When The Cat's Away, The Mice Will Play.

All I can say right now is "squeek, squeek."

I drove my husband to the airport early this morning. He has business to attend to up north, with his mother's estate. I chose to stay home this time. Saves us money on air-fare, saves us money on pet-sitting. Being that I drove him to the airport, rather than my husband driving himself and leaving his car in the airport lot, that also saved money on parking fees.

As you can see, my intentions were good.

I came straight home from the airport. I could've gone shopping, but the stores weren't open at that hour. And I really don't need anything anyway, and I don't like to waste time just window-shopping. So home I drove, planning to polish my nails this morning, both fingers and toes. On our way to the airport, my husband and I were talking about the ever-increasing number of nail salons in the area here. I explained to my husband that 'nails' are a money-making business. Given that a bottle of nail polish can cost between $2 and $6, on average, and given that a 'professional' manicure and/or pedicure can set you back anywhere between $25 and $80 (depending on where you live)... you can see the possibility for profit in a nail salon. I'm sure they're buying nail enamel by the case, which maybe brings their cost-per-bottle to under a dollar.

I've always polished my own nails. For the simple reason that I can do it just as well as the 'professionals,' and I don't like wasting time sitting in those salons. I don't need to be chatting with a dozen women while having polish painted on my nails from the same bottle that has seen the nails and toes of heaven only knows who else.

With all of that in mind, we can add my own manicure and pedicure to my money-saving list. As I said, my intentions were good this morning.

So there I sat, at the little table in the breakfast room, letting the polish dry on my toenails as I began on my fingernails. All the while, I had the little TV on in there-- something to listen to as I buffed and polished. All that while, I'm watching QVC. They were selling coats. Nothing to get excited about. And safe to watch. After all, I don't need a coat. There are more than a few in my coat closet, and living in southeast Texas, we don't need heavy coats except for a few days here and there during December, January and February. Sometimes more, sometimes less, depending on which way the cold winds are blowing.

I continued with my fingernails. I've worn basically the same color nail polish for years and years. Every once in a while, I'll try a different shade, but I always go back to my same mauve-y/berry color. My 'signature color,' as my cousin "R" would call it. This color goes with everything, summer or winter, and when you find something good and it suits you, I agree with cousin "R"-- stick with it.

On went the mauve-y/berry color. On went the QVC people with their coats. In my box of nail enamels, I noticed a darker shade of berry. Not much in the bottle, but enough to do a little design on my nails, which I've done from time to time. So there I sat, making a little swirly design on each of my fingernails. Nothing too radical, just a splash of a slightly different color on each nail. On went the top-coat of clear polish. And there I sat, waiting for everything to dry.

Watching the coats on QVC.... and up comes a faux fur fox coat. Three-quarter-length. Soft as a bunny's fur. Silvery-ivory-gray in color. Two-button closure. In a word, gorgeous. I don't need a coat. Except..... every year for the past six years or so, I have been trying to find a new three-quarter coat to replace my ivory-wool coat that I bought in 1988. I loved that ivory wool coat when I bought it, and the color goes with everything. But I'm just tired of the look and feel of wool and I would like to add that coat to my donation box. It's in great condition, and someone else will get many more years out of it-- till they get tired of the wool.

What to do... what to do.... I took myself and my freshly-polished nails and toes off to the coat closet. I quickly took inventory. There's a faux leopard jacket that belonged to my husband's mother. I love that coat, but leopard doesn't go with everything. There's a three-quarter fur and leather jacket, that belonged to my husband's mother... I love that coat also, but it doesn't go with everything because of the pattern. I have my everyday coat that I wear when I walk the dog on cold mornings. (My Gracie-walking jacket, as I call it.) The ivory wool coat was hanging there and looking so wool-y. And I have my beautiful full-length fur that I wore on every cold day when I lived up north, but I've only worn about twice a year since we've been here in Texas. Just doesn't get cold enough for that fur, but I'd never part with it. I wear it for Christmas and New Year's, no matter what the temperature is down here.

So... the question of my morning was, do I call QVC and order one of those creamy ivory faux fox three-quarter coats and finally (finally!) say goodbye to my three-quarter wool coat? That QVC coat was only $160. It isn't like I'm breaking the bank here. And look at all the money I've already saved today--- my airfare to NY, which would've been about $300; the parking fee at the airport, about $35; pet-sitting, about $300; manicure and pedicure, approximately $50. All of that adds up to $685. The coat is only $160. What to do, what to do.... In the words of my husband's mother, which she repeated to me time and time again: "Honey, if you love it, buy it."

Right at this very minute, my husband is up in the air somewhere between Texas and NY. His plane hasn't been off the ground for two hours yet. Already, my fingernails are polished with my usual color and accented with a swirling design, I've ordered a faux fox fur coat from QVC, and my wool coat is getting acquainted with my donations box. My husband doesn't yet have a clue as to how much money I'm saving him by not going up north.