Of course they don't have any!

Last night TheGuy and I went shopping for lamps. The plan was to go to Lowe's and look at the sets of lamps that come 4 to a box in the price range $50-100.

We went to the Lowe's nearest our house and we found a lamp set we liked, and it was on clearance for $55 for the set of 4: one nightlight, 2 table lamps, and one floor lamp. It was the right color scheme and we thought it would work.  It wasn't what I had in mind but the price was right and it wasn't ugly. This set even came with shades.

We "liked" the lamps but we weren't "excited" about them. Then we saw THE SHADES. The lamps shades that match my new ottoman: cream colored shades with charcoal gray cursive writing.  These were AWESOME! We tried the shades on the lamp set and they Fit! And it made the lamps look about a million times better! Okay, great! We had a plan. Except that the Lowe's we were at only had one shade and we needed three. The clerk helping us checked and said another Lowe's store 8 miles away had nine of them. Okay, great.

TheGuy and I bought the one shade. We didn't buy the set of lamps because we wanted to see if there were other styles that we might like better. We asked the clerk to check and the Lowe's we were going to had 6 lamp sets so we could get 2 more shades and the lamp set at Lowe's #2. Then we drove to the second Lowe's.

Oh but on the way we drove by a Home Depot- no lamp sets and all ugly shades.

At Lowe's #2 we found our amazing shades that matched the single one we bought a Lowe's #1. We also found the lamp sets. But in the row with the lamp sets, was a really cool lamp, of brushed silver pewter. It was just what I had originally wanted when we started lamp shopping. We had a big discussion. One table lamp with the script shade was going to be equal in price to the whole set of four, but it was REALLY what I wanted. It also didn't have a matching floor lamp. TheGuy and I went back and forth and we decided that it was worth the money to get what we really wanted. If changed our financial plan a little. We had the money to buy 3 shades and the set. With the increase of costs, we had enough money to get 2 lamps and 3 shades. Okay, no worries. We decided we would get three matching shades so they wouldn't get sold out. We also were going to buy two table lamps. We could go online and find a matching floor lamp later.

Only at Lowe's #2, they only had one of the silver table lamps and it was the one that was on display, and they wouldn't sell us that one. The sale's associate at Lowe's #2 checked to see what stores had another one. And.... yes.... you guessed it. Lowe's #1 had 3 in stock.

So, we bought 2 shades, then we drove the 8 miles back to Lowe's #1. Of course, the same guy was working in the lamp department and he chuckled when he saw us again. We have no idea why we didn't see these when we were there earlier; they were on display. So, we bought the other table lamp. Now, we have 2 lamps, and 3 shades. The third shade, if you're keeping track, is going to go on a floor lamp that we don't own yet. We need to find it.

So just a quick trip by Lowe's to look at lamp sets ended up in a 2.5 drive around the city to the big box style hardware stores.

But I gotta tell ya, these are really awesome lamps!

Maggie

A chair that was and a lounge that wasn't

It's really weird to start blogging on my laptop again. I have the Windows & Operating System and Word 10 and the Firefox---- none of which I know how to use. I literally didn't blog yesterday, not because I didn't have time, but because all the "new" scared me and just wore my brain out. If I had one of those new at a time and then figured it out, and then the next one, etc I might be okay but all three new at once, I just ended up frustrated and pissed off. So I didn't do anything. Then I thought I couldn't go 2 days without blogging unless I was dead or something worse, so I figured out enough to get here. So here I am.

After all that I feel like I should have something amazing and astounding to say but I really don't. At all.

I could tell you that yesterday morning Curly and I went rummage sale-ing and it was awesome. We got some really good stuff. I got a couple shirts and a tea cup. I found a bunch of books and a pretty cut glass bowl. I got a 6 foot long mesh bag thingy and I'm going to hang it in my room and keep scarves, hats, mittens, and the like in it. I got 2 DVDs (21 and National Treasure 2) and an oil bottle with a stopper.

There is a rummage sale story. I can tell you what I didn't get: an antique, pale pink and gold chenille and velvet chez lounge. I didn't get this beautiful and comfortable piece of furniture with the oak trim, hand carved scroll work, and lion's claw legs because a fellow rummager was a royal BITCH. Oh yes, she was.

I looked at it and sat on it and contemplated and talked to the proprietor of said sale. Then I called ITSam to get an opinion, and some money. Then I went to pay the guy for it, to write a check, when his adult son said it was sold. The son was working with one woman and I was working with the father and there was confusion. The father, I think, was going to make sure I got it since I was just adjusting my funding and securing a truck to get it. The woman got snippy with all of us (down right rude, actually) and then had it carried to her car immediately. It was not a pretty sight. And I didn't NOT get said chez lounge.

I was not happy but I got over it. Just made me mad. I was the first one and the first one gets dibs. We just confused our rummage sale hosts. But she's the one with the lounge and I'm not. Such is life. But damn it, I LOOK like I a siren who belongs draped across it and she looked like... a lump who couldn't glam if her life depended on it, in her gray ugly too small sweat pants in public, her Harry Cary Coke bottle glasses, and her 80s feathered perm- what the hell was SHE going to do with a belong-in-a-bordello chez lounge?

Reminds me of when I was a kid and the neighbors across the street had an auction. I was about 11 or 12 and it was the first auction I had ever been to in my life. I bought 2 pink velvet barrel chairs with Queen Anne legs. For $6.51. I was bidding and I was counting my change and I hollered that bid and everyone around laughed and the person bidding against me stopped and I go the chairs. So my friend Jenny and I carried them home, one at a time. I think my parents about had a cow. I thought they chairs were fancy and elegant. My parents thought they looked like Ms. Havisham cast offs! Never mind that the back was loose on one and dad had to reinforce a leg on the other. Never mind that when I sat on them, a *pouff* cloud of dust arose. Still, I put them in my room and sat on them for years.

Sometimes a sale is just a sale, other times it a furniture adventure!

Maggie

Random Monday musings

I have really big hair because of the humidity. I have no idea how to control it.

I agreed in a moment of weakness to watch The Hangover I with Mac tonight. Ugh!

I found out today that I'll get a raise of my summer school teaching pay- a dollar more an hour than last year, so I think I'll make about $14/ hour for teaching! (Hey Sam, I might just come down and see you after all!!!!!) I also agreed to teach an extra course so EXTRA money!!!!!!

OMG- Weight Watchers starts tomorrow.

OMG- Lilith and I are having a scrapbook night again tomorrow... this is a GOOD OMG. Not only are we scrapbooking together, we're seeing each other twice in 2 weeks. A new record!!! Pictures will be forthcoming.

Mac was helping move a piece of furniture of mine the other day. He said, "hey mom. The paint on this thing is all cracked and peeling and looks like shit. Why are we moving it? Can't we just throw it away?" I said, "It's supposed to look like that. It's called 'rustic'!" He said, "Oh so it's a cracked and peeling rustic looking piece of shit" and he hauled it to the garage, giggling to himself!

I love Fiji water. I would like to say it's because of the taste of the water, but in reality, if I'm completely honest, it's because of the square bottle.

ITSam and I had a fight so he wouldn't give me Netflix at work. Yeah, I know. So I revamped my entire lesson plans since my Classic Film History class started today. I was actually thrilled to be back at work and I have a really small class of all girls who LIKE to have discussion so it was a good day. We started talking about a classic movie is. Since it was the first day and I didn't want to scare them off, I showed part of Titanic and gave them the challenge to decide if it was a classic or not.

And that's all there is............
Maggie

Open your heart to me, baby you hold the lock and I have the key

So ITSam had very little furniture in his house and what he did have is really uncomfortable. Because of that I rarely liked to hang out there. We usually go somewhere or end up at my place, which is Daddy-O's house.

So I made an executive decision this week. I was going to get some of my furniture out of storage at my brother's place and stick it in ITSam's house. I weighed this carefully because we don't live together and we're not married; heck, we're technically not even engaged. I was worried that if I put my furniture in his apartment and we broke up I wouldn't get it back. I said that to him and he gave me a key to his place and signed an agreement similar to a pre-nup that I would get my stuff back.

Well, that took care of that.

My other fear was that he would eat on it. I hate it when furniture gets food and drink stains and since living with Daddy-O where we are NOT allowed to eat on the furniture, I've grown accustom to it. He said he wouldn't eat on it and wouldn't let his son either. Guess I just have to trust him on that.

So with the help of my brother and his access to a pick up truck, we moved some furniture last night. And holy cow, that an amazing change over!!!

There's no longer boxes as end tables and lawn furniture. The TV is no longer on the floor. There are other lamp options than the ceiling fixture. There's now a real love seat and a rocking chair recliner (thank you bro and SisIL for that bonus!!!). The TV is on a table. There are lamps on end tables. There's a lovely desk with a desk chair. The whole places looks awesome.

While Sam didn't have much in the way of "stuff" he's a clean freak so the place is always spotless and smells good, like cleaning products and there's always vacuum tracks. I never worried about things not being taken care of like that. So now with "real" furniture and his clean habits, the place is comfy. I think I'll be spending more time there.

After all, I have my own key.............

Maggie