I NEED…

Skoot is HOME! She arrived earlier than expected and was HAPPY WITH THERE HAVING BEEN NO traffic issues throughout her four-hour drive to Atlanta.
After hauling her bags to her room she approached me with her first I NEED…we were off to run errands …

she has a job tomorrow helping with a friend’s wedding set-up in the morning and serving and clean-up in the evening.

First Stop:  for a split-end trim and bangs cut

and straight to

looking for sweater tights…no luck…they had tights but no sweater tights.

Trekking down the Mall corridor, we also check out



 
 
















unfortunately, their ad didn’t quite work … we didn’t find what we wanted…
 
so, trekking continues as we decide to go into

where we find ‘fingerless gloves’ for $5.60..(I can’t make them for that much…),
a pair of ‘heart’ earrings ($3.30)
and houndstooth tights (for a different outfit, $7)

But…we are STILL looking for the ‘sweater tights’…now to
and they had a wonderful selection…one pair really fit the bill but too pricey ($22)…
where we found some great tights, but they weren’t textured…
Next storefront we thought would be a good bet….
 we HAD to check out the ‘smells’ while there, since Hubs was NO WHERE around, we could spray, test and stink to high heaven if we desired…

Skoots wanted me to smell Lady Gaga’s new fragrance that ‘morphs’ while you wear it


















FAME…The first ever black Eau de Parfum compounded by Lady Gaga… black like the soul of fame, but invisible once airborne. This luxurious holiday gift set includes:

• Ultimate Masterpiece Eau de Parfum, 3.4 oz
• Black Shower Gel, 6.7 oz
• Temporary Tattoo
• Rollerball, 0.34 oz
• A $128 value only $84

A gift set that can be broken apart and spread throughout the friends…












Back on task the trek takes us to the ‘restroom’ next…’nuff said.

Of course, what would a visit be without *bucks…

specifically, an orange-cranberry scone and two Caramel Brulée Lattes –




rich caramel sauces, espresso and steamed milk, topped with whipped cream and shimmery caramel pieces.
 
 Rejuvenated, we relaunch our endeavor to purchase appropriate leg coverings….this time to


 
 
Finally find what we need…2 for $14…that’s better

…also found a black cowl to go with her black beret…score!…(I’ll be making her a couple of these in different variegated yarns for Christmas, but no time to make this one)
(I got a couple of plain beige and dark black tights for myself)

Before heading out the door to the car, a wedding gift was in order for the ‘newlyweds to be’…stopping at Belk’s always fares well for those type events…
and we were NOT disappointed…a Jim Shore ornament for their first Christmas tree is PERFECT!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 








What a day of shopping, fast walking and catching up on the latest college news.
Phew…

I was exhausted, my credit card was too, and now home to make dinner.  Thank goodness I have leftovers in the fridge.

What did you do Friday afternoon and Friday evening?

More PCBH,FL, Day/Evening 4

SIDENOTE: IF YOU HAD A LOVING GRANNY like I did, you'll enjoy Rachel's post! :)

OK, back to MY post...you're probably getting tired of my vacation pics; however, I'm re-living it each time post and write about it...I so want to go back.

I enjoyed every minute and would love to STILL be there. Join me in GOING THERE again to show you the remaining days of our vacation journey...what a blessing! We started the day shopping ... light-changing keyrings, shirts, and book bags from DEL SOL...california rolls, shrimp tempura & teriyaki chicken...shirts from Guy Harvey (so cute and beachy!). The girls enjoyed the beach again...wonderfully pleasant afternoon at the beach (almost empty), nice scenery and, of course, they enjoyed getting to talk the 'cabana boys'...oh, I remember those days.

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As we were leaving for dinner, the sunset was gorgeous, AGAIN, and we wanted to stay on the balcony forever were STARVING and wanted to go eat MORE seafood…once home, it took me forever to figure out the fireworks setting on my camera and I creatively captured a few pics

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T-O-M TUESDAY...thrifty goodies

Joining this week's THREE OR MORE TUESDAY... with Tam.

My 3-OR-MORE are treasures found at a local thrift shop yesterday...calling to me from the abyss of many other things, silently yet loudly calling my name.

(I did put a few things back on the shelf, deciding I really didn't need to bring them home with me 'cause then I'd have to "find" a place for them, doggoneit!)

Three items will be going to my upstairs closet and two items will find a new home in my dining-room sideboard. Two blouses and purse were run through the gentle cycle of the washing machine and the other two previously-black tarnished serving pieces had to be sprayed with silver cleaner and briskly shined with a cotton cloth.

I always like finding new tops and purses at the thrift store...these tops still had the original tags on them...and the purse had barely been used (just some smudgy on the side--which came out in the wash).

The serving pieces will be nice to use during the holidays and on special occasions...the casserole dish is the perfect size for a small gathering and the try will do wonderfully with little doilies for appetizers.

Five items--$22...a good deal, I believe!

Project 365..(1/18-1/24) and PINK SATURDAY...

Even though her site isn't updated yet...Below is my week's "fun"...

http://thebowyers.blogspot.com/2009/01/project-365-week-3.html

and for PINK SATURDAY..go here: http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/01/pink-saturday-january-24-2009.html

On the 21st I finally used my cool little gadget DH gave me for Christmas...now its easy to keep a "to do" list or a shopping list...you speak into the recorder, it categorizes and saves it...as you head out the door, hit the button and it prints your list!! It's called "SmartShopper" and it has numerous pre-listed categories...and you can build your own specific items as well!

On the 22nd, I probably solidified we won't have anymore cold weather here...I bought a new, wool "p-coat", "car coat", whatever you want to call it...my old coat actually has moth holes in it...which brought up another "to do"...so I had to add moth balls to my shopping list after I wash the closet with antiseptic.

Have you every wondered why they're called "p-coats"...well, per one of the Navy sites...Sailors who have to endure pea-soup weather often don their pea coats but the coat's name isn't derived from the weather. The heavy topcoat worn in cold, miserable weather by seafaring men was once tailored from "pilot" cloth — a heavy, course, stout kind of twilled blue cloth with the nap on one side. The cloth was sometimes called P-cloth for the initial letter of "pilot" and the garment made from it was called a p-jacket — later, a pea coat. The term has been used since 1723 to denote coats made from that cloth.

Anyway, back to my coat...the day after I bought my new coat that I WANTED to wear...and my being in my "hot flash" stage, it's a miracle I wanted to even try on coats...oh yeah, the day after I bought it, the temperature was 66 degrees. Needless to say, I haven't gotten to wear it.

The last time I bought a London Fog was in 1979 when I went to work downtown and had to have a really good trench coat to endure the "fumey, gooey" bus rides on the rapid system...just the name "London Fog" brings back memories of the 60's, the Beatles, Twiggy, watching my sister enjoying her dating years while I dreamed of what it would be like to date. Pea coats were in then, too!

On the 23rd, I made my first outing to WHOLE FOODS...WOW!! Remarkably, I did find some good deals and I was amazed at the variety of foods. I found these great dried edamame(soybeans) that are lightly salted...they're a great snack with high fiber, no bad fat and they will take care of my urge for "crunchy"...and they were on SALE! 4oz. for $1.79, YEAH!! So, I'll be make new lists specific to WholeFoods trips in the future!

And for PINK SATURDAY...I found my new pink purse at the thrift store...not a mark on it and the inside is brand new looking, no stains, crumbs, or anything!! This is going to be my Easter purse.

HAVE YOU HAD ANY GOOD FINDS RECENTLY?

BARGAINS...& REFLECT ON WHAT OTHERS MIGHT SEE...

Did some post-Christmas shopping for DEALS...got a few at Wally World.
Do you enjoy Wally World after the holidays?

Wally World is fun after Christmas...especially when you get to do it with your sister and great niece! Here in my living-room side chair are the fun things I bought.

Probably the best deal I got was on the Christian Christmas cards ($1.50) and a new Rooster cookie jar ($4.50) that I didn't picture because he's definitely NOT Christmassy...


My daughter asked me "why" I bought the stuffed reindeer with the animated smile (that lights up)...
I looked back at her with a quizzical look...
well, of course, I bought him becuz he's funny...
you push his button, he sings "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" as his sled moves back and forth and then spins in a circle...now, wouldn't you buy that, too??!!

The other cool thing I got is a set of "Rudolf the Red nosed Reindeer" cookie cutters...the cookies have cross sections you bake as well, so once you decorate the cookies, they STAND UP! Right next to the gingerbread house I'm gonna make next year...thanks for the inspiration, Liddie, at 2nd cup of coffee, you've laid down the gauntlet and we should all have a gingerbread competition online!

Pencils with snowmen and snowflakes...I usually give my kids in youth something throughout the Winter-blue months. And, of course, I had to buy new tissue paper for bags 'cause I usually DON'T wrap with real paper anymore...the tissue paper is snowmen, Santa, red and white polka dots...($.50, yeah!) I'm one of those people who sometimes irons tissue paper...especially if it is really neat and I want to RE-GIFT with it!

Not that we NEED any more "nativity" ornaments on our tree, but I couldn't pass up the golden rectangular one or the painted ball one shown on the left. We always look for new shapes and new colors...it's becoming a nativity tree.
The little angel on the right is part of the FAITH sign...it has a little angel on each end of the sculpture. I got many stick-on decorations for gifts as well as lots of scrap booking pieces, and gift card boxes in cool colors with ribbons included.

Many other blogs I have visited recently have either shown a video or a picture of one of their favorite gifts...well, I received a ceramic penguin tea set for one...it now resides on my "penguin" village table in the dining room. The person who gave it to me didn't even know I had a penguin collection new to our Christmas this year! Something about penguins always make me giggle.




The more I looked at it I became very aware at how much the middle one resembled Danny DeVito when he played Penguin in Batman Returns...now, I'm a little creeped out!

... and I just realized I need to go back through my boxes because the one of the right doesn't have a hat and I'm not sure if he's supposed to have one or not! Oh, man, it would be just like me to throw away his hat!

The other thing I wanted to do in this post is wish everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR! So, please read below and ponder into the new year about what others may see in you, I know I will be pondering it and asking for Christ's guidance along the way.

Harbingers of happiness, awake!

And dreams abandoned, return from restless sleep!

Past hopes, whom bitter wanderers forsake,

Promise once again what will might reap!

Years turn and turn, at each new turn reborn,

New imagined by redeemers new,

Each in turn vouchsafed a festive dawn,

Wind driven towards a sky of darker hue.

Yearning is of innocence a cause,

Embracing with delight what ought to be,

As once a year even truth takes pause,

Reflecting on what other eyes might see.

(by Nicholas Gordon @ poemsforfree.com)

Exodus 40:2 “Set up the Tabernacle on the first day of the new year.