Today we are supposed to look inside my bag. I'm not sure how edifying that will be, but okay. I think it's more important that we look at my bag, actually. And, I prefer the term purse. Bag sounds kind of ugly and homeless-lady-on-the-corner to me. Here's my favourite purse, and the one I carry in fall and winter.
Most of you know of my Cow Obsession. My dear friend Leanne got me this purse years ago, and I adore it. She sent it to me out of the blue one day, and I fell in love instantly. I get more compliments on it than any purse I carry. My grey cat Marlowe loves to curl up next to it on the chair and sleep with it.
Inside this purse you'd find
1. a little red leather wallet
2. a migraine pill
3. a Shakespeare pillbox
4. my keys on a bright pink furball keychain
5. two Target gift cards
6. a receipt from the warehouse club
7. a drugstore coupon
8. a Burt's Bees lip balm
9. two pens
10. a key to my brother's house
11. a hairbrush
12. my sunglasses
Thrilling, right? I'd ask what's in your purse, but instead, tell me what's the weirdest or scariest thing you've ever had to carry in your purse. I'll think about what mine is and get back to you in Comments. Or just tell me what you think about my Cow Purse.
I like your purse. I don't know that I've ever carried anything weird or scary in my purse. Potentially messy, yes. As in a bottle of cough syrup + a spoon in a little plastic bag. But that's not weird-- and only scary if the cap had came off the bottle. But it didn't.
ReplyDeleteAlly Bean--Thank you. I've carried bottles of liquids in my purse, too. When the boys were little, I had medicines in there and little droppers or medicine spoons or cups. I used to live in fear of the lids loosening or the medicine leaching out and making a huge mess, even inside the baggie. So, I get it.
DeleteI don't think my comment went through. Love the cow purse.! There is a Our Lady O f Guadalupe hankie that zach gave me and i keep it in my purse. That' s not scary . I can't think of a scary thing!
ReplyDeleteKathy b--I addressed the comment issue in a previous post.
DeleteThank you, I'm nuts about it, too. I like that you shared a special thing you keep in your purse. That's a great idea!
I love your purse! I don't even carry a purse anymore. My phone, DL and debit card go in my pocket, everything else I might need I keep an extra in the car. When I did carry a purse I don't think I ever carried anything scary or weird that I can think of, but I am a little distracted with pure happiness this evening so I may have to give it some thought and come back.
ReplyDeleteMartha--Thank you! I rarely carry my purse into a store now during the pandemic. My keys go on my wrist, and my ID and credit/debit card are in my pocket. I don't carry my phone into stores at all.
DeleteI'm joyful and relieved about our new President- and Vice President-Elect! We walked our champagne down the street to listen to their speeches and celebrate with our son and daughter-in-love (and Zydrunas) last night. Pure happiness is right!
Gee, you'd love a pullover blouse top I have in black and white cow pattern. Reminds me of the Holstein dairy herd my uncle had. Your purse would be what I should carry, or you should have my top.
ReplyDeleteThe only scary thing I recall ever carrying was a nail clipper with a wicked little file that could be turned out to become a weapon. I have a pkg of tissues, protein bar, reading glasses, small bottle hand sanitizer, pocket appt. calendar along with standard fare and misc. other.
Joared--I don't dress in cow patterns because I feel like no matter how small and fit I may be, it would invite an undesirable comparison. But a purse is delightful!
DeleteI used to carry a box cutter in my purse as a teenager. I fully intended to use it as a weapon. I grew up in a steel town and wasn't afraid to defend myself.
I never carry a purse any more after some guy mugged me at a gas station year ago & took my purse. Debit card & phone in my pocket is what I carry now. Most every day out walking there is a camera with a zoom lens over my shoulder. Year's ago, when our kids were babies, I used to carry a diaper. Now-a-days, it'd be adult diapers.
ReplyDeleteAnni--Goodness! That would make me stop as well. How scary that must have been!
DeleteHow did you get away with just carrying one diaper? I always had the huge diaper bag stocked with an arsenal of babyware--extra outfit, extra pacifier, wipes, diapers, toys, etc. Good for you for traveling light.
Years ago I was flying from Pittsburgh home to Philadelphia; getting in super late and had to walk to my car by myself. I had put a small knife in my purse (I haven't the foggiest idea where I got it). They of course found it going through security. Didn't confiscate it; someone just walked me to my gate. That tells you how long ago that was...
ReplyDeleteAnd wasn't yesterday a wonderful day?!
Elle Clancy--How nice to see you again!
DeleteLook at you, packing a shiv! Tough lady.
Yes, yesterday was a Wonderful, Wonderful Day! I felt such joy and relief. And HOPE. As I said to Martha above, Rick and I celebrated with our son and his girlfriend by popping champagne and watching the speech together. We were all overjoyed and, for the first time in a long, long time, proud.
Dee--Thank you. It's even furry!
ReplyDeleteI'm not afraid of needles. I used to carry an Imitrex needle pen in my purse years ago for migraine. I was glad when I was able to switch to a quick-dissolve pill, though; I hated the feeling of the injection medicine. It was like my head was blowing off.
I'm certainly glad you carry those things in your purse!
It sounds like a lovely day, what with your mom’s hair and then ice cream, and eventually Champaign with your son. What a great day!
ReplyDeleteWay back in the 80s, I had hair that required a lot of hairspray, and I had a big hobo type bag (I like the term bag more than purse, don’t know why). I carried a full size hairbrush, a full size Sebastian shaper hair spray, and likely a bunch of makeup in that thing. I prefer a smaller bag now, and my hair doesn’t need as much maintenance, thankfully.
Oh, I hate a typo in a comment. I blame small screens and middle aged eyes. SIgh. Champagne.
ReplyDeleteJ--It wasn't really lovely, actually. I had to sit for hours in a teeny home salon rather than enjoy the unusually warm and sunny day. And the salon is 40 minutes away, so add 80 minutes in the car rather than enjoying the warm and sunny day. But it's not like it happens all the time, and it was a sacrifice I was willing to make for my mother.
DeleteThe day certainly got much better once I got home and could stretch out and then spend time celebrating such a happy event with family.
I used to carry much larger purses, too. Now, I find them to be just too much, and I can't haul around something heavy. I also can't use shoulder straps after two bouts of adhesive capsulitis and a surgery. Like you, I am very low maintenance hair-wise and makeup, and find the smallest purse I can for my needs.
I hate making typos as well, but please know that I don't care about them here in Comments. I know many people are using iPads and phones and are not as crazed about them as I am. I'm just happy to have your thoughts. xo
Hello, everyone! I did want to share a few odd and scary-ish things that I have, at times, had in my purse over the years.
ReplyDelete1. I used to carry, as a teenager, a boxcutter for self-defense.
2. Sad to say at one point, I stole an empty beer pitcher from a nightclub by putting it in my enormous purse.
3. I have transported urine specimens--mine, the cats', and the boys' as babies and children--in my purse.
I don't have anything odd or scary in my purse. Years ago when my 5 kids were little, I would often have hot wheels, GI Joes or other action figures ("not dolls, Mom!") in my purse in case someone needed a toy while in the car. For many years I carried a scrap of my daughter's quilt edge (pink ruffled scrap) in case she needed a temporary "Nah nah corner" to calm her down or help her fall asleep. If once she was grown, I kept that scrap in there - as a sweet keepsake, I guess.
ReplyDeleteI am rejoicing today too and feeling such great relief over the Biden/Harris victory!
Ellen D--Oh, yes. My purse during The Kid Years served as an impromptu toy box as well. And Cheerio or granola bar or fruit roll-up dispensary. And I probably would have kept carrying that quilt edge around with me, too.
DeleteEven though there are still more than two months to wait for the Biden/Harris presidency, I feel a tremendous sense of relief. My step and my heart are both much lighter now.
Great purse!! I had kind of forgotten about your cow obsession, but that bag is perfect for you! I don't have a migraine pill in my bag, but I do have antacids!
ReplyDeleteVera--Thank you. I love it, too. I hate to think of you having to carry antacids. I hope once our new President and Vice President take over, you'll have fewer tummy aches.
DeleteI LOVE your cow purse! So stinking cute.
ReplyDeleteI also call it a purse and not handbag or bag.
Scariest thing I've carried? Hmmmm....mace?
BB Suz--Thank you. I think it's cute, too.
DeleteI'm actually scared to carry mace. I feel like, with my luck, it would spray by accident, or I'd spray myself when I'm clutching my keys in some weird configuration trying to juggle groceries or cat food bags or whatever stuff I'm hauling into the house. I'm worried enough about setting off my fob alarm instead of unlocking my car. Sigh.
I love your purse! I'm carrying a giant purple purse right now. I usually would have switched it out with the cooler weather, but a) the weather is not, in fact, cooler (it's 72 degrees right now), and b) this one has a great pocket to hold all ELEVEN of my masks. I don't know why I have to have them all with me (unless they're in the wash - they are all clean at the moment). I could leave them in the car instead of toting them around. That's the solution, right? I can switch to a cuter purse then.
ReplyDeleteI can't think of anything very weird that I've carried with me, although I'm sure there have been weird things. I did have a small Swiss army knife confiscated at the airport (I was very abashed & sad since it had been my mother's).
P.S. I went to my latest post & responded to the comments there. We'll see how long I keep it up!
Bug--Thank you. I do, too, so much!
DeleteWhy don't you leave your masks in the car? Just wondering...
I'm sorry your memento from your mom got confiscated. That was probably tough, especially since you know you can't see it again.
I'll head over and read your replies. I'm impressed (so far).
A bottle full of breast milk. And it leaked.
ReplyDeleteMary--Oh, of course it did. Sigh.
DeleteBreast fed babies are a pain to babysit.
DeleteTHAT PURSE IS AMAZEBALLS!!!
ReplyDeleteThe oddest/scariest/ickiest thing I've ever had in my purse was a set of 4 vials of my own blood. I was part of a clinical trial, and had to deliver them to the lab every two weeks myself, after getting the blood drawn at the dr's office. I nearly threw up the first time, because I just went to carry the baggie with them in my hands, but the blood was STILL WARM. So into the purse they went. Ugh.
Bridget--Oh, thank you. I'm so fond of it.
DeleteI get it about the blood. Being queasy about blood was one of the things that turned me away from being a veterinarian. We had to type our own blood in Zoology class in college, and I almost fainted. I couldn't give blood for the longest time, either. So I get it.
I can never see anything cow related without thinking of you! That purse is fun. I'm one of those folks who uses the same purse for literally decades. I buy a good quality leather purse and then use it until it practically falls apart. Black leather purses usually. When my last black leather purse died, I looked in my closet and found a brown leather purse from decades earlier. I know it was decades old because I googled and the company that made it is not longer in business. Also, the pocket for a cell phone is tiny. Remember how tiny the original cell phones were? Well, after the gigantic bag phones, that is. Anyway, the old brown leather purse has been serving me nicely.
ReplyDeleteWhat's in it? A little of everything. I have always called a purse a life support system after I heard someone reference one that way. At the time, Bo was a baby and the term was totally accurate. But despite Bo now being 32, the label is still accurate. I can't stand not having essentials with me.
My purse contains meds (OTC and otherwise), band-aids, eyeglass repair kit, masks (a recent addition of course), wallet (I use a man's wallet because a woman's wallet was way too frou frou and wouldn't hold much cash), eyeglass case, pens, little mini notebook, post-its (I haven't worked in a long time now but they still come in handy), our camping list, a sewing kit (that has actually been a lifesaver in the past), liquid tears, and much more. It's heavy. I keep purging stuff from it but it never seems to get any lighter.
Shirley--I am probably the only woman who is flattered to hear someone say, "Whenever I see cows, I think of you!" Hee hee.
DeleteI haven't bought a new purse in years. I use the same purses for decades, too. Two of mine are 15 years old, and I recently grabbed an old straw vintage purse that used to be my mother's or grandmother's and used that all summer. It's at least 50 years old.
You do carry a lot of things in your purse! And a leather purse is heavy to begin with. I'm hanging out with you if there's a zombie apocalypse. You're far more prepared than I am.
Despite my purse being full of critical stuff, I don't actually think I'd be ready for the zombie apocalypse.
ReplyDeleteCarrying a vintage straw purse--especially one with a family history--is very cool!