The Right Hunting Buddy

As any good shopper knows, finding the right shopping buddy is essential. Nine times out of ten isn't it 90% about the company and 10% about the shopping? When it is 100% about finding the exact right thing, I tend to go it alone. I become an antisocial, no-nonsense shopping preditor! Stay out of my way... SCARY!

But back to the right hunting buddy. I have several that I am lucky enough to call upon at any given moment. The buddy that is with me most often is one of my oldest and dearest friends...we have been friends through many major life experiences, weddings, births of our children, graduations, the works. We just started getting to do this on a regular basis because we both have young children and full plates. And as our children get older and more demanding (and let's face it, fresher) we tend to make a point of fitting this time into our schedules. It is mandatory... I am a mother who believes I am a better parent when I make time to spend my friends without my children. I guess the current term for this is "me time". We typically look for home things. We have a number of favorite haunts including (but not limited to) TJ Maxx, Christmas Tree Shop, Marshalls, AC Moore, Michaels, and Pier 1. We seem to have compatible shopping styles. We have tried antiquing and we plan on hitting some flea markets soon. Our tastes are similar in some ways and very different in others. But we both have a handle on each others styles and help each other out. We talk about our families, our husbands, our children, and anything else that comes up. I found her some dishes when she was cramming for a dinner party. She bought me an adorable planting box that I have on my porch. Who could ask for more in a shopping buddy or a friend...