Let the shopping wars begin!

Hello Tuesday. We have landed here and it's been unseasonably warm, muggy, and sticky around these parts, and many are feeling kind of yucky in response, but I bid you a hearty welcome anyway here on this day, November 15, 2011. On Sunday afternoon I had to go pick up a few things at the big box store. You know that one which is part of the largest store chain in the world. I had not been there in several days. While I was away they transformed for the Christmas season. And, to think a police office at a restaurant the other evening took one look at me and said, "Hey, dude, aren't you about a month early, Santa?" But at the big store they have added so many new aisles that everything is practically one way and the congestion is exactly what you might expect. Just getting by the greeter is an issue because they've piled up so much stuff right there at the entrance. And, I ask you, why is it that every time I show up, I get the bad shopping cart? I know. I should have tried it out before I took it but the one I had on Sunday, it had a mind of its own. It was one of those that did okay as long as you got it up to about 20 miles per hour. If you ever stopped, getting it going again became a major challenge. You had to give it your best grunt and then it might lurch to either the right or the left and once I had bumped my fellow consumer they shot me look that says, 'Hey Santa whatcha trying to do. Run over people?' I might just start using one of those riding machines. I've never been on one and I might should send them a notice to let them know that I could end up doing more than just bumping someone. Okay. Let me move on. They are playing my song again. "Why is everybody picking on me?"

Yes, I am aware that all of that together doesn't add up to much. But, it does represent the little things that can irritate you, if you let them. Like when I was in the check out lane. Let me pick back up where I left off. They never have enough checkers when I am there. But a lady directs me to a line and I notice a lady and her mother who are in front of me and they are from a foreign country. They have their stuff separated in the basket but the daughter gets to the register and tells the cashier she has something she wants to exchange. The cashier tries to explain to her that she will have to go to customer service and that discussion goes on for a while. I've been very patient. I've had to drive a dangerous shopping cart. I've had to endure some hard looks. I've been called out as Santa by some little ones. That's always worth the price of admission. Then, I was told by a lady directing traffic that she thought this line would be a good one for me. Hello? A good one for me? Finally, the daughter removed all of her stuff from the cart and left to go to do the exchange. That left mommy to pay for her items. Guess what? The daughter was the translator for the mommy. Everything went fine until it came time to pay. The cashier finally helped select a card, you know, like the pick a card magic tricks. And, she got her items and she was happy but not as happy as I was. Finally, it became my turn. All I had left to do after paying was to see how many folks I could bump between the check out and getting to my car. See what I mean? My life can be so  exasperating!

We did have a great time at dinner Saturday evening with our Lexie to celebrate her 11th birthday. This was where the policeman decided to become a comedian with the Santa jokes. Visiting with her and Brady along with our Rodney and Mitzi reminded us of how special it is to spend time with family. We are a busy people. Maybe we are just too busy. Sitting next to Lexie and hearing her talk about her birthday, her school activities, and her friends was a real treat. Time. It just takes time. Now Mr. Brady who will be six in January, he is one for the record book. I called him over to my side of the table and sat him in my lap and talked to him for a few minutes. The conversation kind of trailed off and he asked, "Is that it? Is that all?" I asked him what he meant and he told me, "Well, I thought you might just whip out a $100 dollar bill and give it to me because I did see you reaching for something." Now where in the world did that come from? Inquiring minds may want to know but we know exactly where it came from. He is his daddy's boy! I did whip out a $1 dollar bill. Just 90 minutes but we always leave thinking that we should do it more often. Mitzi asked the police officer to make a picture of our entire gang as we were leaving and Brady mentioned something to him about his bullets and then we were on our way again. They, across town to their busy schedules, and us, back to the same in our domain. But, thank God for family and for the good times He allows us to enjoy. Amen.                   .....More later.