Friday, December 28, 2007

Sales, Sofas and Solutions

Once upon a time, I used to love shopping. Now? I hate shopping. I hate sales even more when half the population of Britain is in the same shop as I am. Well, it seemed like that at the time! Complete with baby buggies and wheelie baskets. In fact, one elderly gentleman came down the escalator a few people ahead of us, and stopped as he got off to look inside his wheelie bag in a leisurely fashion, completely oblivious to the mayhem behind him. One can discover a hitherto dormant ability to leap sideways like a gazelle (hahaha) to avoid catastrophe and I freely admit that I was a Grumpy Old Woman by this stage. All vestiges of the Christmas Spirit were sadly lacking and I was losing the will to live. I feel a New Year's Resolution coming up. According to the news last night, the same shopping centre we visited had crowds gathering at 3.30am for the opening at the Next sale at 5am. Marks and Spencers opened at 6am. What???? This is lunacy! I feel so sorry for the people who have to work at these stores.

Anyway, in the quest to find some clothes for daughter, we poddled off yesterday (and the day before, but that was relatively futile as half the shops were not open) and found precisely nothing. After a couple of hours of being pushed and shoved about, we emerged with 2 bottles of shower gel and some sandwiches for sustenance and some fruit juice. Last of the great sales shoppers, that's us. She did find a lovely coat, but as it was not on the sale, it stayed where it was.

We think we have discovered what makes her so sick on long distance flights. She has all the symptoms of altitude sickness. Great. One of the recommendations we found on the internet was not to fly. Gee, thanks. She will be on the slow boat back home, and should arrive in 3 months. I think not. There has to be something practical that she can do to stop the symptoms of feeling as though she is about to pass out, not to mention the nausea etc. Knowing that she has to make these trips alone is not something I am happy about. Especially when she has to change planes in strange and foreign places. When I am not there to look out for her. Any ideas, people??

And now I am sitting here awaiting the arrival of our new sofas. Sofas!!!!! Things to sit on! New! With springs which are intact! They were actually in position 5 on the Mythical Grand Order Of Important Things To Do When One Wins the Lotto, but leapt up to Number 1 when it became apparent that we would be sitting on the floor soon, due to the demise of all things one can sit on in this house. One's 82 year old mother should not have to sit on the floor. And relaxing in front of the TV doesn't really work when you are sitting on a dining room chair. And I creak way too much to spend much time at ground level.

That rest I confidently spoke about over the holidays? The one where I would have time to do the things I want to do? Not a chance. What is more, I wouldn't have it any other way. I am having the most wonderful time with my daughter home. She is a delight. And let's face it, if I were to be all sweetness and light 24 hours a day, she would think she had arrived in the wrong place, wouldn't she??

9 comments:

meggie said...

I believe that ginger is the cure for motion sickness. I am not sure in what form, but the Chinese have used if for an antinausea treatment for eons. Even Ginger beer is said to work. Certainly worth a try.

I wish you & your family a Wonderful 2008, filled with Joy & Health.

someone else said...

I think you are a brave woman to even attempt to go into a store the day after Christmas! I just can't do it. I'd turn into a monster for sure.

There are motion sickness bracelets over here that work wonders. I don't know if you have them in England or not.

Dawn said...

I'm with you on the shopping thing. I dislike it on a good day! I did something I've neve done before, though. I came out of the gym at 9:00, just when Hobby Lobby opened up - I went in and came out having spent more than I ever dreamed - but am I ever ready for decorations next Christmas!

I hope your sweet daughter finds a solution. That must be really miserable on such a long flight.

Barb said...

"Poddled" is now one of my new favorite words. LOL

I know you're enjoying every moment of having her home with you. I have no idea what she can do about the flying sickness. Maybe you could call your doctor? There's probably something she can take to help her with it.

Congratulations on the new sofas! I can't stand the image I'm getting of your 82 year old mother sitting on the floor. :-)

Susan said...

I await a picture of the new sofas.
Susan

Crystal said...

I too cannot imagine shopping with millions of others on the day after Christmas. Many of the stores here already have boxing week sales starting the week before Christmas so I feel I'm already getting a good deal then. New sofas - wow!! I'm looking forward to seeing them. Enjoy every minute with your daughter! Dare I ask when she has to leave?

Vee said...

Love the hyperbole! It was hyperbole, wasn't it? ;>

Do you folks have Airborne (www.airbornehealth.com)? I love it and can't recommend it highly enough. It is perfect to take in advance of any kind of travel...builds up the immune system. I've heard that some use it for jet lag. Not sure that what your daughter is experiencing is jet lag, though.

Pam said...

I suffer from carsickness and yes, ginger does help a lot. Just chewing on crystallised ginger is best, but even a ginger biscuit is better than nothing. Not sure about altitude sickness, but I remember reading that astronauts take it to help with weightlessness sickness - that's really motion sickness, though, which is what carsickness is.

New sofas, eh? Would you like me to lend you a couple of little catlets to give them that fashionable slightly hairy look - the result of lots of little sharpenings of little claws over a period of several months?

I too heard that the Next sale started at 5 am. The world has gone mad. You possibly knew this anyway.

Daughter 2 is off down to Bournemouth, or in fact a village near there, to visit her (totally unworthy...) actor boyfriend, who's appearing in panto there. She gets there at 9 pm. I sympathise so much with your travelling-daughter worries.

However, enjoy her while she's here - I'm sure you will!

Barbara said...

Linds what are you doing going to the sales!!!! No, I do realise that you wanted stuff for your daughter to take back to New Zealand.
It must be very hard for her getting so sick when having to travel so far alone.
I have found Ginger capsules very good for motion sickness combined with STUGERON tabs. Both take in advance of the journey. The ginger can be taken throughout, either capsule,crystalized or fresh, peeled and sucked. The wrist bands can be used also.
I do pray that this flight back home she will be free of it.
Good to read yur Christmas Day post and Christmas Eve.
Blessings for the coming year.