HOT STUFF!

It was a lovely morning…as long as you stayed in the shade. If not…hot!

Back home in Southern California, but thought I would continue last week’s sense of adventure by garaging in an unfamiliar neighborhood. This is one of the four weekends a year when sales are legal in the town where I live (no hardship since we are surrounded by many other communities where it's legal all year). So I headed up to a rather posh older neighborhood of wide streets, huge old trees, and lovely houses built from the 20s through the 60s. I actually looked at a couple of houses in that area when we first moved down here, but the ones I could afford were not what I wanted. And my heart was set on a pool, figuring this will likely be the only time in my life I can have that. During hot weather (like now) I applaud my good judgment several times a day as I sink into the lovely cool water. We don’t air condition our house, we cool ourselves. I'm sure it's the more frugal way to go!

The trade off this morning seemed to be, you either get stuff or stories. Last week it was stories, this week it was stuff. Not that I went hog wild. We’re talking practical, or stuff to give to other people. And hey, I only spent $6.67!

I was still close to home when I found my first buys. A mom and daughter and mom’s friend were all wearing cute aprons, so we had a conversation about those. They offered to sell me an apron. I explained that I used to wear them, but when I'm cooking I invariably wipe my paws on my backside. Any apron I wear stays pristine, but there’s often a flour handprint on my butt. From this sale I picked up this brand new oil bottle…
…a lunchbox for a children’s librarian…
…and something I've always had a hankering for—a madeleine pan.
Now I can break out the Martha Stewart cookie book and try my hand at making madeleines. It will probably take forever to make a batch in a pan that only makes nine at a time. But aside from the fifty cent price tag, how could I resist something with the brand name Gastroflex?
Isn’t that awful?! Sounds like something a surgeon would use. “Nurse, clamp…good, now the forceps…now the gastroflex. Excellent. The patient will live to eat madeleines.”

I picked up this vintage Dakin kangaroo and her joey from a couple of nice ladies gently sweating on their sunny porch. Hoping to sell it on.

Across the street I found this lineny skirt that is actually 100% hemp.
I think it will fit if I shorten it from the waist since it’s cut on the bias. I need to do the same with the Smith & Hawken skirt I picked up a few weeks ago; time to break out Matilda, my vintage Singer 201. Also bought this lamp shade to try on the vintage brass lamp we found at the infamously junky estate sale back in May.
Perhaps if it doesn’t fit the lamp, I can wear it for a hat. The color is rather nice with the hemp skirt.
A nice lady gave me these coffee filters. I'll pass them along to a children’s librarian for doing crafts. I've seen some lovely butterflies made with painted coffee filters and clothespins!
This bubble thingy will also go live in a library. Storytime with bubbles is WAY better than storytime without bubbles!

Not sure that I'll leave this little shadow box frame as is. The 3” tall pots of tulips are okay, but I'm thinking I might be able to find something more interesting to go in there. Could be some paint in its future as well. It was fifty cents, so I feel pretty darned free to experiment. Hmmm, wonder if the flowerpots are too big to repurpose as earrings or something…
Back in the realm of the purely practical, we have this brand new thermometer…
…and this little red magnet clip for hanging notes on my office door. I suspect I'll be gluing some picture into the 1” center of the circle.
And my last buy was an Eric Clapton CD.
Wasn’t sure if the hubs likes Clapton, but the price was fifty cents so it was worth the gamble. And when I went to pay for it, I had 32 cents in change left, so I offered that. They seemed to feel that acceptimg 32 cents was way easier than making change for a dollar.

Wish these shirts had been the right size for my brother in law Bob. He’ll have to be contented with the pictures. While I was snapping the pics, I heard someone call out, “Hey Bob, how much is this chair?” So I guess Bob lives there still.

The day was a bit hot for furry guys, but I did meet this cute kitten, who lived next door to one of the sales. Check out the length of that tail!
And this is Cerdito the Chihuahua.
Not one of my favorite breeds, but this little guy wore his lei with attitude. They said his name means little pig. “He’ll eat anything,” his owner said darkly. I have dogs too. I did not enquire further!