Ramble...
Sorry, I haven't posting much. No reason for that, either. Must just be my state of exhaustion with work slowly (or is this quickly?) wearing me out mentally and physically. By the time I get home at night, I have little to no brain power left and I muster enough energy to watch the shows that my TiVo caught during the night and afternoon.
What's been going on? Work, work, and more work. Oh, and shopping. This past weekend was Tax-Free weekend, so the state suspended the 5% sales tax on all items under $2500. That doesn't seem like a lot, but it brings shoppers out in droves. Clothing is already tax free, and some stores take deep discounts just to get people to come shop, otherwise people are just buying normally taxed items. We had in mind one big-ticket purchase: Theron's new 20.1 inch flatscreen monitor. Since he works for BU, he already gets it at cost. Add the tax-free on, and that saves more than $30. Then if you add on that I get a once-every-four-years $500 reimbursement on home computer items, his new monitor is costing us a whopping $135. Yah.
But shopping. I went to an auction on Saturday morning and spent $90. Tax free. Some designer pocketbooks (2 Coach, 1 Dooney & Bourke) and a GIGANTIC area rug for my bedroom (think fake persian, mint green with salmon colors, medallion center) that's got to be at least 7 feet wide and 15 feet long. 100% wool, no holes or worn areas, just a couple of stains that don't bother me. After Theron got off work, we headed to the mall. I bought some clothes and very necessary underthings (this weight loss causes all kinds of clothing problems), then dinner and the bookstore. Who knew that even the bookstore was having special tax-free sale prices? I bought 6 or 7 hardback craft books for $40.
Sunday was Wrentham. Made a point to get up early enough to do the hour drive and be there when the stores opened and get a parking spot. Wrentham outlets. Yikes. Shopped shopped shopped. When we left at 1PM the parking lot was cars circling waiting for people to vacate their spots. It really was that kind of a shopping day. Went to lunch, and then to Target. Then home. By the time we got home at 4:00, we were both utterly shopped out (and we ran out of money) so we didn't go for groceries.
The tally? I think we went through between $1200 and $1400.
What I'm most proud of is the special clothes I've been able to find for my girlfriend in Phoenix. For those of you that know me and have met me, imagine me with much bigger boobs, and pregnant. Now try to figure out where to find clothing. One fabulous thing about being friends with Jessica is that we share the struggle for tall clothes. Add in having to find some larger sizes, and it gets more interesting. We having figured out how clothing manufacturers decided that women are either tall/skinny or short/fat. We can't be tall and fat. WTF? So I've been running around New England for the last 3 weeks or so, hitting every store I can think of (and that includes online) that might carry maternity clothes for her. Which was the reason for the trip to Wrentham. My BEST find was in the Just My Size lingerie store. Anyone ever gone looking for larger bra sizes? I bought *6* bras, DDD, F, and G for $62.
So yah. After my 3 weeks of trying on clothes, rejecting all but a few pieces here and there, I ended up amassing $200 in things that I hope will work for her, and today they were boxed up and FedExed to Phoenix. I'm patiently waiting for Thursday evening to get home and call her, and hopefully I'll hear very loud squeals of joy for my energy. =)
Anyway... My life is very boring. I kept myself awake last night by cooking. A lot. I have no reason to cook again until probably Thursday. We had three thunderstorms last night, about an hour between each one, with sudden downpours and fabulous lightning and thunder for about 15 minutes apiece. Love that. My poor garden is drowning, but nothing looks like it's going to die. Tomato plants are getting taller and taller, and there are quite a few little green tomatoes all over. My rosemary plants got a lot of clipping last night for my cooking, and I can't even tell that I did any trimming. They're growing so well. My little citrus trees are obviously bigger than they were when I planted them. But I think I'll end up having to wait at least 5 years before they'll be big enough to allow to fruit.
Oh and I forgot! A week or so ago I got bored and did some window shopping online, only I found a hell of a sale on some things that were just too good to pass up. And I found a discount code in my mail. Today all my goodies showed up. All matching satin nightgowns, bed jackets, teddy, chemise. 6 or 8 pieces in all, along with more bras (and one REALLY good push-up bra for my tiny bust). All in all, a good early birthday gift for myself.
I've rambled enough... Maybe I'll lay down and just go to sleep now.
What's been going on? Work, work, and more work. Oh, and shopping. This past weekend was Tax-Free weekend, so the state suspended the 5% sales tax on all items under $2500. That doesn't seem like a lot, but it brings shoppers out in droves. Clothing is already tax free, and some stores take deep discounts just to get people to come shop, otherwise people are just buying normally taxed items. We had in mind one big-ticket purchase: Theron's new 20.1 inch flatscreen monitor. Since he works for BU, he already gets it at cost. Add the tax-free on, and that saves more than $30. Then if you add on that I get a once-every-four-years $500 reimbursement on home computer items, his new monitor is costing us a whopping $135. Yah.
But shopping. I went to an auction on Saturday morning and spent $90. Tax free. Some designer pocketbooks (2 Coach, 1 Dooney & Bourke) and a GIGANTIC area rug for my bedroom (think fake persian, mint green with salmon colors, medallion center) that's got to be at least 7 feet wide and 15 feet long. 100% wool, no holes or worn areas, just a couple of stains that don't bother me. After Theron got off work, we headed to the mall. I bought some clothes and very necessary underthings (this weight loss causes all kinds of clothing problems), then dinner and the bookstore. Who knew that even the bookstore was having special tax-free sale prices? I bought 6 or 7 hardback craft books for $40.
Sunday was Wrentham. Made a point to get up early enough to do the hour drive and be there when the stores opened and get a parking spot. Wrentham outlets. Yikes. Shopped shopped shopped. When we left at 1PM the parking lot was cars circling waiting for people to vacate their spots. It really was that kind of a shopping day. Went to lunch, and then to Target. Then home. By the time we got home at 4:00, we were both utterly shopped out (and we ran out of money) so we didn't go for groceries.
The tally? I think we went through between $1200 and $1400.
What I'm most proud of is the special clothes I've been able to find for my girlfriend in Phoenix. For those of you that know me and have met me, imagine me with much bigger boobs, and pregnant. Now try to figure out where to find clothing. One fabulous thing about being friends with Jessica is that we share the struggle for tall clothes. Add in having to find some larger sizes, and it gets more interesting. We having figured out how clothing manufacturers decided that women are either tall/skinny or short/fat. We can't be tall and fat. WTF? So I've been running around New England for the last 3 weeks or so, hitting every store I can think of (and that includes online) that might carry maternity clothes for her. Which was the reason for the trip to Wrentham. My BEST find was in the Just My Size lingerie store. Anyone ever gone looking for larger bra sizes? I bought *6* bras, DDD, F, and G for $62.
So yah. After my 3 weeks of trying on clothes, rejecting all but a few pieces here and there, I ended up amassing $200 in things that I hope will work for her, and today they were boxed up and FedExed to Phoenix. I'm patiently waiting for Thursday evening to get home and call her, and hopefully I'll hear very loud squeals of joy for my energy. =)
Anyway... My life is very boring. I kept myself awake last night by cooking. A lot. I have no reason to cook again until probably Thursday. We had three thunderstorms last night, about an hour between each one, with sudden downpours and fabulous lightning and thunder for about 15 minutes apiece. Love that. My poor garden is drowning, but nothing looks like it's going to die. Tomato plants are getting taller and taller, and there are quite a few little green tomatoes all over. My rosemary plants got a lot of clipping last night for my cooking, and I can't even tell that I did any trimming. They're growing so well. My little citrus trees are obviously bigger than they were when I planted them. But I think I'll end up having to wait at least 5 years before they'll be big enough to allow to fruit.
Oh and I forgot! A week or so ago I got bored and did some window shopping online, only I found a hell of a sale on some things that were just too good to pass up. And I found a discount code in my mail. Today all my goodies showed up. All matching satin nightgowns, bed jackets, teddy, chemise. 6 or 8 pieces in all, along with more bras (and one REALLY good push-up bra for my tiny bust). All in all, a good early birthday gift for myself.
I've rambled enough... Maybe I'll lay down and just go to sleep now.