hobbies

On-line or in store?

As a Mom of 4, I have always valued the option of shopping online and truly believe I was taking advantage of Amazon well before it became the “new normal” (thanks, Covid). There are a few things that I especially enjoy about ordering online – let’s get into it…

IT’S CONVENIENT – I mean, Come. ON. It doesn’t get any easier. Do you have your phone? Done. You can be on the couch, in your car, or at a soccer game . If your brain reminds you that you need a lightbulb for the lamp in your bedroom, or a birthday gift for your Mother in Law, or a fun new shirt to wear on an upcoming date night – DONE. Anytime, anywhere – no shirt, no shoes – no problem. Pajamas, a glass of wine, and the dog on your lap – perfect! Amazon and Paypal have made it so easy that we don’t even have to stand up and search for our purse anymore – they already know our card numbers – is that a choir of angels singing ? When so much of life is silly and hard – it’s super nice to have something this simple.

THE OPTIONS ARE ENDLESS – Truly. If we have a need, big or small, we start with Amazon. The nice part is that their prices are usually lower as well due to their high volume of sales. Clothing, beauty supplies, protein coffee, door locks, and cat treats are just a few of our recent deliveries. Going on-line and searching for an item – especially if there is a certain size, color or other specification- is so much easier than driving from store to store and coming up empty handed. I can pretty much guarantee that if you need an item, you can find it on-line now a days.

IT’S FAST- I’m not going to lie – there have been a few times that things have been delivered so quickly that I had no idea what it was until I opened it. Prime has RUINED me for any other company at this point. Wait 5 days for delivery? Excuse me – unacceptable. Two days is IT at this point – heck – overnight is typical… we are SPOILED.

IT’S ENTERTAINING – Again, in all honesty, I will browse on-line shops with absolutely no intention of purchasing a thing. Even adding items to my cart and leaving them there never to return to claim them. I will look at things I will never buy – spend time reading reviews and looking at actual pictures of customers wearing things – knowing full well that I will NEVER buy this item or anything similar for that matter. Why do I do it then, you ask? It’s fun – I love window shopping and this is the opportunity to “shop” without any pressure or salesperson asking if I’m “Finding everything alright?”. I can get ideas for future events or holidays or decor items for the house if we happen to come into a great deal of money. Instead of watching a TV show, I’ll look up special occasion dresses. Instead of going to bed when I’m tired, I’ll compare prices on extra durable rafts for the lake. Good times.

So here is the question. Which do YOU prefer? On-line or in store? There is definitely something to be said for in store shopping – especially since some Targets now have Starbucks in them and the parents of my students are very generous with gift cards! I still like to try on clothes and smell perfume and hold a cup in my hand before I buy it. I am by no means exclusively an on – line shopper. OK- true story – I just had to stop typing to open the door for the Amazon delivery man – hysterical! For what it’s worth, the package was not for me, it was for my daughter who also loves retail therapy! Let me know which you prefer … on-line or in store – I’m curious! May the discounts be forever in your favor and the deals be plentiful!

Plants, flowers & shrubs – oh my!

I have loved flowers and gardens for as long as I can remember. My Grandma Rita had a beautiful backyard that she maintained meticulously and I have vivid memories of the sights and smells from many, many years ago. In addition to many different kinds of flowers that bloomed at various points in the summer, she had several pretty statues in her yard, and they added to the peacefulness – welcoming you in and inviting you to stay for awhile. She also had a small deck that allowed her access to the backyard – her sanctuary – from her bedroom. She would sit out there for hours with a good book. All of this made an impression on me.

My Mom also took great pride in making her outdoor spaces pretty and inviting. We had an amazing front porch on the house in which I grew up. It had comfy seating, complete with a swing on the opposite end that was my absolute favorite. My Mom always had pots of flowers and plants on the porch and each season she added appropriate decor- red, white and blue items in the summer, pumpkins and mums in the autumn, and Christmas lights when the snow began to fall. Our backyard was also well thought out with pops of color and flowering bushes strategically placed, since space was limited because of the pool – another blog post entirely! Through the years, my Mom’s love for gardening has only increased and her her yard now, though at a different house, is stunning, picturesque, charming, and all the other positive aesthetic words that you can imagine! Each time I’m there I find myself wandering to the backyard, often taking pictures before I leave.

I enjoy creating similar spaces in and around my own home now as an adult. The fun begins every year around Mother’s Day when I go to the garden shops for the first time. It is then that I choose what flowers to plant around my mailbox – typically marigolds – the sunny yellow always makes me smile. Next I choose what kind of hanging plants I want – I love the VERY FULL planters that have lots of trailing blooms. Then I’m sneaky and bring them home, take off the hangers and set them into my pots – done! Some years, I choose a color scheme and buy only a few colors of flowers, say reds and pinks. Other years I buy anything and everything. I love having smaller pots with greenery and flowers on the patio and also within the landscaping among the perennials that come alive every year and remind me why I love the summer months so much. I also truly love that a plant or flower is a common end of the year gift to thank a teacher. I will always be happy to receive a plant – any day of the year 🙂

During Covid, when the world was forced into isolation and spending more time at home, many people started new hobbies. Making bread, painting, knitting and doing puzzles – pictures of my friends doing these things were all over my socials! I started collecting plants for inside the house at this point. I don’t think I had even one before March of 2020, and now I have around 25 -and there’s always room for more! I have added small tables and wall shelves specifically to hold and display these beauties and I truly believe they make our home even more inviting and comfortable. Indoors and out, I enjoy nature and its’ colors, textures and shapes. My Grandma and Mom have shared their passion and I hope to share it with my children as well. I’m already planning another trip to buy more flowers soon – who wants to go with me?