BLACK FRIDAY

Husband struck out early to enter the competition for Christmas bargains known as Black Friday.  I wished him well and stayed home since I stopped Christmas shopping a few years ago.  It finally dawned on me that shopping had absolutely nothing to do with Christmas.  Just because three wise men brought three gifts to Baby Jesus does not require the whole world to repeat the process annually.

When he returned he had purchased a saw at a $60.00 saving.  Husband is a compulsive coupon clipper and has a wallet exclusively for his wad of paper treasures.  My task is to keep a hawk eye on the register monitor and catch every "failure to enter" the promoted and displayed sale price.  And I am good.  Needless to say, the checkers remember me, even though none of the errors are their fault.

Below are items Husband got from Harbor Freight Tools at a savings of $18.48, paying only $2.61.  He was so excited he had to show me the receipt.

Behold a Pittsburgh Quickfind Tapemeasure

a plumber's brush

multipurpose scissors

and a 3.5" mini flashlight

He came home the other day with a laser-gun thermometer, which he uses to detect cold air entering the house.  What a guy.

I know you are all out there envying me, dreaming that you had a super shopper/dreamboat like mine.  Hang in there because surely there is one more out there somewhere.  Try Colorado.

  

When we were younger, but nevertheless thrifty

THANKSGIVING

I am thankful for life, love and the pursuit of awesomeness.

For Daughter I and Her Glorious Brood

For Daughter II and Her Atlanta Good Life

And For Daughter III and Her Irrepressible Curiosity

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

HOLD THAT POSE!

I'm sitting on the sofa with my slacks down around my ankles watching "The Enchanted Cottage," while making notes on the back of a receipt from the veterinarian for the purchase of special requirement cat food  How did this come to be?

    1.  I hit my knee on Husband's beloved trailer hitch when removing groceries from the car.

    2.  Since my pants leg would not pull up to reveal the injury, I pulled down my pants and sat on the sofa to examine it.

    3.  The television happened to be playing one of my favorite movies from 1945, "The Enchanted Cottage," starring Robert young and Dorothy McGuire, which instantly involved my thinking.

Dorothy McGuire as the homely heroine

    4.  Before you conclude that I am having an erotic interlude with myself, know that this was simply a convergence of independent events that sound all too incriminating.

    5.  At that moment I began to have a word storm descend upon me in said position.  Hence I am writing with legs crossed, pants down, and attention diverted by the story of love's soft assurance and triumph over the world's most cruel tragedies...homeliness and disfigurement.  This long ago story had a low threshold for measuring misfortune and failed to capture my appreciation of such sad affliction; however the intention of it resonates with me.

Robert Young as the disfigured WWII serviceman

 RKO's "The Enchanted Cottage" is about two physically repulsive people finding euphoric perfection while occupying the magic space of an English cottage.  An introvert's dream scenario of us against the world happens in a cocoon warding off criticism, pity and condescension; oh and perfectly illustrating the transcendent power of love.  See it in a theater near you 68 years ago.

The couple as they saw themselves through the eyes of love

MEMORIES OF SUMMER

Autumn has slowly slipped into our lives, leaving summer only in our fading recollection.  Here are a few sights that were familiar outside my door only a few weeks ago.

My zinnias blooming around the deck

My garden with chest high tomatoes and waist high basil and peppers

Butterflies enjoying a taste of nectar

And sensing they had to take advantage of the time left

The place for summer relaxing in its final moments

The dogwood trees have red leaves now, soon to be shed

Welcome, Autumn!