Tag: Menard’s

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Black Friday Shopping Jamaican Style

Where did we not shop? We hit a number of big box stores like Sam’s Club, Walmart, Menard’s, Target, Walmart, Target, Menard’s, Sam’s, you get it. We also hit other stores like Bath & Bodyworks, Perfumania, American Eagle, Old Navy, Aeropostale, Pier 1 and Clark’s.

Paul got some real bargains, especially at Clark’s. He found a pair of boots (that he knew from experience would last him at least a few years) for half price. At Target, he got to stock up on soap, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and a few other toiletries and Walmart had a good bargain on underwear and tank tops.

Beyond that, he was able to gather up some other items. Christmas gifts for his girls and a few gifts for his co-workers were mostly found at Perfumania, where he was able to find some real deals between clearance items and a half price sale. (Their deals were so good I even picked up a couple of gifts there.) This one smelled really good and would be a great stocking stuffer for a young lady:

After that, I’m not sure the bargains were so hot. Old Navy had everything 50% off, but half off didn’t include clearance items, and by the time we made our purchases there, I felt like I spent about the same amounts as usual. Pier 1 was the same, and if they would have counted the red vases in the 50% off sale, I would have walked out with them both!

Flame Art Glass Pedestal BowlWhat amazed me about shopping with Paul is that for everything he put into the shopping cart, he kept a mental tally of what his total should be. (Minus the tax which varied depending on where we shopped.) Not once, but twice he caught the store clerks incorrectly charging him! How many times have you just paid the total without thinking twice? I know I do it frequently, and now I wonder how often I have overpaid while shopping.

It was no big deal when he called out the clerk at Bath & Body Works. She quickly realized what had happened and corrected the mistake. However, Old Navy was not nearly as accommodating. That clerk insisted her computer was accurate, but when Paul requested she re-ring his items, he was right, she had over-charged him by quite a bit! Makes you wonder how often that happens, Black Friday or not. Be careful in your shopping.

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Jamaica Comes To Thanksgiving Dinner

Our Jamaican friend has come to visit us for Thanksgiving. He flew into St. Louis via Baltimore/Washington. After delays leaving MoBay and delays in Baltimore, we finally got to pick Paul up at the airport at 2:40 am the weekend before Thanksgiving. No problem man! Just another 2 hour drive home after that, just in time to get to bed at 5 am.

After a quick sleep, we got back on the road to head to the Lake of the Ozarks to show Paul that part of our state. It was actually a pretty mild weekend for November, so we were able to spend time outdoors on the deck. We also took Paul to his first of many visits to Menards (a chain store of home improvement products) and bought new flooring for the condo. After finishing a little bit of work, our friends Francis and Marissa came to visit for a bit and have some wine. We chatted, sipped, and had fun hearing about their new boat they would have down at the lake this summer. When they hit the road to head back home, we went into town and had a tasty dinner at Tucker’s Shuckers. If you’re ever in the historic Bagnell Dam area, check them out. They have all kinds of food, but are known for their incredible oysters.

We returned to Columbia, put in a few days at work, and prepped for Thanksgiving dinner. For those who know me, this is one my favorite holidays of the year and I LOVE turkey dinner. We were having Francis, Marissa, and another friend Marsha over for dinner. We started prepping the menu for traditional roast turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, broccoli casserole, salad, rolls, cranberry sauce and pies (pumpkin and chocolate) for six. Our 2017 turkey roasting Paul was so generous to make Jamaican Rice and Peas to add a Jamaican spin to our dinner. It was so delish, and dinner wasn’t complete until Paul shared the recipe. (He also left us some extra coconut milk powder, so I can make it myself later.) And if Marissa reads this and let’s me know she did, I’ll even share the powder with her!

Shortly after dinner, it was time for some Black Friday shopping with Paul. I’ll have to post later about that as Paul’s still here and in the event any of his friends or family back home that he bought for are reading this, I don’t want to spoil any surprises. This was a Thanksgiving to be grateful for good friends who are like family.