A first for me

Growing up poor, I learned quickly to become frugal. I have been pinching pennies since I was old enough to know what a penny was and what it could do.

When Mr. Pop and I married we lived with a new frugality but never the less, we practiced the art of frugality with precision. We did without and were careful when and where we spent our money.

I’m telling you this because I did something yesterday that I have never before done in my life. I have been wearing glasses since I was in high school. Often times I would go for years without upgrading my prescription. Again the frugality thing. When I did have to upgrade my lens and frames that was a major big deal. Because I needed prescription sunglasses too, I would always have them put my new sunglasses lens in my old regular glasses frames. By doing so, I saved the price of buying two new frames.

Over the weekend the lens popped out of my regular glasses and there was no way Mr. Pop or I could repair them. So yesterday morning bright and early we set out to the optometrist office for a repair job.

We arrived at his office and handed off the glasses to be repaired. Instead of having a seat and waiting like Mr. Pop did, I went wondering around where they keep all the glasses frames on display.

That’s when it happened. I saw the most beautiful sunglasses frame I have ever seen. They were made of something that but appeared to be tortoise shell, but of course it wasn’t. They looked like Audrey Hepburn should be wearing them. I was in love with these big brown gorgeous frames.

I tried them on and ask for Mr. Pop’s opinion. Nice favorable comments from him were forthcoming. When the girl who handles that department arrived I asked her if my prescription lens could be made for these frames. She said they could and proceeded to measure and all for the order. I was so damned excited. God, when was the last time I felt like that?

So in one week I shall be wearing my first ever sunglasses framed in the frames that I picked out, not the ones that frugality handed to me. Yeah, I splurged on the cost, but sometimes it feels good to reward yourself for all your past efforts. Do I feel a tinge of guilt? Yep, but damn, I’m gonna look good.