07.01.10 / Uncategorized / Author: TWGranE / Comments: (0)
Tags: clearance sale lay a-way Christmas bike cold bargain blessing
I witnessed an after-Christmas blessing.
A couple days after Christmas, I started the cold engine of my cold car on a very cold December evening to pick up my daughter at her workplace. Did I mention it was cold? And snowing.
Well, having a white Christmas is magical; going out in it at night not so much.
Anyway, I arrived just in time to see the last shoppers exiting the store. You know the ones who are escorted out while the lights are being turned off behind them, while the money drawer is being taken out and the locks are being turned as they proceed out the big double doors.
I am parked right up front in the official “Your mom’s freezing out here, hurry and count your drawer” lane. I have the perfect vantage point for watching these late-night shoppers.
They are cute, a little old lady and a young boy about 8 years old. Oh, how sweet. A grandma and a grandson — and what are they struggling with? A bike!
It’s then that I notice their expressions. Both the grandma and the grandson are absolutely bubbling over with excitement. I would go so far as to classify their expressions as pure joy. They are smiling from ear to ear, beaming like on an Orbit gum commercial.
They are flitting around her rather small car, quickly rejecting the trunk then moving on to the backseat, working together from both sides of the car to wedge the brand new silver bullet bike behind the front seats. I can’t hear them, but I can see they are talking rapidly.
Seems like Granny and youngster make a pretty good team because they are out of the parking lot before my daughter is clocked out.
She said: “Thanks and sorry you had to wait, but I set up a lay-away (Yes, Virginia, lay-away still exists in small town America) for that lady and her grandson, but then the bike rang up at clearance price of $36 and she had a gift certificate for $20, and she said, ‘Oh, we can buy that bike today!’
“So I had to call in a supervisor to cancel the lay-away and then start the process all over. But it was all worth it, because they were so happy. I think that little boy would have ridden that bike all the way home if it weren’t dark and snowing.”
Yes, finding a good deal is exciting, but watching someone else be blessed with a bargain is heartwarming.
31.12.09 / Uncategorized / Author: TWGranE / Comments: (0)
Tags: Domestic Violence, facebook, Hope, men, New Year., Shelters
New Hope, New Year.
Being stripped of all your possessions and facing the risk losing your children is perhaps the most hopeless situation I could imagine. But women and men who choose life over everything else and gain the courage to leave an abusive relationship, could easily find themselves feeling hopeless.
There is HOPE when you realize you are in a situation you don’t deserve.
There is HOPE when you call a friend, a relative, a domestic violence organization.
There is HOPE when you start to live the quality of life you deserve.
This year, give a little hope.
It costs nothing to listen, educate yourself so you can educate your friend. Shelters operate on shoestring budgets allowing your financial contributions to truly make a difference. OR, if you are like me, thrifty is as thrifty does. Although I watch what I buy and try to get the best deal, there are times when I do have something I do not need. Sometimes I find such unbelievable deals that my BUY instinct reacts faster then the NEED instinct.
Check with your local shelter to see what is on its wish list.
Our local shelter has simple things listed that everyone can contribute: www.wtcskansas.org
Increase awareness in domestic violence against men. Please join me in celebrating ALLAN’S DAY — December 31 on Facebook.
Let’s work together so everyone can have a Happy New Year.
22.12.09 / Uncategorized / Author: TWGranE / Comments: (0)
Tags: Christmas, Crafts, Dough ornaments, Garage Sales, pinecones, Victorian
Have a Victorian Christmas:
Lace dresses, black top hats, Christmas caroling, evergreen boughs, homespun fancy work for gifts, story telling by candlelight, perhaps a game of charades. All of these things are CHEAP!
Let’s do the Victorian breakdown:
- Lace dresses — 25¢ to $5 at garage sales and thrift stores
- Black top hats — Tricky one, but do-able. I found a magic hat at the local thrift store and bought it to put on a snow man, but how easy is it to make one out of construction paper! I’ll allow $1 to $5 for that one.
- Christmas caroling — FREE
- Evergreen bough — FREE; Be sure to ask your neighbor’s permission first!
- Homespun fancy work — I picked up cross stitch kits all summer long to keep me busy this winter, my girls will be fighting over that candlewick pillow! 25¢ to $5
- Story telling by candlelight — I hope you picked up the apple and fall candles at your local Dollar General when they went to 90% off. (I tweeted about it! TWGranE) $1, at the most!
- Game of charades — FREE. Granted a couple of glasses of egg nog would get the party started with the caroling, story telling and charades, so I’ll allow an extra $10 to make it extra spicy.
There you go. An authentic Victorian Christmas full of mirth, family fun and good scents (and cents, and even sense) for $26!
More on Victorian decorations:
GREENERY
Many Victorians could not afford to spend money on decorations. They made their decorations primarily from greenery adorned with ribbons and dried flowers. They signified good luck and the renewal of life, and they warded off evil spirits.
DOUGH ORNAMENTS
3 c. flour
3/4 c. salt
3/4 tsp powdered alum
1 1/4 c water
Bake and set for 24 hrs.
PINE CONE TREES
Glue pine cones to stiff cardboard or inside a decorated shoe box lying on its side. Adorn with small beads, cranberries, glitter — whatever is in your never ending craft drawer!
17.12.09 / Uncategorized / Author: TWGranE / Comments: (0)
Tags: angels, Christmas, church, entertainment, germs, holidays
Money, gas, time are all serious setbacks to my family in seeking holiday entertainment. Are we missing something here?
I am going to go ahead and hit the religious button (never talk religion, politics, age or weight).
For outstanding drama and comedy — and to set the scene of a non-material, true meaning of Christmas — there is no better choice than a local church Christmas program. PLUS, who doesn’t like Christmas songs?
I usually laugh and cry through these programs as I see the nervous Sunday school teacher try to keep Joseph from kicking the wise men and trying to keep everybody’s halos and wings on straight. Most of these kids should have a slightly tilted halo!
Let’s run down the excuses for NOT going:
1) Everyone looks down on me because I am not a regular member.
I know those looks from the corner of the eye, but are you going to tell me that you don’t get those standing in line at the grocery store? It doesn’t keep you from eating, does it?
2) I have nothing nice to wear!
Hmmm. In all the likenesses of Jesus I’ve seen, He was in a robe. I am NOT advising to show up in your robe or slippers, but, honestly, that is one poor excuse.
3) I need that time to fix our big family breakfast and lunch.
Oh, you’ll love this answer: Check with the churches for those that are having a big potluck afterward. I don’t think there is a better potluck you can home in on than the diversity of a church potluck. Please don’t be a schmuck, take something to contribute.
4) I am a germaphobic, and I am scared I’ll have to shake someone’s hand!
It’s the year of H1N1 there are bottles of hand sanitizer EVERYWHERE. Call ahead or slip a bottle in your robe pocket.
5) I hate it when the collection plate comes around.
Again, do what you can do. If you ain’t got it, that same church is probably funding community projects to help you!
15.12.09 / Uncategorized / Author: TWGranE / Comments: (0)
Tags: Christmas Gifts Electronics Simple
Say NO to ELO.
(Oh no not another flashback story, Granny!)
Well some of the lyrics to “Don’t Bring Me Down” are fitting for my simple tip, but I am not referring to Electric Light Orchestra. I’m using their acronym to point the way to keeping within your Christmas budget.
Say NO to Electronics, little ones!
I know as children get older it is harder and harder to keep their gifts in budget. They all NEED big ticket items. But you can do what’s best for your little ones by shying away from the big ticket electronic games and gadgets.
Say YES to active and cuddly items that you remember loving as a child. They have not gone out of style. Bikes, scooters, pogo sticks, dolls, Teddy bears, blankets, pillows, pajamas, and fuzzy pink house shoes all cost less than virtual hamsters and dress-up MP3 players. Isn’t that want you do with dolls? Why are we buying dress-up clothes for cell phones and other electronics?
The inter-active video games I haven’t grasped yet. Maybe it’s because I can’t afford one, but don’t we all have that tiny thought in the back of our minds that it would be better for our children and ourselves — on all kinds of levels — to actually meet up with a friend and play tennis or take the family on a trip to the bowling alley?
I’ll leave you with some lyrics from the 1983 ELO song “Don’t Bring Me Down.” You can draw your own correlation to the world of electronics versus real old-fashioned practical gifts.
You got me runnin goin OUT OF MY MIND,
You got me thinkin that I’m WASTING MY TIME
Don’t bring me down, no no no no no
What happened to the girl I used to know
You let your MIND OUT somewhere down the road
Don’t bring me down, no no no no no
I’ll tell you once more before I get off the floor
Don’t bring me down.
