HO What? HO and HO Stetson and Mental Math

a zing
no, it is not psychedelic pink as it appears

Ugh!
I stayed up all night after a nothing Christmas Day. I was watching this video about becoming Santa. The video is 1:30 long, so prepare yourself. It is a wonderful video. Read my comment on the post.

About 2 am, I decided to go to Walmart at 5 am. I washed my hair and let it dry while I watched the video, paused it a dozen times, and finally paused it for the last 20 minutes and headed on out in/on my trusty steed Malibu. When I arrived two men were at the door, waiting. I went up, spoke, and found a couple of friendly guys. I asked them what goodies they were looking for and told them I was only there early because the electric carts would be scarcer than hens' teeth in the mad crush later. They sort of mumbled but would not reveal what brought them out.

Since I lost one glove somewhere between picking it up in the house and getting out of the car and my back and knees were hurting worse that usual, I went to sit in the car. The guys assured they would do their best to let me back where I was in "line." In the car I wrapped up in a blanket, waited until one minute until 5 am and got out. As I headed for the dozen people at the door, another two dozen emerged from their cars. All I wanted was a cart not merchandise.

I approached the two guys, "I know what guys would want this early! Guns or TVs?"   They laughed nervously as I continued my I-have-not-had-sleep-chatter.

The original two men and most of the other people charged ahead for something, but what? I claimed a cart and was the only person who has a disability who braved the night and the crowd.

A few minutes later, I caught up with the little horde all gathered around and end cap...aha...they were plundering an end cap of of? of?..men's cologne! Jovan and Stetson and more. Guys, just pay a dollar for a bar of soap! I related my thoughts to a store manager and was rewarded with laughter and "It's the truth!" I broke out the bottle of water and pack of crackers I brought to fortify me so I would not buy something to eat.

I kept passing one guy or he kept passing me. He was a man on a mission, walking with a sense of purpose. . . . He had scooped up multiple of gifts--several men's cologne's sets, several women's cologne sets and multiples of smaller items. Then, there were several rolls of wrapping paper, bags of bows, and Scotch tape. ??? This guy has somewhere to celebrate Christmas this weekend and just waited and bought all on sale. Smart guy.

I bought nothing and set out for Lowe's since it is on the way home. Since I arrived about 10 minutes early, I searched for the stray glove in the car and wrapped up in a blanket as I ate cookies. Lowe's percent off was sorely disappointing. I did buy two paint rollers at regular price.

One year, I visited Lowe's early and found all Christmas marked down to 90% off. That day, I purchased maybe $30 of all sorts of extension cords--6' to 75' plus all sorts of outdoor floodlights that stick in the ground. That was $300 in extension cords and electrical stuff. Just because it was green did not bother me. I left today with my two paint rollers.

Dollar General had no cars outside, so I decided to go in there. As I walked to the door, the manager unlocked it. My adventure catastrophic encounters will be a whole post when I have the energy to recount it.

Then, I went to (a better store that I won't mention the name) and bought a blanket I sorely need, marked 40% off. Yay! I will be warm at last. As someone was getting the size and color, I mused about what the final price would be. I actually did not remember the price from my former shopping trip. The woman pointed to the 60% off original price sign. I asked her the original price. She was so helpful, telling me she would scan it and tell me the price, but that the original price was $40.

"Oh, that will make the blanket $16," I immediately volunteered. She and the other clerk looked blank said they would not know until they scanned it. I was trying to remain calm after my Dollar General trauma. "Well, I will be paying 40 cents on the dollar. Multiple the 40 dollars times the 40 cents. just multiply 4 x 4 = 16 and just add the two zeroes. That makes $16."

One clerk said that half would be $20. Another said that maybe the blanket would be about $15. I repeated "$16." When the blanket was scanned, the price was $16. They still looked at me with a blank expression, as though they still did not realize I figured the price faster than the cash register.

People--Learn mental math. Teach your children mental math! No, you do not visualize a problem on paper and solve it like you would on paper. THAT is NOT mental math. Want me to teach you? I can do it on the phone or on the internet. I have tutored remotely and was successful. I absolutely get a high when I teach mental math.

Today was a gloriously sunny, beautiful and bitterly cold day.

Today, I went shopping on the day after Christmas for the first time in about ten years.

Today is my sister's birthday. She said if it weren't for me, she would never get a gift.

Today, a very nice man, a clerk, smiled down at me and told me how pretty my coat and scarf were. He remarked that the pink coat matched my pink nail polish. He liked the houndstooth scarf with the coat. I assured him I was not a Tide fan. He assured me it was still very pretty with the bright pink coat, that it looked very nice, smiling/beaming all the while.  From now on, I will wear nail polish and the pink coat and houndstooth scarf and maybe a man who is not married will be charmed.

The glove I lost was in the middle of the floor, right where I picked it up before I walked out of the house. Whew!

Works magic!

Your turn
How was the weather where you were? Find any good sales?