Tuesday’s Shoes

After dinking around with a Dillard’s gift card that didn’t work out, Jerry wound up giving me $100.00 for Christmas, and I knew right away what I would buy with those sweet dollars; new dress boots. Rebecca and I went shopping the Monday after Christmas, and at Nordstrom’s Rack she found a perfect pair of boots for herself. I? Nothing. Well, nothing in the line of boots, but at Hobby Lobby where all Christmas items were reduced by 80%, I garnered quite a collection of items until finally I was pushing about a heaped up shopping cart.

A couple of days ago, I was feeling the urge to get out and find my boots, thinking of the after Christmas sales that would be slipping away and such as that, so on Tuesday in our trusty white Jeep I headed down the hill with DSW in Redlands in mind. By email they had sent me a $10.00 credit, and I’ve had luck finding what I needed there before.

I had the clearance rack in mind so I headed toward the back of the store where it is situated, choosing on my way to walk down the aisle where the boots are displayed. I stopped to peer at a couple of styles that interested me, keeping them in mind as I pointed my size 7s toward the bargain area.

No doubt I have blogged before about scripture that indicates women are to look well to their households, to be wise in the “doings” of their homes . . .that sort of thing, and since I am a follower of Jesus, when I’m out shopping and great bargains find their way within the reach of my searching hands, I seem to always recall that portion of scripture. Tuesday was no exception.

These black boots are exactly what I had in mind. Perfect sized heel. Fine leather.These brown boots are soft and buttery, and although I had not planned to buy more than one pair, just take a look at that color. Gorgeous.  And then I spied this adorable little number that I will wear in the heat of summer.Five pairs! All from the clearance rack where each pair was marked down 30 to 40% off the original clearance price. Would you not think that God was directing me in this situation? Tell me now. As I left the store, two large bags swinging from my hands, I clutched the receipt that proved how much I had saved my sweet hubby. He would be so grateful, I felt sure.

I had to run by Rebecca’s before I started home, and as I drove to her place, I considered taking all my shoes in to show her. “Kind of silly and childlike,” I argued with myself. Childlike won. I wagged in the two bags and we sat in her living room, rubbed our hands over the smooth leather and the fuzzy parts, and laughed together.

You may be wondering about the hundred dollar bill. Actually what happened is that it was not quite enough to purchase the five pairs of shoes, even though they were all from the clearance rack, so I used my debit card. Convenient little thing. The big bill? Still in my wallet. Should I offer it back?

Shopping Spree Continues (Day 8 Summer Roadtrip 2012)

A few days ago when the mobile repairman adjusted our brakes, he told Jerry he thought there was a problem with one of our tires. . .Jerry checked suppliers yesterday, and this morning a mobile tire truck would arrive, check the tire, and install a new one if such was needed.

“Think I’ll do a bit more shopping while you wait for the tire man.” I smiled as I made this little suggestion to Jerry at the same moment as I checked on my computer for store hours of Dillard’s Clearance Center. Open at 9:00 the site read, so a few minutes after the hour I pulled in front of the huge store. Nothing. Quiet. No one there. I walked to the door and saw the posted schedule called for the store to open at 11:00.

There was a Ross nearby and a Barnes and Noble, and I thought to hang out at those places until 11:00. I called Jerry, told him what was going on…and went into Ross’s. I had been poking through the dresses for just a few minutes when I saw this! What? It was a cute little summery thing–very pretty. A clerk was passing and I asked her. “Is this dress 49 cents?”

She smiled and said, “Yes!”

I looked around Ross’s a bit more, but finding nothing else I wanted to buy, I headed for the cashier, having a slight sense of embarrassment at buying nothing else. “Biggest sale of the day, I’m sure,” I said to the friendly clerk.

She smiled and explained. “Happens occasionally. If something doesn’t sell for a month or so, drastic reductions are made.” She punched buttons on the cash register and said, “That will be fifty-four cents.” I paid her with two quarters and four pennies.

Well, the thoughts of this buy and the bargains I snagged yesterday at Dillard’s have led me to this decision: If I were a gambler, I would head straight for Las Vegas. 🙂

Edit: June 10 Someone asked to see the dress modeled. Here you go!

Shopping Spree! (Day 7 Summer Road Trip 2012)

Score!

Dillard’s Clearance Center is less than ten minutes from where we are parked here in Phoenix. Today, I shopped! Today, I found bargains! For a grand total of $49.12, I bought a beautiful red dress, two “patio” dresses, a charming hat, a practical brown jacket, and a magnificent skirt! Top that, if you can!

The cutest item is this hat.

 

The prettiest is this skirt.

The best buy? This dress originally $129.00, marked down to $9.99, plus 50% off=$4.99!!

Thievery at Dillard’s

A few hours ago, I came in from a thieving spree; well, at least that is the essence of language used by the lady next to me, and she was involved in the same activity as was I, for, side-by-side, we pawed (in ladylike ways, of course) through the merchandise.   We were After-Christmas-Shopping and the deals we unraveled were of such degree that the elegantly dressed lady leaned a little toward me, and quite out of the corner of her fine mouth spoke conspiratorially, “It’s like stealing, isn’t it.” She looked straight ahead as she spoke. I nodded, muttered a few words of agreement, and now glanced about to see if possibly we were being observed.

Dillard’s was the crime scene. I grieve for you if you don’t have a Dillard’s in your life, for of all the department stores encountered in my now elongated years, I consider Dillard’s to be the paragon of such places. Your understanding of my passion for this store will be enhanced by knowing that in my home place of Southern California, where I have lived most of my adult life, and where all my four children were born and reared, there is no Dillard’s, and yet I judge them the epitome of fine stores. I rate them above Macy’s, The May Company (did they merge with somebody?) and even Nordstrom’s. A few months ago when they announced the building of the new mall here in Lake Havasu, I was ecstatic to hear that Dillard’s would be one of the anchor stores.

I defend my choice by telling you this; Dillard’s puts on the the finest clearance sales of any department store I know. Their stores are beautiful to start with, showing lovely clothes and fine housewares…but it surely is their sales that set them apart. Often they advertise prices at 50 or 75% off the already discounted price. Today was such a case, and I bought this stash–four pairs of DKNY tights, eleven pairs of Hanes nylons, and four HUE slippers for the grand sum of $36.94.

Never before had I considered indulging in Dillard’s fine sales as a form of thievery, but ever since that lady spoke in those hushed tones today, mentioning the word stealing, I’ve kept my ears tuned for a knock on the door. So far, everything seems okay, though. The mall is less than two miles from our rig here, so if there’s anything you want me to pick up, just give me a call. 🙂