The other day I had a meeting in the staff lounge of one of my daughter’s schools. The cupboard doors were wide open, and guess what I saw? MUGS. Many many coffee mugs. Big ones and small ones. Bright ones and white ones. Fancy ones and plain ones. They were all different. It was like a museum display of a coffee mug retrospective.
This reminded me. Time is running out to get good teacher gifts. It’s a perennial issue. You want to show appreciation, but you don’t want to go overboard or spend money on something that isn’t going to be appreciated or used.
This year I went back to the World Vision catalogue and found something there (which I won’t reveal, just in case Someone Is Reading.) They have a whole pile of great (not to mention, meaningful!) ideas. And you don’t need to spend an arm and a leg.
It’s something can talk about it with your child as you’re making your choices.
Can you imagine not having a warm coat? A pencil to write with? Books to read?
I have a feeling many teachers would appreciate if you bought, in his/her name:
And that’s just a small sampling.
World Vision will also send an e-card to the recipient, which I think is pretty cool too.
I think it would be a pretty nice thing to do, instead of getting another coffee mug or scented candle, don’t you think?
If you have any ideas of your own, do share! I’m sure we can all use a little inspiration.
This is the way I broke the news to Mark.
I called him at work.
“Do you want the good news or the bad news,” I asked. (It’s only fair.)
“What’s the bad news?”
“I spent a lot of money.”
“Ok. What’s the good news?”
“I finally bought some winter boots!”
“So, the good news and the bad news are essentially the same?”
Good quality footwear costs money. I have learned this lesson, several times over. A couple of years ago I spent (I’m guessing here) around $90.00 for a pair of big winter boots. I quickly regretted that purchase. They were big, clunky, ugly, and they didn’t even keep my feet warm. I double-socked it as long as I could, and when one of the seams started ripping apart I knew I couldn’t go another season.
I threw them out at the end of last winter. So far I’ve been winterbootless, just wearing ankle-high unlined dress boots with wool socks.
I have been desperately wanting boots that were sleek, stylish, leather (not suede – hello road salt!) and warm. I’ve been searching high and low. It seemed these boots did not exist. Today, I found them, AND they were on sale. But it still hurt to shell out as much as I did for them. I spent exactly $100 more than I had planned.
And this is them!
Yippee!
The fact that I love them so much, and that they’re waterproof, and warm, and Canadian made (by one of “the last family-owned Canadian shoe factories“) and that they’re kicky and cool and very-much-like-me-kind-of-boots that will last me a long time… well, that makes me happy.
Another thing struck off my list. I feel my load lightening already.
Found on Kijiji just now:
Own a piece of history you can sit on!
The Mayfair Theatre – Ottawa’s oldest surviving movie theatre, and its last remaining cinema built before the Second World War – is getting new seats. Which means the old seats have to go somewhere. Which means you can buy them for $10 a pop.
450 seats are available immediately.
We recommend buying them in sets of two or three, because each set of two shares an armrest.
Use them as occasional seating, conversation pieces, seating for your home theatre (or local theatre group, or lobby, or balcony. It’s up to you.)
We’re unbolting them, but you’re responsible transporting them to their new home.
For more information, or to reserve seats, please email info@mayfairtheatre.ca or call 613-730-6552.
If you want to see the seats in person, drop by the Mayfair Theatre, 1074 Bank St. (at Sunnyside).
I can’t see myself owning some theater seats, but I think it would be pretty cool. Here’s the ad.
Also of interest, this vintage chair / telephone table / lamp combo
