The serendipity continues! I was looking through the ads in the newspaper on Sunday (12/30) for sales on paper shredders. Didn’t find that, but caught an ad in the Target enclosure for a neat fireplace screen. The one I’ve had was one that Allen had picked up at a garage sale for me early on after I’d moved in here; the fireplace at that time had an attached screen that was pretty beat up. The brass-framed one Allen found had served me well for almost 9 years, but the last time I took it outside to clean it, I discovered that the screen panels themselves had finally rusted badly. So I’ve been looking for a new screen for months now.

Prices on fireplace screens – at least the ones I’ve found in the many catalogs I receive in the mail – are outrageously high. There are some beautiful screens out there, but I’m not about to buy one for well over $100 and up – way up! I thought I had found one in my price range, but it was, not surprisingly, sold out by the time I got on line in hopes of ordering it. That was last summer some time.

But I liked the looks of the one in the ad, and Allen was going to be going to Target on Monday, so I asked him to pick one up for me. He did that (plus he found all the marked down chocolate he was going to Target to look for!). I really like the new screen. It “fits” so well with the charcoal-blue tile I have around my fireplace. I’ve taken a couple of photos of it, both with the candles I had in the fireplace for New Year’s Eve, and then earlier today with fire burning – it’s been COLD here in Central Florida.

On New Year’s Day, Allen began taking the old screen apart. He does that with everything, salvaging screws, washers, and all sorts of pieces with which I have absolutely no idea what he does. But I did get an idea while he was doing that, and now the two lamps in the living room have not only matching shades, but matching finials! It’s such a little thing, but I’m pleased to have thought of it and salvaged the finials from the fireplace screen to put on my lamps. Allen was very happy that the screen he’d bought for $5 nine years ago was still serving my home in some way. Plus he took home all those screws and stuff.

I did find a shredder, btw. I sat down and went to different store sites on line and found a good shredder that normally sells for $44 on sale at Office Depot for $29.99! So I just got myself over to the store and picked it up. And shredded a bunch of old stuff this morning in about 20 minutes. – In the event you’ve been thinking about a shredder, now’s the time to get one. This is an “ativa DQ61Mn” maximum 6-sheet feed with a credit card slot. It works very well; I’m pleased regarding the timing on that, too.

So here we are on the 3rd day of 2008, and I’ve already lucked out on two purchases just since I put the “My Home” album together. Warmer weather is on the way tomorrow, and tomorrow night I’m taking Allen and Darren to see “BLAST!” – the “marching band” show that Lu, Molly, Jenni and I saw the last time we all went to Disney/Epcot together. “BLAST!” was also part of the Broadway Series a couple of years ago, and their stage show is just wonderful – one of those shows that, after each number, you think “How can it get any better than that?” and, by jiminy, the following number is even better. When I got the announcement that “BLAST!” was going to be in town for one show, I immediately ordered tickets for the three of us, as part of Allen’s birthday/Christmas gift. I am so eager to see that show another time, and I know Allen and Darren will both be amazed at the talent and showmanship of the performance. Ought to be a pretty great evening!

That’s the “catch up” entry for now.

I’m hoping the rest of 2008 goes as well! And that Ohio State beats LSU!