Shopping Day

Today, the day after Thanksgiving, is known to retailers as BLACK FRIDAY (because they are hoping that their sales for the day will put them "in the black"). I like to refer to it as (reverent hush...) SHOPPING DAY! My husband believes that this is my BIG holiday of the year. I get as excited about this day as some people do over their birthday or Christmas.

It starts with the anticipation the night before Thanksgiving (or Shopping Day Eve Eve) - just waiting for those ads that I know will be waiting for me when I wake up the next morning. Thanksgiving morning, before I have my shower or coffee or pull the turkey out of the refrigerator, I race downstairs and grab the paper - sorting the ads into "junk" and "places I HAVE to hit first on Friday". After Thanksgiving dinner I really get serious. I look over each individual ad, remove any special coupons that I will need the next day, and make my list. The list includes the store, what they have that I 'm looking for, whether or not there are any coupons, and the specific hours the special deals are for. Next I re-do the list and put everything in chronological order. I need to figure out when I need to be at each store, but I also need to make the best use of my time. I have to consider whether an item is going to be in limited supply and I have to map out my planned route. Not on an actual map, of course. THAT would be crazy. :-)

This morning I was up and out the door early enough that I was parking at my first stop at 6:30. If that sounds bad, know that I met some people who had started their shopping before 4:oo! And I thought I was tired....

Of course to some people this sounds like a lot of trouble to go through, but if everything goes well there will be at least one deal that will make it all worthwhile. This morning it was the earrings I am now wearing. They were originally $42. They were on sale for $25, and today all the sale items were an additional 50% off. That made them $12.50. Oh, and I had a coupon for $10 off any one item. Yes, that's right. My lovely earrings that exactly match my sweater cost me $2.50 - and if that's not worth getting up early for I don't know what is!

So, Happy Shopping Day to you and yours. I hope it was as lovely for you as it was for me.

Truly Thankful

I can't believe Thanksgiving is here again already. I swear it was just Christmas a month or so ago - how time flies when you're having fun! Normally my family all gets together at our house, and I'm cooking turkey and pie for 20 people (and LOVING it). This year, due to a pregnancy in one part of the family and a vacation in another, we're all doing our separate things. It makes me sad that the family won't all be together for the holiday (I would have made a GREAT grandmother in the 50's - I'm just that much of a traditionalist), but I know that things happen that are out of our control sometimes.

Traditionally we'd go around the table and each one of us would say at least one thing we're thankful for. I guess THIS is my table this year....

I'm thankful for all those years when we WERE all together, because I know there are a lot of people who never have that.
I'm thankful for a family that I really enjoy getting together with, because I know a few people who do not get along with their families (and a few who don't even have anyone).
I'm thankful for my wonderful husband, because he's always there with a smile and a hug and an unwaivering love and devotion that I couldn't survive without.
I'm thankful for my first son, because as terrific as he was as a child, he's growing into an even more terrific man - witty and brilliant and introspective and handsome - he's a human being that any parent would be proud of.
I'm thankful for the my second son, because he has the caring soul of an angel, and because he has a joy and electricity about him that can enliven even the dullest day (although sometimes it's exhausting).
I'm thankful for my freedom (also known as my current lack of a paying job). Staying home and taking care of my family has been the hardest and most rewarding time of my life so far.
I'm thankful for my ex-boss, because it was time for a change in my life, but it took her to push me out and force that to happen.
I'm thankful for my health, because I know people who are currently battling for their lives....
I'm thankful that my family is all healthy - it's rare to find such a large group of people with no major medical problems.
I'm thankful that I live in the greatest country in the world, where we are free to do and say what we want, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else (and sometimes even if it does).
Mostly, I'm thankful for each and every day where I get to enjoy all of this, because I know that it could be taken away unexpectedly in an instant. I'm just happy ever single time I see the sunrise on another day.

What are YOU thankful for?