The Saga of The ExtraBucks

I had 6 ExtraBucks from CVS to use up by today, March 5th. They were from the copious cold meds Mr. Lawyer had purchased a few weeks ago for the afore-complained-about ailments. If you are not acquainted, they are like cash at CVS drugstores, so essentially six free dollars. Anyway, you use them or lose them on the expiration date. Two or three Bucks I might have let slide, but six? No way.

We have a CVS behind the house. And when I say "behind" the house, I mean, the sign illuminates the backyard at night. No, it was not there when we moved in. In fact, we were told there would be houses built. That's an entirely seperate post, though. A longer, angrier post.

So it's closeby. However, between the three children needing feeding, washing, napping, feeding again (so demanding!), and whatnot, I didn't get out of the house before bedtime. My mom was here, but I still didn't make it out for the fifteen minute run, which just tells you what sort of a day it was.

No problem, I thought - I'll just go once Mr. Lawyer comes home. He's usually home by about 9:15-9:30 which leaves at least 30 minutes to run out.

9:32 Mr Lawyer strolls in and I put on my shoes to go.

9:35 the baby starts wailing. She was very sad. Sad and farty.

9:47 I came downstairs ready to bolt...grabbed my bag, but I couldn't find the stupid #$%&ing ExtraBucks!

9:48 I located the coupons on the floor next to the bed and ran around looking for the card with the numbers that match these bucks (we have two cards and of course I had my paws around the wrong one).

9:50 I ran out of the house with bag, Bucks, cards.

9:52 I arrived at CVS, bucks in hand.

9:56 I picked out two packs of this stuff by Crayola. It was on sale 50% off for $3.50. My grand total was $1.08 cash. Pretty nice, huh?

Crayola Color Explosion™ Rainbow Mini lets you create wild multicolored effects with a single color-reveal marker! The unique clear-ink marker works only with black Color Explosion paper, revealing a rainbow of colors for amazing designs. Smaller size is great for travel! Includes a 12-page mini-black tablet with Rainbow Color Reveal and 2 Color Reveal markers

So, I opened up my terribly unstylish diaper bag to pull out my CVS gift card that has about $5 left on it to pay for the $1.08 balance and realized that I had left my wallet at home.

9:58 My stomach dropped. It's 9:58 and I have no wallet!?!

I dug through the bag in a frenzied manner to scrape for loose change.

3 crusty M&Ms?

Handful of plain Cheerios?

Receipts indicating that I used to have money?

Fossilized Laffy Taffy?

Stack of expired diaper coupons?

Costco Card?

The CVS clerk stubbornly refused all of my alternative forms of currency. Damn him.

At last, I remembered I had dropped some change after a purchase into the insulated section meant for bottles. Oh glory be!

10:00 I walked to my car with my loot and a little bit of dignity.

Hopefully the kids will be entertained long enough tomorrow with my purchase that it will make my efforts worthwhile. I'll let you know.