I like to shop at T.J. Maxx. For those of you not familiar with that store, I would describe it as a place to find nicer “name-brand” items at discounted prices. I would even go so far as to say, you can find unique stuff there too.

Most of the store inventory is name brand clothing. I’m not really into clothes (or name brand anything) It’s the small amount of luxurious bath products and few home goods isles that draw me in.

I love to smell all the lotions, fragrances and soaps. I’m forever tipping the bottles and boxes upside down to see if the price is reasonable. The prices, even at a discount, are rarely reasonable, in my opinion.

But every once in great while, when they have done their seasonal markdowns, I will actually find something at a good price and buy it.

About a year ago, I saw a lovely purple box of Lavender triple milled soap. The box was covered in a fleur de lis pattern and had a satin ribbon tab for opening. Over the two bars of soap sat a piece of vellum paper, claiming the soap to be hand made of the finest natural ingredients. When I turned this beauty of a box over, the red markdown sticker, on the bottom, read $2.00. “Mine” I exclaimed loud enough for everyone to hear as I gently placed the treasure in my cart.





Oh how I have loved this box of triple milled soap (whatever triple milled means). I’ve opened it often throughout the year to take in the scent of lavender. I enjoy the way it sounds when I lift the lid up by it’s regal lavender ribbon. The bars are embossed with “Fior di Campo” (again… whatever that means… sounds fancy)

I have been saving this special box of soap for almost a year. It has graced my dresser, my vanity and the bathroom counter at different times through out the past months.

I never intended to actually use the soap. I just wanted to “have” the soap.

Dare to use one of the special triple milled lavender $1.00 bars of soap? Oh, I couldn’t… I’m saving them.

Saving them for what?? Am I leaving them to one of my girls when I die? (I wouldn’t bother leaving them to my son since he has shown himself to have no use for soap ;)

Today, when I went to shower, I noticed the bar soap, on the soap dish, was only a sliver so I went in the linen closet to get another bar.

We’re out of bar soap….

We’re out of bar soap, except for the special triple milled lavender soap in the regal looking box.

Can I shower without soap? I think NOT!

So, I reluctantly took out a bar of my special soap for the shower. It was difficult for me. I was saving that soap.

But, I’m OK now. The soap was really creamy and smelled delicious. I may actually use the other bar sometime, though highly doubtful.