Sunday Night Chit Chat: Insult & Injury

Hey Humble Readers...

This week has been a challenge, that's for sure. 

AF did indeed show up, on time, just as she was supposed to (and was always likely to... both partners having had 'procedures' done will generally ensure that), but I was still relieved anyway when she showed up.  The after-effects of that dream took a couple of days to shake.

The problem is, on top of the usual joy of cramps, bloating, and pms-craziness... we all got sick.  All of us.  That never happens.  Usually, it's just me and one or both of the wee-lings.  This time, even my Beloved has succumbed.  And in case you don't recall, I just got over the prolonged crud less than a month ago.  Snot abounds in the hobbit-hole.  Yay us!  Oh yeah, and my eye won't stop twitching.  Fun times. 

No news on the weightloss front, but I did have to break down and buy new shoes... AGAIN.  My baby toes were bruised and blistered beyond recognition, and given the whole big D situation, I'm more concerned with the health of my feet than with the state of our bank account.  Ok, I actually feel sick about the money I've spent on shoes in the last month or so, but I don't want to risk damage to my feet. 

I know I still haven't posted about our trip to the Big City to the South.  But I want to tell you about one of my shopping victories while we were there.  I have been in need of a new purse for a while.  I'm not someone who buys a new handbag on a whim, or very often.  The one that I had until recently has been in continual use since 2009.  It was a good bag (Fossil), and served my purposes, but it was looking very tired.  Thus began the great purse search of 2013. 

I'm picky when it comes to purses.  It has to be durable, with a number of pockets for my keys and phone (I hate the vast abyss bags), something that is generally neutral, and absolutely no gold or brass coloured do-dads.  Oh, and it has to be big enough to hold whatever book I'm currently reading. 

I searched and searched... shoe stores, bag stores, department stores, online stores, Pinterest.  I kept coming up against the same problem.  The only handbags I liked were obscenely expensive.  We're talking Coach, Burberry, Michael Kors expensive.  Nothing else came close to being what I was looking for. 

Throughout our whole weekend in the Big City, I kept my eyes open for something that might fit the bill.  It wasn't until we stopped at a large mall just outside the Big City that the miraculous happened.  We got to there a little early (forgot about holiday hours), and we were just killing a little time wandering down the mall.  I saw a line forming in the middle of the walkway, and I had to check it out.  This particular mall had a Coach factory store, and this particular Coach factory store was having a 50% off the lowest price sale. 

When they opened, we joined the crowd, and I swore I was just going to check it out.  Until I saw this...

please forgive the setting... the kitchen had the best lighting

And I fell in love.  It meets all my criteria.  The price tag said $349.  The sign on the shelf said $199.  And with the sale they had on, I paid $99.  Woohoo!  I can totally justify that for a purse that is likely going last me for three or four years.  I love it!

Anyway, onto this week's Chit Chat.  Here's what I'm...

Reading... The Keeper Chronicles: Playing With Fire by JR Vikse!  :) 

It arrived about mid-week, and I'm now 3/4 of the way through.  I'm not going to share any of my thoughts on it just yet.  Watch for my review and the second part of my interview with JR later next week.  On deck: Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith/JK Rowling. 

Watching... Nothing really, my Beloved is watching Mythbusters.  Although, seeing as my dvr is now full of Doctor Who episodes, I should probably be thinning those out a bit.  Last week I watched the first season of Boardwalk Empire, and the usual HBO gratuitous sex and language notwithstanding, it was really good.  Looking forward to seeing the second season.  Steve Buscemi is awesome!

Listening to... The Mythbusters intro music.

Cooking/Baking... Tonight was 40 Clove Garlic Chicken (in the slowcooker).  So yummy.  Served with mashed taters, and sautéed kale & tomatoes.  This next week is going to be a busy one for my little kitchen.  I'm making big batches of marinara sauce, pesto sauce, and plum freezer jam.  I'm also going to be drying my thyme that I grew on my balcony this summer. 

Happy I Accomplished This Week... Ummmm.... I got all the laundry folded and put away before it was time to start doing laundry again.  Does that count as an accomplishment?  Oh, and I went through the wee-lings' clothes and got rid of everything that was too small (including all but one pair of Ginny's shoes).  And started my Christmas shopping. 

Looking Forward To Next Week...  All the cooking I'm going to be doing.  Getting back to a really regular exercise routine.  Moving that number on the scale!  My birthday...

Thankful For...  an epiphany about what I'm going to do for exercise during the winter.  I'm not going to go into detail yet, but I hope it works out. 

***Bonus Question*** Do you still have on your air conditioning or have you kicked in the heat already?  Ok, first, we don't have A/C in the hobbit hole.  We have fans (one of which we burned out this summer)... and they are still running on low most days.  I'm sure that will change next week as the autumn weather is supposed to set in mid-week.  As for the furnace, I'm a cheapskate.  I won't turn it on until we absolutely need to.  My goal is to get through October without needing it. 

*****
This was posted as a part of Carla's Sunday Night Chit Chat.  Pop over and check out what others are chatting about tonight.