Black Friday bonanza

Kim Watters here. I finally did it. I bought a Kindle. I wasn't planning on it when I went shopping on Black Friday. I mean, who would have thought Target would still have any in stock at 10:00 in the morning. I may be crazy enough to go shopping on that day, but I draw the line at waking up way too early, or not going to sleep at all. Trust me people, at my age, I need my beauty sleep.

Anyway, kids in tow, yes, I brought them along, too. (didn't matter because I'd already finished my Christmas shopping-shall I mention my cards and Chirstmas letter are done along with the Christmas portraits? Oh and we put up the tree and decorations yesterday.What can I say, I'm an organized Virgo!) And I just can't resist a sale.

The kids actually found the Kindle first. "Come on, Mom. Just think of how much we'll read now."

"Really?" Hooked, bait, line and sinker.

"Of course." As my youngest is playing a game on the Fire.

"Well...."

"Paleeze." They both whine.

Well, they were majorly on sale (a regular Kindle not the Fire) and still there so maybe it was time to get one since they still had five in stock and my kids are the computer literate generation and can probably teach me how to operate it. "Fine."

So, that's how it happened along with the GPS system, (so Mom doesn't get lost anymore) and the portable DVD player ( to keep my kids from killing each other on those long drive). My kids are determined to ring me into their computer world.

Next year though, I'm going out alone!

So who else ventured out on Friday and waht did you get?

Sales - Carolyne Aarsen

SALE. One word. Four letters.

Yet every time I see them, my heart beats faster, my palms sweat and a sense of expectation and anticipation swirls through my suddenly shrunken brain.

I'm an intelligent woman. I can use words that have more than two syllables and, usually, spell them correctly. I'm not young anymore and I would like to think that with that comes a certain lack of gullibility.I don't believe everything I hear or read. And I don't believe inflated claims on products. Yet, every time I get an e-mail from one of the craft stores I frequent that have the huge letters S.A.L.E. anywhere in the letter I click through. Every. Single. Time.

I love doing my crafts. And I love collecting the beautifully printed papers, the embossing powders, the pens, the stamps, the tools and the cartridges for my cricut, a die cutting machine. And almost as important, I love buying all these things on SALE. I will scour the internet looking for places I can save .04 on a piece of paper, a few dollars on a cartridge. My 'watch' list on e-bay is four pages long.

I know I would be better off, monetary-wise, not buying the stuff period. My rational brain tells me this when I am in my moments of sanity and I'm looking at my AMEX bill. I look at what I already have and think, 'Enough, woman. How much paper do you need? Your kids are going to be angry with you when they have to get rid of all that stuff after you die'. This all makes very much sense and when I have these little talks with myself I pat myself on the back for how smart I am and how much self-control I am going to have. This is just a hobby, I tell myself. Nothing more. Keep your focus, have some perspective . . . and then . . . oh my goodness . . . Custom Crops has Basic Grey paper on SALE!!!! And WOW it's only seventy nine cents per sheet!!! And before I know it, I'm clicking and checking and loading up my virtual shopping cart with virtual paper looking like a virtual idiot as I stare with ever widening eyes at the SALE prices.

And then, sometimes, my sane side takes over and I empty the virtual shopping cart and feel very satisfied with myself untilI get the next e-mail with the next SALE notice.

I know I'm not alone. I know that the word SALE can have amazing powers depending on where it's located and what is actually on sale. So Now that you've heard about my Achilles heel, what about you? Imagine the word SALE - and put it in front of your favourite store - online or otherwise. What would make your heart beat faster? What kind of sale is your dream sale? It's okay to share. We're all friends here. Unless you are bidding against me on that sale item on e-bay.