I've got a new nickname: Frugal Frieda!

There may be some people who don’t consider me to be thrifty or even financially sound, but I wish to share some evidence to the contrary:

Tuesday, I hosted a Relief Society Christmas home tours activity. Four groups of about 9 ladies each came to my home for a quick tour and little activity. As I was decorating for this event, I realized that one of my favorite nativities needed a backdrop because it sits in front of the phone jack and an outlet, and it looked sort of “WT” like that.

So – on the way home from work the day of the tours, I stopped at a store to see how much the backdrop that goes with the set would cost. They had none in stock, but were willing to sell me the one on display.

I talked them down 10%. Yep – ME the non-thrift-ite.

Isn’t it beautiful?!!! (Oh - and, I decided that it was ok that it only covered the outlet.)

But, wait, there’s more.

It turns out that when you spend a certain amount and you’re a valued customer (valued doesn’t necessarily mean frequent, you know – it COULD mean nice), you get the option to purchase additional items at a discount. So look at these cute “believe” blocks I got for…..wait for it….

$3.99!!!!

So – what say ye? Thrifty? Shall we start calling me, Frieda?? or...Faith? Frannie?

Two Roads Diverged in a Wood

Sometimes, our choices – like taking the road less traveled – make all the difference, and sometimes the difference is made by the choices of others.

Saturday we had a work Christmas party/reunion.

Apart from …..

- the hideous three hours of driving to and from the party in a blizzard (normally only a 25 minute drive),
and
-the lack of appetizers (I left them by the elevator in my condo parking lot),
and
-the AWOL dessert (co-worker assigned to bring dessert turned back after an hour cuz he was too pansy to drive two more hours in the snow),

….. it was a great party.

Getting together with these friends reminded me how lucky I’ve been to work with some truly exceptional people over the years. I could write numerous posts about how my life has been blessed by these folks and their wonderful spouses and children, and maybe I will sometime, but in case I don’t, here are two representative examples:

Co-worker 1 – who, while I was on a business trip took pictures of my entire office (overhead bins, file cabinets, boxes, desk, plants, darts, etc.) so he could move all my stuff into my new office for me – assembling everything just exactly as it was in the old office – thereby saving me hours and hours of hassle.

Co-worker 2 – who rented and watched a clip from Home For The Holidays over and over so he could make me an exact replica of the Aunt Gladdie Thanksgiving necklace I mentioned once that I wanted to wear to my family dinner. (btw- Aunt Gladdie is the “old maid” aunt who has started to lose her mind– sound like anyone?) I wore it again this year –
Yep, FRUIT LOOPS.

Thanks, boys!! You have, indeed, made all the difference.