Last year I won a writing contest (yay!) when I was asked to answer the question, “What were you doing in 1985?” My winning copy appeared in the blog Time Capsule on November 22, 2021. The prize money was awarded to me in the form of an Amazon gift certificate that I quickly applied to my existing account. It’s no secret that I’ve been ultra-frugal for the past two years (yikes!) due to not working for 51 weeks in a row and then not immediately earning commission at my fab new job. So this prize money seemed like a bit of a windfall! I was left with the dilemma of spending it on necessities or having a little fun. After carefully weighing my options for about a nanosecond, I decided to let my hair down and go crazy. (Like there was even a doubt about my answer!)
The first thing I ordered were brown leggings. I have a thick chocolate brown sweater coat and I could have sworn I owned brown leggings that matched. But although my folded pile of stretchies boasts an obnoxious amount of black pairs with a smattering of crazy patterned ones mixed in– there isn’t a single brown set. I must have donated mine when I cleaned out my closet earlier this year. A separate that will now complete an outfit– check!
Then I was randomly thinking about a prior visit to an old client’s office and they always had those puffy peppermint melting candies individually wrapped on the coffee table in the waiting area. I love those! I searched them up and added a small bag of minties to my growing pile of fun. Sugar bombs with stripes I can throw in my handbag for a quick pick me up and minty fresh breath– check!
As I was clicking away on the keyboard, I realized that my nails were long! I decided to stock up on Kiss nail files. My nails grow way too fast and even though I get regular manicures every three weeks (it’s a special UV gel that never chips– pretty cool!) I have to file them regularly so that I can continue typing without my fingers reaching the numbers key line when I’m aiming for the letters instead. Nice nails– check!
Last year I was absolutely enamored by the Clorox Scentiva line of products. How can I even explain how quickly that Tuscan Lavender and Jasmine smell transports me to someplace tranquil and exotic? And during Covid, supply chain issues and hoarding really affected all Clorox products and Scentiva was especially impossible to find. So I treated myself to loads of lasting freshness with their fabric softening dryer sheets. Smelling good– check!
Then I realized that all the shopping made me hungry. I hopped back on Amazon and placed a Whole Foods order with all the ingredients to make a decadent zucchini and squash Italian feast. When the order arrived, I sliced the veggies in half lengthwise and hollowed out just a bit of the middles. I then roasted them at 350 with garlic, olive oil, basil flakes and salt and pepper for 20 minutes on a pre-heated sheet pan, turning once. I removed them from the oven and filled them with a mixture of doctored up ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella, and a dollop of marinara sauce, and then I drizzled a little olive oil over the top with some sea salt and a few Panko breadcrumbs. I baked those suckers for an additional 20 minutes on 350 and added a dusting of parmesan cheese 5 minutes before I pulled them out to cool. Really delish Meatless Monday dinner– check!
As Michael and I sat enjoying our FREE dinner I realized that my sheet pans just weren’t cutting it for casserole type dishes– too messy. So I bought a 3 quart glass baking dish with a snap on lid! Excellent purchase for future cooking endeavors– check. And then of course my mind wandered toward dessert. So I splurged on a 15-pack of Nestle Buncha Crunch movie theater sized boxes since we usually crash on Barney to watch features and don’t really hit the actual theater anymore. Making movie night a sweet treat– check.
I think the chocolate purchase put me over the edge. I had spent less than half of my total winnings, but really felt flush with my bounty of goodies. Little things can mean a lot! So I’ve left the balance in my account for now. I’m sure necessities will gobble up the rest of the funds and I’m ok with that. I truly had a blast in this free for all!
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