Today here in the Midwest we are having a "snow day", which means no school(great for teachers), lots of snow(at least 7 inches), wind(swirling snow drifts everywhere), ice ice baby and lump it all together and you get a Level 3 from our local sheriff's department. Translation...stay off the roads!!!
Twenty five years ago, a "snow day" scene in my house with my 2 kids would have gone something like this..."Mom, can we go out and build a snowman?", "Mom, can we invited friends over to play?", "Mom, what's for lunch?", and then my favorite..."Mom, we're bored!!!" Yes memories of the old days tend to warm my heart, bring a joyous smile to my face and a little tear to my eye. And now fast forward to the present when there is a "snow day", and this is what it means...a day off from work(yes!!!), get into leisure mode, stay in jammies all morning and slowly work yourself into afternoon and evening mode... kinda like a "Norman Rockwell" scene.
Some will say that a fresh snowfall is breathtakingly beautiful, the trees, rooftops and sidewalks dusted with snowflakes, winter birds grazing the bird feeders and the nighttime moon shining beams down on the snow...hold it right there!!! Give me a lounge chair, an ice tea and a view of the beach in St. Thomas and that is how I would like to spend my winter...nuff said!!!
Speaking of cold...onto the red hot bargains I have found on my "happy trails" of shopping. Jumping right into it, SteinMart, 2 deals worth bragging about. First one is a great vest I have had my eye on for months. It looks VERY handmade, very "bought at an art show" look to it. Lots of patchwork knitted together with yarns of fall colors and a hint of glitter all through. The vest retails for $66, SteinMart price was $34.99, on sale for $25,99 and then 25% off brings it down to $19.45...home it goes with me. And how can I pass on a BOBS shoe deal? I can't!!! This pair of BOBS retails for $50, SteinMart price $39.94 and on sale for $19.97. Well, hey I can always use another pair of BOBS !!! (spoken from someone with an addiction to Bob).
Onto JCP...you can't go wrong with a pair of Liz Claiborne corduroy pants, a beautiful richly ruby color, sits on the waist and nicely fitted through hips and thighs with a straight leg. Retail...$40, marked down to 19.99 and again to $9.99. The cashier also confirmed to me what a great bargain it was...thanks!!! Okay I will take the $30.03 savings, yes I love when that happens!!!
And now for a famous saying..."I'm saving the best for last." At Dillards... picture a beautiful short chocolate brown leather coat with short ruffles around the arm cuffs and bottom. Two pockets and a zipper down the front. The coat is not real leather, but it FEELS so soft and supple and it LOOKS SO REAL. It is a perfect fit and is designed to wear with jeans...very casual, very stylish and very sporty. It retails for $59 and was on sale for $20.65. Passing this coat up was certainly not an option for me!!! There is always room in my coat closet for just one more!!!
So let the snow fall, let the wind blow, (I guess the ice could melt), as long as my Jeep can get me through any Level 3, I will still continue to blaze the trail to the bargains, I will still fight the elements to fulfill my need for bargains and I will still brave the cold temperatures so a good bargain does not go unseen by me. Trying to tame Mother Nature, she can play hard but...let's pull back the reins, ignore what the groundhog said and pray spring does not forget about us!!!
