Spring Gloves

Tiger

Organ

I just bought this for $20 at a flea market. It has a solid wood case and it works! Everyone needs an organ, right? I can start my own religion.

Don Cherry Trenchcoat

I bought a godawful trenchcoat yesterday, having convinced myself that I need a trenchcoat to travel. I'm travelling tomorrow, by the way. The trenchcoat is....think Don Cherry. I bought it yesterday because 1) it was cheap, 2) the saleswoman gave me 20% off because of a missing button (an extra button was in the pocket) 3) I convinced myself that it was a 'happy', 'cheerful' trenchcoat (which should set off alarm bells...). I got it home, put it on, and decided it had to go back to the store. I located the receipt. The receipt said, "Final sale. Exchange only within 15 days of purchase". I went back to the store. The saleswoman said, "It's a final sale because I knocked off 20%. No exchange." I showed her the receipt, blah, blah, blah. She finally, grudgingly said, "OK". So, I looked around the store and found nothing I wanted or needed. In fact, I concluded that I disliked the whole store. Then, I tried on the godawful trenchcoat again, and realized it was the best thing in the store. So, I went back to the woman. Blah blah blah. Then, she said, "I'm going to have to take your receipt away because you can't have an exchange next time." I was too defeated and f-ed up about the cheap, shitty-looking trenchcoat I was walking away with to argue with her.
But, hello! Bad business practice, no? When people exchange things, they usually end up spending more. They also feel better about the store. I'm never going back there.
Meanwhile, I'm walking around looking like Don Cherry.

Purchased today

1) one airline ticket to a warmer climate
2) one train ticket to Toronto
3) kitty litter (for the special boy)
4) high-end, special needs cat food (he's a special, special boy)
5) a 5-pack of functional panties (ok, ok, just one thong in the five)
6) a pair of cotton flannel lounge pants (because it's important to be comfortable when lounging)
7) Chinese medicine for diarrhea and for constipation (so that I'll be prepared for anything on the trip)
8) several pairs of earplugs (nothing that could puncture an eardrum and kill me)
9) an adorable little pencil case (so I can be one of those people who keeps their pens and pencils together)
10) a pork tenderloin (for supper)

How to Shop at Winners

I have a friend who is a shopping genius, which I am definitely not. I can go out and blow lots of money, and end up with nothing I like, or with things that are unwearable. Yesterday, I shadowed her in Winners, and took notes of her strategy. She started off saying, "OK. When my time is limited like this, I just go directly to the Handbag and Shoe sections, because that is where you will find the best deals in this store." As she fingered through the handbags, she said, "Once I found a Dolce & Gabbana bag for $80 here, if you can believe it." That statement didn't mean a lot to me, but I got the idea. I started looking at the black bags, and she said, "It's harder to find a good black bag here, I'll tell you that. You are more likely to find a high quality brown or tan one." Then, she pulled out a nice light, soft, camel coloured leather bag with dark straps. "Here we go. This is you. This is a really really good deal." We noticed a tiny tiny pen mark on it and she suggested we try to get it marked down even more. Then, we went to the shoes. It took her a few minutes there before she said, "Nothing worth looking at here today. It's been seriously picked over." Then, she suggested going to the Underwear and Sleepwear section since we had some extra time. She said, "Sometimes you can find Calvin Klein panties here for 4 or 5 dollars, and they really are better quality." We looked, but no luck on this. Then, she ranted a bit about fleece, and how it was a terrible fabric that doesn't breathe.
We had a couple of minutes left, so we went to the sweaters. We saw things we liked, but the sizing was all wrong. She said, "Don't ever buy anything that is the wrong size even if you love it. It will just frustrate you." We went to the cash where we managed to knock a few dollars off the leather bag. Then, she suggested I go to La Vie en Rose and pick up a pair of $10 flannel pajamas. She confessed to buying 4 pairs. She said, "When they are giving them away like that, I tend to just buy them up. Everyone needs flannel pajamas."

Heaven's to Etsy!

Now that I am a craft person, I have to come to realize that it's all about Etsy. If you thought the Ottawa Christmas Craft Sale was a zoo, check out all the crap on the Etsy. Yes, I am into the whole alternative marketplace thing, but....Holy Shit! Is it just a way for people to fund their craft obsessions? Clearly, I need some Etsy-savvy person to explain all of this me. Help! Please give me some analysis.

Meditation Accessories

The fun part of getting involved with a new religion is the shopping opportunities. There are so many delightful meditation accessories. For example, I have decided I need a magenta zafu, like the one above. I also need a meditation shawl, of course, in a colour that matches the zafu. A mala, one of those funky beaded bracelets would be nice to have, too. I also want a singing bowl because they are just too cool.

Pink

Went on a mini shopping excursion today. Everything I bought was pink -- the colour of this blog basically. I bought a turtleneck sweater, a beret and a few other personal items. All pink!