If I'd been scheduled to go in to work today, I would have been up at six anyway.

I was actually going out to get something we needed: a new home telephone/answering machine. The one we have, with the three extensions, actually works okay, but the base unit with the answering machine in it doesn't charge the handset any longer. This means to actually answer the phone instead of letting the answering machine get it, we had to go into one of the bedrooms or the kitchen to pick up. Annoying. A similar setup usually costs about $70-$80; Office Max had them for $40. So off I went, with the moon still shining over the parking lot at Akers Mill.

There was a complication to the shopping: I still had to do the fasting blood test. I was hungry from the moment I got out of bed. But could I make it until Kaiser opened after eight? I had a single-serve Fig Newton and a granola bar in my pocket if I couldn't.

There was no one at Office Max. I got a choice parking space and a big crescent moon was hung in the blue-black sky. Three employees descended upon me in an effort to have something to do. I did get the phone system and also a wireless mouse. Next went to Bed, Bath & Beyond, where they handed you a 20 percent off everything coupon as you walked in the store. I bought only what we needed, two Soda Stream refills, and more pads for the dog potty. By the time I emerged from here, the sun was up high enough to be a wretched pain. For some reason, no matter which way I drive, the sun is always in my eyes.

Next to Best Buy. I don't think there were thirty cars in the parking lot. Most folks were checking out phones or tablets. I went directly to the DVDs and picked up sixth season of Big Bang Theory for $8. There was a big bin of Blu-ray films, "former hits," as they say, all for less than $5, but anything we would have wanted we already had. Still holding out from the food, so waiting behind the guy buying headphones as a gift and getting the blah-blah-blah spiel about gift returns and warranties was hard to take.

Still too early for Kaiser, so skipped into the next parking lot and went into Cost Plus World Market. No free movie tickets this year as in the past two years; guess we will actually have to pay to see Saving Mr. Banks and The Desolation of Smaug. :-) I did get the free Downtown Abbey cup and bought enough goodies for a gift to get the shopping bag as well.

By this time my head was starting to spin, but it still wasn't time yet to go to Kaiser, so I ducked into Michaels and used the 25 percent off everything coupon on some sale items for the craft stash. And then finally it was time to go to Kaiser. I would have preferred eating a good breakfast, but I had to have something the moment I was finished, so first went the two Newtons and then went the granola bar.

I made one more stop, Barnes & Noble to use one of two coupons expiring tomorrow to buy an Entertainment Book, and then headed home. And then I was sick to my stomach again, but did manage to get some oatmeal, yogurt, and milk down me before I gave up and retreated to the futon for a series of absurd or scary nightmares until after 12:30, when I woke feeling cold.

By the time James came home I was feeling a little better. We had a simple pork chop dinner at Ken's Hometown Grill and then used a final coupon at Walgreen's (25 percent off total) to stock up the medicine cabinet: Breathe Rights, gauze pads, other meds.

Tonight we finally watched Despicable Me, which I've had on the DVR for...ages, from a long ago free HBO weekend. This was cute and had some definitely funny scenes, and the minions are cute, but I can't see why all the fuss was made of it. It's the usual "stern adult undone by cute kids" plot, kinda Pollyanna crossed with The Incredibles. Now I'm watching part one of American Experience's "JFK."

Labels: food, health, movies, shopping, television

----------------------------------------------------------------
. . . . . noted and logged by Linda at 10:02:00 PM

Comments: Post a Comment