SALE Does Not Always Mean Cheaper!!

With all the Christmas shopping going on, I really try to stay out of the stores.  I boycott all the big box stores just because finding a parking spot and crowds of unruly people make me crazy ....... okay, crazier!!  This time however, the dogs and Jonathan were out of food and I needed some boot socks ... different than regular socks because they are MUCH taller.

Everything is supposed to be on sale, right?  50-75% off!!  Well not exactly folks.  In a FB conversation with an employee who shall remain nameless for obvious reasons, I learned that Penneys and Kohls in particular, double and even triple the price of their merchandise, then offer you 50% off.  That means at Christmas, you're paying more than the going rate for that item.  I'm thinking we should all shop a LOT earlier in the year!!

I actually tried that once before.  It meant returning things that the people went out and bought for themselves BEFORE Christmas.  How rude of them!!

At any rate, I trotted off to Boot Barn to look for socks.  Boot socks are one of those things you buy that you either LOVE or HATE!!  There's no middle ground.  I have two pair that are not tall enough. You know the ones, they fall down and get under your heel.  I might as well toss them in the donation bin, but they are still in my drawer in case of an emergency.

The ones on the right are my favorites.  I found them at Boot Barn about six months ago.  I went straight for the same rack, to find only two pair.  One was marked down to $4.95 on SALE (regularly $15).  No one said boot socks were cheap.  That's the word that tricks me into buying every time.  

I was happy as a clam until this morning when I went to put them on.  See the small difference in color?  That denotes the ones on the left are YOUTH socks.  What's the difference you ask?  The foot part fits fine, but I can't get them over my calf.  Not only too small, but WAY too small.  

Stung again by the old ON SALE ruse!!  And not returnable!!  Doesn't that just frost you??  I have from now until next Christmas to find a YOUTH to give them to, all wrapped up nicely as a Christmas present.  

Next up was Petco.  It's the only place in town I can find Jonathan's bird food.  Naturally, all the FOOD in the store was not on sale.  I'm telling you, these animals eat better than I do.  Their 25 pound bag of food cost me $35.  Jonathan's two pound bag ran $17.99.  With his specialty diet, I spend a small fortune on apples and bananas, not to mention the ingredients for bird biscuits.  I guess his diet works, since he's over the 40 year mark.  

ALWAYS on the way to the check stand, there are dog toys for sale.  About five years ago, I found two squeaky dog bones that the puppies loved ... and one is still going strong.  Ever since, I've tried to

find a couple more.  

As I walked up to pay, what to my wondering eyes should appear but TWO dog bones ON SALE for the babies.  They were thrilled when I got home.  I had to laugh at this picture of Jessie with her new bone and the word Wicked in the background.  It depicts her perfectly.

Jessie never got to associate with other dogs, so she's kind of mental.  Her entire demeanor is to KILL the prey, which is what Jack Russell's do.  Just try and take her bone away and this is what happens!!  Kind of blurry, she moves so fast.  Really, it looks like she will rip my arm off, but even though I have pushed her several times, she has never tried to bite.  This is just how she plays ... a little demented .... but playing none the less.  I admit I'm a bad mom ... I push her buttons all the time.  She LOVES it!!

Cooper on the other hand, is a sweetie.  He likes the tug of war game.  Give him a toy with a squeaker and he'll squeak it until you are so annoyed you sit on the floor and play.  This little kid is very good at manipulation!!  He has me very well trained.

If you ignore him, this is what happens ten minutes later!!  So much for the ON SALE toy!!  Now I have to buy another one, which makes this "sale" not cheap at all!!

The temperatures here have come up a little ... all the way to 39 so the fog can come in and keep us wet and cold.  My electric bill is going to be through the roof this month.  I've had the fire going most every day.

Which reminds me ... I have a question for those Class A drivers out there.  Do you drive down the road with your GAS heater on or do you run the generator and ELEC heat?  It's going to be way too cold for Jonathan the parrot when I head off for the Indio rally in January.    My dash heater barely keeps my hands thawed enough to drive.  

I hope everyone is ready for Christmas ... it's just a few days away!!!