Thrifting pays

I really meant to go look at borrowing interview clothes from a friend, but stumbled upon some great stuff at Unique. Liz Claiborne, top & skirt, tags still on - $19.95. Another dressy combo, $9.95. Scored two summer p.j. sets for X, $3 each. Feeling celebratory, I find myself picking up other non-necessary crap: two Lego guys for a buck, a bag of awesome vintage buttons for $4, a hello Kitty playset for $3 (cheap plastic crap, but pink and cute nonetheless) and a bag of silk flowers for $.80. Once I got it all home, it seemed terribly extravagant - didn't need a damn thing, other than the clothes.

Turns out the bag of silk flowers were actually leis, which the kids found festive and apparently inspirational - they actually prompted them to busily clean and decorate the back porch. Later, Lily brings me the pendant I've been meaning to string for her and says she found a chain for it, tangled in one of the leis. On closer look, it's a thin but pretty 16 inch white gold chain. With a 1/3 karat diamond pendant on it, and a sparkly one at that.

Not bad for 80 cents.

Of course Lily is pissed I won't let her have it back, invoking the "finders / keepers" clause. And yes, I'm well aware that my gain is at the expense of someone else who probably got a tad foopled at a Hawaiian party and didn't notice 'til later - and then had to explain why she wasn't wearing her starter diamond to her boyfriend/husband/children. It's probably a $100 item, max. And yes, I will give it back to Lily. Before I die. Pinky swear? Cool.

Meanwhile... I'll just take it as karmic retribution for our burglary last year. Can't wait to see what I score next.