Ready to Drop

It's my last weekend off before Christmas so I felt it was my civic duty to escape the crowds of Waterford and do all my Christmas shopping at once in Cork city. It was a well executed plan, I wasn't working Friday so I headed home Thursday night to get in my requisite two crossfit classes ( Thursday night and Friday morning ) which ensured that walking and laughing were both painful come Saturday. Then I made the mistake of having two green teas on Friday (very little caffeine in them but still) which ensured I had an incredibly fitful nights sleep so come Saturday I was half crippled with muscle cramps and sleep deprived, an ideal state for a hectic day out and four hours driving.

We got down to Cork nice and early and probably would have been in the city and shopping for 11 if I didn't run into trouble in the underground garage we picked to park in. Firstly I am not the sharpest without a goodnight's sleep so I was trying to get into a rather tight space but had the angle all wrong so it took me a million attempts and still my parking was wonky. I had to turn my engine off because cars were waiting thinking I was pulling out instead of straightening up and then when I went to start the car back up again the car wouldn't work. The key has been in a bad way because before I got the car, my mum bent it a bit trying to get into the car in a hurry but all of a sudden it was refusing to turn and I couldn't start the car. After 10 minutes of panicking, I finally got it going and parked and decided from now on I will not take parking advice from people who don't actually drive. Ahem, not thinking of anyone in particular.

After the inconspicuous start, I was expecting the whole day to be a complete disaster but after the parking fiasco, it all went rather smoothly considering I felt like a total zombie. I went to Debenhams first to get some of sisters presents out of the way and then to Brown Thomas for some stuff they didn't have and then realised I needed to keep an eye on what I was spending or I'd have nothing left come lunch time. I then started to look for things for my brothers birthday and got sidetracked in Gap and came out with two tshirts that I hadn't really meant to buy but did need. I spent more than I meant to on them because I misread the price on the labels. Oh well at least I will be cosy this winter.
After that I came to my senses and got myself back on track buying presents for other people. I got the rest of my brothers present enroute to Tkmaxx.

Now if I thought the rest of the city was busy then Tkmaxx was insane. I didn't get to see the Christmas market because it doesn't actually start until next week but in retrospect I am glad that there was nothing else bringing crowds to the city as there's only so much queueing I can handle.
In tk Maxx I bundled my purchases into a wheely basket and set off trying to pick up some presents, mostly for the man himself. He was over perusing menswear and I was left with the difficult task of attempting to buy presents for him and hiding them in the basket so he did not get a sneak peak at them before Christmas. Obviously I managed because I am awesome but it was hard work.I also got something else small for my brother and bought myself a new conditioner, kitchen knife, herbal tea and bamboo cotton socks ( so soft).Once I had paid for all of those I realised Stephen was still trying stuff on so I was obliged to go blitz through wooly jumpers. I am very much in need of warm winter garments and by the time he came out of the dressing room I had a jumper, cardigan and incredibly comfy pyjamas plus I had told Stephen he could pick out one bit of his Christmas present so he had a cardigan he wanted to get. I queued again in a queue so ridiculous that it almost went out the door but luckily was fast moving so I was laden down with another bag in no time and off we went.

Next stop on the shopping train was Milanos because I was likely to faint from hunger and I wont lie, pizza was a big part of the lure of Cork. Seeing as it was gluten free I could get away with on my 30 day gym diet and it was worth it, every delicious bite. By the time we had finished I convinced Stephen we should head home while I was still capable of driving and really really wanted a lie down before dinner and the play we had bought tickets for. Stephen has since tried to talk me into giving him the cardigan now but I am staying firm because that's not how Christmas works. I told him he can buy it off me if he wants ( and I will buy him something else) otherwise I will give him the lot in the next few weeks and I neither have the time, money nor mental strength to face into another days shopping.

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