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Happy 23° 26′.

in other news, Beloved Spouse and I braved the massed idiots and attempted to do some late shopping. As my hips were bothering me gratly, I opted for the use of the motorized scooter that many fine establisments provide for their patrons.

I sincerely wish that every store would have the department managers get in these things and attempt to navigate their department. Aisles blocked by endcaps (or just simply blocked by support columns), aisles too narrow to get the cart in to actually look at what is on that aisle – or if you can get *in* to the aisle, you cannot step off the scooter to look at anything that isn’t at head height – higher or lower. I finally called for a manager and ranted at him for a few moments about just how non-ADA-complaint his store was. He, of course, mumbled a generic apology and had no real clue what I was complaining about.

Then there are the other shoppers. By the time we left the first store, I had nearly hit a dozen who were not watching where they were walking – and came close to deliberatly hitting a couple who sort-of were as they were constantly taking a few steps and stopping again to look at something else, and not moving over to either side so that anyone could walk around them.

Getting off the elevator was a fun experience as well: you know how people like to line up and block the door in hopes of getting on before anyone can get off? They can’t do that when you have a scooter blocking the entrance to the elevator AND they all have to back up and mover out of the way so you can get off. That was about the only up side to the day.

Not having a scooter available at the next store meant walking with my cane, and people were no more observant there, either. I was run in too, nearly knocked over and literally shoved out of one person’s way. The only one who apologized with the preteen who was backing up while attempting to not get stepped on by someone several times their size. The rest have no clue just how close they came to getting smacked by a grumpy old woman with her cane.

So, folks, when you are out and about, please do maintain awareness of your personal space and just where you are in relation to others – otheriwse, I might give in to these long-standing urges and haul off and smack you up the side of the head!

Happy holidays!