I love this time of year. The leaves are changing colors and the temperature is dropping. Of course it means that it's time to get ready for the holidays and that can be stressful which tends to temper the excitement a bit. In fact I'd probably be bummed if it weren't for the fact that all of the hustle and bustle has made for some very good family time. You know what makes ordinary moments special occasions? It's the people with whom you share them. I am quite often amazed by how the mundane becomes the memorable just by hanging out with my family. In fact, some of our best times are spent doing routine things. Things like going to one of those Members' Clubs. You know the place. Those big warehouses are so cool! Where else can you burn 5 bucks of gas driving across town to save 3 cents a gallon?I've got to say though, the distribution center cleans up nicely during this time of year with all of the seasonal gadgets and gizmos spackled all over the storeroom like too much tinsel on a Christmas tree. Not to mention the sweet retirees peddling their dentist-cup portions of holiday finger fare. If you're thinking straight, you show up at lunch time and appetize like a boss on the festive little goodies and then head to the front where the deli boasts some pretty substantive cuisine of its own. The lady in the hair net will serve up a slice of pizza large enough to feed a family of 10 and a 64 oz Styrofoam logo cup that comes with free refills (like you're going to need a refill). The best part is the damage is about a buck fifty, which comes to somewhere in the neighborhood of 0.000008 cents per calorie!! Seriously, I did the math. Top that off with a free sample snicker doodle from the bakery and you're golden.
In the book section, you can browse the best-sellers or thumb through a gigantic picture book about WWII aircraft or every Doctor Who there has ever been (everybody knows Capaldi is the best). The pharmacy will fill your prescription. Your new extended-wear contacts are ready for pick-up in the optometry department, and before you snag the 55-gallon drum of laundry detergent, make sure you upgrade to the new iPhone 8+. Let little eyes catch the latest PAW Patrol on the 60 inch 4K Ultra while you hide Christmas gifts at the bottom of the push cart. Sore back? No problem. Take a test drive in the vibrating recliner with 8 settings and let it melt away the stress caused by the guilt you're feeling because you know good and well you have no intention of buying that chair.
Then it's about time to haul it out to the car on the big orange jumbo cart, load up like the Beverly Hillbillies and head out. All things considered, this is a pretty successful outing, I'd say. It's certainly not a day at the beach but it's a whole lot cheaper. The point is you are doing it together. This holiday season, find a way to build some memories with those you love the most. I highly recommend the Member's Club experience. Where else are you going to find frozen chicken strips and a new set of radials all under one roof, right?...and if you see me there with the family in tow, DO NOT EAT ALL OF THE SNICKER DOODLES!