I have succumbed

While I'm feminine in my own way, I'm not a frilly, girly girl kind of ... um girl. Most of my clothes are relatively tailored and in lots of solid colors rather than prints and ruffles*. I typically have one purse, black or brown, that's an all-purpose sort of thing. Leather, big flap over the top, pocket to stuff things in in the back, nice. When I wear one out, I go find another and begin to beat that one up too. Year round.

Erin was infected by the Vera Bradley bug a couple years ago when her friend Courtney introduced her to Vera Bradley purses and catchalls. I've tried to like Vera Bradley bags and the patterns are definitely fun but they just have never been me.

Until now. I have succumbed.

Erin and I were shopping a few weeks ago, splitting a gift certificate I had received to a local store that carries all kinds of whimsical girly things including Vera Bradley bags. She bought a new Vera purse and I sensibly (?) decided on a new decorative flag for the backyard. As I was waiting for her to decide which purse she liked best, I saw the cutest purse and promptly fell in love. It was a Vera Bradley Cha Cha bag in Make Me Blush.

Since we're drastically cutting back on unnecessary expenditures, I went home and began plotting on how to afford the bag. I washed the dog (saved $35). I collected cans and coins when Bridget and I go walking ($ who knows but not much). We're eating out far less often. I started watching auctions on eBay and discovered that these purses are out there.

Within a day I had Johnnie saying, "Just buy the dang purse." Who knew it would be so easy?

So I bid on an eBay auction last week. In fact, I bid on two auctions last week, one for the purse above and another for my second choice Cha Cha bag in Loves Me.

I even asked Erin for guidance on how to bid so that I would do it correctly, having never participated in a hotly contested auction and definitely wanting to win the purse this time around. She counseled me. I put my maximum bid in on both bags, just to hedge my bet. You can guess what happened. I won both bags. What a dummy. The good news: I didn't pay retail ($58) for either one of them. So in a very true sense, I won anyway. Even though I have one too many bags.

They arrived today. My plan is to quickly sell my also-ran bag on eBay. And maybe recoup what I paid for being a novice eBay buyer. Sigh.

*I do love polka dots because they inexplicably make me happy. Even when I'm not thinking about them, I'll be drawn to a fabric or item with polka dots on it. Just make me happy for some reason. Dunno.

Anybody want a purse?