$13.92

On Tuesday, I spent $13.92.

When I totaled the original prices on the items I had purchased, it added up to $665.00.......before tax! That's not stretching the truth one little bit.  Frank will verify.

For many years I've drooled over the catalogs put out by a clothing store known as Coldwater Creek. Somehow they had my address although I had never shopped there.  I would sit sipping a cup of tea, slowly turning the pages and finding one or more items on each page that I would dearly love to own.

They dearly loved their clothing line too!  The prices were exorbitant for my budget.  And I could never justify purchasing anything they offered.

Until.......I discovered the Coldwater Creek Outlet online.

At this online location, one could sometimes discover items for 75% off.  And twice a year, they offered free shipping.  Thus began my occasional indulgence.

One Mother's Day, my entire family chipped in to provide a gift card to the Drooling Store.  (Remember it was I who drooled, not the store!)

The girls went with me to spend the card and what a time we had!  We arrived just an hour before closing time.  The store was empty except for the workers.

By the time we left, both associates had gotten involved in the excitement of helping "MOM" try on and select items she wouldn't normally choose. They "located" a couple of extra coupons helping buy more than my gift card alone would have allowed.

Such a great memory!

Imagine my sadness when word got around that Coldwater Creek would be closing forever.

I went straight to the online outlet site but purchased nothing because they were now charging too much for shipping.  Sad Day!

Fast forward to Tuesday.  I had a meeting in Lakeland and actually arrived about twenty minutes early.  I'd heard it was the last day of existence for my drooling store.  Everything left would be marked 90% off.

I decided to swing by on my way to the meeting and just see what remained.  Four paltry racks of extremely tiny and extremely large sizes hung forlornly in the center of the store.

I thumbed through and saw only one item of possible interest.  After all, 90% off a hundred is still $10.00. 

Then a lady beside me said, "You know everything here is just $5.00, right?"

No, I did not know.  I started looking a little more closely.  Perhaps something had escaped my attention.

Just then, I spotted a friend.  "Amy, do you think this fits me?"  I had slipped on the black shrug.  "I think it looks fine."  She responded.

That's when it happened.

The associate behind the check out desk raised her voice announcing very clearly, "Alright ladies, everything is now $2.00!"

Amy and I looked at one another!  A shot of adrenaline hit our veins! We suddenly decided that the black shrug looked AH-MAZING!!

I reached for a dress I would never have considered paying $149.00 to purchase.  But for $2.00?!  If it even remotely fit, how could I leave it hanging there?

Emily (Amy's daughter) helped me zip it up over my clothes.  Her bargain-savvy, teen-aged eyes lit up.

"Cute!"  she proclaimed.

"Sold!" I shouted.

We diligently poured back over the racks of clothing that had looked so much less appealing at $5.00.

The few pieces of jewelry left had been marked to $1.00.  I showed Amy a necklace I had snagged.  We laughed when she held up its twin that she intended to buy.

"Great stocking stuffers," she said.

"Oh, Amy!"  I hadn't thought of that.  "Emily, will you run back over there and grab three more for my girls?"  She did actually run.

We were women on a mission and it was exhilarating!

Now, Frank often asked me through the years, "Why do women tell how little they pay for items?  I just don't understand!"  It's a mystery to him.

Lady One:  "Oh, I love those little red shoes you're wearing!"

Lady Two:  "Thanks!  I only paid $10.00 for these last week at the 'such-and-such' clearance sale!"

Lady One:  "No Way!  What a steal!"

Finally, I hit on an illustration to explain the mystery.

"Honey," in my most-patient-teacher-voice. "Do you know how men go hunting and they shoot a bear or deer or lion?  When they return from the trip, what do they do with the head of that animal?"

"They mount it on the wall." (He resisted saying "Of course!" but that's what he meant.)

Me:  "And why would you mount the head of a dead animal on your wall?!"

Frank:  "So people can see what a great hunter you are!"

Me:  "Exactly!  And that's why women tell what they spent for a bargain.  It's our way of showing what great hunters we are!!"

My $665.00 shopping spree that cost $13.92 will probably be remembered as The Great Safari of 2014!

Just thought it would make you smile today.  Have a blessed weekend!