An Expensive Day

Today Dan was called in for some volunteer work at the church, which left the kids and me to our own devices. Two of the many “To Do” items that didn’t get done this week were new glasses for Trevor and new tennis shoes for Sophia.

We got the shoes first, at Stride Rite. I should have gone to the outlet — and in fact had been tentatively planning to do so all summer — but just never got around to it and since it’s an hour’s drive from here and school starts Monday, there wasn’t any time. So instead of paying outlet prices, I paid $49 for Sophia’s new pink light up tennies. And as a favor to the consumers in this state, the government has waived sales tax, which saved me a whopping $2.45. Whoo hoo.

On to the eyeglass place. Trevor’s existing frames were fairly new, so I wanted to just get replacement lenses with his new prescription. They tell me that new lenses cost $200, so I might as well get new frames, which can be as little as $100. Okay. I send Trevor to look at what’s available and of course he picks the frames with the cool magnetic sunglass clips:

Care to guess how much those bad boys cost? Yep, $200. Fortunately, we’re getting reimbursed by insurance, which I am going to have to remember in two weeks when he loses the cool magnetic sunglass clips.

Then we go past a “cool store” that has a sale on boy’s backpacks — 25% off. Trevor wants a cool skateboarder backpack, and has for over a year. I looked into getting one for him once before but nearly passed out when I saw the prices ($60 was the average). Today for some reason I am feeling generous (apparently oblivious to the fact that I had just spent $250 in an hour), so I buy him a new “Element” backpack ($45 — don’t tell Dan!). Trevor promised me that he was going to get his act together this year, so I told him that every time he looks at that backpack, I want him to remember that he needs to do his best and be responsible.

So, then we head to Bed Bath & Beyond. The store opened over a year ago and I have resisted the temptation to go in there. Up until today. I’ve been on a quest to find a new clock for my kitchen that would fit in with my future Tuscan decor. I love this one from Target but it’s way too expensive for me. Anyway, BB&B was one of the few stores in town I hadn’t checked for a clock, so in I went. Good grief, what was I thinking?

I could have sworn I heard a chorus of angels singing as I walked in. So many cool gadgets! So many colors! So many neat and spiffy new things to make one’s life more stylish, not to mention easier! Fortunately, before I could wander too far off the beaten path, a sales clerk asked if she could help me find anything (I guess walking around with a dazed look and my mouth hanging open in awe was a sign that I needed some help). I told her I was looking for a kitchen clock and she walked me back to the clocks. I found this one which I bought and have already hung up in the kitchen. ($25)

Then I remembered that Dan and I need new sheets. We have two sets for our bed, and one of them has become threadbare. Chalk it up to mid-life crisis, but I was having a feeling similar to what I experienced last year when we were looking for a new vehicle. I wanted NICE sheets. Not the $25 set from Wal Mart, but something with a high thread count, maybe sateen, maybe Egyptian cotton. I found a set that I deemed to be the right color and while expensive (on sale for $70), it was not obscenely so. I haven’t put them on the bed yet but I can’t wait to try them out.

So, topping out at almost $400 total not counting lunch, it was a quite expensive day. This is why I don’t play suburban housewife and go trolling the mall very often… I can’t afford it! Next week I’ll be back at Goodwill and Salvation Army. 😉