Thursday, December 15, 2016

Lost and Found

I was vexed on Sunday to realize I had lost a hand knit glove at the dog park. And have no more of the yarn to make a replacement. Grrrr. Then on Monday morning, I lost an earring. I never wear earrings to the park, but I was going to breakfast with KK and Judy and was trying to be efficient, getting dressed for that before I took the dogs out.

Normally I would just shrug and say oh, well over a lost earring, but this was one of the pair that was my sole souvenir from my trip to Chicago. A vintage piece from a thrift store, and way more spendy than the rest of my earrings.


When I got to breakfast I grumbled about losing it, and KK offered to help look. “I'm good at spotting things,” she said. Off to the park we went. When we got there, I remembered she had never seen Minto Brown Park before. Here’s a satellite view.


Yup, that first field is a quarter of a mile long, and we had been all over it. Looking for one earring was worse than a needle in a haystack. At least they stack the hay! So we tried, but had to give up.

The next day I made a Lost Earring sign to pin on the notice board down there. When I put it up, I glanced at the other items there (mostly lost name tags) – and there was my earring! Someone had found it and pinned it up! I could hardly believe it.

So I took down the Lost sign, and the next day returned with a Thank You sign. As I was pinning that one up, I glanced over – and there was my lost glove! Wet and muddy, but nothing a little bath wouldn’t fix. Too wet to put in my pocket though, so I took it back to the car – and right beside my car I found a dollar bill. (And no, I did not pin it on the board, because what are the chances its previous owner would be the one to remove it?)

It's always fun to find money. I admit there’s a bigger thrill in finding, say, a twenty, but we are thrifters, right? One dollar can buy us amazing things. I decided to go back through my spreadsheet of garaging finds to see some of the stuff I've bought for a buck over the years. The list was overwhelming! This year alone I've purchased 76 items for a dollar each, with an estimated retail value of $1120. Some favorites are these earrings 


a delightful dessert plate AND mug 


and the hedgehog dryer balls I gave to Judy. 



But my spreadsheet goes back for years, to 2006 in fact. What am I still using that cost a buck ten years ago? Hands down, best thing I bought that year was my apple peeler. It was from a newly-retired kindergarten teacher, who had used if for ages in her classroom every September for her Johnny Appleseed unit. Still peels and slices like a dream, and we use it year round. (A new one will run you about twenty bucks.)


Some others that have stood the test of time include my favorite dog figurine

a piece of ceramic art by Karen Howell (I found another tile by her a few years later, also for a dollar...and I see that a similar tray sold on eBay in September for $130, and had 26 bids!)


a set of bunny pot feet (you'd think I like bunnies or something)




and the vintage Pendleton that became ZoĆ«’s favorite coat.



My favorite line from the movie Pecker came from the mother, who runs a thrift store. “We know how to make a dollar holler here at the Bargain Barn,” she says. I can hardly wait to make my found dollar holler, someday soon!

12 comments:

  1. I just think that is awesome that your earring and glove were found and hung up on the board!! Oh what a dollar can buy if your a thrifter!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This dollar is burning a hole in my pocket! We are snowed in & I can't get out to a sale to spend it!

      Delete
  2. Dog park people are good people!

    ReplyDelete
  3. great story of serendipity and plain good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a fun & true post! Just amazing that you found your earring. I had to laugh at that line from Pecker...I remember it. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're the only person I know besides me who has seen that movie!

      Delete
  5. Well I say what goes around, comes around! You will no doubt pass the good will onward. 'Tis the season, after all! I love your apple peeler! Mine has a c-clamp that's a pain to attach to my counter. I'd love one with a suction foot! Let me know if you ever run across another!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The next suction foot one I see will be yours - at least if the price is right!

      Delete
  6. What fine luck! So glad you will not be going semi-mittened or semi-bejeweled this holiday season. Merry Christmas to all!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Nope, no semis at all! (So far...) Happy Holidays back atcha!

    ReplyDelete

I really love your comments. Thanks for coming along on my thrifty adventures!

 
Pin It button on image hover