If Christmas Shopping was a Competitive Sport...

I would definitely be cut from the team.

This may be my last post for a while. Definitely not feeling like the Lucky Girl today. I actually shed a few tears. With "few" being classified as over 3, but under 15. So, don't worry that much about me.

I really left today with a good attitude. Dropped the last package for CA off at the post office and headed to lunch with a friend. Then, it was off to shop in the dreaded Greenwood area of town. Now, on a side note, I ALWAYS get lost in Greenwood. I got lost there just 2 weeks ago trying to find our office party at the Cheesecake Factory. So, I have no idea why I thought today would be better, but I'm going to share my escapades purely for the comedic value of it all. It really is funny, looking back on it.

My Mom asked me for a bedspread for Christmas, and she was pretty specific about it. She wanted one like the one she had before the last one that I bought for her. So, since that was 1986 and I had no idea what she was talking about, I headed directly to Bed, Bath, and Beyond. They had to have it, right?

The specifics Mom gave me, other than the "it was the one from the 80's" description, was she wanted it to be a blue bedspread, not a comforter. Specifically not one of those bed in a bag things with all the stuff that goes with it. She wanted an old fashioned bedspread, where she didn't have to use a bed skirt.

If there was a bedding quiz today, do you think you'd know the definitions of quilt, coverlet, comforter, and bedspread? What are the specifications on each and what makes one different than the other? What if the package says "Quilted Bedspread"? How does that work into the definitions, or more importantly the expectations of my Mom? Because she told me on the phone when I called her from B B andB today that she did not want a quilt. "Quilts are for summer." Who knew? I left and headed to JCPenney, where she said I should have gone in the first place.

Ah, the mall. There was a time when I felt comfort from being in a mall. Today, was not that day. I found the JCP entrance and a parking place and headed in. Do you know that mall stores no longer have the store department map at the entrances. Much like casinos in Las Vegas, I don't think they want you to find your way out. I went upstairs and looked for bedding, but after walking around the entire 2nd floor, I couldn't find any. I asked the 15 year old with the JCPenney employee badge where I could go to find the bedding department and she said, "Oh, that's at the Penney's Home Store. It's down by blah blah blah store." She tried to tell me the other many stores it was near to which I replied, "Pretend I'm from New York and tell me how to get to that store." (Because really your random New Yorker has spent as much time as I have in the Greenwood Park Mall.) And off I started to the JCPenney Home store.

Except for one more thing. When I was in the JCPenney looking for the bedding department, I got myself so turned around that I went out a different door than I came in. All that stuff really looks the same in those stores, you know. So, I was in the parking lot, walking up row by row, looking like that poor woman who can't remember where she parked. I remembered where I parked, my car was just not there.

After getting my daily exercise and finding my car, I headed to the JCP Home Store. I got smarter and asked the clerk where the bedspreads were. She said, we don't have them in the store and that I would have to order through the catalog. And she said, for a little more money, I could have it shipped to my home. Whatever. Hasn't she heard of free shipping?

I went to Macy's which was next door. I paid attention to what was by the door when I entered so as not to repeat the lost car experience. After circling that store and finding no bedspread, it still didn't work. I had to ask an employee how to get out of the store. I said "There were some jeans on my right when I walked in." The employee was of little help, she kept saying street names thinking again that I knew where I was. I decided to go against my instincts, and magically I found the correct door. Headed home, with no bedspread.

I decided to look online at JCP at home. I found a bedspread on back order (which means it wouldn't ship until January 24). With that date, it would be almost quilt weather before she got it. So, I called Mom to talk to her. She said, "Do you want me to give you the catalog number of the one I picked out?" Hmmm...well, yes that would be helpful. So, I order the one she wanted online (in stock) and it is being shipped to my sister's house and will be there for Christmas.

Anyway, all worked out okay today. It just took a while. Maybe Santa will bring me a map of Greenwood.