2023, Business, Food, holidays, Weather

Advent Calendar Day

28 Comments

I’m finally warmed up.  This time yesterday morning I was sitting in my stadium chair outside the Aldis in River Falls.  That’s right, the annual advent calendar day at Aldis. 

Even arriving at 6 a.m. (store opens at 9), there were already two gals there – they have been the first in line for three years straight now.  So I set up my chair in the #3 spot and since it was 22°, I retreated to my car and the heater.  I was in good company – for awhile it was only carts holding spaces.

 I got stiff and tired of sitting in the car so I settled into my chair with my blanket and big mittens at 7:45 a.m.  At that point, the other four women and the man in the #6 position came out as well.  I brought cookies this year and shared them around.

Aldis corporate made changes this year (because of course since it wasn’t broke, they tried to fix it).  No tickets to guarantee an alcohol advent calendar and no limit on quantities per customer.  The manager did come out at 8:30 and explain the changes and he repeatedly suggested that everybody have a little consideration for those further back in the line.  You know that didn’t happen; the picture above was taken at 9:03.  The two women in front of me were particularly piggy. 

But I got the one I wanted as well as the cheese advent calendar so I’m happy.  Can’t wait to get started on December 1!

Have you gotten your winter coat out yet?

28 thoughts on “Advent Calendar Day”

  1. I zipped the liner in my jacket so now I am set for everything 0°F and above. My big down parka is only for the extreme cold. We got a gift of Yaxtrax for each of us yesterday from my best friend in Howard Lake. My pair made walking Kyrill far less treacherous last night.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  2. Got the winter coat out last week. But I gotta ask, “What’s an ‘alcohol’ advent calendar?” A typo or a real thing. If real, what does it look like?

    *Inquiring minds want to know!*

    Chris in Owatonna

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. The bottom picture is this year’s wine advent calendar. You can’t see it but on the other side of the box are 24 perforated holes, each one with a 187m little bottle of wine…. one for each day of advent. Aldis also does a beer advent calendar and a sparkling wine advent calendar although this last one is only 12 little bottles. This is in addition to Aldis other advent calendars offerings (cheese, coffee, legos, hot sauce, star wars, chocolate and more).

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  3. No I just layer right now. Still doing my PT walking outdoors. I don’t walk everyday so I can fit it in around the weather. Shirt. Thick hooded sweat shirt. Thick downed vest. Then the heat of walking catches up. Otherwise I am barely outside. Just short walks from car to whatever place I am visiting and car is in heated garage at home (40°).
    Clyde

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Yes the carts were placeholders for all our spots while we were sitting in our cars. It was funny to me because in previous years, when it wasn’t so cold, we all just sat out in our stadium chairs. And you are correct, the carts are normally chained one to another. You put in your quarter to unlock your cart from the others. Then when you are finished, you plug the cart back in and it pops your quarter back. Or, as is often the case, you hand the cart over to someone coming in the door and they hand your a quarter. I have often been given a cart but the giver won’t accept my quarter. When this happens, I ALWAYS pay it forward and don’t demand a quarter from the next person.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  6. Wore the winter coat for opening of the Third Ave bridge-it covers my knees, we were standing around some of the time, and the wind made me appreciate the hood. However I should have brought heavier gloves. Am I becoming a whimp?

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    1. I hope not. Last year the only time I wore my winter coat was the night I went to the Arb to see the winter lights. The rest of the season, I just wore a sweatshirt or big sweater. But I’m still feeling a little chilled after yesterday – put on the coat to go down and bring the recycling bins up from the boulevard. So if you’re wimping out, so am I!!!!

      Like

      Reply

  7. Got out the winter coat the other day when it was not only low 30s, but windy. Back to fall jacket for next few days…
    And then, like others have mentioned, I save the “heavy artillery”, the long down coat, for the very coldest (hopefully) few days. Last year I hardly had it out.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  10. On my way to my third medical visit of the day. All have been talk visits. Only the second took/will take my bp. 96/54 and heart rate of 60. They checked it again and got the same. Dr. Said that’s fine. I will check it at home later.
    Clyde

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  11. I put on a T-shirt with sleeves at home the other day.

    I have been wearing a jacket in the mornings or evenings. It’s the same jacket I wear between 40 degrees and 0 degrees so I guess it’s my winter jacket.
    I have one of those carhart zipper hoodies for the farm work. Last year we learned about putting latex gloves on under our blue cotton gloves and that helps.
    My town jacket is a fleece thing from the Mayo Blood Donors. If I’m going to be out a long time and it’s single digits, I do have the ‘ditch jacket’ that I can wear. A real nice heavy winter jacket I picked up out of a ditch. The zipper handle was broken. Kelly hates it when I wear that.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

      1. I can’t like anything and every single post or comment requires logging in again. Then it tells me I already said that. Enjoy “liking” things!

        Like

        Reply

  12. No winter coat yet. It hasn’t been that cold when I have gone out, and I didn’t have to be outside very long.

    In the house, I layer up. For some reason my upper arms get cold. I need to dig through my drawers to see what I have in the way of wintersilk, longsleeved undershirts. I suppose I look more and more like a Maxine cartoon because I care so little about what I look like. I just want to be comfortable and warm.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  13. Pippin and I have been on some walks when the wind was feeling pretty cold. I don’t have my warmest coats out yet but I do have one of my mid-weight, knee-length coats out. I like this one because I can layer things underneath it and it keeps my legs warm. Pippin doesn’t like wearing his coat but he does get cold and I make him wear it. So, yes, we’ve been wearing December coats. I often layer a vest or something underneath a lighter jacket.

    It was 68 degrees on my deck today. I got a lot done. It felt good!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  14. At all of my three medical visits they read each others comments in my file and piggybacked to tell me I need to be self-compassionate. They all told me I need breaks from going to see Sandra every day. My daughter happens to be taking an intense work shop on self compassion. Neither of us know how to do it.
    Clyde
    PS I cannot read what I am typing.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Clyde, I believe you can give yourself a break. You know you need to take care of yourself. And I doubt you’ll see this comment. I’ll tell you again tomorrow.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

Leave a comment