I spent money!

I spent money -- on myself. Or more to the point, on our home. Linda can get me to go shopping maybe a couple of times of year. Knowing that, I tend to grab anything in sight that I think I might need.

So for me, this kind of expedition is an adventure, even if it's an everyday thing for everyone else. So pardon me if this is boring to you.

We set out yesterday for: One pair of cheap sandals from Bi-Mart (my Birkies days are over, cause I'm just too hard on shoes); a couple of soak hoses; a couple of cheap sprinklers (I bought a couple of average type sprinklers my first year as a home owner, which broke; I bought a couple of really high-priced sprinklers the next year, which promptly broke; I limped along with my ancient froggy sprinklers from when I was a renter for a couple of more years. Now, like sandals, I'm just going to figure they'll last one or two years, and that's it.) Superglue (because I'm still cheap and would rather fix things); and the biggie, a futon.

We needed pickup and delivery; ended up at McMahans, which Linda and I have used from honeymoon days when we were dirt poor and they were the only people to extend us credit. Their stuff is mostly generic and boring and overstuffed; for instance, needed a new lamp and out of the hundreds they had couldn't find one I liked. But we did find a version of pull down couch that was 500.00; and a cheaper version at 350.00. With the 70.00 shipping and removal charge, this came to 420.00, which we settled on.

Neither version was in stock. (We need it by this weekend, because my son and daughter-in-law are coming to visit.)

Turns out they had a repossessed version of the 500.00 one in the back for 200.00 which we grabbed. Linda was admiring some vases, and I impulsively bought those (her birthday is on the 1st of July); and I came very, very close to buying a big screen T.V.

We came to counter to pay, but they wanted us to start the credit applying process all over again; Linda and I have spent a huge amount of money at McMahans over the years, because it was easy. Now they're making it complicated. I whipped out my paid off credit card and paid. Not pleased. Also very unlikely to buy my big screen T.V. with them, when it comes the time.

We also bought a coffee table and two end tables. I've felt our living room was over-stuffed since the day we moved in. A massive, square lump of a coffee table, an overstuffed couch and loveseat, an over-blocky end table, but no table where I read and eat on the couch, which has bugged me.

What we bought was less massive and more simple in design.

Linda was bemoaning how she wished we could find some solid wood frame couches like the one at the store (which are also less massive and stuffed) and I proposed that we get them reupholstered, and switch out.

By the time we're done, the living room should be a little less stuffed, and little more elegant.

On our way to Bi-Mart, passed Casa Decor, and Linda saw a porch chimney (or whatever it's called) and we snagged one of those. The store was hugely bigger than it looks from the outside. Everything was 1/3rd off. In fact, just about everywhere we went, people were volunteering how 'slow' it was. Had a talk with the salesman at McMahans who had just finished a 'short-sale' on the third house he owned; how everyone including his wife and father tried to talk him out of buying the 3rd house, how his marriage had ended, etc. Wonder how many stories are out there like that.

We also bought 100.00 worth of plants from Bi-Mart. Just started grabbing them. Amazing how few that seemed when we got home.

I don't feel too guilty about spending this money. It's a very, very rare occurance with me. I'm going to wait until probably Christmas, and try to get the best possible deal on a flat screen I can. That would be my first really big indulgent purchase for myself since.....since......I don't know when. Seems like forever. I've been mulling it over for almost two years now.

Even with all that spending, I didn't really spend more than a couple of shipments at the store. This doesn't let me off the hook for my zero balances on the credit cards; just means I'll have to finesse the store even more.

Actually, I think it's about time.