Dumpster Diving

I finally succumbed to the pressure. Actually, it only took about a day to succumb to Dave's pressure to buy used furniture to decorate the house (that and the budget he gave me to work with). But now I've found some gems! I've really committed myself to Craigslist these last few days, after several attempts to procure stuff that had been snatched from under my nose when I wasn't quick enough in responding to the ads. Those Craigslisters are savvy little devils! But when I apply myself I am as savvy and quick as the next treasure-hunter. A couple of mornings ago I plopped myself down and really focused- I rechecked the furniture section of Craigslist every five minutes for a couple of hours, and my intense fortitude and persistence paid off!
First I found a large and lovely (brand new-looking!) white dresser for the baby's room for only $35! AND I managed to convince the lady selling it that I was the worthiest buyer, as opposed to the one hundred other emails she'd already received in the four minutes since she'd posted. She told me someone was already coming to look at it at 5:00 but if I got there before them I could have it. I threw in some good mention of my pregnancy, non-flakiness, and working husband who couldn't possibly be there before 5:00 (or even before the next evening) as well as my intention to buy, not just to "look," as my less-savvy rival had promised, and it sealed the deal.

We went and picked it up last night and it looked even better in person, was very high-quality, and the lady selling it was also pregnant, albeit looking a tiny bit better than me, as she was an identical replica of a young Michelle Pfeiffer. We chatted for a long time after the dresser was loaded by our husbands, talking about pregnancy in general, and she said the funniest thing I've heard in a long time.

"You know, I don't really enjoy pregnancy," she said objectively.

"So not P.C.! But me either!!!" I exclaimed, so glad to talk to someone who understood.

"Yeah, pregnancy," she said. "I'm much too vain for this!"

We were able to finally peel ourselves away after I picked my guffawing self off the floor and thanked her for being a woman after my own heart.

Next, as I browsed so frugally, I came across some LOVELY and brand new furniture being sold by a lady who had only used it in her job of staging homes that were for sale. Pottery Barn here I come! And for CHEAP! And the lovely woman let me come and pay her and take only two end tables (purchased by her for $80 each, and by me for $15 each) and a dining room chair, as that was all that would fit in my Mustang, while holding onto a dining room table and the other three chairs, a coffee table, a Pottery Barn chair/lounge, and two matching loveseats until we can pick it all up tonight. When I got there, it all looked even better than in the pictures. And she was quite impressed that I responded approximately 44 seconds after she posted her ad. She mentioned that with the last lot of stuff she sold, people were fighting each other over it so I was lucky to get my reply in so early. She's telling me!

Anyway, I am now officially a proud Dumpster Diver. But I bet if you come to my house, you'll never know it!