Yesterday on our anniversary Vince took the day off and we went shopping. (If you know about my dislike for shopping, you’re feeling sorry for me already, right?) We had a great day except neither of us got enough sleep Thursday night. NO!! That’s not why!! I went upstairs about midnight to go to bed and Vince was watching some show on TV where they rescue dogs and cats and try to find homes for them. We don’t have a TV in the bedroom but I ended up staying in the living room and watching it. Twice I got up to go to bed and just couldn’t pull myself away. No, they didn’t find a home for the dog I was hoping had a happy ending . . it did not. The blasted show wasn’t over til 2 a.m.! So, we were both tired and trying not to be grumpy. The problem is that he just loves to shop and I’d rather do most anything than go shopping. Oh, I hate shopping! I can think of a whole bunch of things I wouldn’t mind buying (a new sofa is moving its way to the top of my list) but as soon as I get to a city, I just want to go home!
To make matters worse — (1) it was the first of the month and I guess everyone and their brother got paid and decided to go shopping (2) back to school is happening before the next payday rolls around so it was imperative that every parent within 200 miles of Joplin go shopping Friday . . to beat the weekend rush I suppose and (3) there’s a tax holiday August 1 – 3 where there was no state sales tax on most everything purchased. So, when I say everyone was shopping . . that means EVERYONE!
If I have to go shopping, you all have to go with me! 🙂 First stop was Books-A-Million. We have more books in this house than most libraries. I don’t even know what books Vince bought but there were four of them. I picked up a 2009 pocket calendar for my purse.
Next stop was Office Depot. Not sure what we needed there but Vince found these little Sandisk MP3 players. They were regularly $89 but on sale for $29.99 . . one per customer.
Vince: Here . . you get one and I’ll get one!
Me: I don’t need one.
Vince got one; I got one. I was checking out first and it rang up $89. Vince explained that they were on sale. The sales lady got out the ad . . no, they’re not on sale! Vince gave her this look and she decided she’d walk back there. Of course, there was one person at the registers and 20 people behind us in line and that one person checking just took her sweet time walking back to check the price so everyone in line wanted to bite my head off! She came back with the little signs that said they were on sale and told us the signs were wrong but we’d get the sales price. So, Vince was feeling real proud of himself.
From there we went to eat at the Thai restaurant we both love. It was great, as always. I think I could eat there every day!
Then to Sam’s. Why? We don’t need anything from Sam’s. Oh, we always go to Sam’s. . let’s just make the rounds! My lack of sleep is beginning to overpower my desire to be nice on our anniversary. We go to Sam’s. Vince decided I need a new desktop computer. I do not need a new desktop. I do not want a new desktop. I do not want to move everything I have on my desktop to a new computer. Please . . just take me home!! We did get out of there without a new computer but it wasn’t easy!
By now, it was just miserably hot. Here’s the outside temp per the reading on our dusty dash!
Next stop was Harbor Freight. I’ll just wait in the car . . said Judy! No .. it’s too hot said Vince. Quilting friends have found cool things at Harbor Freight but I found ropes and cables and weird, stinky, man type stuff and was happy when it was time to leave that store. Vince bought a pocket knife box cutter type thing to open the MP3 players which he didn’t open til we got home and we have a zillion tools here to open them so why we had to stop at Harbor Freight, I do not know . . nor did I ask!
Next stop was Target. Didn’t need anything there. Spent less than $50 and I think that’s a record. Don’t even remember what we bought but it must not have been much.
Then Vince mentioned the M*A*L*L. NO!! Vince, Please, NO! Don’t make me go to the mall. He’d be quick. He wanted a new sports jacket and promised me he would park by Penney’s, only go in Penney’s and if he didn’t find what he needed in Penney’s, we would leave. That’s exactly what happened so I was happy.
Best Buy was our next stop. I wanted to look at lenses for the D40. I really just wanted to look and talk to someone who knew a lot about cameras. I think I know which lens I want next but I didn’t get it today.
That was the last stop. On the way home, Vince asked if we had any nacho chips at home. I just looked at him and said “if you stop one more time, you’re dead!”
Saw this Jeep in the Sam’s parking lot.
Yep, Life is Good! I shouldn’t have to go shopping again for a while.
CJ says
Oh my GOD! That’s enough shopping in one day to last an entire year! I’m worn out just thinking about it.
I’m a pajama shopper. The Internet is the only way I go shopping, and I call the UPS man Santa Claus! LOL
Perry says
I feel like you do about shopping. I hate it! I need to go to Target and get a new vac for the wood floors. The store is 1 mile from here and I have needed to do this for a month. Have I done it? Noooooo, not yet, lol.
Vicky says
It was a zoo here today, too. I had an 8:00 haircut, so decided to make the most of the morning since sewing was blown anyway. Had the car washed — well, rinsed off; they left more dirt on it than they took off. Manicure salon was packed, so I’ll do that tomorrow maybe. Barnes & Noble isn’t there any more. 🙂 Kohl’s was jammed with one register going. I remedied that right quickly. 🙂 Albertson’s parking lot was full – so I came home. Guess I’m out again tomorrow. Hopefully all the moms will be shopped out!
Linda says
I’m with you, I’d just rather stay home. Or, shop like CJ, on the Internet. A woman with a computer, internet connection and a credit card can get just about anything she wants within the limits of her card without setting foot outside the house. And yet I’ve been to Norfolk twice in one week, Creighton once and O’Neill once. Thank God I’ve racked up 9 hrs of CE credit for my job, got a granddaughter’s bday gift, stocked up on greeting cards, got a new phone, lamps for the bedroom and a carpet remnant for my longarm-quilting-room-to-be. Now I can stay home and paint the room and get more excited by the day until my machine gets delivered on Aug. 12. After that I may never shop again!!!!!!!
pdudgeon says
lol, tell Vince that next year you get to choose the Anniversary Day activities.
Turn about is fair play, and you might be able to find something he enjoys doing more than shopping.
Erin says
I could not do what you did, all that shopping! I do not like shopping at all..it is a “chore” for me..my hubby on the other hand loves it and can spend all day out in the stores, just gawking at everything! Next year, you pick what to do…
Mary-Kay Colman says
Happy Anniversary, I can relate to your day. One time on our anniversary the babysitter locked her keys in the car before we went out, so I called CAAnd waited. By the time we got to go out I was so tired(5 a.m. wake up) I didn’t want to go out but I knew we should do something. So we went to the local casino and decided to only spend $40. between us. So I won the 1st $1000 and then my husband walked up and plunked my last $3 in the machine beside me and proceded to win the 2nd $1000. So in the end it turned out to be a great day. Too bad I didn’t quilt at the time, just think how much fabric I could buy with my share.
Karen L says
Well if he insisted that you go shopping….the least he could have done was to take you to a fabric shop…..do you know how much fabric you could purchase for the cost of a desktop computer????? But then on the other hand……..do you want Vince to know how much fabric you could buy????
I’m glad your shopping day went reasonably well!!!!
Karen L
Magdalen says
Judy — Love the blog. I really loved the corn spoonbread recipe — too, too good!
Your description of shopping with Vince was so funny, I had to read it out loud to my husband, who thinks I’m Vince in that story, and he’s you, but he’s wrong — I would never take him to the M*A*double hockey sticks! And anyway, he has no business complaining — I happily went off today to meet a quilter friend for some retail therapy, leaving DH at home, and what did he do when I got home? Say that he’d been lonely.
Eve says
OMG!! I’ve already spent 3 hours laffin’ hysterically with my DD, and then I come and read this!! ROFLOL!!
I think Don and Vince are related–and you and I are related. I hate shopping!!! Especially w/ Don! I go, get what I went for and come home. Done. He’s an all day, look at every single item in every store kinda shopper. AAARRRGH!!
Judy says
Oh Judy, I feel your pain! Sorry but I was LMAO. You write just like you talk don’t you??? I went to a quilt show today and it was out in the country. No city for me!
bingo~bonnie says
Judy, I just finished rereadign this post out loud to David and he and I both were laughing all thu it. I was gonna look up more of yours and Vince’s shopping extravaganzas that you have shared in the past but it seems that you don’t have a label for “shopping” so I couldn’t find any more fast enough before David left the room.
Maybe you can start labeling these entries so that we can look them up in the future? 😉 You’re writting is so humorous. Vince is the exception to the rule I believe when it comes to men and shopping.
And although you may not like all the time wasted going with him, just be greatful that he does wnat to go too when it is time to shop and that he never minds splurging the big bucks on you. 😉 a new desk top? wow.
Love from Texas! ~bonnie
Diane says
Sounds like my kind of day. I love to shop!
Minou says
My hubby and I have had a good laugh about your shopping adventure…your stories are great! My hubby could shop forever…I take a list, and when the list is done, so am I!
Suzanne