The dishes are washed, the leftovers are (finally) all put away, and the tidying up is complete. What's left to do before Thanksgiving Day draws to a close? Break out the sales papers, baby! We've got shopping strategies to plan!

No, I'm not kidding. This takes pen-and-paper planning. There's the list of early birds versus Johnny-go-laters. Then there are the Wharf hounds versus the Pinnacle peakers. Bargain hunters versus find-it-fasters. Meals, rest stops and trips home to unload bulky items have to taken into consideration as well.

That's one of the (kazillion) great thinks about living on the Alabama Gulf Coast. We're so close to so many places, and the options are almost limitless.

We have friends and family members who come down a couple of times a year specifically for shopping. They hit the Tanger Outlet Centers for clothes and shoes, the boutiques and locally owned stores for gifts, the markets for fresh fish and seafood, and the list just keeps going.

This Thanksgiving, if you're visiting me, go ahead and have that extra slice of pie. Trust me, we'll be working it off during Black Friday