Freeze Update!

Okay, it’s officially day three of the freeze. I toed the line like crazy yesterday with the task of hitting up several stores for household necessities. I squawked a bit, but overall, made it out without one new article of clothing. (The fact that I am still ripping price tags off the ones in my closet helps).

Destination Number One – Had to hit Wal-Mart for some materials to finish our budding dining room table. A period piece circa 2007, I found it scratched and neglected at Mazer’s in Birmingham. I recruited poor cousin Robert and his “I run to Kaney West” roommate Blake to stuff it into the back of a Trailblazer (moment of silence for the memory of the trailblazer, Rob) and lug it up three flights of concrete stairs where it would begin it’s stint of many conditions. Five months later, it clattered its way back down those concrete stairs, through the longest hallway ever to a new home, back through that hallway two years later, into multiple truck beds and tailgates and settled into a semi-permanent household where it quickly retired its dining roots and morphed into a lateral easel. But, oh it’s journey doesn’t stop there. Truck beds, storage units and one packed out garage later, it moved into our newlywed home, ready to boast my experimental cooking and host fabulous after-dinner drinking parties. Oh, except for the fact that it was edging on zebra-patterned rather than stark white, leaning slightly to the left on a weak leg and seemingly forever stained with year-old acrylic paint spills. Needless to say, these materials (sandpaper and Kilz) were an unavoidable expenditure. I certainly didn’t stop there, though. I needed wrapping paper to accomplish some future Mr. and Mrs. gifting and picked up a Mother’s Day card that I undoubtedly will misplace before Sunday.

Destination Number Two: The dreaded trips to Target are something that I only call dreaded to prove my sincerity in the spending freeze. I love Target. I could definitely take one of those challenges where you have to see how long you could live on only the items available in between the aisles. I also never get out of there shy of a bill peaking $100. In fact, I am probably lucky to get out at only $100. The goal for the day? I needed two more sets of gloriously soft standard pillow cases to fulfill Mike’s specific pillow order on the bed. (I’ve brought him 6 and he only sleeps on one). I will not lie – I (intensely) gazed at the women’s racks as I forced my feet to keep moving ahead, I combed through the shoe racks looking for the baby Converse sneakers I promised my sister-in-law they carried, and I begged the checkout aisle for something I needed at the last minute. BUT – determination prevailed and I walked out of Target (for just about the first time ever) with only the items I came in for. Pat. On. The. Back.

Destination Number Three: Okay, this is where I may have slipped. But only a little, and not without justification. Bed, Bath & Beyond. A store MADE for newlyweds, especially ones with new homes. And even though we’ve successfully stocked our new home to it’s absolute capacity, there still seems to be things we need. I went in for a drying mat, a Euro-sized pillow and chip clips. I left with all of those things plus a set of three silicone spatulas, a pasta straining spoon (right from the boiling pot!), a paper towel holder, a spoon rest (it’s gorgeous, and I forgot that I should have put that on the list in the first place) and a jar opener (it’s super nifty). The good news and my saving grace is that this trip gets excused by the skin of my gift cards. Whew.

Destination Number Four. I know, I have set up too many temptations for one day. But, God shone down on me (in the form of hard, ridiculous rain) and sent me to Old Navy without any good reason to shop for my return. Despite an umbrella, my ankles were wet, my arms were cold and my umbrella way to drippy to drag it through the store. I went in. I returned. I went out. Small celebration.

So, this sets me up for a week with absolutely no reason to go back into any retail store whatsoever. I’ve got Mother’s Day on lockdown, coupons to lessen that blow and a large craft project (the table) with a Friday deadline. Wish me luck! It’s a week in debt, spent indoors with dollar signs out of sight.