You may not know this about me, but I have a love for the long-sleeved t-shirt that is deep and abiding and true. This is probably a result of the fact that I have not exposed the tops of my arms in public since I was in the ninth grade, and if you’re thinking, “Well surely you’ve worn something sleeveless since then,” you’re wrong, because I can say without hesitation that no, no I haven’t, I WOULD NOT DO SUCH A THING.

So. I have a few issues. I believe this fact has been well-established. Over and over again.

But now that there’s a distinct hint of fall in the air (case in point: earlier I sat outside while Alex rode his bike, and I did not sweat, and I was even wearing yoga pants instead of shorts, thank you), I’ve been having big fun looking at fall clothes. Specifically: shirts with long sleeves.

And yesterday, when I ran into Target to pick up a couple of things, I was tickled to death to see this shirt, available for only $14.99:

Do you see the cute sleeves? And how it doesn’t hug the stomach area? And how it’s long enough to COVER the stomach area?

(By the way, if you do not have issues with your stomach area, I would just like to congratulate you and assure you that the rest of the internets and I will not resent you for that, though the only way we’ll be able to avoid the stronghold of bitterness is through the transforming love of Jesus.)

(Bless you, flat-stomached sister.)

Now granted, I would wear a tank or another t-shirt underneath this particular long-sleeved shirt, mainly because I like to err on the side of modest and spare complete strangers from finding themselves up close and personal with my, you know, BABY FEEDERS (thanks for that phrase, Jeana – it’s a classic). But did I mention that this shirt DOESN’T HUG THE STOMACH AREA?

Even better, it also comes in a variety of patterns, and I loved this next one so much that I bought it and wore it today:

And I was happy.

Because of, you know, sleeves.

See these little retro beauties? These adorable end tables or nightstands? That just need a little TLC?

$3.88 a piece at the thrift store, my friends.

Let’s give the Lord some praise.

I also found some funky new lamps, some great glassware, and the sweet little wall plaque that I mentioned in the previous post. I’ll post pictures after I get everything polished and shined and placed.

And oh! I bought a desk for $10 (A DESK! FOR TEN DOLLARS!) that, after a little paint and hardware rehab, is going to be the new headquarters of BooMama: The Blawg.

Because as much as I love blogging from the living room bar, I fear my back is going to cave in on itself if I continue to sit on a backless barstool while I painstakingly produce my exceedingly pedestrian prose.

For the last several weeks I’ve wanted to change up a few things in our house. I feel like I’ve been staring at the same arrangement of the same accessories for the last sweet forever, and I thought it might be fun to do a little “sprucing” in the decorative department. Not anything drastic or expensive, mind you – but most definitely something different than, you know, those three candles that have been on my coffee table since 2001.

In short, I need to mix it up a bit.

This house was built in the early 70’s, and it has the sort of groovy 70’s vibe you might expect. I’ve mentioned before that we have a large bar in one corner of our living room, and the bar pretty much dictates that our decorative scheme has to be at least a smidge funky. No matter which way you try to work it, there’s just not much about an oversized wet bar that screams “SIMPLE ELEGANCE.” Since our furniture is pretty traditional, any hint of retro has to come from accessories.

And that, oh internets, is the heart of my decorating dilemma.

Also: I do not want to spend much money. Because I am somewhat cheap.

Well, yesterday my friend Leigh called me from an estate sale that was right down the street from us, and she said that I needed to get over there. RIGHT THAT SECOND. D. and I love the house where the estate sale was being held, and several times I’ve remarked that I could just TELL that the house was filled with groovy goodness. Since Leigh knows my taste really well, I stopped what I was doing and popped over there.

And can I just say? It did not disappoint.

I found a cool end table for $25 (TWENTY FIVE DOLLARS, y’all). I found this metal leaf tree thingy for $6 that is straight out a Partridge Family episode and is going to look absolutely perfect in our den. Then there were a couple of classic cookbooks, some kitchen utensils (the cooks who are reading will understand how giddy I was when I found a Le Creuset skillet for ONE DOLLAR), a pair of salt and pepper shakers that would make Carol Brady proud, some great Christmas decorations, and a beautiful copper planter with a matching base.

When all was said and done, I had two huge bags of accessories – plus a table – for $60. Even better, I found things for my house that won’t be in any chain store, things that I wouldn’t have been able to find anywhere else. That tickles me to death.

And I will now employ the use of some visual aids.

Here’s the table I bought. It needs to be cleaned and polished, but I think it’s going to be perfect next to D.’s chair.

And my Partridge Family leaf tree – oh-so-groovy, don’t you think?

And I just have to show you one of the cookbooks, mainly because D.’s reaction was, “Um, was she trying to match her dress to her wallpaper?”

I told him to stop that blasphemy right that second because if not for Helen Corbitt, there would be no Paula Deen. Mrs. Helen was the original Southern hostess with the mostest, and WE WILL HONOR HER MEMORY IN THIS HOUSE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

And I love me a woman who can work a bold print like that, y’all.

So here’s the plan for today. I’m going to take $40 to a thrift store. That will give me a total re-do investment of $100 – which is mighty reasonable, I think. At the thrift store I’m hoping to find a couple of fun things to hang on my walls, along with a few other accessories. If I hit the gently-worn jackpot, I’m going to get the living room all spiffy and revamped once I get home – and sometime in the next few days I’ll post some before and after pictures.

CAN YOU EVEN STAND THE EXCITEMENT OF IT ALL?

And I’m trusting that since Mrs. Helen is living at our house now, she will be perfectly capable of holding down the fort while I go shopping.

She’ll probably even make some lovely canapes.

Your child goes to his grandparents’ house for a few days.

You have the opportunity to enjoy a kid-free morning with one of your closest friends.

You talk with your friend about where you’d like to go together on the kid-free morning, and she says, “How about the big new grocery store? I haven’t been there yet!”

And you say “OKAY! LET’S DO THAT!”

And you’re excited about it.

And after you walk up and down every single aisle, you sit in the grocery’s deli and drink coffee with your friend for the next two hours.

Happily.

You have no idea how happy this picture makes D. and me:

LOOK AT THAT!

IT’S LIKE SCULPTURE!

Because in addition to the 5 for $11 Coke special, CVS also had Gain for $3.99 each.

Prices like these only come around once in a blue moon, y’all.

IT’S LIKE CHRISTMAS IN MAY.

(We’re so making another diet Coke run this afternoon.)

I just wish Sarah and Shannon lived closer so they could help me drink it all. Because I know a picture of a big stack o’ diet Coke makes them both a little weak in the knees.

And if you look very closely, you’ll see one lone diet Dr. Pepper 12-pack at the bottom of the stack – just in case I need to mix things up a little bit.

Finally, I’ve changed back to my old template temporarily while Laura tweaks a few things on the newer one and gets me upgraded to the latest version of WordPress. Everything should be back to normal in the next couple of days.

Of course, the term “normal” is always a little relative with me…after all, I do have NINETEEN TWELVE PACKS OF COLA BEVERAGE sitting in my foyer right now.

Hopefully we’ll make it an even two dozen by the end of the day.

This is totally random but absolutely essential information.

If you happen to have a CVS drugstore in your area, they have a special on Coke products this week:

Five 12-packs for $11.

That averages out to, you know, cheap as can be per 12-pack. Or $2.20. Or, even better, 18 cents per Coke.

ISN’T THAT EXCITING?

I’m going to go BUCK WILD and buy all manner of Coke products: diet Coke with lime, caffeine free diet Coke, Coke, regular diet Coke, etc. I envision having to clear out a special place in the laundry room to store all the Coca-Cola goodness, and THAT MAKES ME SO HAPPY.

And because I love a bargain, I just thought I’d share.

Go stock up, internets.

Memorial Day is just around the bend, you know.