Spending Hiatus: Update One

Oh, dear Internet, I have a confession to make.
I slipped, ever so slightly, off the hiatus wagon (or, off my hiatus horse to use a painful punny metaphor).
But I must preface.

On the 6th January I wrote, hurriedly & rashly, that I would purchase No More until 14th April.
As I was writing the caveats our dinner dates arrived and I hit publish, sent a tweet, and thought more of it later.



But because I am (all too) rational, I knew that I would find a complete dearth of shopping difficult to maintain, and so my rushed caveats were amended thusly:

x No clothes. Unless repairing or replacing.
x No books. None at all. Seriously. Use a damn library darling covetous self.
x If a purchase is desired, it must be run past my moral compass (aka Craig).
x If a purchase is made without approval penance must be paid*.
x Penance is to be decided by said darling Moral Compass.
x Charity is exempt.

And so, I have a confession. I have slipped.



1. This beautiful beautiful top which I had coveted from afar, then found at a reduced price. Darling Craig approved of a 10 day cooling off period & if it was still available? then it would be mine.



2. Wendy Brandes, my second favourite jewellery designer (sorry WendyB! NZ designers Meadowlark hold my number one, but you are still have the foulest mouth!) is donating a significant portion of the proceeds of her Teeny Genie necklaces to Janet, a blogger who lost her husband suddenly & unexpectedly to suicide. The thought of that terrifies me (Love you Craig!) and this was perfect. Charity, for someone I truly want to help** , & a reminder of the larger WendyB piece for which I am (still) fervently saving.



3. A lovely lovely bag, on sale from $219 to $80. In a fit of low blood sugar and high caffeine, I purchased it. Without running it past Monsieur MC. When I got back to the office we had the following email exchange:

To: Craig
From: Sarah-Rose
I bought a bag. A pretty bag which was down to $80 from $219.
Please consider my penance. Covering dinner for your nights for two weeks? a week without V? something nefarious you decide? no penance as that was a really good deal?
I wait with bated breath.

To: Sarah-Rose
From: Craig
Penance must be paid, I will take your comments under advisement and pass my judgment in due course.
xxx

He deemed that covering 3 of his cooking nights was sufficient. That'll be just annoying enough.

Sigh. Overall? I have to admit that, for me, I have done pretty well. I have four boxes of clothes, shoes, jewellery, ephemera to donate to siblings & charity, my wardrobe doesn't bulge, my drawers are half empty, and I am getting through my "to read" mountain.
It feels good. Much like this confession. Cathartic.

I feel hopeful for the next seventy days.
And I certainly hope I have far fewer (0??) confessions to make.



* I did take holy communion at an early age and it seems something stuck. Ack!
** By the way, I do want to help many people & support many causes & donate donate donate, but this one involves the purchase of jewellery & as such, is a grey area under the Charity exemption.