How to Spend More Than Planned
After Friday's all-day rain and more rain right up til about noon yesterday, when a break came, I took it. I needed to get out, even if just for a quick trip to Target. I could tell by the traffic at the entrance to the mall area that lots of other people had the same idea. And the store parking lot was the proverbial zoo, with people waiting for parking spaces and drivers getting testy with one another. I thought about turning around and heading home, but I like having a candle lit when I meditate, and my candle had burned all the way down to nearly nothing.
In and out, I promised myself.
Since the bike rack is close to the store entrance, I didn't have to try and find a place to lock up my bike like I have to do at a lot of stores. Points to Target for at least having a proper bike rack for those of us who ride our bikes to go shopping.
Inside the store was way worse than the parking lot. People people everywhere with lots of dodging having to happen just to get to the candles in the home goods section. But I finally made it, and in just a matter of minutes, I had two small candles in hand. Time to go check out and leave the madness.
But you promised Ado a new toy, I heard a voice say. I hesitated, really wanting to leave, but a promise is a promise. So I headed over to the pet section.
Check out the picture frames first. You need to frame that new piece you bought at the art festival two months ago, the voice said. Since I was right there by the frames aisle I stopped and looked at the selection. A gray frame caught my eye. I slid it off the hanger and carried it along with the two candles towards the pet aisle.
Maybe some gummy worms? the voice asked. Seriously? Yes, seriously, the voice responded. I slipped between two women who seemed confused about where to find whatever they were looking for, stepped behind a woman standing in the middle of the aisle while trying to decide what box of granola bars to get, and found the gummy worms. And peach gummy rings. I knew Angel Baby likes those.
Now Ado's toy, the voice said, sounding very pleased with itself. At the pet toys, I picked a gray elephant with a squeaker in its trunk. Ado loves a good squeaker.
As I neared the checkout area, a Target employee was directing shoppers to what might be the best line of the moment. The self-checkout stands had the longest lines, so I scanned the regular checkouts and found one where just one person was nearly finished with her transaction. I asked the cashier to please put all my goods in my pannier, and since I used my own bag, I saved a whopping ten cents on my total. I didn't know Target charged for their plastic bags, so this is good to know for future shopping trips.
Though I ended up with a couple of extra items, the trip to and then home from Target was exactly what I needed after being inside for a day and a half. I know I need outside time just about every day, or I begin to feel jittery. That being said, maybe next time I won't go to a store where I end up spending forty more dollars than I'd planned. Maybe next time I'll just ride the trail until I have expended the pent-up energy. And that being said, Ado really, really likes his gray elephant, and Angel Baby got all excited about the peach gummy rings. So, maybe the extra spending was actually a good thing.
In and out, I promised myself.
Since the bike rack is close to the store entrance, I didn't have to try and find a place to lock up my bike like I have to do at a lot of stores. Points to Target for at least having a proper bike rack for those of us who ride our bikes to go shopping.
Inside the store was way worse than the parking lot. People people everywhere with lots of dodging having to happen just to get to the candles in the home goods section. But I finally made it, and in just a matter of minutes, I had two small candles in hand. Time to go check out and leave the madness.
But you promised Ado a new toy, I heard a voice say. I hesitated, really wanting to leave, but a promise is a promise. So I headed over to the pet section.
Check out the picture frames first. You need to frame that new piece you bought at the art festival two months ago, the voice said. Since I was right there by the frames aisle I stopped and looked at the selection. A gray frame caught my eye. I slid it off the hanger and carried it along with the two candles towards the pet aisle.
Maybe some gummy worms? the voice asked. Seriously? Yes, seriously, the voice responded. I slipped between two women who seemed confused about where to find whatever they were looking for, stepped behind a woman standing in the middle of the aisle while trying to decide what box of granola bars to get, and found the gummy worms. And peach gummy rings. I knew Angel Baby likes those.
Now Ado's toy, the voice said, sounding very pleased with itself. At the pet toys, I picked a gray elephant with a squeaker in its trunk. Ado loves a good squeaker.
As I neared the checkout area, a Target employee was directing shoppers to what might be the best line of the moment. The self-checkout stands had the longest lines, so I scanned the regular checkouts and found one where just one person was nearly finished with her transaction. I asked the cashier to please put all my goods in my pannier, and since I used my own bag, I saved a whopping ten cents on my total. I didn't know Target charged for their plastic bags, so this is good to know for future shopping trips.
Though I ended up with a couple of extra items, the trip to and then home from Target was exactly what I needed after being inside for a day and a half. I know I need outside time just about every day, or I begin to feel jittery. That being said, maybe next time I won't go to a store where I end up spending forty more dollars than I'd planned. Maybe next time I'll just ride the trail until I have expended the pent-up energy. And that being said, Ado really, really likes his gray elephant, and Angel Baby got all excited about the peach gummy rings. So, maybe the extra spending was actually a good thing.
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