Shopping on a Mission

I used to LOVE shopping. It was something I could do all day for days at a time, go home bag less and still be pleased with the outing.

Later I thought success was measured in the need to make multiple trips to the car to throw in parcels and then head back into the fray or to catch a cab home, rather than go on the bus - back in my London days.

Now it is like a military expedition. I do the research online and on the phone first and then go directly to the shops needed and then home. Of course there is always time for coffee. If at all possible and delivery time permits the computer is my best friend.

Today delivery was not an option.

Today's job was a mattress protector and a canvas for a piece I want to try for a competition.

The canvas shop at Pac Fair has closed to make way for the expansion work. I do wonder how it happens that someone figures the centre is failing with too few customers, so if they taking out parking spaces and put in more shops more people will come, but then I am not an economic genius by any means.

This meant that I had to go to Robina shops for the sister canvas store. I knew all this from my preliminary www... research.

I went to David Jones for the mattress protector first, but as I expected the thing was all cotton and enough money to buy a small car, so I left it there and headed to the 2 bedding shops just outside. Both had what I wanted but the first ones were too short on the sides and the second one came with an addendum which required me to buy a pillow that I didn't want to enable me to get the discount which if applied sans pillow would have made it about the right money! I hate that sort of con! So another failure.

I did not pass go on my hustle to the Art shop. SCORE! As I walked in there was a big sign saying 30% off everything and when I asked if that meant the canvases too, the sign came down and I was told, 'No it's an old sign.'  I am pretty sure that legally I could have jumped up and down, but I just wanted the bloody canvas so I stood and tried to convert the INCHES into CMs and finally decided what I needed, I asked for it, and bugger me if that size was the only one they didn't have....SHIT SHIT SHIT. Why are the Chinese making canvases using imperial measurements.

So far I was 0 for 2.

I headed to the other side of the centre still looking for bedding, and I found what I wanted and it was on sale except that they didn't have the right size. The woman was wonderful and she rang the local to me shop and they had it and would keep it aside for me. YIPPEE!

SO no coffee cos I was on a mission now. Back to the car and homeward bound. Into the local shops and there it was the mattress protector, 100% cotton and on sale, and just as serendipity would have it, the local shit shop also had a canvas the right size for silly money so now I was 2 for 2.

I really should have just had some faith in LOCAL.