SCORE!!

It was nearly 80 degrees today. We are supposed to get a "cold front" tomorrow, which will drop the temps to a brisk 74. Sigh. I spent the morning at a seminar scheduled by my future office. It was useful and it felt good to feel at least somewhat part of an office again. I am still waiting for the state to send me my golden ticket to sit for the state exam. My application was approved last week, so it ought to show up by Friday or Saturday, I hope, then I have to schedule it, and then, barring totally fucking up on an exam for the first time in my life, I will be working again for reals. In the meantime, the nice folks at my future office have invited me to attend training and useful stuff. So that's that. But this is not about that - this is about my recent burst of shopping. I was making the bed the other day and realized that I do not own sheets without holes, and the rather colorless matelasse bedspread in this photo from Christmas

is about 20 years old, as well as colorless. I was raised Catholic back when there were actual convents with nuns associated with parochial schools, and was struck by how my room looked exceedingly tidy and convent-like. Not exactly the look I was going for. I had a 20% off coupon from Bed Bath and Beyond, and dammit, I am a grownup and I need sheets without holes and a bedspread with some color! And so I went forth in search of both, and came back with...basically the same matelasse coverlet, but in a different color, and with shams! And also throw pillows. That throw pillow with the embroidered hummingbird is the most expensive throw pillow I ever bought in my life ($29.99 - 20%) but I had to have it. (Don't tell Higgins. He will suddenly take to sleeping on my bed and find a reason to puke directly on the embroidered portions.)

So, what can I say? I like those light coverlets for a lot of really solid reasons. My bed has a footboard, which eliminates a conventional bedspread. It's nearly 80 degrees on January 10th, so those comforter sets are basically useless - it is almost never cold enough to use a comforter, so it's $200 spent on something that will be tossed to the floor for the dogs to snuggle in. A coverlet like this is the best solution I've found, and it has color, and I even added throw pillows like a grownup ladyperson! Yes, the walls need colorful art, and eventually there will be a warmer color paint and different flooring, but for now, throw pillows are a step in the right direction. (I know that wall in the photo looks like a creamy tan, but it's actually white. My camera is as old and cranky as my cat.)

But wait, there's more! I arrived early for today's seminar and had time to check my email and peruse Facebook, and also notice how my leather satchel bag was looking really "broken-in." Bordering on shabby, I'd say - I am still fond of it, but yeah, it has given its all for the cause. I've been looking for a replacement bag, off and on, but I didn't find anything that won my heart. I have Rules about bags - a biggie is that it must have a quick-access open pocket on the outside for my phone and glasses, and that pocket must be deep enough that said phone will not strike the pavement unexpectedly if I am clumsy. I like the bags with the pockets on the ends - one pocket gets the smartphone, the other, the sunglasses. And I suddenly remembered bags I'd seen before Christmas at Bealls. I wasn't in a purse-shopping mode that day so I just sort of glanced at them and kept going, but I remembered. So I went back today, and found that they were both on sale and nearly sold out. But they had the one that I'd admired - just one left - and it was 40% off, plus I got an extra 15% because it's "Over 50 discount day" or whatever they call it. Bealls Florida:Lily Bloom Secret Garden Satchel Handbag It's lightweight, roomy, fun, made from recycled plastic bottles, and a bargain! What's not to love?

Judging from Facebook and the few blogs I still read these days, all the cool kids (including Cousin C) are watching Downton Abbey. So glad it's streaming on Netflix. We are supposed to have a messy, rainy day tomorrow - I think I'll alternate bursts of studying for the state exam with episodes from the first season, so I can catch up.