I love a bargain.

I realized last week that we have one of those discount home stores, Tuesday Morning, within 15 miles of my house. I have been seeing it advertised for a while now but never knew there was one so close. I decided to go check it out last week. I have to say, I wasn't impressed. Not at all. I much prefer my usual Home Goods, Marshall's and Ross for reasonably priced home decor items. BUT, I did find ONE thing that made me very happy. A copy of Food to Live By by Myra Goodman. This had been on my Amazon Wish List for months! And I found it at Tuesday Morning for $14.99. Regularly priced it would have been $35. Amazon has it for $14.93. Cheaper, yes. But I would have had to pay for shipping. So for me this was a GOOD deal. And so far I love it. It's got lots of stories of how their farm got started...what they grow...what they do...tells about their roadside stand..plus many recipes that sound really, really good. I haven't tried one yet...but the weekend is here...and I plan on relaxing in the kitchen!

Here it is feeling quite at home on the hutch in my kitchen.

I'll let you know which recipe I chose and how it turned out!

Pink with Sprinkles!

Can you guess what I'm going to make?

Oh yeah...the PINK marshmallows are melting nicely.

Just about ready...
Mmmmm...yum...the finished product.

Pink Rice Krispie treats with sprinkles for my sweet Valentine's.

Yesterday while perusing the clearance aisles at Target I ran across some PINK marshmallows! They were priced at .84 cents a bag! I couldn't resist...I bought three bags. Two for the kids Valentine's party we had at church last night and one for my own family. I purchased Target brand puffed rice cereal for $1.67 a box. So for roughly $7.50 I had three glorious pans of pink marshmallow-y goodness! They were delicious!

My Valentine was very sweet. At Christmas time I had mentioned wanting a wood carving tool set so that I can make some lino carvings. Well, he had already spent his Christmas budget for my presents and wasn't able to get the carving set for me. That was OK...his budget was well spent and I loved all of my Christmas presents. Christmas came and went and I pretty much forgot about the carving set...thinking of it on occasion and putting it in the back of my head for a "purchase someday". Then on Tuesday we were at the church helping with a luncheon and someone had brought a bag of Hershey's chocolates. I scrounged around looking for a Mr. Goodbar...without any luck...then made a comment about wishing there was a Mr. Goodbar in the bag because I love them so much.

So here's where the sweet part comes in. And I should preface this whole story with the fact that I told him I did NOT want flowers this year. For the amount of money spent on flowers I could have a WHOLE lot more AND it wouldn't die in 3 days. This meant he'd either have to get me nothing OR be creative. Luckily, he chose creative! My Valentine surprised me with a GIANT Mr. Goodbar and a wood carving tool set, AND some graphite tracing paper! He also gave me a nice card with the most beautiful words inside that he'd written himself. I was so touched. I think it just might be the best Valentine's Day yet. So thoughtful and romantic and sweet...I love him more and more each day.

After a week's deliberation...

...and much talking to myself, I had to go back to the thrift shop and purchase this tri-fold mirror. (click on photo to enlarge if you want. I got myself in it a bit, but that's OK) I don't know how old it is, but I do know that I love it. Originally when I bought it I thought it would be cute on an upright dresser. And I have an upright dresser, but there's no room on it because it's full of other really important stuff. Seriously. I mean it. Well, mostly important stuff.

Anyway, I decided that it might look cute on my sideboard in my living room. It's a bit more cluttered than I'd like but it'll do for now. Notice the Christmas bulbs in the nest under the cloche? Yeah. I know it's February. Ahem.

But yeah...the mirror. I love it. And I'm really glad I purchased it. I paid $35 for it...which is a splurge for me. But I went back to the thrift store THREE TIMES to look at it...and I loved it each time...and I thought about it at home...and while I was driving...and while I was washing dishes. And I know myself. When I think about something that much it means that I really do love it and will truly cherish it for many years to come.

This presents a challenge for me because while I like to give myself overnight to think about a purchase...usually one that is not necessary for survival (although I'm sure some of you could provide some very valid arguments as to how certain items are life-giving...I hear you, I do.) such as a mirror, or an area rug (I thought about that one for a WEEK before I finally went back and bought it...to my surprise it was on SALE when I went back to make the purchase! Go me!) this may cause me to miss out on a very good deal on something, say some china plates and a platter that would have been so stinkin' cute on a dining room wall, for instance...yes, when I'm irritated I repeat myself AND I use run-on sentences. But I'm still sad about the plates and platter. I knew I should have grabbed them. It was just really hard to justify the expense because we don't HAVE a formal dining room right now. I'm hoping that changes within the next year, though.

Come on bigger house! I'm ready when you are!

The price is right.

Isn't it funny how we remember the prices we pay for things? Especially when it was a really good price?! And really...I don't know that I remember what something cost when it was purchased new...or for regular price (which rarely happens, by the way). I always just know it was "too much".

Interesting.

Do you find this to be true for you, too?
What's the best deal you've ever gotten on a favorite item?

Psalm 116

6The LORD preserves the simple;
I was brought low, and He saved me.

Just another day at the thrift store.

When I was 19 my friend invited me to go to the flea market with her. Her family went to flea markets often since her dad was in the junk yard business. (I hadn't been to a flea market since I was around eight or so when my dad took me with him to sell his wares. I remember him selling a stained glass lamp shade and being sad about it and walking to the snack bar all by myself to get us some hot dogs. Times have changed haven't they? I wonder if my mom would have let me walk there alone? I wonder if she knew HE let me?) I had nothing better to do, so I went to the flea market with my friend. I was instantly smitten. I still remember what I purchased: a vintage woman's hat, complete with a disintegrating netted veil for $4; an old water cooler jug for $2 and a large mirror for $12 that I still have and display with pride (I'll take pictures later...it's in dire need of some Windex!). That was it. I was a flea market fan.



Since then I've been frequenting flea markets, yard sales and thrift shops...and finding great deals along the way.


So last week I was at our local thrift shop that benefits a women's shelter here in town. They are really organized, have great prices and are super nice. I asked about canning supplies one day and it led to a lengthy conversation with my new canning friend, Francine. Francine works at the thrift shop...and she cans...and she sets stuff aside for me in her trunk for when I come in the next time! How nice is that? She's set aside a dozen quart size canning jars and a large canning pot with a rack for me. I bought it all.



When I was in last week picking up the canning supplies I saw a really cool, old tri-fold mirror. It was marked $35. And worth it. But I had to think on it. Dangerous move in the world of thrift shops. Here today, gone tomorrow. I learned that the hard way last week when I did NOT buy the gorgeous china plates and platter for $6 only to go back the next day specifically to buy it (because it would be SO CUTE on a dining room wall but I don't have a dining room wall so I had a hard time justifying the purchase even though I should have bought the stuff and saved it for when I DO have a dining room. OK. Lesson learned.) and it was gone, gone, gone. And probably hanging on someone else's dining room wall looking totally cute. Dangit. First time, shame on you. Second time, shame on me. So I bought the mirror. And I'm glad I did. If I hadn't, it would be like "the one that got away". Much like the china, dangit.

The white pieces with the red stripe are the size of a small runner and made of linen. I got two of them. And I just love them. I don't have a use for them quite yet. But don't worry, I will.

Also shown is the afghan...I actually purchased this a few weeks back and am just now getting a picture of it!




The best part of it all? I still love these items. No buyer's remorse...not one tiny bit. And THAT is what makes it worth it...right?

The Super Bowl. It's all about the food.

This year neither one of us is particularly interested in either one of the team's playing. No offense. It's just that my husband is a Cleveland Browns fan...and I go along with that! However, we do enjoy a good ol' Super Bowl Sunday...if only for the food!

For the record...we're rooting for the Giants.

Haiku #3

Amazing to me

that something so wonderful

came from such a mess.

Give a girl a fig.

I love figs. I haven't always loved figs. As a matter of fact, I didn't eat a fig until I was 25 years old. I rented a tiny little hole in the wall apartment about 7 miles outside of town and there was a fig tree in my driveway. I didn't even know what it was! But I took my grandmother out one day to see my new pad and she about came unglued because I had a fig tree.

"Is that what that is?!" I didn't know. Not to mention it was one of the ugliest trees I'd ever seen.

"Yes! Oh, I love figs! You'll have to pick some for me when they're ripe."

Eventually they ripened. And as promised, I picked some for my grandmother. I even delivered them! And we had a nice visit while eating figs. And I really, really liked them. A lot. Who knew?

Thanks to my grandmother, and my little apartment in the country, I would like to plant a fig tree someday. Our dream is to buy country property...someday. So, when we DO buy country property...someday...I'll be planting a fig tree.

And an orange tree.

And a Meyer lemon tree.

And a plum tree.

And a persimmon tree.

And lots of vegetables.

The gorgeous photo above is from Whole Foods. Go visit!

"...and let the flavors marry."

A while back I tried my hand at making lentil soup. It turned out fine. But not delicious like I'd hoped. But since I'd made such a large batch I decided to freeze individual servings for lunch. I didn't want it to go to waste, after all.

Fast forward to today...and a crazy morning of running late, a sick kid, too much to do and not enough food in the house. I left the house with nothing in mind for lunch. And being on a budget...as usual...I dreaded the thought of buying convenience food...again. Then I remembered, "Hey. I think I have one container of lentil soup left in the freezer at the office!" Sure enough, I peeked in the freezer and there it was. I have to admit, I wasn't real excited about it. But, it was sustenance, and healthy sustenance at that, so it would do. To my surprise...and delight...lentil soup gets better with age! Apparently lentil soup is much like spaghetti sauce or anything "the next day" and the flavor improves! Nice.

Now I'm full. And satisfied. And encouraged to do more cooking and freezing! Anyone have any recipes they'd like to share that freeze well? I'm all ears!