Spending other people's money

The other day I got to indulge in a rare treat that I find I really enjoy. Its spending other people's money. I have done it before, most memorably a few Christmas's ago with my Friend June. We were browsing the Christmas displays at Macy's in Kane'ohe when she decided then and there to live out one of my dearest fantasies. She decided to update her Christmas tree with all new ornaments and she took me along for the ride! Having chosen a Chinese theme She and I circled the displays picking out multiples of the ornaments we liked. We pawed through the branches of the display trees to see if we were missing anything fabulous and if we were we snapped it up and added it to the basket. I have always wanted to buy Christmas ornaments that way, but never could manage it, so have instead built a lush collection over the years adding one or two really nice ornaments each year. So I had the best of both worlds, my eclectic collection that I would never be able to give up, and the pleasure of planning and shopping for a really posh theme tree.



Just the other day I was blessed with another such opportunity. My friend Kathy lives in a big brick showplace with a drop dead gorgeous crimson dining room. The last time I was at her house we talked about getting together to make a centerpiece for her dining table. The time came when we had a day together and Hobby Lobby was running a sale, so we struck while the iron was hot. Just like June and I had circled those Christmas trees looking for the perfect ornaments, Kathy and I prowled the floral department hunting for just the right stems for her arrangement. After a sizable bill, we left the store with bags of flowers, Kathy I am sure with a slight case of sticker shock and me with a slight case of panic. What if I botched it? What if I just lured her into spending all that money and then couldn't deliver and wound up handing over a big, expensive flower studded embarrassment?! I felt reasonably confident in my abilities, but still, that was a lot of money to be spending for a centerpiece and the pressure was on. As soon as I got home I began work and quickly realized that we had chosen well. The project would be a rousing success. The picture above taken in my dining room does not do it justice. It looks kind of small in the picture but in reality it stood easily 2 feet high and two feet long and was every bit the opulent show stopper that her dining room was made for. I have always wanted to make such an arrangement, but never had the means to fund it, or the house to warrant it. Doing the centerpiece for Kathy's table definitely scratched an itch. When she came by to pick it up she told me that a similar arrangement could sell in her brothers furniture store for 3 times what ours cost. So even though it was not cheap, it was still a bargain and that makes it all the lovelier!