A old friend of mine used to chastise himself each time he made a comment that was so obvious, he might as well have not said it at all. He would call himself the “Master of the Obvious”. At risk of being called that myself, I’m going to make a statement that is so well-accepted, it doesn’t need to be stated. A home purchase may be the best thing ever for the economy.

Everyone knows this, of course, but I don’t think I fully realized it until our recent home purchase. I am magnetically drawn to Target, Home Depot, Consignment stores and decor shops in a way that causes me to feel powerless. I have acquired more home objects in the last 2 months than I have purchased in my entire 49 years. It is frightening.

I hesitate to admit all this, and I’m sure Kevin is beginning to fear the number of unidentified objects which keep surfacing in his home. The only rationale is that there is some kind of gene in our DNA that makes us feel compelled to buy and arrange objects in a new space. You see a little of this in the car business, certainly. People who want the Lexus key-chain or hat or car care kit or window tinting after a vehicle purchase. But most of that is functional, less of it is personalization. With a home, though, it is a economic whirlwind, a vortex of cash output.

I will not embarrass myself or bore you with a list of the pillows, sheets, towels, and standard home fare in which I have indulged, but I will remind our gentle readers that my new home has 3 bedrooms and 3 baths, so whatever most people purchase with a new house, I’ve done it times 3. Nor will I regale you with tales of new granite counters or house re-painting. My focus today is on decorative (ie: non-essential) items only. So here is a short tour. Enjoy. And to all the local businesses who were the beneficiaries of my spending-you are welcome.