So we drove across town and go into the store. I asked one of the clerks where to find them. She said against the wall, but if we didn't mind monogrammed ones, they were on sale.
I picked through the bags (and boy, were there a lot of them) and found the perfect one. It was white with pink accents with a monogram of HCO. Not only that, but there are cool pockets inside, and it zippered shut. Can you say "almost perfect in every way?"
When I went to pay for it, the clerk said I would get an extra 20% off. Even better! As she cashed out my purchase, she asked if I was interested in removing the monogram. I was. So she put in a sheet of instructions on what to do. Ya know what, I actually read the thing for helpful hints!
I got home, borrowed a seam ripper from my mother, took out a pair of fine tweezers and went to work. First, I went after the BIG C in the middle.
Whoa--this was a lot harder than it looked. I had to get out Mr. L's head loupe because the stitches were very tiny and my close-range eyesight has never been all that good. After quite a long time, I managed to pick out all of the letter C. As far as I was concerned, that was enough. Until I realized what the remaining letters spelled.
Can you say "HO!"
NO, I did NOT want to be known as a HO -- but oy! The "O" was pretty easy, but it took forever to pick out that H, which had a lot of curlicues. Afterwards, I followed the instructions, which said to use a little liquid Ivory Snow and gently wash the area with a toothbrush and it would help hide the offending letters. (Lucky I had some on hand.) I did, and it did! Now I have a lovely tote and without someone else's monogram or an offensive term written on it.
What was your last great bargain?
