In a word, yesterday was expensive.
Back from my summer camp week – more on that later – I met a
friend at the Tyson’s Corner mall, which is a huge, fancy schmancy mall that’s
(thankfully) on the metro line. The trip itself took about half an hour and
cost $3.40, but it was a drop in the bucket compared to what I’d eventually
spend.
Heading out, I swear I really did need a bra, and like LL
Bean’s Perfect Fit Pants to much (I wear a different color each day at work) that
I wanted to get a pair of the capris. But that was all I planned on, and,
honestly, the bra was an iffy purchase. I still can’t get my arm around my back
so I wanted a front-closure one but they’re such a pain to buy.
The plan had been to meet up with a friend around 2, and
while on the metro, she mentioned Victoria’s Secret had bras on sale. Not
having any memory of the layout of the mall, I suggested meeting there around
2:15. The Internet wasn’t playing fair and she didn’t get the message until
much later, after I’d located Vicky’s and was ensconced in bra-shopping.
The mall was teaming with people, and I swear 30 percent of
them were in the store. It was absolutely packed, perhaps drawn in by the $35
bra sale. I’m pretty claustrophobic and had to control breathing to go in,
searching for front-closure bras. Not much to choose from, but once in the “sports”
section, I saw one and immediately salesperson asked if I needed help. I
explained the situation and she asked what size. I guess I stammered and she
offered to measure me. Sure thing.
Well, turns out I’ve been doing it wrong. She said I had
D-cups and I almost choked. Really? I just had to laugh. But in the end, holy
smokes, it worked. Of course, “in the end” was a full 45 minutes, three changes
of close and, no kidding, about eight different salespeople later, I walked out
with two bras that, even on sale, are the most expensive things in my wardrobe.
That started a cascade of shopping, which I normally hate,
but I’d met up with my friend and it made it tolerable. She found a dress for a
wedding -- $20! – and stalked LL Bean like there was no tomorrow. I found the
one color Perfect Fit Pants that I didn’t have but had trouble finding the
capris. After asking in the shoe section -- $90 boat shoes for $35! – I learned
that if they had any, they’d be in the clearance section. I’d hit the
clearances but not really the pants since I’m almost set there. I really need
shirts.
Anyway, lo and behold, a pair of $40 Perfect Fit Capris lay
waiting. They were $15 before the extra 25 percent off. So, somewhere in the
$186 that I gave to LL Bean, I got the one pair of pants that I wanted,
drastically on sale.
I’m running out of shampoo and I really J.R. Liggett’s but
Whole Foods, darn them, don’t sell it anymore. I’ve ordered some but don’t have
it yet, so I thought what the heck, I’d buy a bar of Lush’s and see how that
worked. Of course it’s staggeringly expensive (and not on sale) and they have a
separate conditioner bar. Twenty-eight dollars for four months of shampoo and
probably a year of conditioner. I don’t
think that’s good, but I splurged.
Eddie Bauer also had a 50 percent off thing going and I
finally got some trail pants that I wanted but don’t really need, plus some
socks and a green shirt. I love green but don’t have much.
Couldn’t find a 2019 calendar at either of the dollar-ish
stores I went in but found stuff I wanted in each, and, to top everything off,
I’m going to two parties this weekend so I went and bought something to bring
to each of them. And, mental note: cupcakes really should be kept top side up.
They’re no longer pretty.
I haven’t checked with American Express to see the damage that
I did, but it was substantial. Now I am going to have to ship a box to myself,
I think, because I don’t have room in my bag to take them. And I learned I need
a watch battery late in the day so that’ll have to get fixed later.
The splurge came off of a week of “summer camp.” Really, it
wasn’t that, but a five-day class. It’s not in DC proper, so large group of
people get transported in what are essentially modified school busses, split
into groups and given a program for the week. It really smacks of summer camp,
but of course it’s a work program. No crayons of kumbaya involved, although I
think at one point, karaoke was an unofficial option for one evening. It’s just
kind of funny because there’s even a color-coded bracelet and an end-of-camp
event, so to speak, on Friday.
And now school begins again. I still have a couple of weeks
remaining here before I head off to the real program, and I’m glad to have
Labor Day (and football season) here.
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