Category Archives: shopping

Shopping: It’s a learning experience.

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  • Today while shopping with La Petite, I learned —
  • Lancome has a line of cosmetics with Braille labels.
  • A woman can never have too many shoes.
  • Malls are still — well, malls.
  • I’m wearing the wrong size bra (no, you don’t need any more).
  • Jeans are just as hard for La Petite to find as they are for me, several sizes larger.
  • I’m still an amazing bargain shopper. Even the cashier was impressed.
  • Peanut noodles are delicious. I wonder if I could make this dish?
  • Fortune cookies can be ridiculous. Hallelujah? Really?

I followed up a day of shopping with leftovers for supper and a marathon of Tiny House shows. It was a nice, relaxing weekend, despite losing an hour’s sleep to Daylight Saving Time.

Readers, do you enjoy retail therapy? Leave a comment.

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So far, yet not far enough.

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While shopping in a small kitchen specialty store, I pulled out my own reusable shopping bag. As I unzipped and unfolded it, the young clerk remarked, “Ooh, are you being green this holiday?” I took a deep breath to prevent saying anything rude or stupid, and just said, “I’ve been carrying my own shopping bags for years.” I mean, it was 2009 when I posted my conflict with a local Sears store that wouldn’t allow me to use my own bag, despite the irony of it being Earth Day and that the Target store down the hall was actually giving away reusable cloth bags.

So here we are, six years later, so I’ll offer a few observations as noted in the archives of Compost Happens.

Here’s the historic post from the Earth Day not noted by Sears.

The long day of teaching that ended with me not using my own lunch bag, something unusual for the eco-conscious Daisy.

A couple years after that Earth Day conflict, La Petite and I went out late in the day on Black Friday armed with our own bags.

Some things stay the same. Here’s an example of a midweek farmers’ market, complete with pictures of my usual bags.

The Pharmacy That Shall Not be Named has gotten better. They ask me if I need a bag, and when I say no, they also remove the unnecessary papers. These papers still end up in the recycling, though. The staff at the pharmacy could make improvements.

My thoughtful analysis is this: if I was already carrying my own bag often enough to be shocked at the refusal at Sears, I must have been providing a reusable shopping bag long before Earth Day, 2009. If this young cashier thought it was unique and cool to be green this holiday season, she’s a bit behind the times, but she’ll catch up.

Readers, do you run into resistance or disbelief when you provide your own shopping bags? I hope the comments will show that it’s getting easier to be green.

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The Wrapping Battle – the prequel

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A big box store ran an ad in the Sunday inserts: Buy $20 worth of merchandise and get a $5 store gift card! I almost bought it – er, bought into it. Then I read the ad again. To get the $5 store credit on a gift card, I would have needed to buy $20 worth of gift wrapping material. What?!? Friends, if you’re spending $20 on gift wrap, you’re spending too much. When it comes to wrapping paper, a green philosophy is also frugal.

Now that the den floor has been cleared, the tissue has been stored, and the boxes are stacked awaiting their turn at recycling, let’s look at my other attempts to minimize the use of commercial wrapping paper.

Wrapping Tip: Look for opportunities to reuse.

Wrapping Tip: Look for opportunities to reuse.

The large bag is festive on its own; I brought home supper in it last week. The red and white and fun tissues are all reused. The only part of the wrapping that was purchased new? The curling ribbon holding the tag (made from last year’s holiday cards).

Box decked with bag

Box decked with bag

I covered the Popcorn Factory logo with a seasonal logo cut out of a paper grocery bag.

Center: wine bag repurposed

Center: wine bag repurposed

Another wine bag - repurposed with grocery bag cutouts

Another wine bag – repurposed with grocery bag cutouts

another wine bag, sitting beside a reused bucket

another wine bag, sitting beside a reused bucket

I could buy a large quantity of bows, curling ribbon, or maybe clear tape. It would take an awful lot to reach the $20 minimum. I think I’ll stick to my green and frugal wrapping habits. Readers, what’s your preference? Do you reuse and reduce, or do you go for the trappings and trimmings of wrapping?

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‘Tis the Season for the Tunes

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Subtitle: The Tunes and the Stories – The Christmas music CDs and the stories they bring to mind.

I did some sorting today. Here’s the result – or most of the result. I think a few are missing. I have La Petite’s She and HIm. Maybe she has my Michael Buble. And where’s the Josh Groban?

It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas!

It’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas!

I sorted through our Christmas music collection and organized it – as best I could. This brought conversations like the following.

John Denver goes after the Ray Charles, or maybe I should file this under M for Muppets. Does Charlie Brown Christmas belong under C for Charlie, B for Brown, or G  – for Vince Guaraldi? Mannheim Steamroller almost needs its own section.

Pentatonix, the Blenders, Rockapella – and then a random compilation of a capella performers. Sting, Taylor Swift, the Swingle Singers, Take 6. Oh, and after Mannheim Steamroller come the Nylons and Olivia Newton-John. Wait a minute. Newton-John comes before  Nylons.

Amigo enjoyed reminiscing, too. I ran into a Malt Shop Memories CD – lots of oldies, lots of fun. He remembered that Jan and Dean had a great Frosty the Snowman on that collection.

Chanticleer, Charlie Brown (for now), Burl Ives, Al Jarreau, Spike Jones. That one must be Amigo’s. It goes well with his Dr. Demento collection, which includes the adorable ear worm “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.” You’re welcome.

Chuck sorted through the collection many years ago looking for background music for something he was doing at work. In the process of sorting, he realized we had 10 covers of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. Just for fun, we decided to burn a CD of all Rudolph. Before we could do that, we needed Burl Ives. We found him (he’s filed next to Al Jarreau, see above) and then found out we really needed Gene Autry. We found Gene Autry in an odd place for music – an office supply store. Years after creating the CD I call the Rudolph Compendium, we’ve found a few more. The Temptations? Really? Cool.

Ella Fitzgerald and Michael Franks fit in after Gloria Estefan – one of my favorites. Just think – Gloria came to the United States as a young refugee from Cuba.. She and her family were safe from persecution here, and she found her way into a career that brings joy to many. In fact, I think I’ll bring her “Christmas through your eyes” CD to school with me tomorrow.

It’s time to fill the cubicles with music.

Readers, do you have favorite songs around this time of year? Is there a story behind the song, or a story behind one special cover by one special performer? Please share.

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Baking the Opponent – leftovers

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Actual conversation at the O.K. Chorale – as I measured out ingredients for a half batch of Mississippi Mud Cake for Eating the Opponent, St. Louis —

Me: I’m going to have a lot of marshmallows leftover. Do you know what that means?

Amigo: S’mores?

Me: Rhubarb upside down cake.

Chuck: I was thinking Rice Krispie bars.

Me: We don’t have any Rice Krispies.

Chuck: I can fix that. Amigo, add Rice Krispies to the shopping list.

Yep, they were preparing the grocery list, and they added the key ingredient for the bars. I might have enough for the rhubarb upside down cake, too. It was a large bag of marshmallows to begin with. This might be the last rhubarb harvest, so it would feel good to make something good with it.

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Random Shopping – it’s what we do.

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I went to the Farmers’ Market alone on Saturday because Chuck was dealing with the stone guys – the contractors finishing up our backyard patio. I came home with all this.

Full disclosure: the squash cost $1 apiece.

Full disclosure: the squash cost $1 apiece.

Yesterday I picked a couple of big bowls full of tomatoes, too. Oh, I forgot – carrots and parsnips and one stray turnip (no pics, sorry).

And there are more on shelves in the other room.

And there are more on shelves in the other room.

Then we visited the neighborhood meat market for a few things. We hadn’t had a real grocery trip for more than two weeks, so we needed a significant number of staples. Armed with three bags of meats and other local specialties, we started home and drove right past our street to follow the signs across the bridge and around the block to a garage sale.

And OF COURSE we found some awesome buys. I quietly mentioned to Chuck that I would buy a few specific items if they weren’t, well, overpriced. He went right to work.

Chuck: We’re interested in a few of your big ticket items, and we’d like to make an offer.

Sale guy: You mean like a bundle? What do you think this is, American Pickers?

Chuck: No, you don’t have the beard.

Both laugh.

Chuck: We’ll offer $13 for the whole bundle.

Sale guy: I need to go inside and ask the “boss”.

Chuck: Make it $15.

We paid $13 for a sturdy cart with drawer for the garage, a new-in-package blanket throw, and a big box of kitchen utensils.

Saving money is exhausting. It’s a good thing I could relax and watch NFL football on Sunday.

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Barter Still Lives

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Money is important. Money talks, sings, dances, and buys political candidates. Oops, did I say that out loud? Money may rule, but barter, perhaps the oldest form of trade, still thrives.

A blogger friend in a nearby town had more ripe pears than even her three athletic boys could eat. I took a few bags off her hands and offered her a few day lily bulbs in exchange. I still think I got the better part of the deal. But anyway, it was a quick and easy barter.

La Petite bartered a professional photography studio for a thorough refinishing of three pieces of furniture. I think these two were fairly equal in value: both artsy, both professional, both talented people who value their time.

Swagbucks is a newfangled type of barter. In exchange for my time on their site, I earn “bucks” that I eventually use to buy gift cards. It keeps my kindle loaded – and more. In fact, if anyone is interested, click here to sign up. Disclaimer; I’ll be awarded a bonus of 10% of your total “bucks” for the referral. You don’t lose a thing. 

A few years ago we took care of a neighbor’s rabbit while the family was on vacation. We gained a new furry friend and swapped our time for firewood.

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Pantry Raids and School Starts

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We do it every year on my first day of school – my first day with students. We call out for pizza. We’ve had that tradition for so long – how long? I don’t even remember. Maybe Amigo or La Petite can enlighten me.

But anyway, back to the first week of school. School starts for my students on Tuesday. That’s pizza, brought to my door fully cooked. The rest of the week, Monday included, will be raiding the pantry and the fridge. You see, friends and family and new readers, we didn’t feel the need (or the energy) to go to the grocery store this weekend. We picked up enough bunny food from the farmers’ market, brought home goodies from our Date Night dinner out, and we have any number of leftovers and basic foods in the refrigerator. Add to that the potential for fresh tomatoes any minute now and I think we’ll do quite well.

The freezers are stocked now, too. Asparagus, peas, beans, corn…and a few berries here and there, too, are always there for the taking – and the cooking. In fact, I had a percent off coupon on Italian sausage at the nearby meat market, and I let it expire. I already have at least one pound of Italian sausage in the freezer.

So the plan for the week is this: create something out of what’s already in the house each and every day except for Tuesday. No last minute grocery runs allowed unless we’re out of bunny food or milk for the cereal.

I think this will be fun.

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I love a bargain!

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La Petite forgot to pack a few essentials last time she visited, so we headed to Kohl’s to take care of her needs and (of course) browse the clearance racks. My take-home was amazing.

La Petite bought a few basics and a pair of shoes. I bought – well, you can see it here.

Two sweaters, two shirts, and a dress

Two sweaters, two shirts, and a dress

The sweaters were hanging on the wrong rack to begin with. La Petite picked them up, said, “Oh, this isn’t my size. It’s your size, Mom.” If they shrink, she has dibs. The sweater on the right had a snag in the hem. As for prices:

Bargains galore!

Bargains galore!

I got an additional 20% off the sweater with the snag. Then, after adding it all up, I handed over my 30% discount coupon.

My bag with its five items cost less than La Petite’s two. In fact, my bag full of new clothes cost about the same as the steaks I bought for supper at the meat market.

They practically paid me to shop. Readers, have you had bargains so good you had to blog them? Leave a comment. I’d love to hear about yours.

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A Park full of Art

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A sizable park in the middle of our medium-sized city is within walking distance of the O.K. Chorale. This park, due to its location and size, plays host to a number of special events. Fundraiser Run/Walks sometimes start and end there. A nearby church hosts Bring Your Own Lawn Chair style worship services in the park. And at the end of each July, Art takes over the park in a big, big way.

Our routine is to leave the cars in the garage and walk the half mile or so to the Annual Art Fest. On-street parking reaching almost all the way to our home as it is. I throw a few collapsible shopping bags into my purse, load up my wallet at the ATM in advance, and as soon as the Artists open their booths, we’re there.

Here’s a taste of ceramics:

garden stakes posing with my hat

garden stakes posing with my hat

I have several others from this artist. Last year I suggested a few, and she made a list. The Thai Basil was one she made at my suggestion.

I hope I put the stake in the right pot.

I hope I put the stake in the right pot.

My wallet, my favorite in a long time, started wearing out last spring when the snap came off. It was still usable, so I made a plan to replace it at the same place I’d bought it: Art in the Park.

Left - new. Right - old, but still beautiful.

Left – new. Right – old, but still beautiful.

Hmong needlework is very precise and very beautiful. The wallet on the right has more traditional Hmong shapes and designs. The needlepoint flowers on the left just caught my eye right away. I knew it was my new wallet. It even has a change pocket, one feature lacking in the old one.

Oh, and by the way, the man at the booth smiled when I took out my old wallet to pay for the new. I think I’ve made purchases from his booth in the past.

We bought more – quite a bit more! Chuck carried the bag of purchases and the bag with our lunch in it (grilled pork sandwiches and egg rolls) while I carried my smoothie and the few things that fit in my purse. I can’t show you the other pieces, though. I’ll just say this: I’ve officially started my holiday shopping.

Readers, do you visit local and regional art festivals? What kind of art do you buy?

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