Thanksgiving Shopping

I look like I've been chasing a toddler all day. It's scary, really.

No toddler, and little cat is starting to get into the groove of things... though her personality (felinality?) is leaning more and more towards the name, "Thundercat." She is quite a storm!

It's shopping that's done me in today. Good ness! From first thing this morning (well not FIRST thing, but around 7:30) the crowds were already at Wally's. Shocking for a Friday!

So I got what I needed... PLUS an awesome counter-top turkey roaster! I justified the purchase with three criteria:

- Thanksgiving is always such a juggling act. Turkey takes up the oven, and sides have to be rotated in and out if they fit on the topmost rack. Which means they can't be big sides, and that just won't do.

- The price was outstanding--it was a 'last year's merchandise' markdown below the price of the new model currently on sale.

- I'm certain I'll be able to use this little feller during the year, with all the every-other-Sunday-man-days around here, as well as other frequent entertaining.

So I got it.

Then I picked up my brother to head out a few towns away to the organic grocery--I can buy organic quinoa there from the bulk bins at half the price! Plus it was nice to spend some time with my brother, have a bite and a cup of tea together. It's so important to connect every once in a while without the SOs around.

Then on to my regular grocery I went. By then it was about 2pm, and the place was a madhouse! Several items that I needed were out of stock or otherwise rendered invisible. The turkey selection was absurd--I had a coupon for $10 off a Butterball turkey and I could NOT find one under 20 pounds.

(I know, I know. I'd rather have a free-range, organic bird, but they're just so darn expensive. I should remember to start a piggy bank for next year's turkey.)

Then there were all the little old ladies snatching turkeys left and right--it was like feeding time at the shark tank. There was only one thing I could do.

Get the other stuff I needed and leave. And leave I did. To the competing grocery in town. Which was quiet. Luxuriously so. They did have Butterball turkeys around 15 pounds. At the same price even! Whoo hoo!

Why do I shop anywhere else, you ask? Well, because they don't carry the sugar-free products I need in my life. Especially the hazelnut-flavored coffee creamer. I can't do without that, now can I?

So with no little amount of trouble and aggravation (and lots of prayer), I have my Thanksgiving grocery shopping almost done. The only things left to do are the fresh ingredients that I need to buy the day before--like spinach, milk and such.

I'd also like to apologize for not doing too much real recipe blogging lately. Usually the week leading up to Thanksgiving I rest up, saving my strength for the big cooking that's coming up!

Well I hope you have successfully avoided the mad hordes of shoppers out there. Unless you like that sort of thing.