Limit exceeded?!

I just got back from grocery shopping..
quite the stressful experience today..
and definitely one which I hope never to repeat..
(it's not my last-ever time grocery shopping!)

I went to pay for my groceries at the checkout..
and thought it would be easy using my debit card..
unfortunately, it turned out NOT to be that way..
punched in my info on the handy little machine..
it spat back "LIMIT EXCEEDED" at me.. (not "APPROVED")

after I tried it again, I got the same results..
since I didn't have any cash on me, the clerk called the bank..
turns out the Interac system is down for who knows how long..
(nothing to do with my cash machine withdrawal limit..
and I haven't even touched my bank account in days)

I decided to go to the bank to see if I could get cash..
the clerk said she'd send my purchases to the cooler meanwhile..
thank goodness I was able to withdraw cash from the bank..
needless to say, I withdrew more cash than I actually needed..
(who knows when the Interac system will be up again, right?)

now I'm home and all my groceries have been put away..
that was my first experience with this kind of thing..
and as I said earlier, I hope never to repeat it again!
man, I am SO stressed right now that it's not funny..

in fact, I wish I could just relax here with a book or something..
but I can't, since obligations are calling me away from here..
Vernon's whole family is coming over to my parents' for dinner..
apparently I *HAVE* to be there.. (as per my brother on MSN)
they're here from San Francisco, and it'll be good to see them..

it'll probably be a good dinner.. (my mom IS a good cook)
however, the number of dishes my mom will use is staggering..
yeah, I guess I'm complaining about doing the washing-up..
the thing is, I *know* what it will be like from past dinners..
eh well, I really hope it won't be THAT bad.. (yeah right!)