So You know, SNOWing-up as a SHOP-FARI-*SHERPA* was NOT on My SPEND-SATURDAY-SCHEDULE!

ESPECIALLY, WHEN *NO* YARN WAS "INVOLVED"! -- [What's THAT about?!]


FIRST OFF, I wasn't really certain about Today's WEATHER... FRIGID-TEMPS are One-Thing, however, SQUALLS and FLURRIES are *another* Matter altogether! -- Honestly, I really wasn't THAT keen on going OUT...

*BUT*, MOTHER "INSISTED"!

SNOW-PELLETS had just begun to Fall when We left the HOUSE on the Way to Our First "DETOUR"! - There was a "DOLLAR" Store that She wanted to GO TO...

oh. LOOK!

BIGFATFLUFFYFLAKES-*COVERING*-The-CAR-in-*SECONDS*!!

We did *not* Stay for long...

Once past the Short-lived SQUALL, We managed to CAUTIOUSLY make Our Way to MICHAEL'S... She wanted to *Checkout* those "CLEARANCE"-Items for Herself! -- [I *knew* I shouldn't have mentioned Them...]

However, as MOTHER pillaged through the LAST of the "CHRISTMAS"-CRAP-STUFF, I scavenged-up These SCRAPBOOKING BRADS for SISTER....

*OVER* an Hour LATER, They were ALL that *I* came away with - [The YARN was ON-SALE, just NOT at a Price that I felt like Paying FOR - This Week!] - whilst MOTHER, *FILLED* a Cart-worth of CRAP-For-SISTER-That-I'm-NOT-Sure-She's-Going-To-*WANT*!?

Not to mention, that IT was *also* a tad infested with GLITTER - [I *HATE* GLITTER!] - and, somewhat awkward to Pack into THE CAR, *IN* the FLURRY-of-SNOW-That-I-Could-Hardly-Keep-AHEAD-OF-to-*REMOVE*-From-SAID-VEHICLE!!

Although TRAINYARDS had *not* been ADDED to MY "DAILY-SHOP-PLANNER", had the WEATHER NOT been *so* MISERABLE, I probably *would* have Ventured over to That WALMART to Check on Their "Supply" of Those New STORAGE BINS - [SEE 16JAN2014 POST] - However, the Time *was* getting ON and We still had to get to THE-BIG-MALL...

THEY were having a "SIDE-WALK-SALE", that had been on BOTH of Our "ITINERARIES"!
-- At least, there's COVERED-Parking!

Browse.
Peruse...
Didn't Buy.
Don't "Need"!

Eventually, We ended up at HUDSON'S BAY - [formerly THE BAY] - and MOTHER wanted to See "IF" there were ANY of *Their* CHRISTMAS-STUFF "Left"..?

okay. Now THAT, I *didn't* have a Problem with. The Store usually has some GREAT-Stuff. -- It took a Few Minutes to finally Find the tiny Display-Area...

Oooo... And, EVERYTHING is ON-SALE! - Plus, *another* 15%-OFF if You Use THEIR "CHARGE-CARD"!

hmm...

There were TWO of These STEEL-Plate PLATTERS
- [down to about $7.50!] - but I only Bought ONE...
A Decision that is likely to Haunt Me *Later*, I'm sure!
-- Then again, IT does weigh about 5-Pounds!

This STEEL CANDLE-"STICK" was the *only* RED ONE remaining! -- There were Several WHITE Ones of a slightly Different "DESIGN", but I didn't get Any...

At just over $3., that was no doubt Another BAD Choice on My part!





The TIN TREE was also the SAME PRICE!

Athough, seeing as IT's almost 2-Feet High and I had ALL of that OTHER METAL to TOTE around, I didn't get a Second One...



Once PURCHASING was Completed, I then had to DEAL WITH being LADEN-DOWN with Several POUNDS of *STUFF*!! - And of course, THE CAR was on the OTHER-Side of the MALL!

No worries. MY Stuff. My "PROBLEM". -- I'll *COPE*...

But THEN, a Few Stores further along, We came across CRABTREE & EVELYN. -- MOTHER hasn't been in "THERE" for quite some Time... And, usually enjoys Looking at WHAT They have during the SIDE-WALK-SALES.

ahh... The Store is "CLOSING"..??! -- [They've been Here for DECADES!] - huh.

*ALL* there's LEFT... a Couple of Shelves of "PRODUCT" that We *don't* USE, the "CASH"-COUNTER, and TWO-NICE-YOUNG-BUBBLY-PRETTY-CLERKS in the rather EMPTY BRIGHTLY-LIT Store... "CONVERSATION", naturally Ensued!

Actually, THEY really didn't "SAY" Much - *Then* - however, I've since Noticed that a Handful of OTHER BRANCHES have also CLOSED. Leaving ONE remaining, waaay across TOWN over at the *MEGA-MALL* of "BAYSHORE"!! -- I haven't been THERE in Decades, either!

MEANWHILE, as MOTHER was Chatting-Them-Up, I was Scanning some "FIXTURES" on a Back-Shelf... -- You know Me, I'm always on the LOOK-OUT for possible *USEFUL* CRAFT-SHOW "STUFF"... I asked if THEY were *FOR* Sale..??

"..No...Someone is suppose to come by to remove them.."

"..Do you want any of them?.."

[INSERT - MOTHER and I *sharing* an "EVIL-GRIN"-Moment!]

SINCE I was *already* OVER-LOADED, I elected to LEAVE MOTHER with Her New "SITTERS" whilst I, *HAULED* back to THE CAR with My Bought-TONNAGE and, subsequently move IT over to a CLOSER Parking-Lot. -- I just HOPED that there would be "SPACE" for the Future *FREE*-LOAD!?

We got about a Half-Dozen of These SLOTTED-SIGN-FRAMES.
Along with as many Small LUCITE-BOXES and Round DISPLAY-STANDS.

It was probably a "GOOD-THING" that THE-BUBBLY-TWINS *didn't* have any "BAGS", hence LIMITING Us to using Our own! Or else, We would have walked out with MORE "BOOTY"!! - [..or NOT... My Load-CAPACITY *was* Teetering...] - Besides, as it stood, I was already PAST the Part where We MOTHER would have to "EXPLAIN" to FATHER about *WHAT* We had just "ACQUIRED"...

well... at least IT's *STOPPED* SNOWING!! -- For now...

Sooo... The "GOOD PART" was, considering the Time SPENT on the FREE-STUFF and the FULL CAR, all Thoughts of Checking-Out the REST of THE-BIG-MALL seemed to have *slipped* from MOTHER's Mind! - [yay!] - Which, left Us with an Hour or so to make Use of the "NO-TAXES"-DAY at LOBLAWS...

ah! Some "needed" APPAREL for FATHER! -- That might Divert His "ATTENTION"..?!

*HOME* at last!! -- And, 20-Minutes of Sneaking-In UNLOADING. Then, SHOVELLING! -- Remember those BIGFATFLUFFYFLAKES from EARLIER??!!

yeah. The WHITE-STUFF, IT's *ALWAYS* around...

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