Cyber Week

     On-line Christmas shopping may use less gasoline than cruising the malls but I'm  here to testify its just as stressful. I've spent the better part of the day filling out forms, sending off orders, revising orders, canceling orders, putting in card numbers etc., etc., etc., until my head is spinning.
     I shouldn't complain. At least my legs don't hurt.
     And part of the shopping is finished. Only part, mind you. But, really, I'll get it finished in time. I promise. All I have to do is to come up with gifts for four grown men, three teen-age boys and a couple of small kids. Now the kids are no problem...if they were all kids it would be a breeze. (Oh, for the days!) And, I'm sorry, but I HATE handing anyone cash or cards or anything of the sort. I WANT to give gifts. I just can't think of anything appropriate.
     I'd bend and give the men lottery tickets because they could be fun but it would be just my luck for the one who has quite a bit to win several thousand dollars and the ones who really could use the cash to sit and watch with drool dripping off their chins. So that's out.
     Shirts? My husband is a good example. Do you know how many shirts there are in his closet? I'd hate to count. On top of that, he has an iron-clad policy to never let a piece of clothing go, even if he doesn't wear it. He has shirts that have never seen the light of day but do you think he will let me give them away? Oh, no. He might want to wear them someday. In reality, he wears one of perhaps four shirts all the time. (Two are exactly alike and I watch like a hawk to keep them washed.)
      Teens? Oh, right. They would take anything as long as it is electronic and costs over $500. I wish I had enough money to buy five I-Pads because they are all in love with mine. However . . . that's out.
     At least you can find things that women will like. Maybe only temporarily but they WILL like them. Women seem to just enjoy unwrapping shiny packages and exclaiming over glittering bracelets, unnecessary purses and scarves and jackets and strange kitchen gadgets, even while knowing they will never be used.
     Why do men and boys think you should NEED something to enjoy getting it?
     They should watch and learn. Christmas presents aren't about things you need. They're about things that are there to be unwrapped and exclaimed over.
     All the suffering I do? I wouldn't do it if it were'nt FUN in the long run.

Online Shopping Out, Tramping Through Stores In . . . Ugh!

     Okay, I'll admit it. I made a big mistake. Never never again will I take part in an online auction. I was glued to this derned computer for two and a half days and then lost the item for an unreasonable amount of money. At least I had sense enough to give up when the bid was still very low. But I stayed tuned it and, by golly, I could have practically manufactured it myself for the amount it finally went for.
     But I've learned my lesson.
     Back to traditional shopping. Which isn't any better, for that matter.
     I've been having so much trouble with bursitis in my shoulder I gave up and called my rheumatologist this morning for an appointment. Turned out my choice was next year or this afternoon so naturally I picked up and flew to Springfield as fast as I could get there.
     Now one to waste a perfectly good day on something so mundane as a doctor's visit, I decided to see what I could find for Christmas gifts.
     I have no soles left on my feet as of this writing. They are worn off and will have to recover before I can do any more shopping. I didn't get in until 8:30 and I have precious little to show for it all. (Well, I did manage to get home with a couple of extra clothing items for my own dear self. AND...note this, it is important for later reference...I was absolutely forced into going to the book store. After all I did have a 15% off coupon. And I NEEDED a few books about a certain place I'm planning to go in February . . . I know, I know . . . but you will hear more about this later, I promise. It is worth waiting for.)
     Anyway, to make a long story short, I still have the major part of my Christmas stuff to do. It gets harder and harder each year and I HATE to give money, which is what the teenagers really want anyway, I know.
     It would be simpler I'll admit. We have a thirteen year old granddaughter, an "almost" fourteen year old grandson, a fifteen and one/half year old grandson and a sixteen and one/half grandson.
     You try and figure out something for them they'd really like (that wouldn't cost $500 and up).
     Oh yeah. Don't forget the girl in college, the young and single career woman and the grandson and his wife with two little great-granddaughters.
     And a husband who "doesn't want anything for Christmas, it is a waste of money".
    For this, I walk my legs off.
     I'm going to bed. Maybe I'll dream about the new outfit I bought. Tomorrow I think I'll go to town and look for a necklace to wear with it.
     Merry Christmas to me.

The Sucker That Is Born Every Minute

     How many of you have ever been caught up in a bidding war? Raise your hand, sucker!
     I swore off going to auctions years ago after standing next to a sister-in-law who was insisting on paying twice the amount for a set of table glasses that I'd just seen (brand new) a few days before at the original price. Raising bids is addictive, pal!
     Problem is not that I can't stop bidding. Problem is if I finally find something I really want then I REALLY WANT IT! And usually it isn't available anywhere else.
     Anyway, because of this and various other reasons (namely a lack of ready cash) I've pretty well given up auctions as a lost cause.
     Until a couple of days ago . . .
     We all know Christmas is coming up pretty soon, right? Well, how many of you have four teen-age grandkids to find gifts for? I do! (Not to mention a college student, two grown ones, a grand-daughter-in-law and two small greats.)
     What to get? What to get? What to get?
     To make a long story short,, I happened across an online auction that offered a very desirable electronic object that one of the grandsons would like to have. Well, the object costs a small fortune so I hung around (in my innocence) and got HOOKED!
     For the past three days I've been tied to the darn computer, checking my bids every ten minutes and trying to gauge the competition. I missed the first one by a millisecond, gave up on the second one and found out the next morning that by giving up too early I had missed a real bargain. So here I am again, glued to the screen.
     Darn kid. If I spent this much time just looking for a gift for him in the stores I'd need a new pair of shoes. Besides, I'd still have a bunch of grandkids to go.
     What's a loving grandma to do, anyway?
     Got to go . . . time to check my bids. Maybe I'll win this one!