Sleepy Turkey, Swollen Pregnant Lady and Black Friday!

Last year I posted a blog about how much I loved Black Friday. I think I included some shopping tips as well. You see after about 5 years of Black Friday shopping I have never not gotten an item I had set out to get on my priority gift list. Never ... until this year. Oh, how tables have turned for me this year. I don't ever want to hear the term Black Friday again.

For those of you still interested I will give the explanation. I really used to love B.F. (Black Friday) mostly because I love a good deal, and not the 10-30% off kind of deal, but the real, store-lost-money-on-that-one deal. For those who know me, you know this is true.

Last year was the best and most successful B.F. of all time. So I have been looking forward to this year for about 360 days. Well my B.F. plans started going south early on, and I should have known then to stop while I was ahead. Athens, Ohio is unfortunately not known for its shopping. I mean really, my B.F. options were Wal-mart, or...Big lots, or...Wal-mart. In an effort to save the day I decided to make it the best B.F. at Wal-mart possible. My routine of checking the ad started later than usual as I was up early preparing my first full Thanksgiving dinner for our family and Hans' sister's family who was in town visiting. I did prepare as much as possible ahead of time, but there is always a ton of work to do the day of, and by the time I got to bed, it was late, my ankles were swollen, and I still had not finished my shopping list. I hurriedly checked with Hans for approval and set my alarm for plenty of get-ready-in-the-dark time and driving time. I was all set. I even had my clothes laid out. Wal-mart opened at 5 a.m., and I was going to be there early to get what I wanted. I awoke in the middle of the night and checked the clock. It was 2:30 a.m. More time to sleep.

The next thing I know, I wake up to see the clock reading 5:04 a.m. WHAT? My alarm did not go off. I jumped up, much to the surprise of my poor sleeping fetus and still swollen ankles, and grabbed my clothes. I thought maybe I could salvage something. But honestly all I could think of was how mad I was. Did I eat too much sleepy turkey? Did I not prepare by resting enough on Thanksgiving? Yes and yes! Just before I flew out of the house I decided I had to go to the bathroom. I had consumed way too much Cranberry Sierra Mist and had so doomed myself. It was a good thing however, because when I got to the bathroom, I realized I had put my maternity pants on backwards in the dark. I couldn't catch a break!

Usually as I drive down the darkened roads I see lights just flickering on or people trying to get in their cars fast enough, or dark houses with cars in the driveway, and I think to them all secretly...suckers!!!! I'll get the deals because you are still sleeping, but this year all the empty drive ways mocked me.

When I got to Wal-mart, people were already leaving. I was almost crying, (mostly because I'm pregnant) and I just knew all the good stuff was gone. I had missed Black Friday. I didn't get two things on my very short shopping list. One of them was the main reason for participating. I roamed the packed aisles looking for my key item, hoping buyers had changed their minds and ditched it. Then I did the unthinkable; I considered swiping it out of a teenagers cart. What did a college student need a Furr Real Pet for? If she knew how much Holly would love it, wouldn't she just hand it over anyway? :(

It was at that point I put myself in check, checked out, and came home. I crawled back in bed with Hans and said four words I never thought would come out of my mouth. "I hate Black Friday!"

Maybe if I hadn't eaten so much turkey and woken up late, or if I hadn't taken time to pee and change my pants around, or even if I had driven a little faster, I would have that Furr Real Pet puppy right now. Sorry Holly. One day you'll read this, and I'll hope you know I tried.