2.5.17 – Day 35 – Today was a real mixed bag.  I was happy that my son stayed over. Grumpy because he left a mess in the kitchen and then cranky because I wouldn’t be cooking any Super Bowl munchies to share with friends or family while rooting for our team because my team wasn’t playing.  Pfft. It’s football.  I missed cooking party foods and having people shouting at the TV.  Instead I sorted through the pile of fix-’em-or-toss-’em clothes, salvaged two things that I really do want to wear and bagged the rest for the ARC store.

I haven’t written anything about this here but in the efforts to minimize and be happy, I saved $150 last month.  Go me.  Well, sort of.  Last night I was bored and was sucked into a reflex action–I shopped.  I told myself it was all good because I am a champion bargain shopper.  I bought a used copy of Crones Don’t Whine because I can’t think of anyone who needs it more than me.  I bought a decal for the car.  And then in the land of it feels good to buy duplicates, I bought shampoo and conditioner that are designed to make my grey-streaked hair dazzling.  I spent $35 and when I woke up this morning to notices that my packages had shipped, I honestly couldn’t remember all of the items.  It led to some introspection about what I do by rote and what I do because I love it, because it inspires me, because it’s creative.  Then, perhaps to get rid of evidence of duplicates and with some self-flagellation in mind, I shampooed the dogs.  I’m not sure if I’ve described them here but to make sure you can smell the wet dog scent fully, they are a very big golden retriever, a miniature wire-haired dachshund, and a boxer/pit bull mix who is more reluctant to bathe than any 11 year-old boy.

About the time I had finished the last 3 chapters of the novel I was reading, my son came home from work. While his dinner warmed I enlisted him in a 10-minute challenge.  I have about 50 handbags.  It’s ridiculous.  I had him pull them all out and hold them up.  I forced myself to make instant choices and it really wasn’t that difficult.  I haven’t counted but I think there are about 15-18 left. And this is the part where I get to really love the discards.  I’m putting a book, items from my trove of shampoos and hand lotions, and a few things I will purchase (without guilt) like EmergenC, aspirin, granola bars and such.  Each bag gets some and each bag will be left at a bus stop, or shelter or other place where I know a woman will find them.  It’s the kind of creative mischief, the kind of mixed bag, I like.