I have recovered! I managed to go to the bank, to Home Depot (time to plasticize the windows) and to Coinstar. The one at
Walmart didn't give out gift cards, but the one at the grocery did. I exchanged all my pennies, nickels, and dimes, and got a $16.xx gift card and my 5off20 coupon. Borders now has a price match policy, so I'm planning to bring the Target flyer and get my CDs at Borders for more savings!
So I have a cousin from the Phils who's doing graduate work in the Chicago area. He's already complaining its too cold, bless his heart. He's left his Thanksgiving plans open, but he wants to come to NY. But its too late to get a decent airfare, so my sister and I have hatched a new plan. Get cousin on Amtrak to Rochester, and she'll drive him down for the holiday. Hopefully it'll work.
My sister also has an ulterior motive. She wants a cat. She's allergic, but that hasn't stopped her. We have outdoor cats that are very tame, and she thinks she'll adopt one (if not two) of them. Hopefully Operation Kitty Kat will work! All my babies are strays too, and its worked out so far.
I've given in to the hype! At Home Depot they had beautiful fake poinsetta bushes (I can't have real ones, they're poisonous and I have hungry cats) and an adorable miniature fir tree. They're mine! I have to get teeny lights to decorate my table tree, I have a coupon for both michaels and AC MOore, so I should be able to get it there.