The Search for the Perfect Urn has Ended

I was tired of the crumbling second-hand concrete urns flanking our front door. I looked last year for a new pair of urns to put there but couldn't find the right ones. Typical me, I invent an item in my head before actually seeing if it is available on the market. Inevitably, I'm disappointed when that specific item is no where to be found. So, I started looking again this year to no avail, until a few days ago when I was at Home Depot and there they were: the perfect urns! The exact color and form that I had imagined. My frugality prevented me from getting them, but I told Cory about what I had found. Yesterday he surprised me by buying them with a bonus one of his clients had given him. What a sweetie! Now, I just have to find the "perfect" plants to fill them up with!

I had a nice day off. Went to Lowe's (in the mist, I might add) and browsed their garden center. I only walked away with some insecticide (yawn) to battle the early invasion of aphids on my boxwoods out back. I didn't buy any plants, can you believe that? Wanted to save my money for when Mom comes down next week to go garden-centering with me.

Then I headed to the bookstore where my frugality came to a screeching halt. I wanted to pick up Stephenie Meyer's new novel, "The Host". There is something about a hardback book fresh off the press, I don't know what it is. Not exactly fine literature but I found her "Twilight" series very entertaining and easy to read. Barnes and Noble is a marketing genious, because I didn't stop there. The themed tables that they have are great for making you think you MUST have a book that you really don't need. I picked up a paperback from a baseball table called "Watching Baseball Smarter", full of fun facts about understanding the rules, history, and nuances of the game. Figured I needed this if I'm going to be married to Cory. My last purchase was "Weird Indiana", a coffee table book about local legends and interesting places in our State. Once again, a great display that wouldn't let me walk away.

My foray through Barnes and Noble was almost ruined by this man who was ambling about, talking VERY loudly on his cell phone. Not just a "hi there, I'm shopping, can I call you back later" kind of call, but an entire conversation running the gamut of his entire life story. I was so annoyed with this guy, until I noticed that there were many more customers yacking away on their cell phones, too, they just all weren't quite so loud. Tell me, why would you go into a book store while holding a marathon conversation? I don't think that's very relaxing. Yes, I am one of those fools that talks on my cell phone in the car, but at least no one else has to hear what I'm talking about (except, of course, the person that I'm talking TO). It's just unbelievable to me that people who do this don't consider that other shoppers don't want to hear them babbling on and on. Consideration for others is falling by the wayside.

Maybe I'll start a movement to make talking on cell phones in book stores a violation of etiquette, kind of like burping at the table. People might still do it, but at least they'll try to be more quiet about it.