Today is the day

Today is my annual SHOP TIL I DROP day.  Every year, I have one big shopping day where I do an insane amount of shopping.  I usually manage to do all of this in a couple of hours and end up forgetting things or buying too much or second guessing, but hell, when you have two or three hours to shop for a zillion folks, well, it just becomes a challenge.  It's not like I don't think about it or anything ahead of time -I'm actually quite prepared before the blitz with a list of specific things to buy for each person - after all, I've been thinking about this for months by this point, so deciding on a thoughtful, meaningful, enjoyable, and affordable gift for each person is usually simple.  But still, it's a mad dash that spins me into some sort of insanity and by the time I get home, I'm usually so cross that I just hollor at the kids to get in their rooms and shut the door because, frankly, I just don't have the damned energy to be all secret agenty about bringing in the loot so the chillen's don't see.  But today, today is gonna be different. 

 

The kids are gone.

 

They left this morning to go and spend the day with my Mother.  About 6 weeks ago, she mentioned that she'd like to kidnap them for a day in early December.  This is awesome because, while my Mom adores my boys as she does all her grandchildren, she doesn't have much time alone with them.  So, when she asked to have them, I was super excited and scheduled my shopping day accordingly.  Of course, I figured I'd still have just a few hours because Mom gets tired easily with two insane boys running around her house.  But hell, a few hours is sooooooooo much better than none, yes?

 

And then my MIL called to ask if the boys could come and stay tonight with them - they would be more than happy to pick the kids up from my Mom's and take them to their house and I could pick the kids up tomorrow morning.  Would that be okay?  Um, that would be a YES!

 

So, here it is 9:27 am.  The house is quiet, all except the sound of my jeans in the dryer. I'm drinking coffee.  The kids are gone and won't be back until tomorrow morning sometime.  In a little while, I'll be leaving to do my shopping with NO schedule at all.  I can shop until I pass out.  I can take little breaks for a chai latte and some light reading.  I can go and have a little tofu salad for lunch or skip lunch all together.  I can do whatever the hell I want whenever the hell I want.  Fa La FREAKING La, ya'll!!!!

 

And if all that weren't enough, JM Bill took the time out of her frantic Irish schedule to make me a killer shopping playlist for the occasion!  2 hours of appropriately titled, themed, and organized music to make my shopping adventure a success.  I'm telling you, that fruitcake sho' is nice!  Money, spending, Angles, Christmas, pump, it's all there! Check it out:

 

Bittersweet Symphony 5:58 The Verve 
Angel of Harlem 3:49 U2 

Holiday 3:52 Green Day 

Christmas Time (Dont Let The B 3:26 The Darkness  

St. Stephen 4:29 Grateful Dead 

My Best Friends Girl 3:41 The Cars 
Someday Baby (w. Lyrics Born) 3:16 R.L. Burnside 

Big Pimpin Ft Ugk 4:42 Jay-Z 

Money Talks (live) 4:19 ACDC 

Bought and Sold [Live] 4:38 Rory Gallagher 

This One's For Me 2:42 Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers 
Foxy Lady 3:15 Jimi Hendrix 

Gone Going (Feat. Jack Johnson) 3:13 Black Eyed Peas  
Shine A Light 4:17 The Rolling Stones 
My Doorbell 3:58 The White Stripes 

Humidity Built The Snowman 4:27 John Prine
Whiskey In The Jar 5:03 Metallica
Merry Christmas From The Family 4:48 Robert Earl Keen 

Merry Christmas Baby 5:45 Elvis Presley 
 

And to end it all?  A nice cocktail at W's and a quiet night at home with my man.  Or maybe it won't be so quiet after all.  Bwahahahahah.

 

Ooops, the dryer is done.  Time to get going.  Sure as hell hope my bank account took it's vitamins today, it's gonna need it!