Monday, August 24, 2009

beyond the sale


I think I've become overwhelmed by sales. White sales, pink sales, end-of-summer and pre-fall clearances. This morning my inbox offered half-priced Marc Jacob watches and spa services, free samples, free shipping, shoes, dresses, and two different Mad Men-inspired collections from different online retailers. I've been looking at sofas and can't narrow down what stores to consider, nevermind what style, shape, and color to look for.

Maybe buying a house shifted my priorities, or maybe the ease with which we found a house jostled my previously-insatiable desire for marathon bargin hunting -- if we can settle on the biggest purchase of our lives with relatively little searching, why did I spend weeks last autumn considering a purse? And/or maybe recession-driven mega sales throughout retail-land have numbed my synapses to the joy of sale signs.

It could also be that it's 9:45 on a Monday morning, which is not really a time to shop. As underwhelmed as I feel right now, yesterday morning's visit to Buffalo Exchange and Crossroads to sell some old clothes left me with a cleaner closet as well as two new dresses -- two perfect, pretty, well-constructed, irresistable dresses.

Monday, August 3, 2009

realestalkers

We're stalking a house. Constant checking that it hasn't left online listing, clicking through the photo gallery in a loop (front side, living room, dining room, kitchen, bedroom, bedroom, bathroom ... ). Street view, tax records, bus routes to and from the neighborhood. There is not more information online for me, but I keep looking. What couch would fit the living room? How could we use the basement?

We are not yet pre-approved, and so not yet able to make an offer, but may meet with our agent tomorrow morning to write one up to be submitted when the loan approval has been underwritten.