Moral lessons at the Pawn shop

I make a downright horrible blogger. Bloggers, must, by definition, blog. It's very hard for me to manage this quiet, uninterrupted hour before the computer. There are too many other hobbies for me to juggle, in addition to the housework and childrearing which occupies my days. How does any woman have time to work? I ask you!
Guitar is going nicely. I am an absolute rock star in the privacy of my own mind.
Exercise is going well, too, or has been this week, anyway. When I start a new exercise routine, I always feel that my size 6 jeans should fit right away. It's such an insult to sweat for a full hour, and yet still find more of me than is warranted.
My flower gardening is winding down a bit. Hand watering all my pretties has been a considerable investment of my time since early spring. The yard is lovely, though; both the front and the back patio are colorful and inviting.

One dirty little hobby of mine involves second hand shopping. Clearance racks are fun, too, but they lack the distinctly unexpected thrill of stumbling upon an item of value in an environment of cast away junk. I always feel a sense of accomplishment, like a hunter who has successfully bagged a carefully tracked prey.
The other day I wandered into a Pawn shop, which I know is not very ladylike. However, I am needing to replace my Ipod, and I rather thought it likely to find such a thing at a discount.
I didn't find one.
I did, however, trip over an enormous duffle bag full of bull riding gear. Imagine my surprise! (You will recall that my eldest child has developed a penchant for rodeo bull riding.) The price tag called for $199.00, but I was entirely ignorant of the real value of this find. I explored its depths, and called my son to ask some questions. He assured me that this was the deal of the century, but I went home to do a little research. Apparently, this sort of equipment sells on ebay for upwards of $500.00. There's not a lot of second hand gear available, I guess, and bull riders are kind of a niche market. So, I went back to the pawn shop and offered them 150.00. They took my money, I took the bag, and I shipped it off to the luckiest bull rider in Arizona.
Now I am feeling somehow morally superior to all who have purchased the like at full price. This is an entirely irrational response, but really quite amusing, if you think about it.  I always do it when I find something amazing for a great discount. Then I brag about it. Though thrift could be considered a moral attribute, this boastful self-satisfaction is certainly not. Moral superiority is hardly valued in our culture, anyway, and its definition is muddled in the pride which deflates it the moment it rears its bloated head. Ah, me! I'm a silly fool, albeit a happy one.
Now, to my next little hobby....