In Which I Achieve A Goal Of Sorts

We saw each other across a crowded room. There was a ray of sunshine glancing across the room, and it ended where the object of my desire was situated, against the wall. A Sign, I thought. It was, I knew, meant to be. We regarded each other carefully for a few moments: me, composing myself for what would be a Total Bodily Fling Across The Room; the object of my desire merely waiting, patiently. Objects of Desire like to do that.

Then we met. I fondled. I stroked. I even petted a bit (smooth! sleek!). A woman sidled up and looked at us over my shoulder. "They'll last you a lifetime AND they're 40% off," she murmured. She knew a schmuck with a weak wallet when she saw one.

That was all I needed. Throwing caution fate and Richard's reaction to the wind, I made my decision. "I'll get them!" I said, "I've always wanted a pair!"

And so it was that I became the owner of a pair of Felco pruners.

How this glorious love affair came about:

The garden centre near me is closing up shop and moving to a new location. As is usual with these places, they are selling off everything in the store at a fairly steep discount. I managed to ignore the barrage of email reminders for about three weeks. Until this morning, when I received another email: "There's a great selection of quality long-handled tools at prices you won't see for the rest of the season" it said. Tools? That gave me pause. I love tools. And I love gardening tools best of all. So I made myself go. I got into the car and drove and parked and walked INto the shop. I had a mission - they had a sale. We were, if I say so myself, a match made in heaven.

I wasn't going to go at all, because one of my New Years resolutions is to work on paying off our mortgage before I am 80, but then I thought "I might be able to get a serious deal and then I would actually be SAVING, wouldn't I?"

(I'm nothing if not shrewd about my rationalizations)

And then I saw them: the Felco pruners. A much depleted row of them, but there was one that fit my hand.

So I bought them. I couldn't not, right? Who turns down the chance to buy the stuff of which pruning dreams are made?

Not I.

I bought some other things, too, but those pruners? Expect lots of gratuitous pruning shots in the next few weeks, as we get to know each other.