Otherwise entitled “How I managed to spend over $500 on cookware in one weekend.”

My best friend, Amy-Renee has a deadly combination of traits.  First, she knows all my retail weaknesses – shoes, underwear, and kitchen accessories.  Second, she is a vicarious shopper.  Third, she knows that my entire life is driven by the twin forces of guilt and responsibility.  And as you read the following, be aware that she was, IN NO WAY, plotting nefariously for my material goods.  She is simply one of my two worst “retail enablers” (the second is my husband), and the occasional beneficiary of the side effects of these excursions.

These facts combined with the approaching holiday season to result in a confluence of events that led to a fated orgy of spending at Bed, Bath and Beyond.

The conversation started like this (my internal thought processes are in italics):

Me – You know, I have been really coveting a new set of really good pots and pans.  I think I am going to start looking around.  It’s about time I got the ones I really wanted.  Even if it is hard to justify it with a full set of Italian Mepra cookware in the pantry. 

A-R – I don’t have ANYTHING right now.  We couldn’t find it when I took my stuff out of storage.  We have no idea where it went.

Me – That sucks.  I would let you have my old set, but it’s already spoken for.  My mom’s set was lost in her last move, too, and she doesn’t have any.  The plan was to buy myself a new set early next year, so she can take my old ones back with her when she visits in February.  What kind of daughter am I anyway, to let my mom take my old hand-me-downs, while I get a new set?

A-R – I need to get something.  Just isn’t in the budget right now.

Me – Hmm.  I COULD just buy Mom a new set as a Christmas present, and you could have my old ones.  Don’t know exactly when that will be.  Although, it would be damned convenient just to send them out with her this weekend.

Kris – If you are going to buy a new set anyway, wouldn’t  you rather buy them BEFORE Thanksgiving?  After all, we have all those people to cook for this week?  You have those Bed, Bath and Beyond coupons, and she could take the old cookware back with her this weekend.

Me – Weeeeellll.  I guess it wouldn’t hurt to stop and look when we are out. How did he know what I was thinking?

(Later, in the Bed, Bath and Beyond store)

Me – Hey, look, if I buy $300 of Calphalon, I get a $50 gift card for “free”. 

A-R – I like free stuff.

Kris – If you are going to spend that much anyway, it says here, that with $400 you also get a free 10 qt. Calphalon stock pot.  It may be worth spending the extra $80 on stuff we could use anyway.

Me – Well, let me look around a bit … DAMN those marketing people and their promotions!

Which, dear Readers, is how I ended up with:

and this:

and these for my husband:

and, last but not least, to make my son’s Christmas Cookies, this:

My mother ended up with an early Christmas gift:

…and Amy-Renee went back to Birmingham with a trunk full of Mepra pots and pans.

At least, when I shop, I spread around a little retail love.