Contentment

Today the girls and I ventured out into the wilds of pre-holiday shopping.
It was a hard decision to leave the comforts of home and head into the not-so-cold but oh-so-gray rainy-ness that is today.
Truth be told, I had a couple of coupons that I had to use today. These weren't just any old coupons, either, but for substantial savings at two stores, Michael's and Target, and both were good only today.
We're deep into our Christmas-crafting here and the trip to Michael's for supplies (only our fourth or fifth in the last 10 days!) was essential to keep the ball rolling. Michael's can be a horror this time of year, but so far our experiences have been good. The store has been well-staffed, not too crowded, and the lines have moved quickly. When my cashier ran into a snafu with all my discounts and coupons, a supervisor came right over and offered to re-ring my purchase, separating it into two smaller purchases for maximum savings.
How great was that?
Instead of saving only about $40, we saved nearly $56.
The whole thing could have been a debacle, but it was accomplished with cheerfulness on all parts.
My Target trip, in which I stocked up on t.p. and Kleenex, netted me a free $10 gift card. A coupon for free cat litter added another $10 savings. I used a free $10 gift card to Walgreen's and got 3 gallons of milk for under $2.
Not bad for a yucky day.
Now I'm home in front of the well-stoked fire with a cat on my lap, my crocheting lying next to me. The dogs are anticipating suppertime (only another 1/2 hour to go guys). Michael should be home from a Saturday at work in a couple of hours.
I don't jet off to London or shop at fancy stores. My wine is usually fairly cheap and from a box, my dinners homemade but unpretentious. I don't own much jewelry, and what I do have is either precious and meaningful (my wedding and engagement ring, which has my grandmother's diamond) or gorgeously crafted for me by my daughter.
Sitting here in the late afternoon glow of the Christmas tree, I am thankful for this life. My life.
I guess it isn't for everyone, but it's just the right size for me.