Let the craziness begin!!!!! (Black Friday, part 2)

OK, where did I leave off??

Ah yes, from Toys R Us we drove to Target. In years past, this has been one of our first stops, and we were usually in line near the front. We arrived at Target just as they were opening the doors (thanks Toys R Us!).

The line rivaled Best Best in length and shear number of people. Last year, the employees of Target lines up outside the store and held hands (picture a game of Red Rover with adults wearing red shirts) to block the line jumpers. This year, the store had lined up rows of shopping carts (that's Target for you, always one step ahead)....and they had security monitoring the line jumpers waiting on the other side of the carts. We had time to park our car and join the end of the line....which was just nearing the doors when we arrived. We got in tons earlier than the line jumpers, still waiting by the carts before they can enter. If they'd just hauled their lazy butts to the end of the line, they would have gotten in MUCH earlier.

It's amazing how the people that run and kick to get in line, and the biggest, most unhealthy people out there. They are too lazy to walk to the end of the line, but aren't too lazy to run and jump to beat out those that have been there for much longer. Makes me giggle..and shake my head...at the same time. (well, maybe not the same time, that could be dangerous)

Once inside the store, we split again. We'd had time to talk to mom and see if she was comfortable with trying again. We gave her the ad, with the things she was supposed to find circled. If all else fails, ask a salesperson. She seemed OK with it, so off we went.

My items were the big ones, of course, so I needed a cart. Pushing that cart, through thousands of people, near the electronics and toy areas....ugh! I felt like a salmon swimming upstream. That is, if that salmon had a large shopping cart it was also trying to maneuver around. Crazy!!!!

I found mom, on accident. Her arms were loaded with the items she was supposed to get. She had to ask someone to help her find something, I was so proud!!!! My next items were still nestled deep in electronics hell, so she took the cart, and started to head towards the front of the store, to get in line.

I got to electronics and found out my item (GPS) was being kept up at the jewelry counter...at the front of the friggin' store!!! Argh! I just came from there!!!! So back up I went. About them Inny calls me to find out where I am. I told her where I was headed, and she said that she was near jewelry, and we'd meet there. I tried calling mom....no answer. Hmmmm.....

I met Inny at jewelry, and the GPS's were gone (no surprise).....and she told me she couldn't get ahold of mom. We had all of our stuff....but no mother. Hmmmmm.....

Well, that's not good....so the two of us split up, to find a needle in a haystack. I happened to walk almost right into mom.....somewhere near household goods. She was just smiling and pushing her cart. Seems her cell phone doesn't get good reception in the store...and it never rang.

Well....at least we found her. Dad would kill me if we had to call and tell him we lost mom. :-)

From there we went back to jewelry....why you ask???? Well...there was a register there, and cashier there....and no line. The line to check out in the store was wrapped all the way around the inside of the building...but that register at jewelry was in 'no line, no wait' status. Well heck.....carpe diem, and all that jazz!!!!

We got checked out and left, before the first people in line were able to check out....not too shabby!!!!! :-)

From there we went to Cabela's, WalMart (not as crazy as you'd think it would be), Office Max, Office Depot, Staples, Bass Pro Shops, Ulta, another WalMart (don't ask), and then back to my sisters.

We unloaded the loot, and I took off for home. It was noon, and I was bushed!!!!! :-)

I had no idea what I was going to buy people as gifts this year, so figured my purchases would be mostly for ourselves (things at a rockin' good price), or little things I'd find here and there.

Heck, I got almost all of our shopping done. And the people I didn't buy for, I now know what I'm going to get. I feel SOOOO much better about the holidays this year....with the gift buying almost done and out of the way. Sweeeeeeet!!!