A post in which it is Black Friday

I slept in this morning, and good for me. I need the rest.

Rod was up and out fairly early, leaving Mom and I to our shopping. We used to go every year, but had left off the tradition until last year. I really enjoy shopping with Mom, and asked her to make a little time for me. We don't shop the way we used to - neither one of us can do that much walking any more, but we enjoy spending the day together. We had intended to have breakfast out this morning, which we both love, but we started eating pumpkin bread, and eventually just decided to go on.

We headed for Bed, Bath, and Beyond first. I got Mom a second bowl for her KitchenAid mixer that she wanted. We looked around at a nearby shoe store because I want a new pair of saddle oxfords, but since those are a summer item they didn't have any, which pretty much set the tome for that. We went to the mall, but none of the stores there had them either. Mom almost got sucked in by the Dead Sea nail people again, but was able to escape just in time. We also looked for some Christmas socks for Ava, (Mom had worn some to the Christmas show and Ava had been fascinated) but no dice. No one had any for little kids, amazingly. I did find some really adorable pajamas for Ava though, and added that to her gifts from me. They were half price too.

We adjourned for lunch and Ibuprofen at Casa Linda, a great Mexican place where we had lunch last year when we were shopping.

Since we had struck out on the shoe thing, we went by Best Buy. I want a new CD alarm clock. I also did some research on the computer I want. Dad has said he'll get one for me if the one I pick out isn't too expensive. The one I found today, though, was $780. I think I can find one a bit more reasonable, so I'll do some more research. Rod had helped me out with the specs on it, but I don't think I need all the things he recommended. They were out of CD alarm clocks though, and didn't have a copy of Xanadu, which I wanted. In desperation, we went to Wal-mart.

Ordinarily I'm an anti-Wal-Mart kinda guy, but nothing else was working out for us, we were both tired, and we didn't have to leave the parking lot to get to the nearby store. So we went. They did have one CD alarm clock, so we got it. They still didn't have the movie, but I can order that online.

That done, we went back to the house to rest for a bit. I needed it. After lying down for a bit, we were ready for some supper. I took Mom out for her birthday tonight, since it is on the 6th and I won't see her then. We went to Outback, because that's what she wanted, and she went for the steak and lobster tails - and good for her. It was a very good meal, we had a very nice waitress, and she brought Mom's birthday dessert early, and sans screaming waiters, which made it even better.

It just so happened that the restaurant was just across from a Ross's Dress for Less. Mom and I both love that store, so we went in to wander around. She ended up buying me some new bedroom shoes, and I got her a teeny umbrella to put in her little ladies backpack. We also ran in the dollar store while we were near it. I needed something, and it's always fun to swing through.

After all that, we went home to relax and watch a bit of telly before we turned in. It was a lovely day with Mama, and I actually have a gift or two under my belt, thank goodness.