like this year. I said "I am giving YOU the list!" I handed him his sisters phone numbers. He said "whats this?" I replied "its what I do every year! its YOUR turn!" he seemed stunned. I said "call your sister. Have a pencil and a peice of paper ready. she will give you a list of names of kids, and what each one wants with the right sizes and colors (god bless that girl) and then, YOU go to the store, and buy them."

I got the shocked face, and the "but you do it so well" routine. he called his sis who gave him a list. he took his list to Wal-mart and was gone HOURS! he came back looking shell shocked and possibly PTSD. I said "I dont see any bags hun, where are the presents?" He held up one small plastic bag and said..."this is IT, I am DONE! I will never do that again!" I called him a baby and snatched the bag away from him.

Inside were 12 gift cards to walmart. He went to take a nap. Mumbling something about ankle clipping old ladies in shopping carts. Poor thing.

I do shopping online, do gift subscriptions to Readers Digest to Sis and Hubby and send a check to DS and his family so THEY can shop! :)

I am all done since there is just DH, Mom and I. Just waiting for the UPS truck to deliver goodies.

ho ho ho; I am staying HOME, shopping in my jammies with a cup of hot chocolate ready to face another vicious Arizona Winter!! :cool:

I just came back from Walmart.

:eek:

and it wasnt even that busy, but the hordes of screaming children seemed to be following us around. In the grocery side, in the yarn aisle, in the gadget aisle where my dad was showing me the kitchen stuff he wants.

It was like it was the same family of kids...and they had those stupid Heelie shoes on. :mad: (what parent lets those kids wear Heelie shoes in a store where they can crash into breakable stuff and stuff that can break them? Plus, what if they fall? They're not wearing helmets. I dont want to get splattered with brain matter when they fall down and crack their heads open)

I made sure to cough in their general direction when they kept running past our cart and pushing it out of the way...or screaming in my ear. Hope they get my cold. If they get my cold, they'll get laryingitis and they wont be able to scream.

My dad and I only went to get salad, a clicker for my outdoor Xmas lights (old clicker keeps shutting the lights off) and for me to get a pair of knitting needles. (because I need 50 pairs of size 8 bamboo knitting needles. I buy new needles almost everytime I'm there)

We walked around so I could get an idea of what my dad wants for Xmas. (well, he tells me outright which things to get. I just have to go back with my mom to get them and hopefully make her think she thought of it all)

It wouldnt have been so bad if the Wheelie-wearing-horde-of-sniffling children werent following us thru the store.

I wonder if my mom would be willing to go to WalMart at 3am, so we could shop without screaming-Wheelie-wearing-children crashing into our shopping carts....and so we could possibly have a chance of getting an electric scooter that has a decent battery and doesnt crap out on my mom back in sporting goods.

I do all my shopping online. Even in the off-holiday season. I wish I had known how relaxing it was years ago......I would have started doing it earlier! :rolleyes:

I can't take the crowds, noise, and lights. It puts me in a bad mood and I don't enjoy it anymore. There's absolutely nothing I need (or want) that cannot be purchased online so that's my only way to shop now.

Whenever the grocery has good buy-one-get-one-free specials I stock up on things like toothbrushes, laundry and dishwasher detergents, non-perishable foods and paper products. I rarely run out of anything anymore.

I'm in the mood to shop now! I'm off to the cyber-mall! :cool:

i do get overwhelmed dej.
that's why for one, i've done a lot of QVC shopping (television). the only problem is if you don't like it you have to pay to ship it back. but it's worked out for me. i just can't do stores anymore.

for two, after thanksgiving i NEVER go into the stores. maybe just for a special something but generally i have everything done by T. and, i buy thru out the yr so i never have much to do at the holidays.

good luck this yr.
or, start out VERY early or at dinner time. less people.

I think I should have stayed home rather than go to WalMart today. I'm suffering now. Left eye is feeling cloudy and fuzzy...and I keep falling asleep at my computer.

Stupid me went shopping while I'm sick with a cold. (someone smack me for being stupid) Now I dont know how long it's going to take for me to recover from that hour long trip.

geeze...I fell asleep typing this! (about 20 mins) I can see better now...sorta

People go nuts if they think they are getting something "on sale" ...little do they really know it usually isn't a bargain.

I did have to go shopping on Black Friday and today, but timing is everything! Down here in AL football is king and smart cookies know to use that game time to go shopping. :D During those two hours die hard fans are glued to TVs...which means fewer cars and people to deal with. Since today was the last football game any of our colleges would be playing in, it is safe to say I will not be doing any shopping on Saturdays the rest of December.;)

Pam, all your neighbors were over here in GA for the game at the Georgia Dome yesterday! You should have had a great day for shopping! :D