Christmas Shopping

I do not like finishing things at the last minute, much less starting them at the last minute.  But, the last couple of years, that is the way I have lived.  Doing everything at the last minute and then rushing on to the next deadline.

Christmas just got here.  I don't know where the time went, but it is gone.  I online shopped for Camille.  I really would have liked to get her a couple of more things, but I spent so much in the extra shipping that it was not possible to do anything else right now.

We are having our family Christmas Monday night.  To find something for the girls, it was now or never.  I stopped at the pharmacy and the grocery store and arrived at the mall before 11:00.  There was still plenty of parking.  I thought that was a good sign.

I cannot remember the last time I looked around and shopped and had a good time shopping.  I always rush in get what I need and rush out.  I decided I was going to take my time and enjoy today. 

I sort of knew what I wanted for Haley and had no clue what to buy for Emma Kate.  I thought buying for the girls would be the hardest.  After going through a couple of shoe stores, I went into Lady Lee.  I expected to be able to mark several things off the list in that store.  I did, but not as many as I had hoped.  But I had something for both Haley and Emma Kate.  I hauled it to the car and started round two.

I thought I could probably finish in Mendel's.  That was pretty much a bust.  And, it was nearing 1:00.   I bought myself a shirt and the check out lines in Mendel's were long.   Ok, I had had some fun looking around and checking out stores.  Now it was time to get down to serious business and starting checking things off that list. 

I roamed around and finally decided on another department store.  I left there with pretty much everything, though I am not happy with all of it.  Then, I went back and bought the very first thing I saw for Nicole. 

And, then, as I was walking back to the parking garage, I bought myself some fresh hot popcorn.  That was my gourmet lunch.  

The mall was crowded.  The parking garage was crowded.  The streets were crowded.  I had one more errand to run in another part of town.  It was very slow going.  And, even slower getting home.

I really enjoyed shopping today.  Even more, I am enjoying being home, in my house shoes.  And, I really hope I do not have to go back to Tegucigalpa until after Christmas.