Goodwill? Goodwill! Oh, yeah GOODWILL

I meant well when I returned home from the hospital on Saturday. I really did, but Tadpoles? This is what I am graced with for my efforts - to wit:Yes, that is my bed, prettily made in a new "Bed and A Bag" ensemble that I gifted to Pooldad to save him some effort in washing some of our bedsheets and blankets. Now I meant this as an easy out to having all clean linens in lieu of what was on the bed [with no other sheet sets washed] because he had been so busy running to and from work, home and the hospital. When he went to Wal-Mart to fill my prescriptions I said to go ahead and pick up a bed set [I used some mad money I had saved] and make sure it had his favorite color in it. He likes red and since we never do anything too masculine or feminime in our bedroom - we are kind of Switzerland that way because the room is both of ours so we [usually] find a happy medium so I wasn't really worried he would come home with something I might have to choke out the words "Oh how nice Pooldad." Hmmm. The Squirrel took one look at it after Wallene made the bed and laughed, saying "Screams dorm room/bachelor pad, doesn't it?" I replied in the affirmative and told her to thank her lucky stars I have a king size bed, but be careful because if she hurt her Dad's feelings I was pulling out the sewing machine. He means well, did exactly as I asked, so sweet, but my eyes - they burn. Don't yours? When I asked Wallene why she didn't put the bedskirt on too she rolled her eyes and scoffed "Now Mom do you REALLY think that is necessary?" Yep, you're right kid - forgettaboutit. Nothing is saving this little bit of Goodwill. [This was for you NMM!]
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Our second instance of Goodwill this week was a huge surprise and so very welcome - I cried. I have told before of how great Pooldad's bosses are and how they good they are to their employees. Pooldad obviously had to tell them I was in the hospital, but he didn't intimate just how sick I was. Didn't matter - they stepped up and when Pooldad arrived home one day there was a HUGE cooler on our front porch fill with goodies - Honey baked ham, 2 loaves of bread [o.m.g.!] aged cheddar cheese, 2 casseroles [green bean and au gratin] and the most god awful for you decadant chocolate pecan cheesecake -eek! We were flabbergasted - y'all know my family can cook and feed themselves but you also have to know it was the last thing on their minds - they were all pretty exhausted running around. For these men to think so much of my husband and our family - to make sure they ate - and well, for days - made me cry copious amounts of tears. I know Pooldad is wonderful, being his biggest cheerleader, but to know he is so well loved and thought of they would do something so sweet for us. Wow. And since it was a 20 lb ham we had to play the "How many ways can you cook this?" Which with a good ham is easy peasy to do and not realize you are eating ham everyday - and my family would eat it for a month! lol - This night Wallene is modeling Pooldad's newest concoction - we had it Saturday the day I came home - Ham Shiskabobs!!!! As spiral sliced hams aren't quite spiralled all the way down you chunk up the unspiralled, chunk up a fresh pineapple and cut up green pepper and onion - skewer it - marinate it for one hour and throw it on the grill for about 15 minutes - served with rice? A little dipping sauce made from the marinade - oh Goodness gracious! So easy - and although very high in sodium for me my skewer wasn't marinaded and Pooldad washed my ham in warm water which will remove quite a bit of the sodium - and I filled myself up on the pineapple and veggies - yum! Enjoy! Wallene was! heehee.
And finally - we went to the Goodwill store today. Gotta love the thrift store people - I can't say it enough. We went to buy shorts for Pooldad for work [the man works with heavy chemicals, what is the point of new every season, eh?] and I wanted some loose, tunic like dresses because it is more comfortable for me with my dressings. [sorry, TMI]. The Squirrel wandered off to see what bargains she could find and we were well rewarded.
We all know what season it is, right? Yes - PROM season - weehaa - dresses, dinners and limos OH MY! Along with the costs involved in graduating [and I thank you with older kids that warned me...eek!] we were teetering on having enough, especially since the hospital. But we were going to make it happen and she could have what she wanted, how she wanted it because she really worked hard and i.m.o. really deserves it. So imagine my surprise when she came waltzing out in this lil' number - gorgeous!

It fits her like it was made for her and she fell in love with the back. So pretty.

It is a beautiful blue - no stains and yes, it does need to be dry cleaned, but....
Want to know what I paid for a chiffon gown, fully lined?
$8.98.

Yep! Can you believe it? The dry cleaning is going to cost a couple of bucks more [big woop!] and she is pairing it with silver, strappy sandals and a silver clutch. I am so excited by how thrilled she is with it. And I am tickled that I have a child that appreciates gently used clothing at a HUGE discount. We are going to spend, probably $50 total for her complete outfit. WOW!

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[I ended up with 3 casual dresses, comfortable, utilitarian for $20 and an $8 Ann Taylor Loft light blue linen shift perfect with sandals for a nice dinner/church/cocktail party type] and an Aigner purse [I collect] for $20 - it is $140 purse - one of the classics in burgundy - Skippy is thrilled too!]

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So, there are many versions of Goodwill and I think our Sunday fulfilled a whole lot of them, don't you?