Useful

Have you ever bought yourself something useless?
Something sweet, something likeable something non utilitarian?
I think all of us very occasionally like to scratch that frivolous itch occasionally and although you may need some new underpants, need to pay your William's skin allergy medication bill and need to put money towards your nursing reregistration payment, the pleasure of buying an oversized garden outdoor chess set seemed the best course of action for the day


What " useless " thing have you treated yourself to recently?

95 comments:

  1. These days about all I can afford is a coffee here and there but I do have a penchant for jewellery and a few years ago I bought a cheap pair of earrings that were probably too young for me on the day I got them

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  2. Yorkshiremen rarely buy, frivolous, useless things but last week I bought a bottle of malt vinegar. The wife is always pining for such luxuries so I thought I would give her a nice surprise.

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    1. I bet she could hardly contain her pleasure you old romantic

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    2. YP, you certainly know how to spoil a woman ! Bet Shirley was over the moon, or did she hit you with it?

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    3. She uses it as perfume. Eau de Sarsons. She has always been extravagant when it comes to personal grooming.

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    4. I caught that as well. Pick your shifts wisely and only work when you want.

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  3. Are you going back to nursing John? I've recently spent silly money on sock yarn. I knit socks but felt the need for some hand-dyed luxury sock yarn, many pennies, but sod it! x

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    1. I may be doing some shifts

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    2. Lucky patients that get such a kind and funny nurse, Best wishes x

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    3. Bugger, it attached to the wrong post.

      I'll say it again. Pick your shifts wisely and don't let yourself be guilted into more than you want to.

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  4. Do you actually play chess?

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  5. A pair of shoes with pride rainbow soles.
    https://www.underarmour.com/en-us/mens-ua-hovr-sonic-pride-edition-running-shoes/pid3021779-001

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  6. A packet of tempura batter flour. (I do not have a deep-fat fryer).

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    1. I m not the only one then

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    2. Do you have a hot sandwich press with the face of Jesus?

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  7. Apart from an expensive chess set that never sees the light of day, I have a pair of high heel leopard print sandals that I know I will never wear.

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  8. Lucuma powder super food. Not used it yet but seemed like a good idea when I bought it last year. I think your outdoor chess set looks great!

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  9. Do you ever play in chess tournaments, John? If not, you should give it a go.

    (And if so, what is your rating?)

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    1. I never have but the thought of playing outside in the sun like they do in the movies sounds great to me

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  10. Anonymous10:45 am

    Should you be buying such stuffs when you are moving?

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    1. Kitty in the forest10:01 pm

      Don't know how you can bear to leave your lovely house, and beautiful new kitchen. And that garden...
      I remember how it felt to leave our Scottish cottage, and my heart weeps for you.
      And I can rarely resist buying a new cross-stitch kit. When I am 173 and the current crop are completed....

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    2. Kitty, in crafting circles your cross stitch stash is referred to as: SABLE, which stands for Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy. I might be guilty of the same thing!

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    3. Kitty in the forest10:58 pm

      What a lovely description! Although I am increasing my life expectancy to match my stash. ;)

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    4. My SABLE grows. It's terrible to see someone's stash in a thrift store. I have to buy items to give them a good home.

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    5. Anonymous10:25 am

      One paragraph, there are 91 comments. Clearly you do something right.

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  11. Nothing useless lately. Uh oh. Maybe I’m overdue.

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  12. Oh, an idea for you... I stayed in a hotel in New Hampshire a few years years ago that had people sized (5 foot tall queens) chess and checkers. Next up for you?

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  13. A large garden wind spinner that is still in the box two months later. I am now trying to figure out who I should gift this monstrosity to without them being mad at me.

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    1. Ooohhh I think you should definately put up your wind spinner. I only bought a pattetn to make one (double sided kookaburras) ages ago..but in all honesty a total indulgence as it will not get made it looks to complicated for my limited skills. I love wind things..1 or 2 in the garden is a delight 1 weather vane & 1 wind spinner..perfect!

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    2. I already have three others. This one is huge. I might take it out of the box now and take another look.

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  14. I have always wanted to learn to play chess...better hurry up!

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  15. A pair of trendy tennis like shoes . . .
    Name brand . . . Pricy . . . on sale . . .
    Out the store I went . . .
    The most uncomfortable shoes . . . EVER!
    Need I say more . . .

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  16. In a moment of insanity I bought one of those overpriced elastoband things for doing exercises and succeeded in pulling a muscle in my back. After 3 years of wondering what to do with it I've found a suitable victim.

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  17. An air fryer. A useless piece of junk destined for the tip.

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    1. Fabulous news... I was thinking of buying one... now I won't. Thanks :)

      Jo in Auckland, NZ

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  18. BLUE pumps, plimsolls, tennis shoes. As soon as I got them home, I hid them. What WAS I thinking?

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  19. Shoes are a weakness and unfortunately I have awkward feet not helped by an arthritic ankle. That doesn't stop me buying shoes - I live in hope.

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  20. I am deeply ashamed to say I own a pair of Ivanka Trump heels that I can NEVER wear in public. I may have to burn them.

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    1. Just donated my pair - could not bring myself to wear them. Now or ever.

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  21. An "as seen on t.v." Sock slider. "No bending, stretching or straining. It's useless because a year later it's still in the box. My exercise equipment is useful, though. They make excellent clothes racks :)

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  22. I'm on a pension so I have to be very careful. Other days I wonder "Just who am I saving this money for...doctors? clinics? hospitals?" An occasional purchase for the soul is warranted, John.

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  23. A couple of weeks ago a angel wings silver necklace, an heart shape pendant to hold ashes in which may count as useless but it's worth a try.As I have a huge vets bill with possibly no payment I must be very sensible.I now am doing yellow sticker shopping for myself as Ilona-Meanqueen does.Plus another £80 vets bill yesterday for my lovely Lily.Quite a while ago I did buy a Pilate's machine & a vitamix which I can't really count as useless but I do wish now that I hadn't been so frivolous x

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  24. I'm trying to gather my courage to buy myself a new gold chain to wear a beautiful pendant on that my husband gave me a long time ago. The chain it's on is too short and dammit- I want to wear that petty pendant. But so far, I haven't gotten myself to the point of actually shopping yet. Baby steps.

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  25. Nothing for a very long time, but a tattoo is on the agenda. Frivolous and useless, but it will have meaning to me, and that's all that counts.

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  26. A cape and short skirt made entirely of dark colored feathers with a pair of very high heels. I knew the entire outfit wasn't suitable to be worn anywhere I would be going. Yet I still bought it because I looked great in it all. I put it on at home and danced alone in front of a full length mirror just for the fun of it, and did attend a luncheon in the skirt and heels with a fairly simple blouse made by the same designer to complete the look. I'm ordinarily a blue jeans and boots person, but couldn't resist the chance to add a touch of outrageous glamour to my life. Your chess set will likely make you smile whether you use it often or not, good for you! enjoy, Mary

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  27. An antique voodoo doll.

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  28. Lisa R2:48 pm

    A concrete snail.

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  29. Absolutely nothing - I'm desperately trying to declutter, so useless would just be another thing to throw out !

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  30. A little fat fabric Robin from the charity shop.

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  31. It's been so long since I made a frivolous purchase. I guess the essetial oil diffuser would be the last thing...although...when I had a cold the eucalyptus I put in it was quite soothing.

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  32. Six sets of wooden painted Russian nesting dolls as a Christmas gift to myself. (Thirty dolls in total.)

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  33. No useless treats lately but forty odd years ago I treated myself to a husband.

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    1. Same here... didn't last the distance but..

      Jo in Auckland, NZ

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  34. More annuals to pot up for the front steps...zinnias this time.

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  35. I'm tempted to say my pug, as he lays here snoring...or my Jeep, as it is ridiculously over-computerized and I can't quite figure it all out. However...a vintage necklace, pearls and gold scallop shells. It's really cool and beautiful. I love it.

    Does the ''garden'' chess set stay outside? Are those tiles to make the board? Aren't you moving to a city place with no garden?

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  36. A collection of antique Telephones. They have included payphones, bar phones, desk and wall phones of every kind. I have since gotten rid of them all, but for one old Bakelite, rotary dial, cross cradle wall phone. Don't have the slightest idea why I hold onto it except it looks great hanging silently on the shop wall. A badge of my old age I guess.

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  37. "Useless" is in the eye of the beholder! I think that fancy jacket I bought not too long ago might qualify -- I can wear it, very rarely, so it's not entirely useless, but it's definitely not practical either.

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  38. All the crap over the years (Cds, DVDs, new cars, and such) that have now kept me from traveling in my retirement....bitter- just a little.
    Barb

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    1. I listen to my nephews talk about phones, digital music, TV packages - they too will be sorry one day.

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  39. Serious question John... does William’s skin allergy medicine work and does it cost a lot? The reason I am asking is because just yesterday I said to our builder that I had just read an article about allergies in dogs. His Wheaten terrier is being driven mad with itching and scratching. He said when I tackled him about it a few weeks ago he has always done it! It is because he is stressed? Until I had read the article I hadn’t ever heard of dogs having this awful condition. I would be grateful on how William copes and how you do paying for what is an ongoing situation, chess set notwithstanding!

    LX

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  40. An antique bus ticket machine I bought on a whim for £1 at a table top sale. It weighed a ton and I had to carry it round all day. It was missing the winding handle so was pretty useless but I liked the price dials and tickets and it looked great. I kept it for a couple of years and then sold it for £28, so not a bad investment.

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  41. I had a coat made for a wedding at St Paul’s Cathedral last year ...... she started making it in February and finished it two days before the wedding in September. I paid an obscene amount of money for it and didn’t wear it ..... it was too big so I wore something that I’d had for years !!!!! Frivolous and a total waste ..... i’m never having anything made for me again ! XXXX

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  42. Well I've just bought a new garden strimmer, bloody useless for me ... but Alan will have fun using it ;-)

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  43. I don't generally buy anything useless unless you count food - chocolate ice cream, peppermint Aero, flapjacks, apricot croissants etc. But we do have a lot of purely decorative china - bowls, vases, dishes, teapots - that we never actually use. We also have a lovely glass chess set, which IS regularly used.

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  44. Erk, I have a gift for making the practical useless. I have vast cupboards of fabric and I will never in my lifetime ever use it all up! Yet I've culled and culled until everything in it just is so delicious, so it's very hard to part with it.

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    1. I have a fabric obsession too, but I do use mine for quilting. Still, my daughter introduced me to a term in the knitting world that applies to fabric as well as yarn: SABLE - Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy!!!

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    2. Oh yes e I know all bout that one! It's partly why I have culled so hard. the idea of being SABLE actually gives me the willies! Half of my stash is quilting fabric the other half for clothes and costumes and home decor etc. I also own a haberdashery shop so I get to indulge my love of buying quilting fabric through that ;-)

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  45. Books. An addiction I cannot shift. And plants. Ditto.

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  46. An electrical, circular saw. Maybe some day I will need to saw something. Ha!

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  47. A fabulous antique amber ring in the wrong size. Considering I am very housebound and never dress up have arthritic hands and fingers even if I get it resized do not think I could wear it. It is very simple and beautiful.

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. Put it on a chain and wear it round your neck AP.. you can appreciate it better there than in a drawer..enjoy it no matter how.

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    2. Think of it as a mini-sculpture. Enjoy it!

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    3. Ellie B and veg artist...
      I wear many of my rings on chains, Like you both have said i can appreciate it more.
      Good call both of you. Thank You.

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  48. My standard poodle. I still maintain I needed him after we lost our other dog. No regrets even as he’s sitting on my lap panting right now.

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  49. Just this afternoon I purchased a six foot tall carved wood flamingo, what a dopey thing to do.

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  50. I am trying to cull books at the moment but they go and new ones enter, spaces in a bookcase call to the wild and books hear the call as does my credit card.
    @Doc, I don't comment on others comments but I think I might have to agree with you. Where in Hells would you put it?

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  53. We bought a very nice and "spendy" expresso machine so we could skip Starbucks and save money by making our own mochas and hot chocolates. Hubby made one mocha, then was diagnosed with gastric problems and has lost his taste for coffee. I've yet to work up the energy for trying to figure out how to make hot cocoa. The machine just sits there and taunts us.

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