They’re both horrendous acts that nobody should have to do, much less on the same day!
It’s bad enough to have to go to the mall with the masses of people who it seems many aren’t partial to bathing before they go out in public but then to dodge the fake smiling women attempting to spray you with their chemical migraine inducing ‘perfume’ as you walk into any main department store is hazardous to my health and theirs. Their’s because they’re going to get an earful from me if they spray me.
We go from one extreme to the other: BO vs chemical funk. Neither appeal to me.
What is it with department stores that have the perfume section right at the entrance, making it impossible to get to the kids section without having to plan a quick path holding one’s breath and hope you make it safely through without getting sprayed? Why do those perfume people think everyone wants to douse themselves with chemical funk? Sorry but spray me and you’ll suffer the consequences, because when I get an instant chemical induced migraine because someone decided to invade my ‘space’ and spray me, that’s not a good thing.
What is the deal with clothing manufacturers? Why can’t someone design fashionable clothes in a size somewhere between an 8 slim and…seems 8 & 10 slims just don’t fit properly and if they do most of them are not ‘fashionable’ for a preteen diva. Size 0 in jr’s are the right style but oh so long and big. Is there no fashionable smaller clothing? Does anyone know what it’s like to spend hours at the mall (which I cannot stand to begin with) and deal with preteen attitude because ‘nothing fits’. I wish things fit, I really really do…but seeing how I can’t design cloths nor sew, I can’t do anything about it. Finally after hours of pushing and getting trampled by smelly people find 1 pair of capri’s, 2 pants and a bathing suit…hey wait, why do we need a bathing suit for school?? Oh, because it’s on sale! O.k.
Then there’s the threat of “Fay” heading this way (sorry we don’t use the “H” word here, I simply refuse to speak that word!). That means water, nonperishable food, batteries, hmmm where are the flashlights? Oh, how cute Ace Hardware has pink, green and blue kids lanterns…a preteen diva must have one (in each color of course!) Thought I went in there to buy rope, wow that was some expensive rope that turned into rope and three mini lanterns (apparently one can never have enough lanterns or flashlights in case of power outage).
Let’s see…nonperishable foods means run to the health food store stock up on Clif Kid Energy Bars and Clif Kid Twisted Fruit (both organic). Ah, little one proceeds to eat a few of these as we walk through the health food store…opps need to go back and grab some more to account for the ones she ate in the store, so we have enough at home! Already have trail mix, seeds and nuts so we’re good on that respect. Oh yea must get some organic juice boxes just in case since they’re ok if not cold.
Let’s see, what else do we need? Oh yea, let’s grab that 40 lb bag of dog food too while we’re at it, that’ll hold over the dogs for awhile.
Now, off to the gas station, must fill up car and get extra gas cans of gas…was caught off guard when gentlemen at pump on other side of mine was actually talking and carrying on a pleasant conversation as he filled his gas cans (nobody talks to anyone, much less nicely in the course of preparing for hurricane). Wow that was a nice surprise, simply amazing! That was the high point of the day was a friendly conversation with a total stranger making small talk at the gas station in the midst of all the chaos and rudeness of the back to school shopping crowd and the insane people fighting in the store for water and batteries. Fortunately we didn’t need to get those at store and got all we needed between the hardware store and the health food store.
Ah, let’s fill up all the water bottles and containers… how many gallons per person per day are we supposed to have? hmm think it’s one gallon per person per day? plus 2 dogs? hmmm really should read those preparation guides they give at the beginning of season. Been though this enough times though over the course of 23 years, you’d think I’d have this down by now.
Now off to figure out what one does with the small external filter system to the above ground pool so it doesn’t blow away and take the hoses with it, causing 3500 gallons of water to come pouring out of the pool. Oh yea, that’s what I got the rope for! Forgot about the rope, was still reveling in my purchase of pink, green, blue cute little lanterns that made daughter oh so happy.
Now, after surviving the school shopping and storm shopping all in one day, let’s see if school really starts on Monday or not!