The $102.54 ham......

Yep. That's what our Christmas ham cost, and....I gotta tell you -- it was good, but not that good.

Of course, it wasn't supposed to cost that much (it was just a HoneyBaked ham, after all). Actually, it should have been free, because it was a gift from my brother. But......

I learned two lessons from the experience. First: when you know something isn't right -- do something about it then! Don't take the lazy way out and wait till you get home and call. Second: (This should probably be first, but....that goes to show you how I found myself in the situation I ended up in.) So, second (or first, as the case may be....) have an idea how much things you pay for should actually cost. D'oh!

These were two lessons I knew I needed to learn, and hopefully, I have.

Here's what happened (in a nutshell). My brother sent us a ham as a Christmas gift. I went to the store to pick it up -- along with lots of other stuff I grabbed while waiting. When my turn came at the cashiers, she inadvertently charged me for the ham (which my brother had already paid for). At the time, I thought that's what was happening (why, oh why, didn't I say something then??). When I got to the car, I checked, and....yep! she had indeed charged me for the ham. Why, oh why, didn't I just get out of the car, walk back into the store and get it fixed? Who the hell knows!

When I got home and called the store, instead of receiving a credit, I ended up being charged AGAIN. After many phone calls, and lots of time wasted on the phone, it's settled. Thank Gawd. But it could have been so much easier if I'd just done what I should have, when I should have.

Oh, well. You live, you learn.

Instead of calling my brother and blessing him out for not having the ham delivered, and making me go to the store to pick up the ham......and blaming him for the whole problem, I just took responsibility and, hopefully, learned from the whole experience.

I'm have no doubt my brother would be pleased -- were he to know. But, next Christmas, I think I'll get him to have the ham delivered.