Deals and Wheels

I spent hours the past couple of weeks washing, ironing, and tagging clothes for our local seasonal consignment sale.

I made a list of what the kiddies needed (and wanted!) and double-checked it.

Then I headed off to the pre-sale, set up only for consignors, to see if I could clothe my kids for the upcoming spring/summer for a reasonable price.

It was a most successful shopping trip. Hubby gave me a $150 budget.

Here's the loot:

The cost? A mere $108! I definitely got almost everything I needed off my list and a few extras as well, including some goodies for my little niece due to arrive this summer.

I left the sale, grinning from ear to ear at the thought of the deals I had just gotten. I didn't even mind walking the five blocks it took to get to where I had parked.

All bargaining elation quickly faded however, when I noticed that I had left my headlights on. I hurriedly tried to start the car, but to no avail.

I calculated my situation. I was five blocks from the sale. I didn't really know anyone at the sale - my friends that had been there had left much earlier. I was in downtown Portland, with my mother-in-law back at the house watching the kids.

After calling the hubby and realizing that he would not be able to get away from work to come jump-start the car, I started walking back to the sale. I briefly considered asking a total stranger to help me, and then in the distance, I thought I saw a familiar figure. I ran ahead and was thrilled to see that my friend Christy was still loading up her car. Of all people, I was particularly glad to see her, because I knew that she would actually know where to put the jumper cables. :)

We got my car to start, and I thankfully drove home. And now I know - red is positive and black is negative.