Sigh - Just Another Day

This is a bonkers time of year in the greeting card business.  On the heels of Easter came ISU's graduation and Mother's Day.  Soon there will be high school graduations taking place and just a month away is Father's Day.  In addition,  the summer wedding season is just getting started so wedding and shower cards have been on my to-do list as well.  I supplied my two brick and mortar stores with cards for the above occasions, in addition to trying to keep my Etsy shop well stocked.

I had just gotten things under some semblance of control....then one of my daughters-in-law and her sister rented a booth at a store in western Iowa for the items they create.  Our daughter-in-law Melissa has baby leggings and baby bibs.  Her sister, Lindy, makes coasters and necklaces.  They asked if I wanted to have some of my cards in the booth as well. I have a big heart for small towns. Growing up in one I know how difficult it can be to have access to the things you need, so I loved the thought of getting my cards back in a small town again.  

I quickly ordered a counter card rack and made up a smaller inventory for that store. I had forgotten this small town (Elk Horn, Iowa), also has tourists due to the Danish Windmill and Immigrant Museum.  Luckily Melissa and Lindy are able to check on inventory for me so I can send more cards their way as needed. 

Taking a big breath and  a mini break after getting cards in the mail for the booth in Elk Horn, I stopped in at It's All About Me! here in town and found out the Ames high school graduation cards I made had completely sold out.  Great news!... but I needed to get busy again!  

I came home to find I needed more paper in Ames' school colors.  The paper isn't carried locally, I get my specialty papers in Ankeny.  Anxious to get more cards made and in the shop Michael and I headed to Ankeny.  Once at the scrapbook store I told Michael the usual "I'll be just a minute," which really means, "I'm going to try to hurry, but I'm likely going to get distracted by a lot of things, so while my intentions are good I'll be longer than I think."  Michael waits in the car... the scrapbook store just isn't his cup of tea.. and luckily he is patient!

Once in the doors the clerk spotted me heading to the back of the store and said, "Looks like you know what you need!"  I said, "Yep!" and was on my way.  I picked up a variety of ISU papers for graduation cards, and on the way to the checkout passed through one of the paper aisles and of course found some new ones to try.  I honestly think I could open up a scrapbook store with what I have on hand, but new papers are always fun.

Here's what I picked up:

I got to the checkout, paid, $27... not that bad, I've done better, I've done worse.  Once back to the car I told Michael about all the new ISU papers I picked up and what I was going to use for the background and what I was going to use for the accent piece on each card. 

He listened quietly, taking in everything I was saying.  Just as I was getting settled in my seat,  ready to buckle up, and had finally stopped talking, Michael said something that stopped me in my tracks:  "What about the Ames paper?"

The look on my face had to be priceless.  

For a minute I had no clue what he was talking about.  

I just stared at him as if he was speaking a foreign language. 

Then it hit me... I didn't need ISU paper... I needed AMES paper!!

I had bought the wrong paper!

I had spent $27 and not even gotten what I needed.

I could not believe I had driven 20 miles one way,  strutted in that store like I knew what I was doing, picked up all that paper... and didn't even remember what I really needed!

Why this surprises me I have no idea.  

So I sighed... grabbed my purse, and headed back in the store.  This time I got what I had come for.  

Another $8 later.

Thank goodness Michael was with me, or I would have driven all the way home only to have him remind me at that point that I had forgotten what I truly needed....40 miles later.

I'd like to blame my forgetfulness on the craziness of the card season
...... or my work schedule.....
..... followed by errands....
.....followed by trying to stay on top of things while Michael recovers.

But in all honesty, it's as simple as being a middle-aged woman.

It was just another day.

Sigh.