tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33734920913829311182024-03-25T23:47:17.401-07:00Queen of Fifty CentsThrifting on Saturday morningsThe Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.comBlogger576125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-64882115954548469592024-02-01T13:17:00.000-08:002024-02-01T13:17:24.758-08:00The Practical, the Delightful, the Bottom Line<p>Genie was kind enough to leave a comment on my last post
which included a request for the 2023 spreadsheet report, which reminded me I’d
never done it! I realized during the year that most of my finds fall into two
categories. They are either practical (Pragmatist is my middle name. Hmmm,
would that make me Queen Pragmatist of Fifty Cents?) or I find them delightful.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I much prefer the word ‘delight’ to the word ‘joy’; it seems
to carry less responsibility, less necessity to work at maintaining it. Delight
can be ephemeral and yet no less delightful, and as long as I still view
something with that sense of delight I will keep it. If the delight fades, I tell
whatever it is goodbye. Makes it easier to pack it off to the Humane Society
Thrift Store, where I hope someone else will experience delight. Which of
course brings up my donations category – 30 items I bought didn’t make the
long-term cut. $44.25 spent…but hopefully will bring in more than that and feed
some puppies and kitties.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The single most lucrative category (best return on
investment) surprised me because it was such a small one – reselling. I bought
only two things to resell, paid a buck and a half for them, and after all
expenses they made $60.71 on eBay. I wish all my investments were that robust.
Sheesh. What were they, you ask? A vintage bar of soap </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheuDS0nrG30I_2bHCHTNim-P0CzFLP_lz7jQ0ZR_zmru-XvrIbRk0Lw0gvgPS2HmFV1gWEl151E1v7rf23bKj8GkhPx96ABvcS6lna_LVNfun45QjPBycov9Un5IFmxrXRQyhuf_NvMuF8TWd6dfYkbjuyd7wamar6NN4PVzUsIRQhMtlIYcKqX4ucXvw/s4032/soap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheuDS0nrG30I_2bHCHTNim-P0CzFLP_lz7jQ0ZR_zmru-XvrIbRk0Lw0gvgPS2HmFV1gWEl151E1v7rf23bKj8GkhPx96ABvcS6lna_LVNfun45QjPBycov9Un5IFmxrXRQyhuf_NvMuF8TWd6dfYkbjuyd7wamar6NN4PVzUsIRQhMtlIYcKqX4ucXvw/s320/soap.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />and a silk Citron Santa
Monica dress.<o:p></o:p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8PZ8BMaOO1Ea8z_Mg3H7K7DcVuZYBoa_79x-YzljHtWQ55UdxyHpqr2z7MOwvZNclaq_ikdqZew98HsOxsaoygxGuMKGIedvy-G0l5Q8CFMj7Hnhcp9QlvZpJ-Qv7gh2Jc7BP5GwJEqPbc3GxCTyFLd4o_w98FmsMqODjTwX-Bz9_eM__vqufy-woin8/s4032/citron%20dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2193" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8PZ8BMaOO1Ea8z_Mg3H7K7DcVuZYBoa_79x-YzljHtWQ55UdxyHpqr2z7MOwvZNclaq_ikdqZew98HsOxsaoygxGuMKGIedvy-G0l5Q8CFMj7Hnhcp9QlvZpJ-Qv7gh2Jc7BP5GwJEqPbc3GxCTyFLd4o_w98FmsMqODjTwX-Bz9_eM__vqufy-woin8/s320/citron%20dress.jpg" width="174" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Household goods had the next best return on investment –
found 13 items for $17.55, worth about $390. As you’d expect, these are things
that fall squarely in the practical camp. Fifty cents for a 3-way lightbulb
that retails for $12. (Twelve bucks for one lightbulb! Lord have mercy.) A $2
jug of laundry soap that lasted 3.5 months. Nearly new king size all-cotton
sheets for a dollar each. You would not believe the thrill I get making the bed
with a beautiful blue sheet that cost a dollar.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One of the best household things I found all year is both
practical and delightful – a fireplace screen. But wait, you say, there is no
fireplace in your house. True, but this is the best doggy gate I have ever used.
Never, ever thought of using one this way before. <o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUE2-W_KCymspHKspAZfn_qZ2vV9a7r8xMvee6YaJKaoPfFVnuOBFFyiSMrXdme5zLrwP0sgkKcTbzxVqX3jMBsEXYgRdso1-PMrxqCP3sHDxe4VMKYFcNmzv4YXIU-zsJMui3Bd_DH8q70pVfh2OLfaf1K_Pi8W3SlK3_lvnGTOyHOLcGkOGV8a7NPA/s4032/dog%20gate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUE2-W_KCymspHKspAZfn_qZ2vV9a7r8xMvee6YaJKaoPfFVnuOBFFyiSMrXdme5zLrwP0sgkKcTbzxVqX3jMBsEXYgRdso1-PMrxqCP3sHDxe4VMKYFcNmzv4YXIU-zsJMui3Bd_DH8q70pVfh2OLfaf1K_Pi8W3SlK3_lvnGTOyHOLcGkOGV8a7NPA/s320/dog%20gate.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">I found several useful pieces of clothing, the cream of
the crop being three Land’s End turtlenecks from a free box. I wear t’necks constantly
in the winter, and these are the good heavy ones that are hard to find these
days. I bought 12 pieces of clothing and accessories for $12, including this
classy vintage purse that’s been fun to carry.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9YVpyTP8K5VQjHCA8loO3JSwOJk84zqdyHBrgyXBdOE-lDs-w-63TGobRhXA_Sz2IKqYlqyIU0RcNWLpkhpyGLqyYPVRM1GvSRXToNXx3yy7r4F183_4aJDzPAZBucvS8FSdcSVT4R-FXkCpWfNOlLPfaC4k5ySBBzmxFNdHatVcQBHCq-sIVvVpV6w/s4032/clasp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9YVpyTP8K5VQjHCA8loO3JSwOJk84zqdyHBrgyXBdOE-lDs-w-63TGobRhXA_Sz2IKqYlqyIU0RcNWLpkhpyGLqyYPVRM1GvSRXToNXx3yy7r4F183_4aJDzPAZBucvS8FSdcSVT4R-FXkCpWfNOlLPfaC4k5ySBBzmxFNdHatVcQBHCq-sIVvVpV6w/s320/clasp.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin9TpKcbnxkMBlW6WR5Ky1QsjMsFgIjfQjNVydA67_YI5uUl3SVeOZuSWc2Ke_g8PIZfuNxdVzuTi9FrOQ5FE9JMHFcWSeL76Dnk_D8zKTVnMQbIcGO1Vc6pBaPh8t00MpzBxF1SKmgnw-c34S2f-0h5hcw4GDc2Nrpu1dVlSAps5Yf7nCvPDCg__r1cU/s4032/koret%20bag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin9TpKcbnxkMBlW6WR5Ky1QsjMsFgIjfQjNVydA67_YI5uUl3SVeOZuSWc2Ke_g8PIZfuNxdVzuTi9FrOQ5FE9JMHFcWSeL76Dnk_D8zKTVnMQbIcGO1Vc6pBaPh8t00MpzBxF1SKmgnw-c34S2f-0h5hcw4GDc2Nrpu1dVlSAps5Yf7nCvPDCg__r1cU/s320/koret%20bag.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">The category in which I found the most items was yard stuff.
I saw an article in a (garage sale) gardening magazine about someone who used fancy
vases upside down on stakes in their garden. Once you embrace upside-down-on-a-stake,
you find all kinds of possibilities on driveways. For both the fancy part and
the stake – curtain rods make great stakes, often with interesting finials. My favorite
concoction used a $1 curtain rod (originally white, I painted it with copper spray paint) with a $3 pair of glass pendant shades. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEoSYMjVQyWg1OETeRYG8oEWIxjJesNWxgaF_M0zRp2WwYtaNEM_biyScQBgW2BDb8Bhw9DQSoa3tB5BPWbl4CB4TzcgNr2PnTrCSg6mvkMFDNyykI8O7NhV6QfYyJutd5wl6eEYAnIQCvHSrmrULRDZbLyfpg-zvWU-UnZHb10yclwZDRc1d73nFDJk/s4032/pendants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEoSYMjVQyWg1OETeRYG8oEWIxjJesNWxgaF_M0zRp2WwYtaNEM_biyScQBgW2BDb8Bhw9DQSoa3tB5BPWbl4CB4TzcgNr2PnTrCSg6mvkMFDNyykI8O7NhV6QfYyJutd5wl6eEYAnIQCvHSrmrULRDZbLyfpg-zvWU-UnZHb10yclwZDRc1d73nFDJk/s320/pendants.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">I had an open garden in June, and visitors had a lot of fun spotting all my décor.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHdpb4Wz1RIc8kUb2AzawcLBeTJkjr3hfG5FPYb7J0fDTjUq9j7nRX7VJYDTsj_BgTVWUYUr01MB7vzgpjDHBsnDRtVNbPJVu2ftrQLAt81w_84Ki1jGkLaXJdT8YQwHuYsuNZNEpw0Sl7ezPtHrH3R7K_pW2LY4sycBVQQsizhyphenhyphenOuTaakcS7ZMtNIibc/s4032/20230623_200033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHdpb4Wz1RIc8kUb2AzawcLBeTJkjr3hfG5FPYb7J0fDTjUq9j7nRX7VJYDTsj_BgTVWUYUr01MB7vzgpjDHBsnDRtVNbPJVu2ftrQLAt81w_84Ki1jGkLaXJdT8YQwHuYsuNZNEpw0Sl7ezPtHrH3R7K_pW2LY4sycBVQQsizhyphenhyphenOuTaakcS7ZMtNIibc/s320/20230623_200033.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjacDZZvZYrKSjuojy5aKODefvSYGb_lUVd8BFE6ZDcQQTOeoLLOS-5Bwu9LlASYYEIhlVuaMyVAa_wrMexx7Rckc9cCquj6Eq1Muc9lPH2pt2KpTuZw-gURDvO71LkxmJvaWlq7ilrIGxz8OeJOl3kAXqAfK0wdUt-sh7QdSOEtqPN_2BcEa4FniM1dPU/s4032/20230704_085239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjacDZZvZYrKSjuojy5aKODefvSYGb_lUVd8BFE6ZDcQQTOeoLLOS-5Bwu9LlASYYEIhlVuaMyVAa_wrMexx7Rckc9cCquj6Eq1Muc9lPH2pt2KpTuZw-gURDvO71LkxmJvaWlq7ilrIGxz8OeJOl3kAXqAfK0wdUt-sh7QdSOEtqPN_2BcEa4FniM1dPU/s320/20230704_085239.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqNhdFkvaYHN4wOJDu7qZVMdONNuaPwHPRolLOIbgHzCVwM2CGI1i0QxYTThArBOyLmXzrp5NLgMdIWmVGWvADJaHiN8RK6KLKG5tSjdI0RkqQANpTW_X-BqrpxT8Gw0rCxuODIBQTiP5Gt0M8NDLFJdrUiMDE-jGw2z-laT17cQU9gA3eCSemIcur9bw/s4032/20230704_203029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqNhdFkvaYHN4wOJDu7qZVMdONNuaPwHPRolLOIbgHzCVwM2CGI1i0QxYTThArBOyLmXzrp5NLgMdIWmVGWvADJaHiN8RK6KLKG5tSjdI0RkqQANpTW_X-BqrpxT8Gw0rCxuODIBQTiP5Gt0M8NDLFJdrUiMDE-jGw2z-laT17cQU9gA3eCSemIcur9bw/s320/20230704_203029.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfyH-allHxXLbbMw5Xa9562axmYBbe3G0M-_PPzx1v9Ul5LPUA5dv3RelB01MAAFhaPgENO5sKoakmBDEHH5sqUK48cPqJEK6t1echKHbTp50isqlXPnUlqhfD7g_mPOF9-YpT3fSypDhnQo-jEYkITxMHVUIyhN6APwsuKRIW4lLi7Albe_sL3RtHrrw/s4032/vases.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfyH-allHxXLbbMw5Xa9562axmYBbe3G0M-_PPzx1v9Ul5LPUA5dv3RelB01MAAFhaPgENO5sKoakmBDEHH5sqUK48cPqJEK6t1echKHbTp50isqlXPnUlqhfD7g_mPOF9-YpT3fSypDhnQo-jEYkITxMHVUIyhN6APwsuKRIW4lLi7Albe_sL3RtHrrw/s320/vases.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Altogether I had a pretty darned good year – spent a total of
$310.55, with an estimated value of $4826. It still pays to shop on driveways!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-38153618032086401052024-01-07T14:23:00.000-08:002024-01-07T14:23:11.895-08:00Judy in Hats<p> Those of you who have been thrifting with me for a while probably remember that my friend Judy is a SUPER good sport about modeling hats. We've seen a gazillion hats of every possible description at yard sales, estate sales and thrift store. Judy has always been willing to pop them on her head and let me take a picture.</p><p>She came over the other day and we were looking at pics on our phones, and I realized ow many shots I have of her in hats. So just for fun, here's a look back at Judy in Hats.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz7zJV2TtbxPm4L0EpEpKXCCfuHORxS6At5tdRuJybealIBY-lsYogE9SxwAHtwAoq8j-0MdXYRIDQaFAaMWw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-47207637020214624032023-06-25T17:31:00.000-07:002023-06-25T17:31:05.299-07:00Summer is A-Coming In…<p>Sing it with me…<i>At last!! </i>Yes, finally, a pretty
darned good garaging weekend. I know we tend to blame a lot of stuff on the
pandemic, but it really did seem like once that hit, garaging was one of the
victims. It was only to be expected in 2020, we felt like we were taking our
lives in our hands by leaving the house. Which we possibly were. Goodness, what
a year – remember the great toilet paper panic? Go and Google ‘toilet paper
earrings’ for a giggle.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I tried to convince myself that garaging has been pitiful
ever since because so many people decluttered while they were stuck at home so
there’s been no ongoing backlog of unwanted possessions. Thrift stores did seem
to be extremely well stocked for a while. But given how many conversations I've
had lately with folks who say they desperately need to clear things out, I'm not
sure how valid that reasoning was. Not to mention all the reality shows about
decluttering and organizing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But summer is now upon us and I got to indulge in a full
weekend of garaging. Only ended up spending $11 so I'm happy to report I didn’t
lose my head, but it was just so nice to hop in the car, turn on the GPS, and
head out looking for treasure and conversations on a sunny morning.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As it happened, my actual best finds were on Thursday, when I
went to only three sales. The first was an estate sale, with the too-common
ridiculous estate-sale-prices. It was in a smallish house in a golf course
neighborhood, and the real marvel was how in the world they had managed to cram
so much furniture into the place. The only thing I saw that might have been of
interest had the price not been $25 was a chinois, or china cap strainer – one of
those conical things that sits in a stand, and you use a wooden pestle to puree
food through the holes. A friend has been wanting one for ages, but at that
price she could have a new one.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Next stop was super fun, and I spent a whole $3.50 there. Two
sisters about my age were selling off a lot of their over-the-top Halloween decorations,
things they had made for the lavish parties they threw. They told me they are
pretty much through with big parties, but not to worry they still had a bunch
more they were keeping. My need for giant spiders and life size skeletons is
minimal, but fortunately they were decluttering a few more things. First find
was part of an old chandelier that I plan to use somewhere in the yard, for the
base of a gazing ball or something.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiACV6eG3y4QXPrHCxgZRKopoRpcOBqBJG9PSLUKE3mTPGbJ8BR34Q0lE_REsHmBIeNRLpbxj0DS9e-TbZzkzHu3HsrQfypPYq92HBcYFP3Vz541pakUBLSz5zUD9ft_QdtNxl3vFfN1D8fQRgbpruCt2l1frLvxfW0ua-4F3y84txDDv-84rXxHSN4o2k/s4032/20230622_174618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiACV6eG3y4QXPrHCxgZRKopoRpcOBqBJG9PSLUKE3mTPGbJ8BR34Q0lE_REsHmBIeNRLpbxj0DS9e-TbZzkzHu3HsrQfypPYq92HBcYFP3Vz541pakUBLSz5zUD9ft_QdtNxl3vFfN1D8fQRgbpruCt2l1frLvxfW0ua-4F3y84txDDv-84rXxHSN4o2k/s320/20230622_174618.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Another find was this fun bottle that has also become a yard
ornament. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgnlKt3G7edIepLcbNijl4e5-9foC_o9dVtLBiCqmb81Lj7eYETJ8jWBYuZxGp-sN2-1gMv4oBOQGmisL44zRqiPSTdDlAar5ThYMXtnBsCtOKfK8YiD3TIh_tKq4cjhyEdcX8keAzGvRO8MPyiQCxvzd0UuBijJdwx4-LPYT8CF3TZLsjARaj4eZ3SM/s3945/20230622_174508.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3945" data-original-width="2090" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgnlKt3G7edIepLcbNijl4e5-9foC_o9dVtLBiCqmb81Lj7eYETJ8jWBYuZxGp-sN2-1gMv4oBOQGmisL44zRqiPSTdDlAar5ThYMXtnBsCtOKfK8YiD3TIh_tKq4cjhyEdcX8keAzGvRO8MPyiQCxvzd0UuBijJdwx4-LPYT8CF3TZLsjARaj4eZ3SM/s320/20230622_174508.jpg" width="170" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">I've got my eye out for at least two more glass pieces (perhaps
vases) to keep it company.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRsoLXODGsGSdbwDCb4S1qZovMA-QxQrdhBgrKaMDxqzdshL5YXGOaVRHzmkj2KLXesZDQ6EYLhvQnVwp085zFeVllERxRHqO7hPtE0qgnSaJ5akbMjOP2O6ek-fn1keQKlH2u1ST0ddiX2FRK2b0se4YPTNm9_6tWzD0nfGgrtVs5bOrJFBR3zIepiTs/s2016/20230625_163729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRsoLXODGsGSdbwDCb4S1qZovMA-QxQrdhBgrKaMDxqzdshL5YXGOaVRHzmkj2KLXesZDQ6EYLhvQnVwp085zFeVllERxRHqO7hPtE0qgnSaJ5akbMjOP2O6ek-fn1keQKlH2u1ST0ddiX2FRK2b0se4YPTNm9_6tWzD0nfGgrtVs5bOrJFBR3zIepiTs/s320/20230625_163729.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">A nondescript box on the lawn turned out to hold fabric. Two
yards of this screen print, </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7AOnMR-hZ50QQK-wqN4xAZOoT42d3MOMfMIZAIm630EfJKB3TzG9FjFN39TBwZAbYfTRUJYqV5tDXt8PrO0oSM6epbVYI0TQs4SWxxtBCdvj7liwbmr63du8qawLDpLf6gfh5NzdjvL1cyDggwKIN2Ylp8iDXMVYTc8AVfbxGEqjpGnntgVkfSB3GWI/s4032/20230623_073519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7AOnMR-hZ50QQK-wqN4xAZOoT42d3MOMfMIZAIm630EfJKB3TzG9FjFN39TBwZAbYfTRUJYqV5tDXt8PrO0oSM6epbVYI0TQs4SWxxtBCdvj7liwbmr63du8qawLDpLf6gfh5NzdjvL1cyDggwKIN2Ylp8iDXMVYTc8AVfbxGEqjpGnntgVkfSB3GWI/s320/20230623_073519.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7FdbtICwdF2M4AxM_g7NccJ8UbS1PnoefXm2z8ZNyZMIqM7p8ZSBiubtdWsOhe3adyCOKd_ns1NcY3U0m-ATxGnYLieqfYeK5tIIPHtxVw-n1mHVmtgmR8_4J-lV8KCtQ5nV-ew5a-eo-7kaKQx7wVkUuy1jhAsR1ApgFOUJjFryv3bdNny1DLvMduA/s3091/20230623_073608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3091" data-original-width="2318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7FdbtICwdF2M4AxM_g7NccJ8UbS1PnoefXm2z8ZNyZMIqM7p8ZSBiubtdWsOhe3adyCOKd_ns1NcY3U0m-ATxGnYLieqfYeK5tIIPHtxVw-n1mHVmtgmR8_4J-lV8KCtQ5nV-ew5a-eo-7kaKQx7wVkUuy1jhAsR1ApgFOUJjFryv3bdNny1DLvMduA/s320/20230623_073608.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">and almost 2 yards of good quality faux fur </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD-aV9CaYELzpxaL-W7wS3Tq-QtmiwjgZliAWJdjJc0hgC4iOUUdlOHNUfgacRoM-6R3TIUqV_WcO8ohGP8jxiR2Kg0J1x4l0E-wb4GhQdnqxwEIgusIC8ALBRdmOvLD6mZ3MDKOLZcV78Eq5mnxLHWDXZKDO0p32AE3lY0mpwdg-z9zdVBD7WO8ONdjg/s4032/20230623_073741.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD-aV9CaYELzpxaL-W7wS3Tq-QtmiwjgZliAWJdjJc0hgC4iOUUdlOHNUfgacRoM-6R3TIUqV_WcO8ohGP8jxiR2Kg0J1x4l0E-wb4GhQdnqxwEIgusIC8ALBRdmOvLD6mZ3MDKOLZcV78Eq5mnxLHWDXZKDO0p32AE3lY0mpwdg-z9zdVBD7WO8ONdjg/s320/20230623_073741.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">that I will use one of these days to refurbish Millie and Stanley’s cat tree.</p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBDTpOi0qro5rZfGgCbK0BmRsDNAItgej9v-u3EilPP3jNVzV0MweAdIVzck8fkLbgbRRQ9Gsvh0OHmbruKuzFHHJeCvxRec1D2-CAn6LBD9CcZe3H4ht6weMyP5Ow0d3SeHqvwzTCwg0fCaBuWQseRc0J9Z8v3GAs5u2At3CRCW-YvNfKbfDt-ECdCk/s4032/IMG_20180914_132514680_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBDTpOi0qro5rZfGgCbK0BmRsDNAItgej9v-u3EilPP3jNVzV0MweAdIVzck8fkLbgbRRQ9Gsvh0OHmbruKuzFHHJeCvxRec1D2-CAn6LBD9CcZe3H4ht6weMyP5Ow0d3SeHqvwzTCwg0fCaBuWQseRc0J9Z8v3GAs5u2At3CRCW-YvNfKbfDt-ECdCk/s320/IMG_20180914_132514680_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Last stop was a fund raiser to send kids to camp or some
such, and my goodness what a lot of stuff. I've seen church rummage sales that
were smaller. And one of the first things I saw was another chinois – and this
one was three bucks. You can bet it was in my hands in a flash, and it was a
huge hit with its new owner.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Il1hg40Bam3NTZ7vgQL-tI59xmGYz02f0EXNJqSjphWCakcRd4dmeih2wBb7vRhBX3aRL-M8ZUM0kXhwrtMPeoUX9kdvJWANtHfr2rZKhkEn4UOdxYss7igmnVBG-TUbIH2_3nrUA4lp5ME79GN60sCGyUzQ-b50eqDW5z5FWQEzGr3015NWtPEPMt0/s4032/20230622_174419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Il1hg40Bam3NTZ7vgQL-tI59xmGYz02f0EXNJqSjphWCakcRd4dmeih2wBb7vRhBX3aRL-M8ZUM0kXhwrtMPeoUX9kdvJWANtHfr2rZKhkEn4UOdxYss7igmnVBG-TUbIH2_3nrUA4lp5ME79GN60sCGyUzQ-b50eqDW5z5FWQEzGr3015NWtPEPMt0/s320/20230622_174419.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Wandered over to the clothing, much of which was on hangers.
Lots and lots of clothes packed tightly together. The way to deal with this
scenario is to first look only at the fabrics. When you see something that
looks like good quality material you can pull it out to learn more, but you
just let your eye pass by all the polyester. And the first thing my eye landed
on was a silk Citron Santa Monica tank dress. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjoKQgoVbWk4Uc1VtZ4cxjelBXlrvse6zNXSSaundfDt3gEBvNEr0L-3tpzu9ys3F4jeE2Md9Yhhef4zixJX_MHacTQpjF_LzALbES-MWD8xMQ-iu35iM2Hl2uvFjg2BLVZdPWN_a-pZJB6GrKrHrxzuJyVliTPDUYPtECdNWgQDuGlzJ00myld6qyQk/s4032/20230622_180259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjoKQgoVbWk4Uc1VtZ4cxjelBXlrvse6zNXSSaundfDt3gEBvNEr0L-3tpzu9ys3F4jeE2Md9Yhhef4zixJX_MHacTQpjF_LzALbES-MWD8xMQ-iu35iM2Hl2uvFjg2BLVZdPWN_a-pZJB6GrKrHrxzuJyVliTPDUYPtECdNWgQDuGlzJ00myld6qyQk/s320/20230622_180259.jpg" width="156" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Not my size, but I've got it for
sale on eBay and hopefully will make a few bucks. It's a pricey brand that
resells well; this dress probably originally went for around $250. Then I spotted
another likely fabric, which is a J Jill dress that I’ll be embiggening into a
tunic to wear. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLoCNyHgKtPXFN0zkPWLKYYWhTAu2L0lGYgafz9gUUNApD9WV81IbSmgHpRCELNx2xSqA-AzQdjFwS3EjR-B4k0srmU-lc5WAJ-fb_6nxVrAZxX_hn0pKq1bBftHKfPfXqjh5-Z55cluTekOb5x2McDxt96n0Knmue6h0hC82Fd_smfUFeOp11UwwGgc/s3833/20230622_174027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3833" data-original-width="2167" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLoCNyHgKtPXFN0zkPWLKYYWhTAu2L0lGYgafz9gUUNApD9WV81IbSmgHpRCELNx2xSqA-AzQdjFwS3EjR-B4k0srmU-lc5WAJ-fb_6nxVrAZxX_hn0pKq1bBftHKfPfXqjh5-Z55cluTekOb5x2McDxt96n0Knmue6h0hC82Fd_smfUFeOp11UwwGgc/s320/20230622_174027.jpg" width="181" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Hard to see, but there are little self-covered buttons and fabric
loops all down the front. Not a simple detail to construct, and this piece probably
was originally at least $125.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Friday I headed to the south part of town to a large
neighborhood that has an annual sale. I've gotten good things there in the past,
including my incredible vintage MCM chandelier by Italian designer Gaetano
Sciolari that I got…for free. (Still can't believe it. If you can find one for
sale online expect to shell out more than $2K.) </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRKCil9JYtBpLFyRyoD1NT8ff_hiBk9dBOqOuKIli8G2ti4H_HP8HrPtd1Yo_oRB9kIcgiW9EL6tVIiDUhnpi_o8gxOUvvmt58WE9DWIDo5NutPtBlHTsjDgcXQ9GF81B-hi4ypTyacuUaru2bOYqZSTNbikx6WhtTs024JUa4_-ctfP6lC5b0arHMe0k/s3562/IMG_20180829_113524701.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3562" data-original-width="2728" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRKCil9JYtBpLFyRyoD1NT8ff_hiBk9dBOqOuKIli8G2ti4H_HP8HrPtd1Yo_oRB9kIcgiW9EL6tVIiDUhnpi_o8gxOUvvmt58WE9DWIDo5NutPtBlHTsjDgcXQ9GF81B-hi4ypTyacuUaru2bOYqZSTNbikx6WhtTs024JUa4_-ctfP6lC5b0arHMe0k/s320/IMG_20180829_113524701.jpg" width="245" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Alas, this neighborhood sale is
feeling a bit played out. I think maybe everyone indeed did major decluttering
in past years. Had some enjoyable conversations and managed to spend another
$1.50 on a DVD and a curtain rod to use – yes, again! – as a yard ornament. I remade
my fun napkin-ring stake with half of it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghswWDeC7Frbd8Cvoj45uao-UvtKV1pOf5j3hYTpy8fXMGf8OTSuIV6DtvJt8QbGJarfbKZNdfE-bdHy85h9GpksKdcY2fWyGUpvgWk-WuZ2PoC7N75cnLBcM8p-oTdKT8mrqltSsoAnmIFB0yuBEgWNr3QDaLpws8Kzoy9rfhNHGaN3rKSnud1ODl5gk/s4032/20230623_195548.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2332" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghswWDeC7Frbd8Cvoj45uao-UvtKV1pOf5j3hYTpy8fXMGf8OTSuIV6DtvJt8QbGJarfbKZNdfE-bdHy85h9GpksKdcY2fWyGUpvgWk-WuZ2PoC7N75cnLBcM8p-oTdKT8mrqltSsoAnmIFB0yuBEgWNr3QDaLpws8Kzoy9rfhNHGaN3rKSnud1ODl5gk/s320/20230623_195548.jpg" width="185" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">I was going to stay home Saturday but the promise of another
neighborhood sale convinced me otherwise. And my dog park friend Pam came along
for the first time which was great. We hit three or four other sales before
getting to the neighborhood one, including a fun one where she bought a
beautiful silk kimono and some other things and I splurged on a very artsy
floor lamp. The couple having the sale are selling everything including home
and two Teslas and embarking on a 3 year around the world cruise.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And then wouldn’t you know it, when we got to the
neighborhood sale it was nothing. I bought a denim shirt for a buck, and we
only found about three sales. Pooh.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I got home I went to get my lamp out of the SUV and
discovered it was way heavier than I could manage. The seller had put it in the
car for me, and I'd noticed there were cut wires sticking out of the bottom. I pointed
it out and he said he’d fix it. Pam and I chatted with the wife some more while
he did something, then closed the car and said all done. Off we went.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I called my ex to come by and help me get the lamp out of
the car, which he did. And we discovered that the guy had wrapped tape around
the cut wires and there was some rigamarole with a dimmer and no way to plug
anything in. Basically I had splurged forty bucks on a cool artsy lamp that didn’t
work. Grrrr. (I was too annoyed to even think of taking a picture of it.)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We loaded it back in the car and I drove back across town. Pulled
into the driveway. The husband asked me why didn’t I just fix it, which left me
speechless for a moment. Probably a good thing because anything that might have
come out of my mouth would have been very rude and probably profane. I finally
stammered something like, I wouldn’t know how, and I thought I was buying a
working lamp and it isn’t. He hauled it out of the car and walked off, and the
wife handed me forty bucks back and chatted in a friendly manner for a minute. I
went away feeling I'd be okay on a three year cruise with her…but not him.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Besides, there would be no yard sales on a cruise ship!</p>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-33637604272226352132023-01-24T17:51:00.001-08:002023-01-24T17:51:43.728-08:00New Year, Old Stuff!<p>FINALLY… got to go to a sale last weekend!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Turned out not to be a very good sale. Lots and lots and
lots of stuff, and to my eyes 99% of it just crap. It was an estate sale, and
seemed to be the estate of a hoarder. From the ad on Craigslist, that appeared
to be the opinion of the estate sale company as well, because after noon on Sunday
they were giving away anything that was left. Which said to me they were
expecting a lot of stuff to be left. I've known regular folks to give away
anything and everything at the end of a garage sale, but never an estate sale
company.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was there on Saturday, which was their half-price day. Usually
the first day is packed with people, but they had neglected to get their ad up
on Craigslist on Friday. So we all showed up for half price stuff.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> When I went
in one of the bedrooms, another gray-haired lady was contemplating one of those
all-enveloping garments from 30 years ago you were supposed to wear to be
cozy on the couch. “The trouble with those,” I commented, “was it made it so
hard to get to the bathroom.” She laughed and laid the thing down. “I sure don't
need anything that would do that!” she told me. Then she recounted to me a
family trip she’d been on when she and her six-year-old granddaughter had
shared a room. She giggled. “She saw my Depends when we went to bed, and told
everyone the next morning that she wanted some fluffy underpants like mine!”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I managed to spend 75¢. Found an unopened package of this
glue I've heard is good for securing glass.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsQKGyMVr6dZbf-8cWUYHvNcDKTbtilNQuAo0S2G2WMfqBTwFm-3IKFz-AVmIdvyQzAJh63IdQID4q0CdfWJgtxbxu8bV2PnpA-NtTZPNoy2tr-Z1BUfa6edo080-jgD_4tfUC7P60KNGdDZxTAXUYNCpyRUex9Cl3rmAzdv_hb9vhN3q9q6GlJfqx/s3881/IMG_20230122_093029296.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3881" data-original-width="2299" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsQKGyMVr6dZbf-8cWUYHvNcDKTbtilNQuAo0S2G2WMfqBTwFm-3IKFz-AVmIdvyQzAJh63IdQID4q0CdfWJgtxbxu8bV2PnpA-NtTZPNoy2tr-Z1BUfa6edo080-jgD_4tfUC7P60KNGdDZxTAXUYNCpyRUex9Cl3rmAzdv_hb9vhN3q9q6GlJfqx/s320/IMG_20230122_093029296.jpg" width="190" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">I've long wanted to try making
one of those garden sculptures out of old vases and plates. Something along these
lines:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://libler.blogspot.com/2012/09/garden-totems-recycled-glass.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="424" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYshN7o2pQlX3BZyMfxUyumzw4-X4wlvnzO-bO9MM73-6wjausb1HD_iKzlLIk25pCDruOmR-OCcq4VQH-M-_jAk9exnFbrIzAb4NHqmCpCKUQ_114l4ddj9dl4izW_AoA7x-rZXsMXPu6byB7XKwN4CIHxA3MGQgTscb_4UjUbzFM1PpcRsppzxvX/s320/DSC_0841.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://libler.blogspot.com/2012/09/garden-totems-recycled-glass.html" target="_blank">[https://libler.blogspot.com/2012/09/garden-totems-recycled-glass.html]</a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now I'll have to actually look at all the discarded
glassware when I'm garaging. I no longer own any vases, because my cat Millie demolishes
any plant material that she can get her teeth on. (Don’t get me started about
the vet bill after she sampled a dieffenbachia at the ex’s house…) But I'm hopeful
I'll be able to find some inexpensive pieces to play with. Starting with 25¢
glue makes me willing to experiment!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My other buy was a bar of soap. Pretty, isn't it? </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0On2Uqn5RekmGv8vpNv6fIfi3QT3JDAxqXhNoCVxhDbhOVzYru7gx9YwBJdCErQOysvwAQlqBYl0TMCQol95AMUBsGkBAxZgMyVxkwTEtQW4Rl7lDzzhP5cxLrKkbrR7V2mg3foji2twB034pSHELd2AEzchhPIZlY2JQOIKN4eSoWq9usYmXtaqT/s3635/IMG_20230122_092802536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2387" data-original-width="3635" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0On2Uqn5RekmGv8vpNv6fIfi3QT3JDAxqXhNoCVxhDbhOVzYru7gx9YwBJdCErQOysvwAQlqBYl0TMCQol95AMUBsGkBAxZgMyVxkwTEtQW4Rl7lDzzhP5cxLrKkbrR7V2mg3foji2twB034pSHELd2AEzchhPIZlY2JQOIKN4eSoWq9usYmXtaqT/s320/IMG_20230122_092802536.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">It seems to be quite an old bar of soap. When I got
home I googled it to get an approximate retail price for my spreadsheet. The company
still exists – online only – but the only hits I got on this kind of soap were
on eBay. Imagine my surprise to see that all the completed auctions for this
soap sold – for as much as $20.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2tMBOavm2ak-fS6UG2acj8QJl8fybUGLyZ3bDto3E9onKPQFtMkzd0ufzycO9ZND5kGMKtyZV6YD1Ny0mVRKZpZD6FBD-iNeMzLtuOhW1S8xnwllBieYpXtD6iv63XapKA61XoubDfCzFykHffh4vjtJEtht13udp-AvD-oDWwVVJCMMBXagECapY/s992/sold%20soap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="992" height="72" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2tMBOavm2ak-fS6UG2acj8QJl8fybUGLyZ3bDto3E9onKPQFtMkzd0ufzycO9ZND5kGMKtyZV6YD1Ny0mVRKZpZD6FBD-iNeMzLtuOhW1S8xnwllBieYpXtD6iv63XapKA61XoubDfCzFykHffh4vjtJEtht13udp-AvD-oDWwVVJCMMBXagECapY/s320/sold%20soap.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Why yes, I am going to put this on eBay. At the rate this
year is going, twenty bucks could support months of garaging! <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I did resist one other item, and I'm not sorry – but it was
hard. You know that pull you feel just because something is just so cool? That’s
how I felt when I uncovered this sewing machine.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSK7S25R4uOwO0-p-WbJgcNjFO9r_tQT4zHYFMToo_-Dz0WPxQHVr92D5Ih-BTBnprleadTpEbErfmjkuZmc92T2ZtZfbU58GHD-27RLC75MEj_sPiQa3zhbnolkk9tm2LrSxtZUsmh6yC40vdbAU1mNM_l6nBKcpEWgKRqs3_iDUjt-XfhUPxw5AT/s3645/IMG_20230121_104637425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2841" data-original-width="3645" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSK7S25R4uOwO0-p-WbJgcNjFO9r_tQT4zHYFMToo_-Dz0WPxQHVr92D5Ih-BTBnprleadTpEbErfmjkuZmc92T2ZtZfbU58GHD-27RLC75MEj_sPiQa3zhbnolkk9tm2LrSxtZUsmh6yC40vdbAU1mNM_l6nBKcpEWgKRqs3_iDUjt-XfhUPxw5AT/s320/IMG_20230121_104637425.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">I was gob smacked by the design of it. Looked it up when
I got home – it's a Singer Model 500A, also know as the Rocketeer. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Pr-UD_MySxy7gCfyQhf7QXVAPx_bwzatyg6RNkks0doenOgqxdumb4npqFnUB9v0htSkY0bb5cweWR6N9xOceUo9Fuz4JJ6mRU1vzQho5YnTdyroIAHokomVcZwu37zvpZzu7FYIIKk7tHQOgMoZc-n5Kyrf7Cz5t7nkPn5r0R4pkdtr5Y8cvuJw/s4032/IMG_20230121_104702869.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Pr-UD_MySxy7gCfyQhf7QXVAPx_bwzatyg6RNkks0doenOgqxdumb4npqFnUB9v0htSkY0bb5cweWR6N9xOceUo9Fuz4JJ6mRU1vzQho5YnTdyroIAHokomVcZwu37zvpZzu7FYIIKk7tHQOgMoZc-n5Kyrf7Cz5t7nkPn5r0R4pkdtr5Y8cvuJw/s320/IMG_20230121_104702869.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">It
dates to the space age Sixties, and was the last of the great Singer models. The
review I read said it's of all-metal construction; after the Rocketeer the
company started using plastic in their machines.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I really thought about going back on Sunday to see if it was
still there. But I already have three sewing machines, so I forbade myself to
do it. But…it sure was cool!<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisScf_cF4TRH58XxnOwxSPUgfCGbmEfOvbXm96fqiwrebI_RTzTY6AcG2CXFaWeadc8JOFtNg-QcIo1KA-DWGbTTkC8LbIRZY6wzHPd2FyBOWLGDIcnoUyv2s4BHu3sg7FjIHjCoypjq6Y-bN5CwSTr1NzhlMMyyclfI45Q5ZmzKnx5rZqNv3oOXK1/s298/133732.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="297" data-original-width="298" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisScf_cF4TRH58XxnOwxSPUgfCGbmEfOvbXm96fqiwrebI_RTzTY6AcG2CXFaWeadc8JOFtNg-QcIo1KA-DWGbTTkC8LbIRZY6wzHPd2FyBOWLGDIcnoUyv2s4BHu3sg7FjIHjCoypjq6Y-bN5CwSTr1NzhlMMyyclfI45Q5ZmzKnx5rZqNv3oOXK1/w253-h252/133732.png" width="253" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-19488162253334780482022-10-02T19:46:00.003-07:002022-10-02T19:46:44.140-07:00Explanations!<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">I had a nice email yesterday from a reader, Chris. She said she had tried to leave a comment here on the blog but it didn't work (more on that in a minute) so she emailed. As Genie did back in August (wasn't August about 20 minutes ago? Wait, you say it's now <i>October??!)</i> she was missing my garaging adventures and wanted more. My ego is definitely purring!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">But here's the thing - the fact is I've never been happier and don't post very often because I just don't feel like it! I'm at an age and stage of life where for the first time I can do what I want. I don't need to please anyone other than myself, and my main responsibility is to my pets.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">The pandemic certainly had a big effect on sales. There are far fewer than in past years. Plus I downsized when I divorced, and already own most everything I need. I still enjoy going to sales and chatting with folks, but don't care if I go out every week.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">I have no plans to end this blog, but posts will remain - how shall I put it? - quixotic. If you miss me (warning, shameless self promotion ahead!) please hop over to Amazon and buy my books. They are quite fun, and if enough of you do it I'll have money to go garaging. Yay!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Now...circling back to the comments thing. I have no idea what is going on with that. My own blog will not let ME leave a comment! It keeps saying I have to sign in even though I already did. Grrrr. I apologize to anyone who has struggled with it, but I don't know how to fix it. Holler if you have advice.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">My now overblown ego thinks someone might want to know what I've been up to if not thrifting. Craigslist is a good pal of mine - just today I scored a cordless vacuum for about 75% off retail (I hate to vacuum, hoping this will make it easier). And for my birthday Craigslist found me something I've been considering for months - an electric tricycle! Isn't she pretty?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjAJwlQMMwZvthk18uKxGeXUv0603EtxV5zNfwI8iMjo8RZ_CxKySboA1iMmmzurH7WSOid3SVLWACRknE8r4mSINNgKhxVTmT0ITsjIHbZPX3fv5GCDVTjYBa4mcMUzCFCs4GROPxotINhTJEH6Zv8nJk9rSY88StTTBRHl4VgzlDUV0b-qaCmmYdZ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="598" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjAJwlQMMwZvthk18uKxGeXUv0603EtxV5zNfwI8iMjo8RZ_CxKySboA1iMmmzurH7WSOid3SVLWACRknE8r4mSINNgKhxVTmT0ITsjIHbZPX3fv5GCDVTjYBa4mcMUzCFCs4GROPxotINhTJEH6Zv8nJk9rSY88StTTBRHl4VgzlDUV0b-qaCmmYdZ" width="319" /></a></span></div><p></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Mostly I just love hanging out with my fur gang. Remember that new kitten, Stanley? Best impulse decision ever. I woke up yesterday to find we were sleeping cheek to cheek. Great way to start the day!</span><p><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #201f1e; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOfB0dEF1euKTZeKfpsn9Cc9O6xpNqGtlShtfvVoQwUF6SdYyQMAWQV_Yumn67aR3EQ3wASlg3PiI_js7ltiBhmSJXmyR9X967yGl4TvVT2__Fss-9XiGgkYcU3blXEhE3csxXPvXiMUM20V5KErrIb1FC1RIVL1-pRyIoF5Q9I_Jr09i6YkrTTZXE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="929" data-original-width="697" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOfB0dEF1euKTZeKfpsn9Cc9O6xpNqGtlShtfvVoQwUF6SdYyQMAWQV_Yumn67aR3EQ3wASlg3PiI_js7ltiBhmSJXmyR9X967yGl4TvVT2__Fss-9XiGgkYcU3blXEhE3csxXPvXiMUM20V5KErrIb1FC1RIVL1-pRyIoF5Q9I_Jr09i6YkrTTZXE" width="180" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-38481346324397080002022-09-03T18:06:00.001-07:002022-09-03T18:06:50.005-07:00Labor Day Labors<p>I may have to adjust my opinion about holiday weekends. I rarely
participate in them because I'm retired and don't have the same need for a long
weekend as working folks. I also avoid crowds and traffic. For a long time I've
considered them useless for garaging as well, just not enough sales to bother
with. Yet it was over the Memorial Day weekend I found my wonderful <a href="http://queenoffiftycents.blogspot.com/2022/05/which-way-wind-blows.html" target="_blank">bunny weathervane</a>, </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkrjQtKltB7NHvtH1tJ_9lHBI__wVUqII8u-ntbdV1XvZ1rqwKfJ0W7Uhi_nSJCBH9L3RoaCUKNVb2NxT8_AaB1wnorkKWL8mchawnjRny5_p_rgKdhH3q8lH8NJfWQLid0aFUfGq2d34RH7nFG0d-CpRr7HThkkGInylDbW84j8m9LdDyJDNbrVLs/s3329/IMG_20220527_184111207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3329" data-original-width="2694" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkrjQtKltB7NHvtH1tJ_9lHBI__wVUqII8u-ntbdV1XvZ1rqwKfJ0W7Uhi_nSJCBH9L3RoaCUKNVb2NxT8_AaB1wnorkKWL8mchawnjRny5_p_rgKdhH3q8lH8NJfWQLid0aFUfGq2d34RH7nFG0d-CpRr7HThkkGInylDbW84j8m9LdDyJDNbrVLs/s320/IMG_20220527_184111207.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><p>and I'm very happy with my Labor Day finds!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">First stop was only four blocks from home, and the first
thing I saw was a section of metal deck railing, just like what I took off the
old deck I had removed this summer. I'm hanging onto it for eventual use as a
fence along my creek side, but I still need several more panels. I crossed my
fingers that this one would be affordable, and it was. Very. As in…free! And they’re
even delivering it since it was too long for my SUV. Definitely a score.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The next two sales on my list ended up being drive-bys. I couldn’t
even see if there was actually a sale for all the crappy old cars sitting
around at the first, and the next looked skimpy and tired. Maybe there was
treasure there, but I doubt it!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Onward to one near Bush’s Pasture Park, a beautiful large
park in a lovely old neighborhood. Very popular with walkers, and dogs. The car
parked in front of the sale was occupied by a large golden-doodle whose owners
had stopped to browse. He was very happy when they returned to the car so he
could go visit the squirrels. This was the sale where I picked up a cool piece
of art. Thought at first it was a watercolor print, but it's actually a
photograph. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvKJbTHHuurVJ7Yt0C5L7ki1AoDw9FZMCzS_NA32Kvao2AmYlO8IQHgd5U7XnHZ_PDxQcgnw7kPSDv7EJGILz5d8Kylb_dwtAW79VLt_eAD799H2LUE2XwpNCC2M7D91qHuG3FV7wQ3t_r2ZhssL_kT0oIjNecsLzeLMsn5mvWNkhdig7fKOy1f0-1/s2512/IMG_20220903_161157113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2512" data-original-width="1951" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvKJbTHHuurVJ7Yt0C5L7ki1AoDw9FZMCzS_NA32Kvao2AmYlO8IQHgd5U7XnHZ_PDxQcgnw7kPSDv7EJGILz5d8Kylb_dwtAW79VLt_eAD799H2LUE2XwpNCC2M7D91qHuG3FV7wQ3t_r2ZhssL_kT0oIjNecsLzeLMsn5mvWNkhdig7fKOy1f0-1/s320/IMG_20220903_161157113.jpg" width="249" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Signed and numbered by the artist and very nicely framed, and all
of two bucks. I love it with the other two original watercolors I've found
recently.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5HgDTS9mBeX5A2v3y5nI9frIFuEAIR68Q-ACamnw0LpCdNGNsGd1LbDJkOvXuAwa_YqW0Fk7hSb75abzzP6rWVSkiSydbjbqPX1oDBn8JJacYcj9nCxTF8HxdVU_n2_Dd_IRWr1Uyg4MsD9qgM0KuKnOXHc5YOashOV33WMZhPhlcR-3MhECv0f9v/s3024/IMG_20220903_161145666.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2834" data-original-width="3024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5HgDTS9mBeX5A2v3y5nI9frIFuEAIR68Q-ACamnw0LpCdNGNsGd1LbDJkOvXuAwa_YqW0Fk7hSb75abzzP6rWVSkiSydbjbqPX1oDBn8JJacYcj9nCxTF8HxdVU_n2_Dd_IRWr1Uyg4MsD9qgM0KuKnOXHc5YOashOV33WMZhPhlcR-3MhECv0f9v/s320/IMG_20220903_161145666.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">I also picked up a wineglass here (broke one recently). It was
priced at fifty cents. When I went to pay I handed her the two singles for the
picture and checked my coins, which amounted to five pennies. Hmmm, I said, we
can either break another one or I can give you five cents for the wineglass. Which
was fine with her! Not sure when I last got anything for a nickel, let alone a
very nice wineglass with a beautiful tone when tapped. (I always buy
wineglasses by their sound.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnW5THzxYuHNvB40D2g__nxG8ckZKgWPlpUevQlKzBT95m5QwVI3zOeb6AMyDPBUrrn4bpuSRkIQ2JgDmi7Ho3dBAyim7QoT-jAyh5JqGzPaOdK8vUnNI9VGEIxLZM28LBGzYyKZG4SuYxN-ZWEPtWORDkf9yAPautdWmjA9EvrbkkS5cdGU8vMhIT/s3418/IMG_20220903_161538583.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3418" data-original-width="2364" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnW5THzxYuHNvB40D2g__nxG8ckZKgWPlpUevQlKzBT95m5QwVI3zOeb6AMyDPBUrrn4bpuSRkIQ2JgDmi7Ho3dBAyim7QoT-jAyh5JqGzPaOdK8vUnNI9VGEIxLZM28LBGzYyKZG4SuYxN-ZWEPtWORDkf9yAPautdWmjA9EvrbkkS5cdGU8vMhIT/s320/IMG_20220903_161538583.jpg" width="221" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Another quick stop netted a counted cross stitch with one of
my favorite sayings, which I have now learned dates to World War 2 and the
efforts on the home front to support the war.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9lvzk-g6-AzcaPlu4O1TTgvZT-2yTpg410m3KCOkzBuLbg8VBFtM5TURCi-ZNgifxNNJdZuxMdaozNkz1ayrts71dGt1JSTM6z0U7a2VAlnhDHTeuwnWmjSaFX9_J2W-IBJvdTicmgDHkl7FTknFaRY5XW8hnubqLZ3VYG6fuiJnpLrUdBVyZ0bj/s4032/IMG_20220903_161633176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9lvzk-g6-AzcaPlu4O1TTgvZT-2yTpg410m3KCOkzBuLbg8VBFtM5TURCi-ZNgifxNNJdZuxMdaozNkz1ayrts71dGt1JSTM6z0U7a2VAlnhDHTeuwnWmjSaFX9_J2W-IBJvdTicmgDHkl7FTknFaRY5XW8hnubqLZ3VYG6fuiJnpLrUdBVyZ0bj/s320/IMG_20220903_161633176.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">One more stop before heading home, where the first thing I saw
was a bunch of free stuff. Good free stuff! I picked up 5 trough planters, used
but in perfect condition. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8kEyjp4cyFnpBf9UrjK1SLPMVknBRA_ULpRod8pvsOujHvpWCFPt_3oaUWiS5a_pDM4KdFRBFFDWSGFCw7wrMWpmkwgT68JFG16UNfnmp-h2eP9L99CvyZPaCJcWvSurJAEDCEXPFIpjHU_NzBnMwCDZJ_zXCIue_MD8TMedqPCaiqjaptkTVU7H/s2452/IMG_20220903_094905084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1982" data-original-width="2452" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8kEyjp4cyFnpBf9UrjK1SLPMVknBRA_ULpRod8pvsOujHvpWCFPt_3oaUWiS5a_pDM4KdFRBFFDWSGFCw7wrMWpmkwgT68JFG16UNfnmp-h2eP9L99CvyZPaCJcWvSurJAEDCEXPFIpjHU_NzBnMwCDZJ_zXCIue_MD8TMedqPCaiqjaptkTVU7H/s320/IMG_20220903_094905084.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Then I saw canning jars, and grabbed two quart
size I know my friend Toni is looking for. Among them was a quart jar of
buttons, so I snagged that as well. You know I love me some buttons! I'll go
through these soon and sort out the ones I want to add to my stash, and find a
new home for the rest. It did my heart good to see them, because all the button
jars I've seen recently (usually at estate sales) were quite pricey.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPIsuIWMrGMP-tPVQAP4Ffkn-6PsvyxmgdbkwgN0Zi0L4NAt58uDRHN6kM5oCmMTmUdppm-w2umy2CyT9qJg8MA8nZfJZxHsdjCIJBEzkYk-JY7efN02PHne4P6mrN1ooD-AjPc8B8KtqbZ41dJkW-wkzEzYwr4EoTlXFGxnP5WL4D5OdyuIEYf7-o/s4032/IMG_20220903_161344122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPIsuIWMrGMP-tPVQAP4Ffkn-6PsvyxmgdbkwgN0Zi0L4NAt58uDRHN6kM5oCmMTmUdppm-w2umy2CyT9qJg8MA8nZfJZxHsdjCIJBEzkYk-JY7efN02PHne4P6mrN1ooD-AjPc8B8KtqbZ41dJkW-wkzEzYwr4EoTlXFGxnP5WL4D5OdyuIEYf7-o/s320/IMG_20220903_161344122.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">I also
picked up a vintage hanky (yes, I sometimes use hankies!) </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnaaTI8l7n2kKLuk9osK8dUH97XT7Sej5svRy5C8UlD97074f6Cv7vpEWnCP5kte2LRWcX9IMye8sPHGqMreF32_LP0psrsSK7U3khMXfHeomHcKB5_1wxwIqA7oJQp-bUQzfZHDzT-LwyWJfMk2EvsjklO3zqpc0faINRrKtIzBrZqQTrJC9Oiwlc/s3435/IMG_20220903_161414599.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2967" data-original-width="3435" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnaaTI8l7n2kKLuk9osK8dUH97XT7Sej5svRy5C8UlD97074f6Cv7vpEWnCP5kte2LRWcX9IMye8sPHGqMreF32_LP0psrsSK7U3khMXfHeomHcKB5_1wxwIqA7oJQp-bUQzfZHDzT-LwyWJfMk2EvsjklO3zqpc0faINRrKtIzBrZqQTrJC9Oiwlc/s320/IMG_20220903_161414599.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">and a pink bath towel
with an entertaining border. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-iBwYZXKKvWfm9rXs32aYZ-o7A7sAc7Lv2vT5O9LfiCqnj14wXGc1YxFdTOVbIWlbcoTINthK4_-ggsTz4jZx5RZplxN0nVb3YYwcPvrYKr6_kIy9gCVVXWQ1yFr7mI5Pp7Wu_0KUErJFqKBR_y4XnH3jipBYRJJ1bDtCPYA2XjEwIolcvhL2CbA/s4032/IMG_20220903_161445925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-iBwYZXKKvWfm9rXs32aYZ-o7A7sAc7Lv2vT5O9LfiCqnj14wXGc1YxFdTOVbIWlbcoTINthK4_-ggsTz4jZx5RZplxN0nVb3YYwcPvrYKr6_kIy9gCVVXWQ1yFr7mI5Pp7Wu_0KUErJFqKBR_y4XnH3jipBYRJJ1bDtCPYA2XjEwIolcvhL2CbA/s320/IMG_20220903_161445925.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">From the size of the towel and the label I'm guessing
it could date back to the 70s! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUW9GEpSffZgXZDXssotbhdaYh_JwI8dwv5S0nCZ-8zVH7C3ocdk6ddybfZUeNfE4lk_hkuYk_AeO16vdMAuIJlPJWlgF1xHaNTpDzYkt05Dt4EfDIyT3lvAV9cbYjElyevO16GhdNDoI-q8_6kpvPvazccvW_GmW5VFffD5TS9SF1sLF1e18UYto/s4032/IMG_20220903_161501492.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUW9GEpSffZgXZDXssotbhdaYh_JwI8dwv5S0nCZ-8zVH7C3ocdk6ddybfZUeNfE4lk_hkuYk_AeO16vdMAuIJlPJWlgF1xHaNTpDzYkt05Dt4EfDIyT3lvAV9cbYjElyevO16GhdNDoI-q8_6kpvPvazccvW_GmW5VFffD5TS9SF1sLF1e18UYto/s320/IMG_20220903_161501492.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">I've been looking for a terry towel to cut up
for dish cloths (I put out a fresh one every morning and toss yesterday’s into
the laundry) and this will be perfect.</p><p class="MsoNormal">I think they may have had more stuff in their free pile than
actually for sale, but my eyes lit up when I saw something I recognized.
Several years ago I bought a carved wood jester riding a trike that was made by
a Czech master puppet maker, Miroslav Trejtnar. (Alas, the photos of it have
disappeared from my blog, dang it, possibly a victim of a hard drive crash a
few years ago.) I was absolutely amazed to see another piece by the same artist
sitting among a variety of items priced at a dollar. As a rule I don't care
much for clown images, but this one I like. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmS_3JC0xROaDneEoB7eSntADWb2tjHtXXEOvjrnYXX-CCVco4p15Tva-qBSRWcqXvFhsJ-e5GPKmbvcmFDwFrkj2urnvhCLtCDRI3Lv88MMlXBqR0lGw4uMaeQSG7E2wh0MmTV42OyFXTK5xvt-2_4QJMZ7a8a7aAR0dlV3ydkj5tcXZpA1TYi-fS/s4032/IMG_20220903_161810437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmS_3JC0xROaDneEoB7eSntADWb2tjHtXXEOvjrnYXX-CCVco4p15Tva-qBSRWcqXvFhsJ-e5GPKmbvcmFDwFrkj2urnvhCLtCDRI3Lv88MMlXBqR0lGw4uMaeQSG7E2wh0MmTV42OyFXTK5xvt-2_4QJMZ7a8a7aAR0dlV3ydkj5tcXZpA1TYi-fS/s320/IMG_20220903_161810437.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEAaJlIracspYuslKb4nNiYBSePmIevtHCYosoEKj7BXjVpWOa3H3qINgDbGU1XVJgbdSAY_kWozo9uhlkS3se6IQB83xnXaR-59raRfvdU7HAbzpMSbPR_DeTDMRdxG09HjL4BdtihYoXx8pJqR6od6fnxTWUaHsrWVxWYO2agRr7lMhFUqiR1gxT/s2253/IMG_20220903_161828556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2253" data-original-width="2053" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEAaJlIracspYuslKb4nNiYBSePmIevtHCYosoEKj7BXjVpWOa3H3qINgDbGU1XVJgbdSAY_kWozo9uhlkS3se6IQB83xnXaR-59raRfvdU7HAbzpMSbPR_DeTDMRdxG09HjL4BdtihYoXx8pJqR6od6fnxTWUaHsrWVxWYO2agRr7lMhFUqiR1gxT/s320/IMG_20220903_161828556.jpg" width="292" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJvqV8zHqamCMyAFe3upyPl5PKRvUu_G8BcpiaY29jJ4XLJI9IvT91AiiLjV2O38PzCMwSKtGfhkkC-_8auM1rPrwh7o-lr84wOg1P5aJJNsTstDg_AeRgLngLHMiwZdW9rEddD44Q3YaNYslzwYHBRyhytnzzoSrIAFS7ww6XXBqny6Drkwehm-0F/s2439/IMG_20220903_161853461.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1762" data-original-width="2439" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJvqV8zHqamCMyAFe3upyPl5PKRvUu_G8BcpiaY29jJ4XLJI9IvT91AiiLjV2O38PzCMwSKtGfhkkC-_8auM1rPrwh7o-lr84wOg1P5aJJNsTstDg_AeRgLngLHMiwZdW9rEddD44Q3YaNYslzwYHBRyhytnzzoSrIAFS7ww6XXBqny6Drkwehm-0F/s320/IMG_20220903_161853461.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">He rocks from side to side and his
beads slide around; perhaps he’s supposed to be a juggler. In any case he is
now mine and looks quite at home among some other wooden toys, including a
French clown who was originally part of a skittles set (the game, not the candy!)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioIVSKCfP4rmXi3YPUMWWSTJxtkaliVnO-WYXB54FgTqVEZFdYTYRudsjk7lQa_v-XKek_JQ4ZNHULS4DrO-3hKtBt8HxL7-SXsaM5YZCi1i8gAvG7we4hGRdPn2E-MjV1vSgHc_zpsxfY9MxeNz7_1PmsSt4maQxP8ra-L3sKVNbGonM7TntJ_z-I/s3514/IMG_20220903_161941914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2863" data-original-width="3514" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioIVSKCfP4rmXi3YPUMWWSTJxtkaliVnO-WYXB54FgTqVEZFdYTYRudsjk7lQa_v-XKek_JQ4ZNHULS4DrO-3hKtBt8HxL7-SXsaM5YZCi1i8gAvG7we4hGRdPn2E-MjV1vSgHc_zpsxfY9MxeNz7_1PmsSt4maQxP8ra-L3sKVNbGonM7TntJ_z-I/s320/IMG_20220903_161941914.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">I came home happy for sure, and am looking forward to future
holiday weekends !</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-4193771244113230852022-08-27T19:13:00.000-07:002022-08-27T19:13:05.733-07:00Surprises<p>I had a comment on my last post recently from Genie saying I’ve
been missed, and I was very touched. I <i>love</i> getting comments (exception
= spam!!) and it’s been my practice to comment in reply. I’m not sure what’s
going on with the old blog, but it just will not let me leave a comment. Wants
me to keep signing in, even though I have signed in and it's my own blog,
dammit. I hope no one else has been similarly frustrated. Ain’t technology
grand? Actually yes, it is, but it sure can be frustrating.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was going to say that my tolerance for frustration has not
increased along with my age, but upon reflection perhaps it has. I can
certainly roll my eyes and shrug and say “oh well” about most things that don't
go as I'd wish. Which has been a good attitude to bring to garaging this
summer; the pickings have been slim. Since I don't actually need anything and I
rarely resell now it really doesn’t matter, and I still have fun conversations
with folks along the way. And life still throws a few surprises at me from time
to time.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I'm still chuckling about something that happened when I was
leaving a sale a couple of weeks ago. I was just about to get into my car when
a woman leaving the same sale called over to me, “Hey, are you that woman who
is running for governor?” It’s a startling thing to be asked. (Not, of course,
if you actually <i>are</i> running for governor.) I assured her I was not that
person and she went on her way. On further reflection, I decided I might vote
for a candidate I'd seen shopping on driveways, since to me it denotes a
sensible attitude on fiscal responsibility.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At another recent sale I came upon two middle aged guys
going through DVDs and other items. One of them discovered a thick notebook
filled with cards – like baseball cards – in plastic sleeves. Oh look, he exclaimed,
these are all of Diana Rigg when she was in The Avengers. I couldn’t help
laughing; there are collector’s cards of Diana Rigg in The Avengers? Sheesh,
who knew. Then the other one said very seriously that the problem with this
notebook was that nothing was in its original packaging which was such a shame.
I can see there’s a whole area of collecting out there that I am completely
ignorant of. And plan to remain so, thank you.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And yes, they did buy all the collecting cards.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At another place I had an enjoyable conversation with a lady
I remembered buying some yarn from a few years ago at her previous sale. We talked
about yarn and textiles and somehow segued into gardening, and she asked I'd like
to see her back yard, that she was a novice gardener but had planted lots of
flowers over the past couple of years. We headed to the back, and it was
stunning – a riot of color and texture, just wonderful. “Hey,” I said, “I'm on
the Open Garden Committee of the Salem Hardy Plant Society, is there any chance
you’d like to open your garden for members to visit one of these days?” And she
said yes! Even though she’s not yet a member, she opened her garden this
weekend, and everyone who visited love it. I had such a good time watching her
connect with other gardeners and just soaking in the peace of her garden. So Linda,
thank you so much for surprising me and saying yes!<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXAeVT_lFpB93VdnEUSGs2MK2eiPJxPfpkiY2eVhwlC1bS9kd2hpvh2uOgWok47U-QUpXDsWZJlAcyRbNf_inhT7N-LFTip1ujtcAd4lIStSP62k3qijdzlNtqEyRngTLlgI41-ey5rVuJB1Bk-7Et3BLsbmTXTsdiixWk5kKo0Aw86UIGfA7jy257/s4032/IMG_20220826_182055271.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXAeVT_lFpB93VdnEUSGs2MK2eiPJxPfpkiY2eVhwlC1bS9kd2hpvh2uOgWok47U-QUpXDsWZJlAcyRbNf_inhT7N-LFTip1ujtcAd4lIStSP62k3qijdzlNtqEyRngTLlgI41-ey5rVuJB1Bk-7Et3BLsbmTXTsdiixWk5kKo0Aw86UIGfA7jy257/s320/IMG_20220826_182055271.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">My biggest surprise lately did not happen while I was
garaging however. I was grocery shopping and headed to my favorite
pet store for dog food. These folks partner with a cat rescue group and
sometimes have adoptable kitties in the store; it is in fact where I found my Millie. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXyaC5D_3JMoChf3CKLZ0eYM1dnLoNlMFB8kzgFGeNyhK4rEz2CdOJH8rQ-Mmy0pcGVt0TnsEmJa8jIIz8Hd26_kQAwDu5hHH6_wvCwWCm2M-yiTdSR_ToyrRwT2vbGZyVLbJQJdKnssLg3lTlxBJfxVkbU0K_7TWdDUsrLHTn-qSewoA9PKX1Bh0r/s2715/blanket%20girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2044" data-original-width="2715" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXyaC5D_3JMoChf3CKLZ0eYM1dnLoNlMFB8kzgFGeNyhK4rEz2CdOJH8rQ-Mmy0pcGVt0TnsEmJa8jIIz8Hd26_kQAwDu5hHH6_wvCwWCm2M-yiTdSR_ToyrRwT2vbGZyVLbJQJdKnssLg3lTlxBJfxVkbU0K_7TWdDUsrLHTn-qSewoA9PKX1Bh0r/s320/blanket%20girl.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">I always glance over at the big walk-in enclosure just to see if any kitties
are there, and this time there was one – a tiny dark gray tabby kitten, ten
weeks old. Our eyes met. He gave a tiny little mew. And I was a goner.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was in no way in the market for an additional pet. But I was
smitten. When I left the store with my dog food I was telling myself sternly
that I had to think about this overnight, I should not rush into anything. By the
time I got home I was telling myself sternly that I had to think about this at
least until I put the groceries away. When I finished with the groceries…I went
straight to my phone and called the pet store and said that kitten in MINE!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And he is. His name is Stanley and he is fabulous. <o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizSuFLuHy4kgqrgXMvlWFu4iejLPsdaxQ_EiQ5qrtx6Euvs0KVktbGGG-fcYRUwaNn8mQpaEg8CmmxXRadqkFxrNBsgPYFSaj_Bb5duDt6Iuc3ZO6iNMdh_5eIuFKUL2MxTBESz4uhtmOBhYcZzCvVRKlnq9PCcfw2mDA8e-M2QpF7CNF511FPJsbj/s4032/IMG_20220823_181339254.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizSuFLuHy4kgqrgXMvlWFu4iejLPsdaxQ_EiQ5qrtx6Euvs0KVktbGGG-fcYRUwaNn8mQpaEg8CmmxXRadqkFxrNBsgPYFSaj_Bb5duDt6Iuc3ZO6iNMdh_5eIuFKUL2MxTBESz4uhtmOBhYcZzCvVRKlnq9PCcfw2mDA8e-M2QpF7CNF511FPJsbj/s320/IMG_20220823_181339254.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">For such a baby he’s quite mellow. Had the run of the house
within a day and gets along with everyone. Plays adorably, eats like a champ,
and likes to cuddle. He tucks himself beside my pillow and sleeps all night. Okay,
a couple of times he’s been up at 2 a.m. to play with my eyebrows, but hey, he’s
a baby. I could not be happier with my impulsive decision and have no regrets
at all.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMylvduoQnTJdKgHfu0cZgupIJi2FUwt6v4qxgP1LzCVSu13nVZq-AwIvszvmgU_gWJiW-gAH_9VXkyBfK3LQSqEj8B4pn-jOz70O6QKtLgfijQG2Ha3hlvmV0p3rvIySjEqJWhj6uX8hDpW5rTNmmOGMNNq1aqERmAfgm0FHmhPGEu9kRxFV3azkI/s3433/IMG_20220816_163618117_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3433" data-original-width="2516" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMylvduoQnTJdKgHfu0cZgupIJi2FUwt6v4qxgP1LzCVSu13nVZq-AwIvszvmgU_gWJiW-gAH_9VXkyBfK3LQSqEj8B4pn-jOz70O6QKtLgfijQG2Ha3hlvmV0p3rvIySjEqJWhj6uX8hDpW5rTNmmOGMNNq1aqERmAfgm0FHmhPGEu9kRxFV3azkI/s320/IMG_20220816_163618117_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" width="235" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Which reminded me of an earlier cat adoption, when we took
in Puddy. He was at least 12 at the time, and I was afraid it would be hard to
integrate him into the family. But he walked in, greeted the other cat and two
dogs, and simply settled in to live the rest of his life with us. Again, no
regrets, and he inspired me to write this. Feel free to substitute your name of
choice for Puddy – and say yes to the next surprise that comes your way!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">PUDDY
SONG<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">You should always
say ‘yes’ to a Puddy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">A Puddy’s a
wonderful thing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">They’ll purr for
you in the autumn<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">And summer, and
winter, and spring.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">They lay by you
in your bed at night<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">And sing you a
soft lullaby<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">And during the
day, they’ll get in your way<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">And crouch where
you want to walk by.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">You should always
say yes to a Puddy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">A Puddy’s a
wonderful guy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">They’ll be with
you when you are happy<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">And mop up your
tears when you cry.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">They eat whatever
you give them,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">Then bump your
head with their nose<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">And when dinner’s
done, they lie in the sun<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">In a perfectly
artistic pose.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">So always say yes
to a Puddy<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">If a Puddy should
come to your door.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">He’s wise and he
has much to teach you<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">And a Pud can't
be bought at the store.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">Though at first
you might think you don’t need one<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">And you try to
say no, not for me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">You’ll never
regret a Pud as a pet <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">Just try one, and
then you will see.<o:p></o:p></p><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ZSL8F8iCyXLVEVltZijES7_DqNt7ZEkHcUM8hYBoOxYUa6tviBHXlwbl3eRaSjTbgg3Uh540DfsegXx2oK473--mV14ZB5Vh_yaDB7ImngXtJ_1ZSevXtVGFD03M7GnOhGd1ol4ipLrtYrarjCQ7xVRoHDunFEaaywYk7FF9VnbEDVxp8O2CyAyj/s559/cool%20puddy%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="559" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ZSL8F8iCyXLVEVltZijES7_DqNt7ZEkHcUM8hYBoOxYUa6tviBHXlwbl3eRaSjTbgg3Uh540DfsegXx2oK473--mV14ZB5Vh_yaDB7ImngXtJ_1ZSevXtVGFD03M7GnOhGd1ol4ipLrtYrarjCQ7xVRoHDunFEaaywYk7FF9VnbEDVxp8O2CyAyj/s320/cool%20puddy%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com45Q32HQX6+WF-28.4001641 120.7611875-89.7097164017991 -19.863812499999995 32.9093882017991 -98.6138125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-58453059683828525442022-05-30T11:04:00.000-07:002022-05-30T11:04:07.506-07:00Which Way the Wind Blows…<p> Those of you who have been visiting my blog for a while have
probably noticed that I like bunnies.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKjJBPuCovzG2hQnnoc7cohNPQi9m3awyK_FgXkn8KDZJoWkcYC_0aIrZIfpdLuwZIwI3gXI8QdTArlqaAKtXki-q0CdazelgWyd4AnGBPc4j749wvaHq_B4wsviiHrCLDp4dApB9Ph9bXdtezqAV0UWJPpvuasETmCcugy-pyLRETiuwKf76GN09r/s3271/IMG_20220424_172217264_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3271" data-original-width="2162" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKjJBPuCovzG2hQnnoc7cohNPQi9m3awyK_FgXkn8KDZJoWkcYC_0aIrZIfpdLuwZIwI3gXI8QdTArlqaAKtXki-q0CdazelgWyd4AnGBPc4j749wvaHq_B4wsviiHrCLDp4dApB9Ph9bXdtezqAV0UWJPpvuasETmCcugy-pyLRETiuwKf76GN09r/s320/IMG_20220424_172217264_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcYJSv2PieuN-sD-O176YTe9UpfAfbn_9ky9xTDlOFf9xJkcfyGYqS-IiMeH7h5t_fqwCBsybfRjNxWv-Sj8isoOneczvIZIbvoTbYP8P-jiUjiFz1bKLEG23aCB6i9m8odHHLj0RqTCa6jUhJNKeacnUanpiVwBoeLrF5-pBU5cSltjImoLwGGCXj/s4032/IMG_20220530_095941976.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcYJSv2PieuN-sD-O176YTe9UpfAfbn_9ky9xTDlOFf9xJkcfyGYqS-IiMeH7h5t_fqwCBsybfRjNxWv-Sj8isoOneczvIZIbvoTbYP8P-jiUjiFz1bKLEG23aCB6i9m8odHHLj0RqTCa6jUhJNKeacnUanpiVwBoeLrF5-pBU5cSltjImoLwGGCXj/s320/IMG_20220530_095941976.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQQJkMz30F8JM7VqvJveqXQ82U7p7ieB6UsRV1ZZYSFrRpycCSWLTphYBmFBrY7D5gfkR0QA_TZNEO-RKz4eprdoYl0P_SGNl3SgbZNQSUz2EGlc3m3D8ikfDtVKDENupPq-zCEnNPiR8-GQQG3ZQoh2aPooHOfGoDjxbOsEw6bcVvzcKkWRfTIBv/s2972/IMG_20220530_100335124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2972" data-original-width="2402" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQQJkMz30F8JM7VqvJveqXQ82U7p7ieB6UsRV1ZZYSFrRpycCSWLTphYBmFBrY7D5gfkR0QA_TZNEO-RKz4eprdoYl0P_SGNl3SgbZNQSUz2EGlc3m3D8ikfDtVKDENupPq-zCEnNPiR8-GQQG3ZQoh2aPooHOfGoDjxbOsEw6bcVvzcKkWRfTIBv/s320/IMG_20220530_100335124.jpg" width="259" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">There. I’ve admitted it. I have a bunch of bunnies. I never
set out to collect them, but they do keep finding me. I like to think the ones
I’ve brought home (and I have seen thousands that I did <i>not</i> bring home)
are especially appealing. Some have come into my life and left again – perhaps downsized,
or broken like the bunny pin cushion I made from a little vintage planter (sigh).<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4zY8bvI5NJ7WWF_iJxug9cjmr1n-p13XnNPJhr_5bbNhSD6WB_mIQvE991HFiay55VElrZAbWUTVjqJrpeLnmx7OcFzz1DFZEzHOlXE5bljpbNsJoQNKeTqqXG5afh36qF8aAtt9m0smieVAuIagDHnlq1IUVJDJj_Fzh-w095gm98AE9YZBAdiY/s1119/IMG_6523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1119" data-original-width="1002" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4zY8bvI5NJ7WWF_iJxug9cjmr1n-p13XnNPJhr_5bbNhSD6WB_mIQvE991HFiay55VElrZAbWUTVjqJrpeLnmx7OcFzz1DFZEzHOlXE5bljpbNsJoQNKeTqqXG5afh36qF8aAtt9m0smieVAuIagDHnlq1IUVJDJj_Fzh-w095gm98AE9YZBAdiY/s320/IMG_6523.JPG" width="287" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">My dog Fannie has a particular favorite bunny, which her
sister Millie the mischievous cat knocks off the shelf for her from time to
time, a little stuffed toy I made from an old cashmere sweater. I got up a few
days ago and discovered Fannie had spent the night snuggled up on the sofa with
the cashmere bunny, which was a bit disheveled but all in one piece.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI-YytLo-yhBWPiv_umGnUTO_B3zjVw7zqvrpKerIJ66davwLz1rjCSki3G9XrJQncv9KImjd6qF3l33OdJmLyOKX_Uo3QWXNkB9bnmiIYC3p7Lx70NNipPoUt3nQfT29JFGnaHhMnpWa28sH4bK0TZ210JuLlgUoluXIEs4dY3heeAe5vk27ASJJw/s4032/IMG_20220525_045618770.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI-YytLo-yhBWPiv_umGnUTO_B3zjVw7zqvrpKerIJ66davwLz1rjCSki3G9XrJQncv9KImjd6qF3l33OdJmLyOKX_Uo3QWXNkB9bnmiIYC3p7Lx70NNipPoUt3nQfT29JFGnaHhMnpWa28sH4bK0TZ210JuLlgUoluXIEs4dY3heeAe5vk27ASJJw/s320/IMG_20220525_045618770.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Friday’s sales were skimpy (holiday weekend) but I had
errands to run so I added a few to my list. And sure enough, there was a bunny
calling my name and insisting on coming home with me. And it’s something I've secretly
wanted for a long time – a weathervane.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghSofqDy_y35X1OzEJ2Asar6KIb4PMFwLXKge5vpl02oY9ZzuHbrrubaa5WlmQMtg3rdGrn5upp16_zmnF5tjcmvkA_wTlvcu_smQ31patM8lAi8NsKi0b7gL9XrLS02hB_ZWtZVvDXG1T_RYJxnCBMilgIB7nohNv_3HLScPzdZmL9pRi4LLMTWeX/s3329/IMG_20220527_184111207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3329" data-original-width="2694" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghSofqDy_y35X1OzEJ2Asar6KIb4PMFwLXKge5vpl02oY9ZzuHbrrubaa5WlmQMtg3rdGrn5upp16_zmnF5tjcmvkA_wTlvcu_smQ31patM8lAi8NsKi0b7gL9XrLS02hB_ZWtZVvDXG1T_RYJxnCBMilgIB7nohNv_3HLScPzdZmL9pRi4LLMTWeX/s320/IMG_20220527_184111207.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Fortunately he’s on a spike, so I don't have to figure out how
to mount him on the roof. He looks quite at home cavorting among the shrubbery,
and I've discovered he has another talent in addition to responding to the
wind.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He distracts the eye wonderfully from my flourishing weeds!
Hooray for bunnies!<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUpmIXrk2UTMMJM9s5XADANTkCX5XE2Ohi6O5hWo9WHzQB9lCCETeJ_RGaZUKo3vRNjuAZiWRosRdKIoP3UbN6x3MZ6dsgIhzZJNWiLjniKanrP7fpbh_nZcdO08jyQBRhOTmLY6TUBYApBfabaHO7tJCsB61BPysQ5JDtbw5HvXIeBPPZAYzjE461/s400/tumblr_kyf27rBZra1qb6hv3o1_400_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="284" data-original-width="400" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUpmIXrk2UTMMJM9s5XADANTkCX5XE2Ohi6O5hWo9WHzQB9lCCETeJ_RGaZUKo3vRNjuAZiWRosRdKIoP3UbN6x3MZ6dsgIhzZJNWiLjniKanrP7fpbh_nZcdO08jyQBRhOTmLY6TUBYApBfabaHO7tJCsB61BPysQ5JDtbw5HvXIeBPPZAYzjE461/s320/tumblr_kyf27rBZra1qb6hv3o1_400_large.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-3568275586587633322022-03-13T09:56:00.000-07:002022-03-13T09:56:02.922-07:00A Little Something <p>I just could not get myself out the door on Friday. There
was a handful of sales, but widely scattered and nothing of interest in the
pictures. And while I've always considered that what I've spent on gas to go to
sales was a fair trade-off for the finds and the fun…right now, not so much.
Whee – look at the numbers flying by on the gas pump! Did it really take only
about 29 seconds to pump forty bucks worth??</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But on Saturday there was a sale on the west side of town
that looked good. Appeared to be a midcentury modern home (there are some
beauts over there) with some cool stuff. So off I went, timing my arrival – I thought
– for a bit after the early arrivals would be out of the way.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was appalled at the half-block-long line still waiting to
go in (though I appreciate that they were keeping some control on the number of
people inside, since the mask mandate was lifted yesterday and almost no one
was being careful). But I found a parking place right across the street
(someone must just have left), and it was warm and sunny and a chance to chat
with folks and admire the 7 month old baby exploring the lawn grass. Waited,
and inched forward, and waited, and waited, and inched…<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And then of course there was nothing I wanted. Everything I'd
seen in the pictures that might have been of interest was gone, gone, gone. The
first arrivals must have been a herd of locusts…or dealers. I guess it was a
good chance to practice stoicism and to remind myself of the satisfaction of
NOT spending anything!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There was another estate sale nearby that had started on
Friday, so I swung by…just in case. I was greeted with “Everything is half
price today!” which is always nice to hear, and even though there wasn’t a ton
of stuff left, I found more than I did at the other sale. I added a DVD to my
ever-growing collection <o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijcr3IPEXGzYU8yz0tXndYt6I8SR3LmkOyoxUwDkR21hU55cSkWPbVVuf8FQimQvVLmV6S-IU0sdq1B18tkod7kdgCR0XGuu7_GxEuaqFxAyxALcHvTQbZY889TtIo6Bg3LH8YM6aZYNJ6sALTqUi30Bm_Q5uYkw88u6HT625UoMaQUG1kcCcKlMJb=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijcr3IPEXGzYU8yz0tXndYt6I8SR3LmkOyoxUwDkR21hU55cSkWPbVVuf8FQimQvVLmV6S-IU0sdq1B18tkod7kdgCR0XGuu7_GxEuaqFxAyxALcHvTQbZY889TtIo6Bg3LH8YM6aZYNJ6sALTqUi30Bm_Q5uYkw88u6HT625UoMaQUG1kcCcKlMJb=s320" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">and picked up a fun tray.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIh1FqvIk9b2hSnFMGygxO5H2c-ra7vaZl38B0xGb-2_SHIk2VvlUJZREbJavWPqZuw4TU207hi3VN3HGRo3G08lDTg2MFKKg3H3TDUSXPh7sjHifcWoII-sTge_TYh--xUBjVGAlu-gfnzBxIyxMzS-qPRMAjkOqWCQ-CnY5mginwb6rRzaiXhR1R=s3893" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2919" data-original-width="3893" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIh1FqvIk9b2hSnFMGygxO5H2c-ra7vaZl38B0xGb-2_SHIk2VvlUJZREbJavWPqZuw4TU207hi3VN3HGRo3G08lDTg2MFKKg3H3TDUSXPh7sjHifcWoII-sTge_TYh--xUBjVGAlu-gfnzBxIyxMzS-qPRMAjkOqWCQ-CnY5mginwb6rRzaiXhR1R=s320" width="320" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIh1FqvIk9b2hSnFMGygxO5H2c-ra7vaZl38B0xGb-2_SHIk2VvlUJZREbJavWPqZuw4TU207hi3VN3HGRo3G08lDTg2MFKKg3H3TDUSXPh7sjHifcWoII-sTge_TYh--xUBjVGAlu-gfnzBxIyxMzS-qPRMAjkOqWCQ-CnY5mginwb6rRzaiXhR1R=s3893" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpbTypJXwsENlZhBc2UsfVE3wN553_yC7a0T-oIDfV6k8EezwBdmK5g0--OGe2N-Yg5O2lbSppEkKL_Zc47plRvwo_P4I7j_RhW0fbnUOxcM_4cKdO4gnxeiiKzLQn2vTVL-3W0XlbZcIA9aXzAzmiczWhphYVlbs-1S-iOF74aHDNQVf6HXz_Hnx-=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpbTypJXwsENlZhBc2UsfVE3wN553_yC7a0T-oIDfV6k8EezwBdmK5g0--OGe2N-Yg5O2lbSppEkKL_Zc47plRvwo_P4I7j_RhW0fbnUOxcM_4cKdO4gnxeiiKzLQn2vTVL-3W0XlbZcIA9aXzAzmiczWhphYVlbs-1S-iOF74aHDNQVf6HXz_Hnx-=s320" width="320" /></a></div></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2qR0y1rdAxJfFBn_3_eRAR1GYH2dE2g6tfo9OrjRT0tr7XnP-PrglTcgUxRkX7XKVYK0RI2IHv9Cd7KHAO5eNS9UKZcoefeS9U2TgdBillHxJtFSDGNKi38xsUYHg6zd2V-hMBD_ZFusquJQrbGKVreu4DKUhCM8UtwkHvgSYxaCFG0IarUrD1sqk=s4031" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4031" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2qR0y1rdAxJfFBn_3_eRAR1GYH2dE2g6tfo9OrjRT0tr7XnP-PrglTcgUxRkX7XKVYK0RI2IHv9Cd7KHAO5eNS9UKZcoefeS9U2TgdBillHxJtFSDGNKi38xsUYHg6zd2V-hMBD_ZFusquJQrbGKVreu4DKUhCM8UtwkHvgSYxaCFG0IarUrD1sqk=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Of course I did not notice the crack in one side until I got
home, but no biggie. A little wood glue, <o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPsL9BszjLIz4Dhl8IEHGt9ibsEyrAUYN0Rv6Kn3A6Vbi1pGPyC4ScezNGLPp7F8JX3SOZI0_WIT-uRC_brMpXBKfaKT8S8DABMCRxwXMSvPUIl7uumGpZtmZL-BmemlR65jGMFaztEAgzfL8NFv2PsCvwzny5Bxl5JHJdpodKG0j54ixshghMDU4O=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPsL9BszjLIz4Dhl8IEHGt9ibsEyrAUYN0Rv6Kn3A6Vbi1pGPyC4ScezNGLPp7F8JX3SOZI0_WIT-uRC_brMpXBKfaKT8S8DABMCRxwXMSvPUIl7uumGpZtmZL-BmemlR65jGMFaztEAgzfL8NFv2PsCvwzny5Bxl5JHJdpodKG0j54ixshghMDU4O=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal">a clamp,</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPWQda7cjrx_m-o0sPgzMwEdzx0lK2ewIY9vl6HwsmCGwAZ6arUfxBOyMZ2n-0--7JmKgtX3DOchRWPYgZiCL6n_V1gv_yW1QHGGfAoJhchdohxUkOHagp7acleC7a1RimwI8-Vlh5N6c1Xz2WGGn2GTevSF-0NHmZzO4cg8Vw84NwUgKUupV_QQ7a=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPWQda7cjrx_m-o0sPgzMwEdzx0lK2ewIY9vl6HwsmCGwAZ6arUfxBOyMZ2n-0--7JmKgtX3DOchRWPYgZiCL6n_V1gv_yW1QHGGfAoJhchdohxUkOHagp7acleC7a1RimwI8-Vlh5N6c1Xz2WGGn2GTevSF-0NHmZzO4cg8Vw84NwUgKUupV_QQ7a=s320" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">and while not invisible it's better and will serve my
purpose.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCBZLXz-_9q7QnEEs04gbxf10aIx7zFRXN5YXPFHrCJGmRApYxZBYtSDOPA-joapRcGV8myTr2E-Awqu6DSnCwSSuBoHQ0Lhj2k-Qr6xJAm72BG819rdzwFyoSK5U9SNbdBzhItvHIBRyQSmq0zrd_HJ3QNSyxjGuPOLIh7DXVw-x2YveG6-cfUkCc=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCBZLXz-_9q7QnEEs04gbxf10aIx7zFRXN5YXPFHrCJGmRApYxZBYtSDOPA-joapRcGV8myTr2E-Awqu6DSnCwSSuBoHQ0Lhj2k-Qr6xJAm72BG819rdzwFyoSK5U9SNbdBzhItvHIBRyQSmq0zrd_HJ3QNSyxjGuPOLIh7DXVw-x2YveG6-cfUkCc=s320" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">And…half price!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-59722898618732787192022-02-27T16:30:00.000-08:002022-02-27T16:30:03.372-08:00A Late Start<p>Friday was SUCH an exciting day…I finally got to go to a
sale. And actually spent two whole bucks! After I added them to my garaging
spreadsheet, I took a look back through the years. This spreadsheet goes back
to 2005, and never have I had to wait until February is almost over to make a
notation. At first I was inclined to think the reason was geographic – after all,
the winter weather in Southern California is more conducive to this sport – but
heck, I've been back in Oregon over 10 years now.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There has been a handful of sales, mostly estate sales,
since the first of the year, but nothing I saw in the pictures tempted me at
all. The sale my friend Lysa and I stopped at had sewing things listed, so my
excuse for going was to look for tools and notions. I don't sew all the time,
but when I want to make something I don't want to pay full price for a tool or
thread or whatever to accomplish the task. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This particular sale turned out to be smaller than the
description made it sound and just as overpriced as estate sales tend to be. I think
I may have purchased the only four items priced at fifty cents in the whole
place. I did indeed find a sewing tool – a package of needle threaders. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg71KUn4l0EHWNOExWCRghmfFq_g20RXDdR_2b-I8-jZjgMFFAN3XGu-mTp5epEyySSXnHkhmGY9uPzZZUNohMNXyUstWmpZPzFyVp8FBFX9-FfSLkiUOvls8q-R-QFVr7iyq_WgARyeJm1KV7TNxhjzbPN4Mx4Lx6WEPcD_K7nfYbKxJkgv5xX_AXE=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg71KUn4l0EHWNOExWCRghmfFq_g20RXDdR_2b-I8-jZjgMFFAN3XGu-mTp5epEyySSXnHkhmGY9uPzZZUNohMNXyUstWmpZPzFyVp8FBFX9-FfSLkiUOvls8q-R-QFVr7iyq_WgARyeJm1KV7TNxhjzbPN4Mx4Lx6WEPcD_K7nfYbKxJkgv5xX_AXE=s320" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">These have not changed one iota since I was a tot, poking
through my grandma’s things and wondering what this little silver doodad was
for. Of course now you can buy brightly colored plastic ones, which might
actually make some sense because the reason I bought these is that I can't find
the ones I know I already have. But…plastic. And even though the fifty cent
price on these was not much less than the seventy-five cents they cost
originally, believe me they are a bit more expensive now. Like between $3.00
and $10.00!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Rummaging through a box of kitchen odds and ends, I picked
out a silicone sink strainer.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjetdFlU8kwf2Qp-7J5FnvKGY52TxkeIsmKcLAcA01uJ5QjE9VmXIS7LDTS0aCp9o1cCIpZyIl9H-fVwJzoyKXwj1N8d-w1N0-ey3sOVdKt-DhBYrQ5CIiHEczn821r_3WRBlya6PErqbaPLsOqRsXOi6LqKAS689sFirJ38bR5l2qFWZi4uNgKpjXE=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjetdFlU8kwf2Qp-7J5FnvKGY52TxkeIsmKcLAcA01uJ5QjE9VmXIS7LDTS0aCp9o1cCIpZyIl9H-fVwJzoyKXwj1N8d-w1N0-ey3sOVdKt-DhBYrQ5CIiHEczn821r_3WRBlya6PErqbaPLsOqRsXOi6LqKAS689sFirJ38bR5l2qFWZi4uNgKpjXE=s320" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">And back in a bedroom I found two embroidered pillowcases. Which
I grabbed partly because of the price, and partly because when I made the bed
that morning I discovered one of the pillowcases had ripped several inches on the back. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4LbFDAZ7say6v_qidDTEHl_4gAXHT5reNZSoOYQXphKfT3SzZ92UxoLcMWpaVUC-HHSCt3QAtf6au2pzzeLb3UsBIOQWpeCzfqejiD5ugH85Ojj56ULTdj4tXL5Gqtg-hBc2rX9SCN7W1gjs_H54jQCBXMr3OipMxPGlfscCarU8Y-27OANPRI9CE=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4LbFDAZ7say6v_qidDTEHl_4gAXHT5reNZSoOYQXphKfT3SzZ92UxoLcMWpaVUC-HHSCt3QAtf6au2pzzeLb3UsBIOQWpeCzfqejiD5ugH85Ojj56ULTdj4tXL5Gqtg-hBc2rX9SCN7W1gjs_H54jQCBXMr3OipMxPGlfscCarU8Y-27OANPRI9CE=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">When I got home and looked more closely, I began to see that
these pillowcases have a history. I noticed that they were homemade, with more
seams than usual. They are constructed of narrow strips of fabric pieced
together to get enough yardage. </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTtteG_lAUhBfUL_Mb02v0AdpmzRh6sX4wVIVOx6A85PeiA5vRADPPHji9q4RD3y1SudHTtbX2oKhHLD0dYVpSRAnj54Er0Yvtcpig9FzMDOzLrC96L0jtHYYBnunpyUOGf1fHEB7MGtCK5ytv6UuNmTa0iBz7aSKPtHWVZWPagXEvsg89v_DfNDqZ=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTtteG_lAUhBfUL_Mb02v0AdpmzRh6sX4wVIVOx6A85PeiA5vRADPPHji9q4RD3y1SudHTtbX2oKhHLD0dYVpSRAnj54Er0Yvtcpig9FzMDOzLrC96L0jtHYYBnunpyUOGf1fHEB7MGtCK5ytv6UuNmTa0iBz7aSKPtHWVZWPagXEvsg89v_DfNDqZ=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br />As I handled them I realized that two different
fabrics were used – one feels like percale sheeting, and the other is more of a
muslin weight. The embroidery pattern is identical and must have been an
iron-on design. When I looked closely I could see where one flower is missing
its green stem and leaves. Maybe it simply got missed, or perhaps they ran out
of green embroidery floss. <o:p></o:p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNj8jeQ8rfMvHLtqG8TVEtAHsGCeF8iYORjELd2s81fYZ0iK0OGy4wqAyEumT3en4dhdeXwm6VJTjlzlH0VOyhY9A9P5zm3rugSlahGLQsgzvXv4aNPBf4JJLTE_q2oXsUbBkdTemhX8nHWzfJLNlpCCs5AXRZgBVAERoO7emAGbV6Sb2IeguaiMAE=s846" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="846" data-original-width="532" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNj8jeQ8rfMvHLtqG8TVEtAHsGCeF8iYORjELd2s81fYZ0iK0OGy4wqAyEumT3en4dhdeXwm6VJTjlzlH0VOyhY9A9P5zm3rugSlahGLQsgzvXv4aNPBf4JJLTE_q2oXsUbBkdTemhX8nHWzfJLNlpCCs5AXRZgBVAERoO7emAGbV6Sb2IeguaiMAE=s320" width="201" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">I'm imagining two little sisters, learning how to “make do
and mend” at their mother’s knee by piecing together leftover fabric, and
making their pillowcases beautiful with embroidery. </p><p class="MsoNormal">I wish I could tell the
makers how much I like them.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-33083530364133328432021-12-28T19:32:00.001-08:002021-12-29T18:54:17.136-08:00The Year on Driveways<p>Another thrifty year has come and gone – spreadsheet time!
Although it felt like there were way fewer sales this year (and definitely fewer
that made my heart go pitty-pat), my spreadsheet tells me I went out on a total
of 35 days. They were unevenly spread through the year – some weekends I went
out on consecutive days, then there would be weeks when it wasn’t worth taking
the car out. Still, I managed to spend $256.55, which procured an estimated
retail value of over $5000. I say phooey to retail – at least most of the time!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The total spent was about twice as much as last year, but
2020 should probably just be stricken from the books, right? One bright spot is
that I brought home three items (total expenditure $4.50) that I resold for a
profit of $100.88. So that paid for almost half of the year’s fun. There was a
pair of Heath Ceramic dinner plates (they sold overnight, wish I’d priced them
higher!), </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgT071D6WE6VMIZ2xLh4_FdzGs727CHDYkSVBkeuDEkEtAQHgRzG_9p2brYCVZNl-m3wwuQ-Z26bBQVwqisLRbSxMOMMsBWfogBigbd-YuvwQgYtPRpCnKr4auUd-qxPh-gcNOir6ANLwt16qNKedSs7PhBtE2pBdn68BovVP7QFXRCwcrxJ7x9vi8p=s2484" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2429" data-original-width="2484" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgT071D6WE6VMIZ2xLh4_FdzGs727CHDYkSVBkeuDEkEtAQHgRzG_9p2brYCVZNl-m3wwuQ-Z26bBQVwqisLRbSxMOMMsBWfogBigbd-YuvwQgYtPRpCnKr4auUd-qxPh-gcNOir6ANLwt16qNKedSs7PhBtE2pBdn68BovVP7QFXRCwcrxJ7x9vi8p=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjo8DoBfPqUN61PsJ8bGBzNYakb66xU2INWqMHkDRpJXBGneE6r6Zm6YJFenTrxVjJ6_Y3FyCXDF5hrgLuoWr_Z0iJchJ7IhBZaiDc2AERCNrwYHSGEBZAp7MvkRHV5QS6a354KJ9tBrGpASqSeyxDU91bRMfiDhcH4lm9qHtv56zdMdZafEGjzioS=s3431" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2553" data-original-width="3431" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjo8DoBfPqUN61PsJ8bGBzNYakb66xU2INWqMHkDRpJXBGneE6r6Zm6YJFenTrxVjJ6_Y3FyCXDF5hrgLuoWr_Z0iJchJ7IhBZaiDc2AERCNrwYHSGEBZAp7MvkRHV5QS6a354KJ9tBrGpASqSeyxDU91bRMfiDhcH4lm9qHtv56zdMdZafEGjzioS=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">a rummage sale blouse of a pricey brand,</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXJY3kIShJ7BUyrOdjqbPrbcWfbOvE-F6iRFjpCkODcFXeSbeLPp98f-YlE2MJLsDRpdhku3EJlgcpgwjYYjAORPc0IfXaAx0RQyYUViMwNgzcUsL3GuliCAMT903a6jHVF3s3GukQuWWaeGPw5Wv8CWF4vGMSWcS0wO2c1gMp8r-RLBJIBx4Pkw5I=s2863" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2610" data-original-width="2863" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXJY3kIShJ7BUyrOdjqbPrbcWfbOvE-F6iRFjpCkODcFXeSbeLPp98f-YlE2MJLsDRpdhku3EJlgcpgwjYYjAORPc0IfXaAx0RQyYUViMwNgzcUsL3GuliCAMT903a6jHVF3s3GukQuWWaeGPw5Wv8CWF4vGMSWcS0wO2c1gMp8r-RLBJIBx4Pkw5I=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">and a vintage Erica Wilson
embroidery kit that turned fifty cents into $31+.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhj2tQee2GbIMKgoIqFsUKqgd_HlBvh-ttw0Z6rwEJF17z3HdANRmzqmtSGbGWxOc7qCrHoD7BzWT3WorWDHgX5OANq_H4qlItTxG3qyfdEV6VSz7e5mWk6Qr4xigYiW4q_X0gd9etLcXWrvdpGFeeKjx6hvCGuskqfQwBCnci5vBCqk77iGk8YzRjz=s2948" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2948" data-original-width="2776" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhj2tQee2GbIMKgoIqFsUKqgd_HlBvh-ttw0Z6rwEJF17z3HdANRmzqmtSGbGWxOc7qCrHoD7BzWT3WorWDHgX5OANq_H4qlItTxG3qyfdEV6VSz7e5mWk6Qr4xigYiW4q_X0gd9etLcXWrvdpGFeeKjx6hvCGuskqfQwBCnci5vBCqk77iGk8YzRjz=s320" width="301" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">While I bought three splurges (all were art!), of the 168
things I brought home, 66 were fifty cents or less, and only 49 were over a
dollar. I confess I'm astounded that I added that many items to my home. There were
27 pieces of clothing and (goodness!) 8 pairs of shoes. Sounds like a lot, doesn’t
it? But the most I paid for anything was three bucks, and the total for all
that was $54.25. Okay, I feel better now – especially when I see that some of
the shoes are still available to buy retail – for $210 a pair.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGVu5Jl9RM4ytbszS50NasUPW4bCDcIiRHlrzX4ZYqUrM6PifmCPNZODS_Qdx5aRUJns1GRp0BGf8FlwOlZlqcB-F52r-4gMVr4lQbXfhEi1uH3dJP4-2pNrFVJETHMtxtAMg6eBVDcm-WbGQ5eS4D72PjQlMyL-lxAU-jChDaFjrkGzXF6Qa-szY-=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGVu5Jl9RM4ytbszS50NasUPW4bCDcIiRHlrzX4ZYqUrM6PifmCPNZODS_Qdx5aRUJns1GRp0BGf8FlwOlZlqcB-F52r-4gMVr4lQbXfhEi1uH3dJP4-2pNrFVJETHMtxtAMg6eBVDcm-WbGQ5eS4D72PjQlMyL-lxAU-jChDaFjrkGzXF6Qa-szY-=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">My entertainment category had the highest number, 23 books,
magazines and movies. Kitchen things were right behind with 22 – ranging from
cute tiny plates to stainless steel skillets to a glass made specifically for
drinking Canadian whiskey. Not just any whiskey, <i>Canadian.</i> That was
worth the twenty-five cents just to learn that such a thing existed. But the
Dansk bowls that match the mugs I already owned may be my favorite in this
category.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdgZWpg3S_hsQ9GoPHcWGBMAcJs4eQBFDRjRiHy-nflbDKr37yZazsF3XbmA0-psMLQcRvxRNlmJ3l2bhrLxO5dCEf7nfZo5T2PMgZdVMTSUiOMP-tznf7ARa4t1JkZgIJAcMR13jBmFuyB3L-XXqHtb9lgOyH2ZMFqclfr6GDyehkjhTS587bWz8O=s3687" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3687" data-original-width="2859" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdgZWpg3S_hsQ9GoPHcWGBMAcJs4eQBFDRjRiHy-nflbDKr37yZazsF3XbmA0-psMLQcRvxRNlmJ3l2bhrLxO5dCEf7nfZo5T2PMgZdVMTSUiOMP-tznf7ARa4t1JkZgIJAcMR13jBmFuyB3L-XXqHtb9lgOyH2ZMFqclfr6GDyehkjhTS587bWz8O=s320" width="248" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Looks like my poor pets were a little neglected this year. I
brought home only 2 things for them, and Millie managed to break the ceramic
treat jar within a couple of days. However, the little quilt is still a fave of
them all.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghgsDnszBM6uc148CCe5nsm2HBRIRgppq7LVbQxxNjBnAxPeWUo0196pGBL4m3_3BNj4L6BjKu9rGhWbGXLz9chNIACSQTrPBTCcBvWo1velcLGza9ozmKcKXwk9gg_T_Fu0WVqf9_ioDWwfn5i3dnXXqyLa8RxzLgd90afJveVGY7gAjJlY3mbh5i=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghgsDnszBM6uc148CCe5nsm2HBRIRgppq7LVbQxxNjBnAxPeWUo0196pGBL4m3_3BNj4L6BjKu9rGhWbGXLz9chNIACSQTrPBTCcBvWo1velcLGza9ozmKcKXwk9gg_T_Fu0WVqf9_ioDWwfn5i3dnXXqyLa8RxzLgd90afJveVGY7gAjJlY3mbh5i=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjormg6yXPGFmDtMXB7eeVaSLNCYZoTEbsZdSk3DNObQqAfDbLoFAEd7QtTuxryI_jgrBk6mXrYxA2qFTpOKqyatxOkJMJ12BGveLZkw1hh68br_EhRUHpx47CXcmUezrPtRw-IXQgvgw_YOuF9fVr1copgUYWgPIDjC-2AB8wQ-MAZbQEsoHpIfI7k=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjormg6yXPGFmDtMXB7eeVaSLNCYZoTEbsZdSk3DNObQqAfDbLoFAEd7QtTuxryI_jgrBk6mXrYxA2qFTpOKqyatxOkJMJ12BGveLZkw1hh68br_EhRUHpx47CXcmUezrPtRw-IXQgvgw_YOuF9fVr1copgUYWgPIDjC-2AB8wQ-MAZbQEsoHpIfI7k=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">The ‘category of shame’, otherwise known as donations, was
not terribly embarrassing this year – 21 items that totaled $19.55. And five of
those were free. So that brings my total down to 147 items – doesn’t that sound
better?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Probably the biggest thrill of the year was the only piece
of furniture I bought – the vintage midcentury double bed with the amazing
headboard. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOS_n8YBOX4dXzgVFL0_LeEwsLbx89H9NGdg_jFHWaGpjd30i1YQG4Hc-YyKM3AMjO1mfTtfKyPstJGVoRENH6Q99SftBOor2prfDyHuASkt-5MuIoBUXs3HLn9U5ZAqwL--izv_losFm4I0lNsB65Ugiygw5-x7qK1dqY92ZKOE8xCp99I8qFOgPo=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOS_n8YBOX4dXzgVFL0_LeEwsLbx89H9NGdg_jFHWaGpjd30i1YQG4Hc-YyKM3AMjO1mfTtfKyPstJGVoRENH6Q99SftBOor2prfDyHuASkt-5MuIoBUXs3HLn9U5ZAqwL--izv_losFm4I0lNsB65Ugiygw5-x7qK1dqY92ZKOE8xCp99I8qFOgPo=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhc2Y6uSGEirDCJLkw5WsY0Heacu9o_yrZX0aElFSg4VO6SGg4j-5e8PED628AFv3XG_VNytunn_9Gc8kReK3t2IPsKNDObFRsTqmcfWCjoGWEIY917c5tIwZE_p4J3zJxZyFSTC2LzsG_jc3ZATdSSk8L6NSW61w_LBp7ARXQH8qrgxiqIGbk1a4J5=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhc2Y6uSGEirDCJLkw5WsY0Heacu9o_yrZX0aElFSg4VO6SGg4j-5e8PED628AFv3XG_VNytunn_9Gc8kReK3t2IPsKNDObFRsTqmcfWCjoGWEIY917c5tIwZE_p4J3zJxZyFSTC2LzsG_jc3ZATdSSk8L6NSW61w_LBp7ARXQH8qrgxiqIGbk1a4J5=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">For five bucks. I'm still thrilled – and the vintage double sheets I
bought for a buck apiece were the icing on the cake!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMn5UqgZh2mHgJca9syUx0LdAn9fCe45sp7yiY17jzFmDR8q2gsK3TvZHihMnAs_W7RJjFSfaz0dzMzwEu2pPIgvnKNObPHkcgF_4mdJ8WwT2e4FIt61s-VeQhF3TWMH6Xiapu46jkUpLYVhQitedCiX8Dm9mLbWK__3XzDGUX9L1CW-23S49FaE4O=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMn5UqgZh2mHgJca9syUx0LdAn9fCe45sp7yiY17jzFmDR8q2gsK3TvZHihMnAs_W7RJjFSfaz0dzMzwEu2pPIgvnKNObPHkcgF_4mdJ8WwT2e4FIt61s-VeQhF3TWMH6Xiapu46jkUpLYVhQitedCiX8Dm9mLbWK__3XzDGUX9L1CW-23S49FaE4O=s320" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Actually, I have to amend that – the bed was the second
biggest thrill. Best of all was reaching the millionth visitor milestone back
in March. Wow. Thanks for coming along for the ride – now let’s see what 2022
will bring!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-28611475652980715192021-11-21T17:04:00.003-08:002021-11-21T17:04:32.121-08:00Sneaking Out<p style="text-align: left;">It's been an interesting week here in the Castle of Fifty
Cents.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Let us return for a moment to this past May. Springtime.
Planting tomatoes in big pots, and moving them via wheelbarrow to their summer location
on the front deck. See the big pot with the baby tomato plant unbalance and tip
over. See the gray-haired old lady struggle it back into the wheelbarrow…and
cry ouch as her back twerked. See the same old lady a couple of days later
tackling a whole bunch o’ weeds with a scuffle hoe and ignoring what her back
was telling her. See her trying to get out of bed the next morning - and
yelping. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Fast forward six months (six months!!), past pills and
doctors and x-rays and an MRI and physical therapy to this Tuesday. The old
lady now has a neurosurgeon added to her medical team, and she takes her very
well-scrubbed self to the local hospital where the neurosurgeon has his way
with the ruptured disc in her neck.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Amazingly, you go home the same day. It seems I’m one of the
lucky ones who came through a disc replacement procedure with very little pain
afterward (so far anyway). I had someone around for a couple of days, but am
having no trouble managing on my own. I do have to keep remembering that I am
not allowed to bend, twist, move my head, or lift more than five pounds. It curtails
a lot of daily activities, and I've spent the past couple of weeks weighing
things so I'd know what I can pick up. Millie is 10 pounds, so she is staying
at my ex’s for a bit. The dogs are willing to hop onto the sofa for treats, so
I don’t have to bend over. I’m getting very good with a grabber – picked up a
Q-tip from the floor with one yesterday. Unfortunately the results were not as
positive with a couple of china bowls. Crash, smash. I covered up the shards with
an old towel until someone came by and vacuumed them away. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">So I've been reading and watching movies, and getting just a
<i>leeeetle </i>bit bored. Why is it that being forbidden to drive makes me instantly
want to hop into my car and go somewhere…preferably a really good sale?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">I peeked at Craigslist Friday morning, and wouldn’t you know
there was a moving sale listed that sounded great. So I tempted the ex with the
vinyl albums advertised, and off we went (about a 10 minute drive, well within allowed
limits). Maybe the yard sale gods thought I deserved a treat; I came away very
happy. Two pairs of very comfy shoes (which I discovered retail at $150 &
$200), </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYsyNr6fc1yNhl4RTmZQgQzXWfy9bIleZHNlUxb2CYpneYQ4UcHcbcygB-ABPg9_aUSWrr2U1bI-rSBkj6G6ZViz6DSRFMy6gBrqzkxcIxE9vLHx3GD9iFJW5xxEx7xTTVYa29t2sfjVM/s3732/IMG_20211121_161807587.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2826" data-original-width="3732" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYsyNr6fc1yNhl4RTmZQgQzXWfy9bIleZHNlUxb2CYpneYQ4UcHcbcygB-ABPg9_aUSWrr2U1bI-rSBkj6G6ZViz6DSRFMy6gBrqzkxcIxE9vLHx3GD9iFJW5xxEx7xTTVYa29t2sfjVM/s320/IMG_20211121_161807587.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOd5zT2eGtvP-S_tUztu-vl5_C99Y9KlK08AfxN8jDD6LRTxcx9niOEmlouBIHu41sWZCJB9nifPMLXBTgthuA3AbVF1kqwhN1vWl1S5o_39gVhQziv5IS4l6V4Pkhre4TU1bgYqK4B4/s4032/IMG_20211121_162018703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOd5zT2eGtvP-S_tUztu-vl5_C99Y9KlK08AfxN8jDD6LRTxcx9niOEmlouBIHu41sWZCJB9nifPMLXBTgthuA3AbVF1kqwhN1vWl1S5o_39gVhQziv5IS4l6V4Pkhre4TU1bgYqK4B4/s320/IMG_20211121_162018703.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">a couple of pairs of knitted slacks (the cream pair are cotton and
linen, yum),</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb2ECEJu-9D-eHAACh1RghSQRqw-D-OsjjAh5pHw0v-0KuNrZj-W1JfrfSJfOIyq9uX_PUu1Biq5DyGndrkyFJNHpyEyfq8uipluFVrhQvFVL1XuwJy7BwSJEj7qFesFhDujZiIRv8UBQ/s4032/Knitted+slacks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb2ECEJu-9D-eHAACh1RghSQRqw-D-OsjjAh5pHw0v-0KuNrZj-W1JfrfSJfOIyq9uX_PUu1Biq5DyGndrkyFJNHpyEyfq8uipluFVrhQvFVL1XuwJy7BwSJEj7qFesFhDujZiIRv8UBQ/s320/Knitted+slacks.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">a very nice planter. I'm planning to put some daffodil bulbs in it for next spring.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzolCCY4mQWHt93LXoAbw2EsQrZ7GpS_EStEzYYQq1uzdWuiiZHrbjySy6SKBeMyhvRKgwd7dn37ZYMC6NsFYQm0KzSkxvd5otxsP-ZlQSOssDHzIVZvNdGAR60jr37j8WXVgMRjx2NN4/s4013/Planter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2199" data-original-width="4013" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzolCCY4mQWHt93LXoAbw2EsQrZ7GpS_EStEzYYQq1uzdWuiiZHrbjySy6SKBeMyhvRKgwd7dn37ZYMC6NsFYQm0KzSkxvd5otxsP-ZlQSOssDHzIVZvNdGAR60jr37j8WXVgMRjx2NN4/s320/Planter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">And a pair of Dansk bowls that match the six
mugs in my cabinet! All for $15, woo hoo.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2ITRCLSR5f1hsY1bqkvj5tPXyHj1OvP37hKm3JMsdfNcUBKWsOYYYFh58JNXzctXaS0Me6rLQAT_j6lCAT6WRm0A2IveqmdNL61zWFr21WO35aMINS6-12x7NePSLGs9zuGTrxR98yw/s3687/Dansk+bowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3687" data-original-width="2859" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2ITRCLSR5f1hsY1bqkvj5tPXyHj1OvP37hKm3JMsdfNcUBKWsOYYYFh58JNXzctXaS0Me6rLQAT_j6lCAT6WRm0A2IveqmdNL61zWFr21WO35aMINS6-12x7NePSLGs9zuGTrxR98yw/s320/Dansk+bowl.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Their ad said Saturday would be half price,
so I talked Steven into going back the next morning. Scored again! Two wool
blankets – the cream one is already felted, </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ALKttbXSuls/YZro06VF_sI/AAAAAAABQpU/kSuRBuvlwBkn46EpKdnoM5wKAyfApdvIwCNcBGAsYHQ/s3258/Fannie%2Bloves%2Ba%2Bwool%2Bblanket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3258" data-original-width="2536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ALKttbXSuls/YZro06VF_sI/AAAAAAABQpU/kSuRBuvlwBkn46EpKdnoM5wKAyfApdvIwCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/Fannie%2Bloves%2Ba%2Bwool%2Bblanket.jpg" width="249" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">and the other appears to be hand
woven of linsey-woolsey (linen warp & wool weft). </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtZeV6YntLew7r-0UuzRH5-QrgbB2fbv9tkrCjIUA5MNbYv786lTbCkTvvzKEcBwVN364GSjNDed7JnAqtPtj1aorQJKFFkTNiZMXh-ymlkTf7JtRP78YlaPae8lbw6LMxQbCGI0PzI3U/s4032/Antique+weaving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtZeV6YntLew7r-0UuzRH5-QrgbB2fbv9tkrCjIUA5MNbYv786lTbCkTvvzKEcBwVN364GSjNDed7JnAqtPtj1aorQJKFFkTNiZMXh-ymlkTf7JtRP78YlaPae8lbw6LMxQbCGI0PzI3U/s320/Antique+weaving.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">It was very loved by
someone, who took the time to cut a strip off the side and hand stitch a rolled hem</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOuCj8uQbG8E4DUCO-BPCi6NcolxLo7StA232JEUVEAcWdzjP-yF28XATHz5cW0xzPV7MyHCDD5DTkRe6X_A2sCAUjQRxEC2godA22zzdE5f8SyDPv8N2nfwD53kS8tcChy3lXOxho5U/s3583/Hand+rolled+hem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2426" data-original-width="3583" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOuCj8uQbG8E4DUCO-BPCi6NcolxLo7StA232JEUVEAcWdzjP-yF28XATHz5cW0xzPV7MyHCDD5DTkRe6X_A2sCAUjQRxEC2godA22zzdE5f8SyDPv8N2nfwD53kS8tcChy3lXOxho5U/s320/Hand+rolled+hem.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">to mend a series of
holes, <i>matching the woven pattern.</i> (I emailed via Craigslist later to
ask if they knew of its history. Turns out had been in the family forever.
Family came from England and Wales, and the pattern is a combination of Cats
Paw and Snails Trail. I’m guessing it’s from the 1800s!) </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKJRXclqFJyBre_kDWt4LQzS4jM3jsIBZAsnTarfxi_9nObOrsEYMwkASx44TB5-_VOl1-1qQxAVH_3SF_xU5Y8s9aPuiRF1CW4u5tFJ-4syfk0PTd7_A6ezL0RNsQGRn8c2dImkKybUQ/s4032/Matching+patch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKJRXclqFJyBre_kDWt4LQzS4jM3jsIBZAsnTarfxi_9nObOrsEYMwkASx44TB5-_VOl1-1qQxAVH_3SF_xU5Y8s9aPuiRF1CW4u5tFJ-4syfk0PTd7_A6ezL0RNsQGRn8c2dImkKybUQ/s320/Matching+patch.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQ8xw9_Sff1ZMyf_W9t_I8dsidH5ls_F3O2-lqfhTT1YHsWNSjPKY5iwLxuGLNLy6i81zh6DhrHCbIUkGAlJczm9wWHr4sVtRirIDlFEl09Ov12YNsUYZf3v1tBJae8AOaU5HhV4RrcM/s4032/back+of+patching.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQ8xw9_Sff1ZMyf_W9t_I8dsidH5ls_F3O2-lqfhTT1YHsWNSjPKY5iwLxuGLNLy6i81zh6DhrHCbIUkGAlJczm9wWHr4sVtRirIDlFEl09Ov12YNsUYZf3v1tBJae8AOaU5HhV4RrcM/s320/back+of+patching.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Two more pairs of
comfy pants. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEe4kCjMcbdYY_-MkULSVHCtu82aT50duUsx_BmNugRhL5xnx5581F7hxYKM3W0i7VSbe9poE7N4gFiuVHRHk0roX5vMa4r3GGO0gkwQRdWdfuzdxy4lNIiHw-ujvLpFp-anGPvTUan8/s4032/More+knitted+slacks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEe4kCjMcbdYY_-MkULSVHCtu82aT50duUsx_BmNugRhL5xnx5581F7hxYKM3W0i7VSbe9poE7N4gFiuVHRHk0roX5vMa4r3GGO0gkwQRdWdfuzdxy4lNIiHw-ujvLpFp-anGPvTUan8/s320/More+knitted+slacks.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">And three more pairs of practically new shoes – SAS, Nike, and one
of my favorite brands, Naot from Israel. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh273mkIg62hd48QPEbPxhmM7C_cyMQqr_hEv9J7WJCc8k7OcOYk3qJSd2cfO2pIZu-J4gVuQqWhG7PO3SbmJDiHnjRO76w_Xhdy8WaxIGVsy7m5RrtWmNJ_ijwhJ7fd-MGpvNH0hC8k9I/s3768/Black+Nikes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2866" data-original-width="3768" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh273mkIg62hd48QPEbPxhmM7C_cyMQqr_hEv9J7WJCc8k7OcOYk3qJSd2cfO2pIZu-J4gVuQqWhG7PO3SbmJDiHnjRO76w_Xhdy8WaxIGVsy7m5RrtWmNJ_ijwhJ7fd-MGpvNH0hC8k9I/s320/Black+Nikes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjYQ1Ar-PMpIo2zNp_6qCp_v0kv-mraPWAN5ipSamAtlkJUKZ4YxD9hWLLAweuglqZCzSohxhz57aGLrmFMmdf4w17bdemA2GbVYMBHj9mgYxsVhxv-9irpOHH284nD9Mdq2UFQ7FegF0/s4031/Black+SAS+shoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4031" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjYQ1Ar-PMpIo2zNp_6qCp_v0kv-mraPWAN5ipSamAtlkJUKZ4YxD9hWLLAweuglqZCzSohxhz57aGLrmFMmdf4w17bdemA2GbVYMBHj9mgYxsVhxv-9irpOHH284nD9Mdq2UFQ7FegF0/s320/Black+SAS+shoes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8wRRCXlqQ7b5octL_vDPMEelh54RcWJVbDvbNrO-c12Jjz6X-_QU4wLBgPsUJlWi1RxFwoS6sdX4QrKnuAap8lEDafBtRzyZ5XKF2mm5vPNYBAkIjAw_qP_ZpJ72DT64bxMlDtycBh0/s3852/Pewter+metallic+Naot+shoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2559" data-original-width="3852" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8wRRCXlqQ7b5octL_vDPMEelh54RcWJVbDvbNrO-c12Jjz6X-_QU4wLBgPsUJlWi1RxFwoS6sdX4QrKnuAap8lEDafBtRzyZ5XKF2mm5vPNYBAkIjAw_qP_ZpJ72DT64bxMlDtycBh0/s320/Pewter+metallic+Naot+shoes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">And the day's total? Ten bucks.</span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">I feel like the garaging gods have patted me on the head and
said, “You’ve been a very good girl. Now go home…and don’t bend, twist, or pick
up more than five pounds!”</p>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-42388864692860209732021-10-09T14:30:00.003-07:002021-10-09T14:30:50.520-07:00It IS a Small World After All<p>Lately I've been having small-world encounters. You know,
like when you’re at a large conference with people from all over the country and
you get to talking with the person next to you who is from another state, and after
a bit you figure out her daughter is your next door neighbor. (Yup, that
actually happened, but it was years ago, so it doesn’t count for now.)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A few weeks ago I got to talking to a good old boy at a sale,
and we discovered we were both from Missouri, though he was a recent transplant
to Oregon and I left Kansas City at the age of 10. We had a nice chat; he
seemed a bit homesick but willing to give Oregon a chance because his wife
likes it here. My favorite part was when he said, “You know what I really miss
about Missouri?” There was a pause as a myriad of possibilities raced through
my mind…the rolling hills? Sweet German wines? The Ozarks? Grasshoppers? Fields
of corn? “No, what?” I encouraged.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Red potatoes,” he said. “We never have red potatoes any
more.” <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I managed not to laugh, wondering if his wife prefers Yukon
Golds and has convinced him it's all she can find here. “Ummm, that’s my
favorite too, and most grocery stores have them.” He looked pleased and we went
on our ways. I've wondered since if his wife has relented and fed him red
potatoes, but I'll never know.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My latest example actually happened at the grocery store,
and came about because I was wearing my favorite jacket, which came from a yard
sale (of course). I remember the sale where I found it, but not the year; had
to be between 2001 when I moved to Orange County, and 2005 when I started my
garaging spreadsheet (it's not on even the earliest pages). It's a floral print
barn jacket from now-defunct Smith & Hawken, who purveyed rather upscale
gardening tools, clothes, and household goods. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZDocSARNezSpbA77148ni3XUffVthy4JHI7I5MsR4oCbZfG-qBPQZ_QiEa_BWy1wPeu6lD7VYxwF3TZnHYcv63hRV4TvuochGeNfnpc_wL1MZlMg7AuXGAUHDlVnwt_G71Gp230LEsQ/s3404/IMG_20211009_135925032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3404" data-original-width="2670" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZDocSARNezSpbA77148ni3XUffVthy4JHI7I5MsR4oCbZfG-qBPQZ_QiEa_BWy1wPeu6lD7VYxwF3TZnHYcv63hRV4TvuochGeNfnpc_wL1MZlMg7AuXGAUHDlVnwt_G71Gp230LEsQ/s320/IMG_20211009_135925032.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bAIIMu9JSkL3MAj0I1zWq0mWVvRqHio7Hi1tL73FonDXjLY4cMa2LFvJmdPsRO7FQ2nBoFRtlJli_k2SMdvvtXq4lJ1QciI81okRmbTmskzX9DsZRPVn6tezkXxcFuJYB8r7yoPpxng/s4032/IMG_20211009_140212362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bAIIMu9JSkL3MAj0I1zWq0mWVvRqHio7Hi1tL73FonDXjLY4cMa2LFvJmdPsRO7FQ2nBoFRtlJli_k2SMdvvtXq4lJ1QciI81okRmbTmskzX9DsZRPVn6tezkXxcFuJYB8r7yoPpxng/s320/IMG_20211009_140212362.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Made of a heavy cotton fabric;
originally the collar and cuffs were dark red corduroy, but I covered them with
some scraps of silk I had in my stash.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfwy9ZDDaMCGPms6F_ojeOwrdXKYxcg8VpcSpXPhqSscvJXbpl2LIxvjfFmjGfqgpauaRWHgFmdAkMDINwa9Xnh8idKCJI3He0sR3l5GLb-8bXNicGZv7LsDxujctyyyKEhKeEkeOokM8/s4032/IMG_20211009_135954355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfwy9ZDDaMCGPms6F_ojeOwrdXKYxcg8VpcSpXPhqSscvJXbpl2LIxvjfFmjGfqgpauaRWHgFmdAkMDINwa9Xnh8idKCJI3He0sR3l5GLb-8bXNicGZv7LsDxujctyyyKEhKeEkeOokM8/s320/IMG_20211009_135954355.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">It's one of those season-spanning garments that you wear and
wear and wear, and the mix of colors means it goes with just about everything. I
remember paying $3 for it. I cherish the memory of wearing it at another sale
where a woman declaimed loudly, “That’s the exact same fabric I have on my
sofa!” Everyone shopping on her driveway slewed around to stare at what
well-dressed sofas were wearing.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtD_GFtG2LcEd5SKF-Fa7fPhuFTkWj-9mY8TUwia6XYlYtQktx-RpVdfRZ3gkrnfwhfoEIQGIOyerwchL58Gf1M4kAb51uhnO0Tj5NPfa6H-py_0pBsCJ1wTuPyj7jsRjGqTK4YLO_qcQ/s3434/IMG_20211009_140116862.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3434" data-original-width="2588" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtD_GFtG2LcEd5SKF-Fa7fPhuFTkWj-9mY8TUwia6XYlYtQktx-RpVdfRZ3gkrnfwhfoEIQGIOyerwchL58Gf1M4kAb51uhnO0Tj5NPfa6H-py_0pBsCJ1wTuPyj7jsRjGqTK4YLO_qcQ/s320/IMG_20211009_140116862.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YDPaqkUFtdU/YWIJUbztERI/AAAAAAABP5M/dmEALb9nPYEwRPb0fHiGFzhPzmwbFQYIgCNcBGAsYHQ/s4032/IMG_20211009_140140924_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YDPaqkUFtdU/YWIJUbztERI/AAAAAAABP5M/dmEALb9nPYEwRPb0fHiGFzhPzmwbFQYIgCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_20211009_140140924_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Anyway, I love this jacket. And so did another grocery
shopper yesterday, who came up to me in the bulk foods aisle to tell me so. A
compliment can be a great ice breaker, and before we knew it we were talking
and laughing and comparing yard sale notes. We kept talking as we both headed
to the bins of nuts, and both started to get bags of pecans. I said something
like, “Aha, another pecan lover,” and she said, “Well, I’m from Oklahoma and
that’s where they’re from.” I stopped dishing nuts. “I don't believe this – I'm
from Oklahoma!” (It's where my family moved when we left Missouri.) We quickly
ascertained we had lived in the same city, and since she was about my age I
asked where she went to high school.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And would you believe that in a grocery store in Salem,
Oregon, nearly 2000 miles and over 50 years away, we found we’d both graduated
from the same school. Not the same year, she was there a bit before me, but she
only went to that school for a year and a half, and I was there only for my
senior year. Goodness, what are the odds?! <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We talked and talked; it was wonderful. This is probably
what I've missed most during the pandemic, just talking to people. We had to
keep moving out of the way of folks who were trying to get to various bins. I'm
sure they thought we were long lost sisters or something.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I've reaped many benefits over the years by thrifting; it's
a habit that contributed enormously to my finances. But much more important than
the stuff has been meeting so many interesting and entertaining people, both in
person and through this blog. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Even at the grocery store!<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRiyHld1cbwvjA0DMS1-E6LsTxlLn5RySdXc-obHDCMfP16oTANE_0p94-09VlbuhQBdKEF5tFYHKzutisXkPlQuiEex6WLdSZTDSmxDa60FNvbiyyfuZw1MH8eFDyIrNpa3rP4ZwGUCY/s544/IMG_7648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRiyHld1cbwvjA0DMS1-E6LsTxlLn5RySdXc-obHDCMfP16oTANE_0p94-09VlbuhQBdKEF5tFYHKzutisXkPlQuiEex6WLdSZTDSmxDa60FNvbiyyfuZw1MH8eFDyIrNpa3rP4ZwGUCY/s320/IMG_7648.JPG" width="235" /></a></div>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-42515395819210833762021-09-12T20:09:00.000-07:002021-09-12T20:09:01.512-07:00The New Blanket<p>Zoe’s been needing a new blanket. I know you know that when I
say new, I mean new-to-us, not new-new. She likes something portable that she
can dig and arrange and create a nest. She’s been using one made of two layers
of fleece with the edges cut into strips and tied together. The fabric is cute
and she’s gotten a lot of use from it, but…it’s made of polyester.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyx2mJFfVQTCql9u7rAtiqFU3uh2OO6LkbCJ7Zmwf9qC281iIO5_8P6MaxAr9K24yr84DMipdMJXRoBD0-ShTJwa1z3bAsIvrOflQhwvD0UGuLR52dMfY7YCBQgHRm1F3cZjv-71s_p3g/s4032/IMG_20181216_110441430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyx2mJFfVQTCql9u7rAtiqFU3uh2OO6LkbCJ7Zmwf9qC281iIO5_8P6MaxAr9K24yr84DMipdMJXRoBD0-ShTJwa1z3bAsIvrOflQhwvD0UGuLR52dMfY7YCBQgHRm1F3cZjv-71s_p3g/s320/IMG_20181216_110441430.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>The more I read of the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/reduce-laundry-microfiber-pollution/">pollution
in the ocean caused by laundering polyester textiles</a>, the more bothered I've
become about it. There is almost no polyester in my clothing and household
goods (you know me and cotton and linen and cashmere!) but here was this
blanket. Which, being used entirely by dogs who drag it around and sleep on it,
definitely needs laundering fairly often. So I decided to look for a replacement
made of cotton. I figured I'd see one of those loosely woven cotton throws
before too long (which I haven’t).</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But I think I found something better – a thick small sized
quilt that apparently was originally from World Market or the like. Spotted it
at a sale in my old neighborhood on Friday, with a price tag of two bucks. As it
turned out it was the only find of the day, but that’s fine, because it's been
a total hit.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I threw it into the washer as soon as I got home. Washed and
dried beautifully. It's thick, hand quilted with what appears to be a cotton
batting. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCpDRdxjsMfsvqoWL5a3L_xG5GFhCAryZxrR119NqPjN-rT6GfePiyyG-OT2ms_10XmAFVSSSgVyBffKxdmYea9XmVjvS8pTk9WzKEMeFOPgfX7wx-NaFBIuYSuC6n-d-my-dDwGm8GJg/s4032/IMG_20210912_131400178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCpDRdxjsMfsvqoWL5a3L_xG5GFhCAryZxrR119NqPjN-rT6GfePiyyG-OT2ms_10XmAFVSSSgVyBffKxdmYea9XmVjvS8pTk9WzKEMeFOPgfX7wx-NaFBIuYSuC6n-d-my-dDwGm8GJg/s320/IMG_20210912_131400178.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV7pKnHI5KxZHhZYBvsaqzPtSz2EjJ4gWLFWZsnDISs4ODGri7HYxOK3Yu1cSjuD2TX6TzhZoAvCLnMg94spsujSReyuJIhi-7cMu8y349r17A73t5mEShCFJZRskvifDX0dkxaKJnGg0/s4032/IMG_20210912_131407763.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV7pKnHI5KxZHhZYBvsaqzPtSz2EjJ4gWLFWZsnDISs4ODGri7HYxOK3Yu1cSjuD2TX6TzhZoAvCLnMg94spsujSReyuJIhi-7cMu8y349r17A73t5mEShCFJZRskvifDX0dkxaKJnGg0/s320/IMG_20210912_131407763.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">I took it into the house and laid it on the bed to admire, and two
seconds later saw this.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIX4NKN0BSJkHJ2QbaWXoPa1lLeIysvX7332J8507OXzGEgCM9UKjG6i2Wad5_70DH7RgLKt2ZSHWLqW0EQWsuyvPYumlRgBGj0WYc4CZrkz2wNxpK6mOaE_UIP4tI4UU-AdX2-kzVnk/s4032/IMG_20210910_160055650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIX4NKN0BSJkHJ2QbaWXoPa1lLeIysvX7332J8507OXzGEgCM9UKjG6i2Wad5_70DH7RgLKt2ZSHWLqW0EQWsuyvPYumlRgBGj0WYc4CZrkz2wNxpK6mOaE_UIP4tI4UU-AdX2-kzVnk/s320/IMG_20210910_160055650.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">A couple minutes passed and....</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLCClwmevcylHydAHKqKo0aFO28KKMtSVPYmjsDb6euMA-9-e_tsAst_21V4RL9oqY1oZvyCxurstni1-OcrueI-NvmQPhHAVC_BeF3qlaVdSA5pfTqwSptytHMhBF5xO0e-chJuDfrI0/s4032/IMG_20210912_082202458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLCClwmevcylHydAHKqKo0aFO28KKMtSVPYmjsDb6euMA-9-e_tsAst_21V4RL9oqY1oZvyCxurstni1-OcrueI-NvmQPhHAVC_BeF3qlaVdSA5pfTqwSptytHMhBF5xO0e-chJuDfrI0/s320/IMG_20210912_082202458.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">All three of my girls <i>love</i>
this thing! Right now it’s covering their side of the bed. I keep finding them
hanging out on it during the day, </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKM1HbGlZucroEQMLMQbXC6txrg_kYVXlaYCXqcSA_qg4Csan84xd-22kEwzBjCgoBzp8B9N7XYOhsT6GQ4BhWPi_1Xg9wAdWx9XTGgKgFs1cVxbpiwM3FxZV6FnFuTVSXfjbUSaOvIE/s4032/IMG_20210912_131349131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKM1HbGlZucroEQMLMQbXC6txrg_kYVXlaYCXqcSA_qg4Csan84xd-22kEwzBjCgoBzp8B9N7XYOhsT6GQ4BhWPi_1Xg9wAdWx9XTGgKgFs1cVxbpiwM3FxZV6FnFuTVSXfjbUSaOvIE/s320/IMG_20210912_131349131.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">and at bedtime they line up down its length
and snooze all night. The size is perfect both for the bed and for the sofa
during the day, especially as it gets cooler. I haven’t told the girls yet, but
I really like this thing too. We may have to work out some kind of time share
agreement so I can get cozy under it too.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It almost makes me look forward to winter. I see myself
snuggled into my <a href="http://queenoffiftycents.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-big-splurge.html">red
sofa</a>, sipping a cup of tea, reading a good book, quilted throw over my legs,
Millie on my lap, Fannie holding down one side and Zoë the other. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The furnace will not be needed, and there will be absolutely
no chance of me falling off the sofa!<o:p></o:p></p>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-38244768012479196102021-08-29T13:25:00.001-07:002021-08-29T13:25:36.135-07:00That’ll Be $5.50 Please<p>When you do the same activity over and over, it’s always interesting
when a new detail appears in all the sameness. I've gone to a gazillion sales
over the years, and in the time I've been blogging, some standout moments were
the day I <a href="http://queenoffiftycents.blogspot.com/2008/09/it-was-in-my-stars-wooden-mouse-king.html">bought
and sold King Kong</a>, the time <a href="http://queenoffiftycents.blogspot.com/2009/07/dancing-on-saturday.html">young
Maggie danced for me,</a> the Saturday morning I brought home <a href="http://queenoffiftycents.blogspot.com/2011/10/shop-local.html">an eight
foot long sofa in a Honda Civic</a>. Or this past Friday, when Lysa and I encountered
the first campfire-in-a-garage I've ever seen. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq8YQqP-uvb09t3KpMmY5FTMf80EggiDfpQCaYBbpb55H6FATVoyyVkoAhU1qFgJFrWwZrRTc8UeDtiUrGaZgFsxJGoe0M25s1QjHTyBt2F0A2X3orZ61kVkR2w4DE66UB93b5ASKDolE/s2827/IMG_20210827_105245579.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2827" data-original-width="2265" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq8YQqP-uvb09t3KpMmY5FTMf80EggiDfpQCaYBbpb55H6FATVoyyVkoAhU1qFgJFrWwZrRTc8UeDtiUrGaZgFsxJGoe0M25s1QjHTyBt2F0A2X3orZ61kVkR2w4DE66UB93b5ASKDolE/s320/IMG_20210827_105245579.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Which, while charming (as flickering flames generally are)
struck careful old me as possibly a bit rash – with the bowl standing on a
wooden stool, and - before I gently commented on it - a box full of various aerosol
cans and a roll of paper towels right beside. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A couple of weeks ago, I went to three sales and when I got
home and totted up my buys, I realized I had spent the same amount at each
sale: $5.50. I'm pretty sure that has never happened before. My friend Marcia’s reaction to this news was an incredulous, “You
spent <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">$16.50 </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in one weekend?” (She’s known me a long time!)
Well, yes, but I got some good stuff!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One sale netted 5 movies – 3 Blu-ray and 2 DVDs. (Have you
ever seen G-Force? Superhero guinea pigs…hilarious.) </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Uhw1Ai6de97idkUBdY1JJIk4dtmPJ0T-x9tIqtzZvkrDh7mo_D5cgtGdoxIouzDP83R5UKToo4FA-SeyQkK4Rp4cDZ9ux9wW1OS0nHn7Jhu2TqrKH1NTkzzKI6XfqdAcyMBPS-u0hZk/s4032/IMG_20210829_123346604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3023" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Uhw1Ai6de97idkUBdY1JJIk4dtmPJ0T-x9tIqtzZvkrDh7mo_D5cgtGdoxIouzDP83R5UKToo4FA-SeyQkK4Rp4cDZ9ux9wW1OS0nHn7Jhu2TqrKH1NTkzzKI6XfqdAcyMBPS-u0hZk/s320/IMG_20210829_123346604.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Another had something I was just about to resort to buying new:
a wheelbarrow to replace the one I've about worn out. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoj6U-H2ZEGFObwRalfNdeg8k93_55g5BCvuzAuXZbolMgo6TWSeVXGT82kW4RJ9l3F0tqw1msg6Nprf8y9Kgbpa3iqEJKBk4tnJ-JOsBDs4jMdzM75mYxyRGqVS13H1jZMYVLr-gxwTk/s4032/IMG_20210814_105758185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoj6U-H2ZEGFObwRalfNdeg8k93_55g5BCvuzAuXZbolMgo6TWSeVXGT82kW4RJ9l3F0tqw1msg6Nprf8y9Kgbpa3iqEJKBk4tnJ-JOsBDs4jMdzM75mYxyRGqVS13H1jZMYVLr-gxwTk/s320/IMG_20210814_105758185.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The fifty cents went for a white long-sleeve t-shirt (I know
you can provide your own image!), always a useful item.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And the third sale provided a pair of minty green crop
pants, </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMMU5f0aPmBjBV20TIZ_ABYW8_vZKdYznoGzCUuAqlJhgQbyOu0TUCdS8fwwnqqGZ7tvEqEwhOh-vyWQ3L1Q1mG7tcqUQtUgTH1op9-3NzEiWLNtJM_WAGjLPih2KPiFBkELjqRjqMtU/s3120/IMG_20210814_110220526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1992" data-original-width="3120" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMMU5f0aPmBjBV20TIZ_ABYW8_vZKdYznoGzCUuAqlJhgQbyOu0TUCdS8fwwnqqGZ7tvEqEwhOh-vyWQ3L1Q1mG7tcqUQtUgTH1op9-3NzEiWLNtJM_WAGjLPih2KPiFBkELjqRjqMtU/s320/IMG_20210814_110220526.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">another t-shirt, </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqt0gS3oDsci-O8LQSU8cRJVWJu1U8X1IwKHZ5U9HiIzlgpM6RfCXmV4Z9eI0HSKXRJrYUstBEUTs4fewDLhBIjrMSc16YLxpv_SjMSaAf-n7hfutu6yaMuAb070NEnkHwRusbhllYnaY/s3578/IMG_20210814_110055182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3578" data-original-width="2906" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqt0gS3oDsci-O8LQSU8cRJVWJu1U8X1IwKHZ5U9HiIzlgpM6RfCXmV4Z9eI0HSKXRJrYUstBEUTs4fewDLhBIjrMSc16YLxpv_SjMSaAf-n7hfutu6yaMuAb070NEnkHwRusbhllYnaY/s320/IMG_20210814_110055182.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">a festive boiled wool vest, </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgdpcxrlj4M0vINGsqEy0DhhPapeCKVoaBoITS1bLum7ay-zJSMC0Z8bKn59O4gvxQII_EGSeKSmQk7tPwPjTGVMtlvdpMuCGC6TYmXn5ij25Nuot3XIPM5FdnJSZ_wJbVIKQCNo0zDZk/s4032/IMG_20210829_130945459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgdpcxrlj4M0vINGsqEy0DhhPapeCKVoaBoITS1bLum7ay-zJSMC0Z8bKn59O4gvxQII_EGSeKSmQk7tPwPjTGVMtlvdpMuCGC6TYmXn5ij25Nuot3XIPM5FdnJSZ_wJbVIKQCNo0zDZk/s320/IMG_20210829_130945459.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">and three pairs of adorably
cute shoes.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDpUBrrRL5eHkDwlO3JfjB3N78trry3uk0p3361qTga1_NpQo7ibksounvUrOIhvR6IXYfQACTlFdnpcfRvnp_rxlgZ16rzUX2wRU0Xuqok1x5rwGca8OxwOyBMDqIEtPQhrxsQzUC-s/s4032/IMG_20210814_105551426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDpUBrrRL5eHkDwlO3JfjB3N78trry3uk0p3361qTga1_NpQo7ibksounvUrOIhvR6IXYfQACTlFdnpcfRvnp_rxlgZ16rzUX2wRU0Xuqok1x5rwGca8OxwOyBMDqIEtPQhrxsQzUC-s/s320/IMG_20210814_105551426.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRrpgf3dUONZuDNEVGjKX4xk2onKeMr8ufsUN2U9Aj3R8dYLMeWaZCJm7Le4d1n7ElrGKhWzeg8Q_u-MoSpB8utLxrtjJhgAsNjqnjIhrG2BT8Mvdk0Te-V8bwI-nxsmnqu4RTaNy6AY/s4032/IMG_20210814_105601618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRrpgf3dUONZuDNEVGjKX4xk2onKeMr8ufsUN2U9Aj3R8dYLMeWaZCJm7Le4d1n7ElrGKhWzeg8Q_u-MoSpB8utLxrtjJhgAsNjqnjIhrG2BT8Mvdk0Te-V8bwI-nxsmnqu4RTaNy6AY/s320/IMG_20210814_105601618.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">I was going to be semi sensible and only get the red and
blue shoes (two bucks a pair) but then the nice lady threw in the black ones
for free. How could I say no?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Segue to this weekend. I didn’t buy a lot, but I was amused
to realize when I got home that I had spent…that’s right, $5.50. The fifty
cents this time went for a lovely plate that I suspect is pretty old. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQQrzZdRcOoP73lldq4B-WMv4MI-jDk3lubv_fs8Po2aBhVoxaSdtOd87PB15G01cg2qqa_Fh4l3kJKLGFnFy6MEp6YcooOXhsXDaAz3ZKGTDZPgVNoNCHk43PElB1T7IF7d76mIQK9rY/s3764/IMG_20210827_182333428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2976" data-original-width="3764" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQQrzZdRcOoP73lldq4B-WMv4MI-jDk3lubv_fs8Po2aBhVoxaSdtOd87PB15G01cg2qqa_Fh4l3kJKLGFnFy6MEp6YcooOXhsXDaAz3ZKGTDZPgVNoNCHk43PElB1T7IF7d76mIQK9rY/s320/IMG_20210827_182333428.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGgHZxD0ITSg6g1gieJWzroK6jc-_BtuJlBp4HMBVxZFp1reIHBKfgL6gdYHDhiXNhpQLg_-FMbU2ZXHpMajj39RwGwWqYVqjMPYlhmJMxFtX4JoNZBip0cXtS7aHXTmszww6I-5hH9d4/s4032/IMG_20210827_182402554.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGgHZxD0ITSg6g1gieJWzroK6jc-_BtuJlBp4HMBVxZFp1reIHBKfgL6gdYHDhiXNhpQLg_-FMbU2ZXHpMajj39RwGwWqYVqjMPYlhmJMxFtX4JoNZBip0cXtS7aHXTmszww6I-5hH9d4/s320/IMG_20210827_182402554.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYh13yUn2tlbfH3AkNTWsltHjqJxiGleXb2AJ8eoNWQRyOQZWevfP9p2EIOZ7VbrwzVC5IYsah61elv9R9iKHZmiX5GLWS3W2Mbtw2TWwno759kVHYrV-GQZwrpRwjZUPubQwKKj5_X4/s2527/IMG_20210827_182434611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2527" data-original-width="2045" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYh13yUn2tlbfH3AkNTWsltHjqJxiGleXb2AJ8eoNWQRyOQZWevfP9p2EIOZ7VbrwzVC5IYsah61elv9R9iKHZmiX5GLWS3W2Mbtw2TWwno759kVHYrV-GQZwrpRwjZUPubQwKKj5_X4/s320/IMG_20210827_182434611.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="text-align: left;">And the $5 went for a treasure.</span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><o:p></o:p></p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: left;">I've been watching for linen tablecloths, because I have a
yen to try out linen sheets and I figure I can easily repurpose tablecloths. (Actual
linen sheets are hideously expensive.) I was planning to sew two or three
together with flat overlapped seams, but it's been ages since I've found even
smaller ones for a decent price. Or at all. </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;">I'd started to wonder if I've already bought
every piece of linen in Salem.</span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">Lysa and I had almost finished perusing a sale with a lot of
vintage ‘collectibles’ when I walked by a couple of young women pulling things
out of a box and exclaiming over them. When I realized it was vintage textiles
they were looking at, I moved closer. We all admired the lace curtain panels,
and the long dresser scarf of tatted lace. None of them had ever heard of
tatting (sheesh, I am getting old!) so I explained about the tatting shuttle
and fine thread and how when your grandma tries to teach you to tat you get all
tangled up in that thread and cut off the circulation to all your fingers.
(Maybe that’s just me.) Then one of them picked up something white in a plastic
case, glanced at it, said, “Oh, Irish linen,” and put it back in the box.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My trembling hand reached out for it, trying not to appear
too eager. A new-in-package Irish linen tablecloth, a big one, and when I asked,
the price was five bucks. Mine, mine, mine! </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZxlFPJF1JeEek63UEVdjJTO0K2OnMuR-NUZPMSlYqGOy4BChB9IjB3g9quWHVqAbBhqBt8baxdYyYYabM2sjJA0ySPb1Auvug7PB-xE4VpICXHsb7Tn2Wx7XQmFIhcTUN5y8FR2fsCX4/s3694/IMG_20210827_182536054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3694" data-original-width="2808" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZxlFPJF1JeEek63UEVdjJTO0K2OnMuR-NUZPMSlYqGOy4BChB9IjB3g9quWHVqAbBhqBt8baxdYyYYabM2sjJA0ySPb1Auvug7PB-xE4VpICXHsb7Tn2Wx7XQmFIhcTUN5y8FR2fsCX4/s320/IMG_20210827_182536054.jpg" width="243" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">This has to be one of the best things I'll find this summer.
Besides the price and the fact that it's 100% linen, it's the largest size the
company made for the consumer market, 144 x 72 inches. Actually bigger than a
king size sheet (though not quite as wide). When I looked up the company name
of the maker, I found it has a long and interesting history behind it. The William
Ewart linen company started in 1814, and the William Liddell company in 1866;
the two companies merged in 1973. Their linens were sold all over the world, I think
mainly to hotels and other commercial venues. The Liddell factory provided the
linens for the Titanic! Liddell still exists, but it appears that now they
weave cotton, not linen, and focus on the luxury hotel market (not my usual
home away from home!).<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-SsKGIG2OMoQqSSEF2ZE3HiiorRMMwZPUlLN3a7svSi3IUV8pnQdekK_xxLXVyIFJNiABl1Kf7JW_pimmBeq7_2FeFXi_sLTyzR7ryC3HiTCKxX0A0pce-P_VbQVgxkWRtpUQ5i5dd0Y/s4032/IMG_20210827_182557319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-SsKGIG2OMoQqSSEF2ZE3HiiorRMMwZPUlLN3a7svSi3IUV8pnQdekK_xxLXVyIFJNiABl1Kf7JW_pimmBeq7_2FeFXi_sLTyzR7ryC3HiTCKxX0A0pce-P_VbQVgxkWRtpUQ5i5dd0Y/s320/IMG_20210827_182557319.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">So my tablecloth was made sometime since 1973, and given the
feel and appearance of its plastic wrapper, I'm guessing mid-70s to early 80s. I
haven’t yet taken my treasure out of the plastic cocoon. Feels like it should
be done ceremonially, and I'm working out the proper rites for its emergence
into light and air.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I looked on eBay to see if it has any resale value, and it
sure does. A similar one (same packaging etc.), also unused but smaller,
recently sold for almost $120. Others are listed but unsold yet at closer to
$200, and none are as big as mine. But I'm going to stick to my sheet plan. I will really enjoy knowing I'm sleeping on a $200 sheet. It
will make me feel like I'm staying at one of those luxury hotels!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-52988397383104590702021-08-06T22:41:00.000-07:002021-08-06T22:41:30.154-07:00THE SEVENTY SONG<p>Today I'm turning
seventy and start a decade new.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">I've spent a
lifetime learning all the things I should not do.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Do not
enter, do not exit, and do not watch the clock.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Do not think
that you know best nor wear a shoe without a sock.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">You must eat
what you are given and always clean your plate.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Never be
conspicuous and don't let yourself be late.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Leave those
cookies on the shelf, do not put them in your cart.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Never belch
in public and for god’s sake never fart.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Don't be
loud, don't be messy, never let them see you cry,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Don't be
nosy or too cosy, and don't be asking why.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">You must not
cuss in public, no that would never do<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">For you will
shock the young folks if your language is too blue.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">You must be seen
as busy or they will call you lazy<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Don't talk
out loud to only you or they will call you crazy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Don't drive
faster than the sign says but it's worse to drive too slow<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Don't be
silly and don't giggle, it's not dignified you know.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Don't be boastful,
don't be petty, never cut in line,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Don't interrupt,
don't talk too much, don't dribble when you dine.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">You must
really never do <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i> is really awful.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">And you’re
way too old for cannabis even though it now is lawful.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Don't forget
to ask permission. No running in the hall!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Yes, today I'm
turning seventy…and I plan to do them all.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-27958623127323874022021-07-26T17:18:00.001-07:002021-07-26T17:18:55.173-07:00The Sheety Weekend<p>Am I becoming more discriminating in my old age? Or maybe it's
a side effect of mostly garaging alone these days – I'm not distracted by the
fun of hanging out with friends? Or I'm picking the wrong sales off of Craigslist?
Whatever it is, it just seems like there are far too many I Don’t Know Why They
Bothered sales this summer. But then again, if you just keep showing up,
something is bound to appear.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Like sheets.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I moved my queen size bed into the guest room and put
the new-to-me double bed in my bedroom, I assured myself I'd soon find sheets
to fit it. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I've had to redefine soon to include sooner or later.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So I've been making do with queen size sheets for several
weeks now. Ironically, my queen size sheets were resized from king size, and
the twin size sets for beds I no longer own were cut down from doubles, since
at the time I couldn’t find any twins. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqoCkMnVqtrLZYuP3Ouok6vn_Ei2yPIbVb6OPAhkeKYQGUOi1nfiCv7WdTi905oqqPfoKIr-P6Dn2geUee5jpNEPWfJwHDOKTzbndSBy7eJ5oyaZA_lFKs0gRqo294F7fBKXXWoF6ROiA/s902/P1060153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="677" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqoCkMnVqtrLZYuP3Ouok6vn_Ei2yPIbVb6OPAhkeKYQGUOi1nfiCv7WdTi905oqqPfoKIr-P6Dn2geUee5jpNEPWfJwHDOKTzbndSBy7eJ5oyaZA_lFKs0gRqo294F7fBKXXWoF6ROiA/s320/P1060153.JPG" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">I started to wonder if I bought all the
doubles a few years ago (“Woman Singlehandedly Corners Market on Used Double
Sheets” is the headline I'm seeing). But on Friday morning I wandered into the
back bedroom in an old house and discovered who had really cornered the market.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This sale was advertised as a hoarder’s estate sale, and it
certainly was packed. But to me a real hoarder is indiscriminating in what they
acquire, and often store things quite haphazardly. This lady had sets of things
– blue glassware, cranberry glassware, music books and many more. The row of
half a dozen vintage accordians appeared to be well loved. In fact, I heard
that the lady who had collected everything had taught piano in that house for
many years, and in her younger days played in bands, including Lawrence Welk’s.
Hence the accordions. The lady running the sale told me they
found many items wrapped in tissue paper, as though they had been purchased as
gifts and were waiting for the right occasion.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The back bedroom was chock full of textiles. Several vintage
chenille bedspreads, wool blankets, maybe a dozen bed pillows…and a whole bunch
of sheets. Which I quickly discovered were all the size I've been looking for. And
the price for most was a dollar, though some sets were a little higher. There was
just one catch – I could see by looking that some were cotton/polyester blend,
and others seemed to be all cotton.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I love natural fibers, and I really cannot sleep on (or
wear) polyester. Just can't. So I started looking at the sheets for all cotton.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Didn’t take too long to find a set, white with purple polka
dots. That’s the serendipity of secondhand – you end up loving things you might
never have looked at. Like purple polka dotted sheets. I checked a few more
sheets, but you have never seen sheets more perfectly folded, and every single
one wrapped around with masking tape. Unwrapping, unfolding, searching for
tags, refolding…it was late in the morning, I was hungry. I gave up the search.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The next morning I was out running errands, and started to
wonder if that estate sale was having half-price day. Which I'm happy to report
they were, so now sheets were fifty cents apiece. I headed for the back bedroom
and began to dig. Since the sheets were all folded so beautifully I did my best
to return them to that state after I searched for fiber tags. The sale lady
stopped by and said they were all doubles, so I explained I was looking for all
cotton. She was a kindred spirit, we had quite a conversation about natural
fibers and she didn’t seem to mind a bit that I was rumpling the sheets. I also
complimented her on the incredible folding, and it turned out she herself had
folded them all.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I soon realized there was another issue. A lot of sheets predated
the era of fabric content tags. Which probably meant they were all cotton, but
not a guarantee. However, I did a burn test when I got home on little snips
from the unmarked ones and indeed all was well.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So now I am well stocked with double sheets. Besides the
polka dots, I have two whites, a purple, a lavender, and a pink striped. My bed
will be dressed in varying combinations, and neither it nor I will care when
sheets don't match each other.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWoIQVgqa1rY4R199ZtavAm21AAXww6LDPDAImvFEeN9U_G_xJmfd8HOUFRum7Sjt0ncMuFNWB6yZGKISJ9FpGZiCBTPiQLtIhIV2ceR9jkSZuuLvCpGU7KxChgpFKazNwfS7fZMv2DIE/s4032/IMG_20210725_060804837.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWoIQVgqa1rY4R199ZtavAm21AAXww6LDPDAImvFEeN9U_G_xJmfd8HOUFRum7Sjt0ncMuFNWB6yZGKISJ9FpGZiCBTPiQLtIhIV2ceR9jkSZuuLvCpGU7KxChgpFKazNwfS7fZMv2DIE/s320/IMG_20210725_060804837.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">I left the sale with my $2.50 stack of sheets as music
floated out behind me. Someone was playing a sweet version of Roll Out the
Barrel on one of the vintage accordions. All those sheets and live music too. You
gotta love thrifting.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-80354882392719931952021-06-06T18:49:00.001-07:002021-06-06T18:49:55.683-07:00Research<p>I saw there were some sales over in my old neighborhood this
weekend, which is not far from the dog park I take Zoë to every morning. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqNo0WyaVQtchA7eHpzPu1ygC2i0h_Y70wa79HzV7PNc0yPO8KGMpXlu-_gVGpF6pGk3fFSBsCzJkzV4_SUC1gLtKHMNjysyC_dZJLQYbp3ULZ4lgH2t4mPDp4ZLEoebXyrnQf17X7eg/s683/JUMP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="496" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqNo0WyaVQtchA7eHpzPu1ygC2i0h_Y70wa79HzV7PNc0yPO8KGMpXlu-_gVGpF6pGk3fFSBsCzJkzV4_SUC1gLtKHMNjysyC_dZJLQYbp3ULZ4lgH2t4mPDp4ZLEoebXyrnQf17X7eg/s320/JUMP.jpg" /></a></div><p>So I drove
up the hill to check out the sales on my way home. And they were terrible
sales. Way overpriced ($20 for a used laundry basket? I don't think so.) and
nothing I'd want anyway. Pooh.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But on a brighter note, I found out more about one of my
last acquisitions that had me smiling. I've really been enjoying the two pieces
of art I got a couple of weeks ago; hung them in my bedroom and admire them
both every time I see them. I especially like the woodcut, and finally got
around to googling the saying depicted, “When the world wearies and ceases to
satisfy, there is always the garden.”</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWpKljt1fscAtwr0NdWf-LQGoGO_iKlgTFqmILFZHQbbAPQ7za6QyVYyS2abTF-_GNwurQRfCH2oK8gloNQs-kkEVN6LcSEedzfrvuMNveZegCD77KTvLLLcjUCRufPwjCLRY4UIi8Tyk/s4032/woodcut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWpKljt1fscAtwr0NdWf-LQGoGO_iKlgTFqmILFZHQbbAPQ7za6QyVYyS2abTF-_GNwurQRfCH2oK8gloNQs-kkEVN6LcSEedzfrvuMNveZegCD77KTvLLLcjUCRufPwjCLRY4UIi8Tyk/s320/woodcut.jpg" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">In moments I found the source, an English poet named Minnie
Aumonier, though not much about her. Then with an image search I found this
actual woodcut, which is when it got good. It seems that my woodcut was made by
a Vermont artist named <a href="https://www.maryazarian.com/">Mary Azarian</a> –
and I have admired her work since my early days as a children’s librarian, when
she published a lovely picture book called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A
Farmer’s Alphabet.</i></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqghNLGMPegAYvHAFTDsVQ0e0FU8C86GgRya1HLdpToUPnQIh-3fZtD2eIGIHy_MUVZ-3AOFpawJzYqPiMvL5J1cafAcL6BgDe4OcnH_7Xdijk_xSPOS50GB9_o8P4-e9hlAt-uh29qyE/s499/51DdyUTjdzL._SX328_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="330" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqghNLGMPegAYvHAFTDsVQ0e0FU8C86GgRya1HLdpToUPnQIh-3fZtD2eIGIHy_MUVZ-3AOFpawJzYqPiMvL5J1cafAcL6BgDe4OcnH_7Xdijk_xSPOS50GB9_o8P4-e9hlAt-uh29qyE/s320/51DdyUTjdzL._SX328_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Apparently she is still in Vermont, still making art. Her website
says these prints are made by hand from her original woodcut, then she hand paints
them. My copy has also been framed, and if you’ve had anything professionally
framed recently you know it can be pricey. So I’m feeling pretty good about the
price I paid at the estate sale. I also learned that the former owner of the
piece was one of the founders of a local garden conservancy, which my friend
Lysa is involved with.</p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I'm sure it's obvious how much I love finding a great deal. But
through the years more than half the fun I've gotten from thrifting has been learning
more about what I've found. And while objects come and go in our lives, the
knowledge is forever mine to cherish.<o:p></o:p></p>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-74709573106674730632021-05-08T19:01:00.000-07:002021-05-08T19:01:58.344-07:00SPORADIC <p>Between iffy weather, lack of sales and gardening chores, my
garaging efforts have definitely been sporadic of late. Then of course there is
the truism that the older you get, the less you need to buy – and living in a
house 1/3 the size of my last one definitely affects what I can bring home! The
creek right outside my back door makes up for it though, and this is the season
of baby birds. We’ve had three sets of goslings on our section of creek, and
last week 10 brand new baby ducks paraded by. There’s also a robin’s nest in my
birch tree, which is exciting but not as up-close as the nest they built last
year. That one was on top of the light fixture on my front deck! We only used
the back door while the babies were being hatched and fledged, and I got to
watch the whole thing from my kitchen window. Unlike newly hatched ducks and
geese, baby robins are naked and primitive, looking more like baby dinosaurs
than birds.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I did turn my (aching!) back on the weeding and planting on
my to-do list this morning and went out to a few sales. At the first one I met
up with friends Robin and Ken, though between masks and hairstyles that have
changed while we all stayed home it took a moment to recognize them! Didn’t find
anything there (I think Ken made off with all the good stuff!), and the next
stop was both picked over and overpriced. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Next stop was the second day of an estate sale, so a lot had
already left the house. But it was in a beautiful older neighborhood near
downtown (same neighborhood the governor’s mansion is in) and was supposed to
have a lot of art. And art was indeed what I came home with – a couple of
pieces for my growing collection. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(Will
she run out of wall space one of these days? Not yet, but stay tuned…)</i> If
it hadn’t been half-price day I wouldn’t even have considered these, though I do
think having so many fewer sales to go to makes me feel I can splurge a little
more on something I love. And love them I do – a framed applique </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlSuuv3NrEPaiANPBgteCTiMGrZWMr5xgNsM6k66AOSE04akRsBqFosr4gAdS10FIDI0ufzbah7ayWJWpHu11wUo8cAcucorhM-rEw5BuFqEXuf0eq39kJgzoKRYtL_NiaECEHXdsjn1M/s3834/IMG_20210508_113016526_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3834" data-original-width="3023" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlSuuv3NrEPaiANPBgteCTiMGrZWMr5xgNsM6k66AOSE04akRsBqFosr4gAdS10FIDI0ufzbah7ayWJWpHu11wUo8cAcucorhM-rEw5BuFqEXuf0eq39kJgzoKRYtL_NiaECEHXdsjn1M/s320/IMG_20210508_113016526_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">(I'm a sucker for things acorn-related) </span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5_wMDBCEAi4vRjTdT8IpOGCO1zbTbqqUsff1D8CHd4LK02PG5shThEPDHhJ09EUFmWxTvDXmHUa2MnXizYE4hKWmKGJVixH2oe66Q7emhjaXVzADmJxkoXvGSRfrVruoKdkXA57lLekU/s3109/IMG_20210508_113104064_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3109" data-original-width="2582" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5_wMDBCEAi4vRjTdT8IpOGCO1zbTbqqUsff1D8CHd4LK02PG5shThEPDHhJ09EUFmWxTvDXmHUa2MnXizYE4hKWmKGJVixH2oe66Q7emhjaXVzADmJxkoXvGSRfrVruoKdkXA57lLekU/s320/IMG_20210508_113104064_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">and a gardening woodcut.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWV9vOllqbazgKEVCkakDYdvgBW08ihk9wGVRwRmo7PhENvgmOOPEL4cfWPgGpCfy8ES9mtL_k00YTUT0iRj2BpMno91UtY0R_IebW_ngCVAM7ddj6xXycB2Q00Zboe7R0cjg7kstUHEM/s4032/IMG_20210508_112852065_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWV9vOllqbazgKEVCkakDYdvgBW08ihk9wGVRwRmo7PhENvgmOOPEL4cfWPgGpCfy8ES9mtL_k00YTUT0iRj2BpMno91UtY0R_IebW_ngCVAM7ddj6xXycB2Q00Zboe7R0cjg7kstUHEM/s320/IMG_20210508_112852065_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMeZJgqtVI804RIqcjF76K3hFXK_58uzFHhaEkUc_sMUAaeYEZftbmr2Nu6Kw9wpZt1VFDSQxvvDiE3Zx_WS5s_crEC6fi6bFVsb2SoU402NxckEmLXk_wFpVrsz-P-_RfLEVRseaits/s4032/IMG_20210508_112910506_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMeZJgqtVI804RIqcjF76K3hFXK_58uzFHhaEkUc_sMUAaeYEZftbmr2Nu6Kw9wpZt1VFDSQxvvDiE3Zx_WS5s_crEC6fi6bFVsb2SoU402NxckEmLXk_wFpVrsz-P-_RfLEVRseaits/s320/IMG_20210508_112910506_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SDnbOv0WLF4bQALQsjjKkZ9xBGjyskE4l6A4-TmdI_8bNY78qZ1d5WbFKblI9q8MNhwlhVymOA2dLMfTI7OwZPi8SrPidxb521h4G85GbG2ifxrFK8MRZqO5A9eZCnsT5JywWDED_x0/s3754/IMG_20210508_112931232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3754" data-original-width="2430" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SDnbOv0WLF4bQALQsjjKkZ9xBGjyskE4l6A4-TmdI_8bNY78qZ1d5WbFKblI9q8MNhwlhVymOA2dLMfTI7OwZPi8SrPidxb521h4G85GbG2ifxrFK8MRZqO5A9eZCnsT5JywWDED_x0/s320/IMG_20210508_112931232.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">I also picked up some gardening magazines </p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjho_tAx-qr_B1iM-9KFvKrdCa3M1jI1KSiD9wFtIv67FeXZdQkgYIVM1FC8bo4xP8ttO-RZWn7IwfH9AbROhO3EEIMuAvkppra17_Oy2kFT-HaBdDYWwuXH-RAycb_s0X7OpmGFCJHbDI/s4032/IMG_20210508_174328739_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjho_tAx-qr_B1iM-9KFvKrdCa3M1jI1KSiD9wFtIv67FeXZdQkgYIVM1FC8bo4xP8ttO-RZWn7IwfH9AbROhO3EEIMuAvkppra17_Oy2kFT-HaBdDYWwuXH-RAycb_s0X7OpmGFCJHbDI/s320/IMG_20210508_174328739_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">and a cute little handmade-paper accordion book that opens out into a Christmas banner. It's the sort of ornament I can use since I can hang it out of Millie’s reach. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimYiomwebcAFSP0_VU77ZchHY0hcjFrsjvj1o3ErHKn71q5DSY7GOJe-yXhQp0pGM60uvkbtJSHEQJocwXQBf4YK6ZSwaX4AaoDTQxoNe8zKAtD8f6pvrNb2UegYvBG2MKnZRA8SRPEw/s3960/IMG_20210508_113233770_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="3960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimYiomwebcAFSP0_VU77ZchHY0hcjFrsjvj1o3ErHKn71q5DSY7GOJe-yXhQp0pGM60uvkbtJSHEQJocwXQBf4YK6ZSwaX4AaoDTQxoNe8zKAtD8f6pvrNb2UegYvBG2MKnZRA8SRPEw/s320/IMG_20210508_113233770_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6gdWNivmyBta0_KmhaGLE6LevQsf0W3sdUgSdzV8FZ2Z3DUoUQ1OzftmvNLlDGd44_Lc_j9l6gCQgBfVVhNByCo0I3NKpVcKEC-ZsbDocFSyrDeOS906_fxzaywTGf8N3gynksNLlIRU/s3429/IMG_20210508_113420993_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3429" data-original-width="3007" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6gdWNivmyBta0_KmhaGLE6LevQsf0W3sdUgSdzV8FZ2Z3DUoUQ1OzftmvNLlDGd44_Lc_j9l6gCQgBfVVhNByCo0I3NKpVcKEC-ZsbDocFSyrDeOS906_fxzaywTGf8N3gynksNLlIRU/s320/IMG_20210508_113420993_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">(That cat! You would never know she’s such a scamp when you see her like this!)</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrLuLhcW4BGbcGXUa9IXJ7HReb4Xhf3tLPV6GQEseGw8GKyatf4QdVBKgdaPPYpgC_FzNQkDY80swx-_Yh4Y44v1nIrM4UIHpLsS5g5WOf-c8xyVaQk6AtMHuGhbVgsUsjhMYR04JbRR4/s4032/IMG_20210502_120135974_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrLuLhcW4BGbcGXUa9IXJ7HReb4Xhf3tLPV6GQEseGw8GKyatf4QdVBKgdaPPYpgC_FzNQkDY80swx-_Yh4Y44v1nIrM4UIHpLsS5g5WOf-c8xyVaQk6AtMHuGhbVgsUsjhMYR04JbRR4/s320/IMG_20210502_120135974_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Made two more stops and found nothing, but I really enjoyed
the fun conversation with the young lady about to leave for grad school in New
York. She’s getting a master’s in public administration, and I'm sure I was
chatting with a future city manager.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So today’s adventures were mild, but after the past year of
being home alone so much it’s enjoyable just to be out and about. Now that we
are fully vaccinated, my friend Lysa and I have had to laugh at ourselves for
our excitement over a couple of trips to nurseries - In the same car! Without our
masks! Whee!<o:p></o:p></p></div>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-83418644126409947572021-03-28T12:14:00.000-07:002021-03-28T12:14:06.987-07:00The Mysteries of Spring<p>Ooooh, it was a big weekend folks – went out on two days and
spent ten whole dollars. This alone would tell me Spring
is here – the blooming daffodils and forsythias and cherry trees are just the
icing on the cake. (Of course, the icing often <i>is</i> my favorite part of cake!)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I stopped at a moving sale on Friday and picked up some
DVDs. My 600+ movie collection has gotten a workout over the past year. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkPzKWuPADV3cprJBStGvWbSLcqQ3rg5ZbLFUuV61ka552hy9LKFHO4SZmYvUxFcUxWcq6ujIIrTYcFwlwh53oXON2gQTKLRdCXVyHSGsmQW3R39thwoxD8fIIGiARwaS7PZrw_mbxiZ4/s4032/IMG_20210326_130645400_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkPzKWuPADV3cprJBStGvWbSLcqQ3rg5ZbLFUuV61ka552hy9LKFHO4SZmYvUxFcUxWcq6ujIIrTYcFwlwh53oXON2gQTKLRdCXVyHSGsmQW3R39thwoxD8fIIGiARwaS7PZrw_mbxiZ4/s320/IMG_20210326_130645400_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Then I met up with my friend Lysa at an estate sale down the
street from her house. It was billed as ‘huge’…and wasn’t. But I went away happy.
It was a family run sale, and we were ably assisted by an adorable girl about
12 years old. She was friendly and helpful and clearly very proud of her
grandmother who had lived there (she’s now moved to Seattle). Wish I knew her
name – I'd certainly vote for her when she’s ready to run the world in a few
years!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I love books on paper sculpture and all their books were
free.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJJ1EMQcTwyt3hoqSXKOUjSQ-8D8EKfY0jzBJ8UI4NdYvpeX4AavZ__2-916QMS5kjsCCglrdBw_KendhTQiebBEA_LqxI8ulI38b9aOXO3v3UhZLMGRU6ikLY_1AcuVw2-ZUtZCi45w/s4032/IMG_20210326_130950629_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJJ1EMQcTwyt3hoqSXKOUjSQ-8D8EKfY0jzBJ8UI4NdYvpeX4AavZ__2-916QMS5kjsCCglrdBw_KendhTQiebBEA_LqxI8ulI38b9aOXO3v3UhZLMGRU6ikLY_1AcuVw2-ZUtZCi45w/s320/IMG_20210326_130950629_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">I can't say I was looking for solar lighted house numbers,
but I was willing to gamble a dollar. It's still charging so I don't know if it
works yet. Fingers crossed.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjowt9outzpzXxRKXEnLB38zDtMf6KiEe5b1WOlbOjCMaATJJ0hEEpTK5p90sYGYN4eZz2ztXEMd1vziuJaqfm1EvpdL9AKHKVDdN5y6XUv6S2g-UUlsk64KPPxbavsQnEzozCiXhtUMtk/s4032/IMG_20210326_130715625_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjowt9outzpzXxRKXEnLB38zDtMf6KiEe5b1WOlbOjCMaATJJ0hEEpTK5p90sYGYN4eZz2ztXEMd1vziuJaqfm1EvpdL9AKHKVDdN5y6XUv6S2g-UUlsk64KPPxbavsQnEzozCiXhtUMtk/s320/IMG_20210326_130715625_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">But I <i>have</i> been
looking for some shelves to put in my carport next to the potting bench, to
hold pots and such. I had saved a search on Craigslist, and just as with beds,
there are a lot of ugly and overpriced ones out there. But there it was –
exactly what I was looking for. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicoXiMIkCT3P1i1GUlKtU280IN0bq9n8ziHkMkKxx3SYF5NdkmuU9Qut5VIUWlNjnM-RSxX0S-ZAizwQo2yKSzVAJvv8AYI0PWGpJ_TKSMNReUsZm8vEBzfvJMdwMqQ7ICbPO4f7fV34Q/s3272/IMG_20210326_110533847_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3272" data-original-width="2610" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicoXiMIkCT3P1i1GUlKtU280IN0bq9n8ziHkMkKxx3SYF5NdkmuU9Qut5VIUWlNjnM-RSxX0S-ZAizwQo2yKSzVAJvv8AYI0PWGpJ_TKSMNReUsZm8vEBzfvJMdwMqQ7ICbPO4f7fV34Q/s320/IMG_20210326_110533847_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">And it's even cute.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCqbVh_KuUGMh3mNdzZBAk4ahLtpp4ng1Um7k3IgRsSRydquRRPXdYvBEyUONKrc6Z6UttWmx-svyM_htxETvUoVgv5M-D_ALR7O5gs88UFNft9-nehQ7U26lR7LjrxxjNWlqm89zi1o/s4032/IMG_20210326_110559134_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCqbVh_KuUGMh3mNdzZBAk4ahLtpp4ng1Um7k3IgRsSRydquRRPXdYvBEyUONKrc6Z6UttWmx-svyM_htxETvUoVgv5M-D_ALR7O5gs88UFNft9-nehQ7U26lR7LjrxxjNWlqm89zi1o/s320/IMG_20210326_110559134_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Finally, I bought a couple of original paintings. One was by
the lady who had lived there (there were several of hers), an Oregon seascape.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpB4GMWWDd87EMHDo2ULq8FQcd5QrCrY9fmhW0wysM7aj7wzNnNOvQRoNJAKPNIdFdj58m2djLk3D6M9IZ70p7EM7gLKhS1HeC57pbDwSdx5sYrB0KZVbrj3SZRlTGaceVBVaVs7nVDE/s4032/IMG_20210326_130739716_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpB4GMWWDd87EMHDo2ULq8FQcd5QrCrY9fmhW0wysM7aj7wzNnNOvQRoNJAKPNIdFdj58m2djLk3D6M9IZ70p7EM7gLKhS1HeC57pbDwSdx5sYrB0KZVbrj3SZRlTGaceVBVaVs7nVDE/s320/IMG_20210326_130739716_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">I hung it on the wall underneath another very Oregon scene,
a little study of tree tops. As I did, I thought now all I need is a valley
picture.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I really love the other painting from that sale. When I rearranged
my guest room I ended up with a blank wall where a bookcase had been and hoped I'd
find something big to put there. And I did. I'm a sucker for wheat, I think it's
just beautiful and for years had a bouquet of some I picked when I lived up in
Wenatchee, Washington. And here was the wheat I love, along with a nest of
robin eggs to remind me of the baby robins that were hatched on top of the
light fixture on my deck last summer. It's a really textured oil, signed and
dated ’72 and clearly from that period. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTgoymA8IS3EkyrI_Ap-dvFcNGTkyjCL33z_Vzgcf1UDG0HvdQqRD79JDpm6yEqkmmplM8H-ClQ8rbFtqYx3Pi_UB7RObLByFNXU4SrU4iUGFKNr38GwCxJ4Gwmh3Sa7dSTUmwCleSRKo/s4032/IMG_20210326_130800134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTgoymA8IS3EkyrI_Ap-dvFcNGTkyjCL33z_Vzgcf1UDG0HvdQqRD79JDpm6yEqkmmplM8H-ClQ8rbFtqYx3Pi_UB7RObLByFNXU4SrU4iUGFKNr38GwCxJ4Gwmh3Sa7dSTUmwCleSRKo/s320/IMG_20210326_130800134.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2zkgsxB0t19WNVmeIMd5lovvhYGjiQqiv-wnam4vlR1DnbGkxH1KGSGK_ZAZ0sqJD6k9zhngwBGBcq0diXLCSjSS5RW29sOIpJHObKImtBhkO0jGSvwRmLRhyphenhyphenEKtpAVHD75EKunuryY/s4032/IMG_20210326_130811170_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2zkgsxB0t19WNVmeIMd5lovvhYGjiQqiv-wnam4vlR1DnbGkxH1KGSGK_ZAZ0sqJD6k9zhngwBGBcq0diXLCSjSS5RW29sOIpJHObKImtBhkO0jGSvwRmLRhyphenhyphenEKtpAVHD75EKunuryY/s320/IMG_20210326_130811170_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">The style reminds me of Brian Wildsmith’s
art, like these.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUj59l9j3saQCTBnvvVU-8jTr_IygU0y56MsoPjmQRrZF8vvMyoe4JL8Y_C-Bswc39Mqw-drngBHkvR2IxkHLDrm-w6WfPjjnG-VjQAIlN-q6IXd_IY9MU4XHjOAUsGBtLIZ67T4YHNHg/s640/Brian+Wildsmith+T.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="462" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUj59l9j3saQCTBnvvVU-8jTr_IygU0y56MsoPjmQRrZF8vvMyoe4JL8Y_C-Bswc39Mqw-drngBHkvR2IxkHLDrm-w6WfPjjnG-VjQAIlN-q6IXd_IY9MU4XHjOAUsGBtLIZ67T4YHNHg/s320/Brian+Wildsmith+T.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClmGEQQxOV4laXck4laPR669MxEPhOhR6sp2UlShn23JoAInpNfjGftPHF3hQngCySC6rFyOi69uxyuFtoMf10DLchflLFMFyHTDqW3BpqhoI2amvZUcZnUc1EzXarTH5fxyJXrNqCWk/s340/il_340x270.2342459908_lw7s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClmGEQQxOV4laXck4laPR669MxEPhOhR6sp2UlShn23JoAInpNfjGftPHF3hQngCySC6rFyOi69uxyuFtoMf10DLchflLFMFyHTDqW3BpqhoI2amvZUcZnUc1EzXarTH5fxyJXrNqCWk/s320/il_340x270.2342459908_lw7s.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">On Saturday, KK and I went out for an hour or so. Some of
you may recall I some pictures of a sale <a href="http://queenoffiftycents.blogspot.com/2021/02/baby-its-cold-outside.html" target="_blank">back in February </a>of a house jam packed
with collections, mostly china. Well, they unearthed another <b><i>1500</i></b>
boxes of stuff from the basement and had a second sale. We were there on the
second morning and there were still a zillion pieces. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh_O69qCvMPAS_2kOWQhaPymWrkmmXLyCUAaAc_DpPP3C4yNiD1wMg3jIDLO9CW-ZxzjzJoGqHuaa8Tcy8JMUiMlfRFeDbItywCoBDs4fqfe4JdnH5GO_opuuYuBtrFpDiepObnzd7cSQ/s325/1-t+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh_O69qCvMPAS_2kOWQhaPymWrkmmXLyCUAaAc_DpPP3C4yNiD1wMg3jIDLO9CW-ZxzjzJoGqHuaa8Tcy8JMUiMlfRFeDbItywCoBDs4fqfe4JdnH5GO_opuuYuBtrFpDiepObnzd7cSQ/s320/1-t+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEhcpe33J9pKCLjLMAu5h4p60c2dEiVSJJwN3DKTA9OX6yC3YNLPO_Ce-cn1O54kXiStYn5oQtdLcAd0HARCv3EBhEK4A3_QQxHKEURif6dOxLRt2uBCivjsCzDqas9w5Jbghm4TjpEs8/s325/1-t+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEhcpe33J9pKCLjLMAu5h4p60c2dEiVSJJwN3DKTA9OX6yC3YNLPO_Ce-cn1O54kXiStYn5oQtdLcAd0HARCv3EBhEK4A3_QQxHKEURif6dOxLRt2uBCivjsCzDqas9w5Jbghm4TjpEs8/s320/1-t+%25283%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">It’s a big old house and
every room had shelving on all the walls and tables down the middle and all
were jam packed, mostly with china lamps and figurines and teapots. I didn’t even
bother to go down into the basement. Actually, I thought this box was the
cutest item in the place.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjreKHm059B20SCColtODk1AJS9nTEteljoqaTbFwx-uE0iWmx7cuZEv2-fVrHt13MO-VUW9PGCmyGw5cmQI2v2Ag08pHIaaFX2KXSkv3suIaM4QxJFQOfNk2jNv6NPpmsB-_NuIN_REGA/s4032/IMG_20210327_095449239_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjreKHm059B20SCColtODk1AJS9nTEteljoqaTbFwx-uE0iWmx7cuZEv2-fVrHt13MO-VUW9PGCmyGw5cmQI2v2Ag08pHIaaFX2KXSkv3suIaM4QxJFQOfNk2jNv6NPpmsB-_NuIN_REGA/s320/IMG_20210327_095449239_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Didn’t think there was a single thing I wanted, but on our
way out through the back yard I spotted a wind chime. I've never passed a wind
chime without making it ring, and this one was surprisingly mellow. And only a
couple of bucks (probably the least expensive thing there), probably because it
appears to be homemade. Some rusty wire, </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWy8bwuSVwkGPbx1wGJAaHUacqJIgZZ3tpfQmv6t8loySJ9emy6wE4UhuPSieoj72iGDDJyXELu5uPQ7qaBMi5fQOENmrBfyyx-4RvEGx4APj0UH96wMvpW-J95nCeBimvh5wHmG1shU/s4032/IMG_20210327_115740582_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWy8bwuSVwkGPbx1wGJAaHUacqJIgZZ3tpfQmv6t8loySJ9emy6wE4UhuPSieoj72iGDDJyXELu5uPQ7qaBMi5fQOENmrBfyyx-4RvEGx4APj0UH96wMvpW-J95nCeBimvh5wHmG1shU/s320/IMG_20210327_115740582_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">an old funnel and three pipes, </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbCBfq9F_Z3DM2OlV9IceLvOsdRsgdNYrBc2EbGDXyfb8cWKV_LK6WPuKKkH8ZSUDGcYZQl35TCKzY2Ux6jMiFpbJZlls66l77zwfi4VWnIQsVmvyvMHGd5ksS4cj8SuoCwaDSYPXSMjE/s4032/IMG_20210327_115726970_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbCBfq9F_Z3DM2OlV9IceLvOsdRsgdNYrBc2EbGDXyfb8cWKV_LK6WPuKKkH8ZSUDGcYZQl35TCKzY2Ux6jMiFpbJZlls66l77zwfi4VWnIQsVmvyvMHGd5ksS4cj8SuoCwaDSYPXSMjE/s320/IMG_20210327_115726970_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">some
kind of game ball as a ringer </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClCC8tkB0zHACPZ60MJ8VM0cptjRQWffVv_11YfxJh9PfJYo8jLR_Mp0DBrt-NSiUskQYjO0xEnktbWdQmWtW0zE_0lRUk4e1Hl0Nj1o3zA9tAHwyLYcIztg3wpgMRxsImyBQ32h3RKQ/s4032/IMG_20210327_115814980_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClCC8tkB0zHACPZ60MJ8VM0cptjRQWffVv_11YfxJh9PfJYo8jLR_Mp0DBrt-NSiUskQYjO0xEnktbWdQmWtW0zE_0lRUk4e1Hl0Nj1o3zA9tAHwyLYcIztg3wpgMRxsImyBQ32h3RKQ/s320/IMG_20210327_115814980_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />and an embossed piece of tile for the sail <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_X-ALj5GuJ1NRmi0D1QUdzKfMSDZVtnpNXTNJ2wdZDRfnMfOszOvQtKRhqUiJm73uoPybsa2wupnBvqczaV62n73l2WH0ANfWwzLGzKWACT3n5e706Rf5LpnK0CSDNPGJeB69ry6UNmc/s4032/IMG_20210327_115634432_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_X-ALj5GuJ1NRmi0D1QUdzKfMSDZVtnpNXTNJ2wdZDRfnMfOszOvQtKRhqUiJm73uoPybsa2wupnBvqczaV62n73l2WH0ANfWwzLGzKWACT3n5e706Rf5LpnK0CSDNPGJeB69ry6UNmc/s320/IMG_20210327_115634432_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">and
voila, you have a wind chime.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggnEp7eotKbKCt7qauU-AeTyhM3YPuW2XxizFt_Mg_P4BgDOAjcDLU2CBGPxEonvk6zgkaZa9NMmWe9gojalFmH9Pv8AcoEsca8jxHaU7KOv_qrtHaRyWr2r-pB84MR3MLs4VfTrCOCVY/s4032/IMG_20210327_120432015_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggnEp7eotKbKCt7qauU-AeTyhM3YPuW2XxizFt_Mg_P4BgDOAjcDLU2CBGPxEonvk6zgkaZa9NMmWe9gojalFmH9Pv8AcoEsca8jxHaU7KOv_qrtHaRyWr2r-pB84MR3MLs4VfTrCOCVY/s320/IMG_20210327_120432015_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">We checked out a couple more places. The first was the kind
of sale where you roll your eyes as your leave thinking why on earth did they
bother? – and I don't say that very often! But our last stop netted a mini
jackpot. I've been looking for something to hold my silicone lids to free up
space in the potholder drawer, and there in a free box was an adjustable rack
to hold a roast that seemed worth trying. (I don't need it for its original use
since I've been a vegetarian for almost 50 years.) Looks like it will work.</p><o:p></o:p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-p3eA_1dmV76-QcMLPVTWVTvwZHORRZeYtVwKV0HFhZU6ni33RmHZNCKjsdvBJNxQncho3BkwkZPFBUhBFDd8v3jwm6-f3BNVaHWrA1A3W_hrcKjpIhG1GeYUgphshRB-aDgNIK4t4Y/s3274/IMG_20210327_114849604_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3274" data-original-width="2364" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-p3eA_1dmV76-QcMLPVTWVTvwZHORRZeYtVwKV0HFhZU6ni33RmHZNCKjsdvBJNxQncho3BkwkZPFBUhBFDd8v3jwm6-f3BNVaHWrA1A3W_hrcKjpIhG1GeYUgphshRB-aDgNIK4t4Y/s320/IMG_20210327_114849604_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">This odd Japanese utensil was marked a quarter and I thought
I can use it to scrape stuck-on stuff from pans before they go in the
dishwasher. Guess its intended use is in cooking rice, so maybe it will be dual
duty.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKicSdEv565iKMBky_MK79DO6WXQJ-I-YPO2JVkyBGR9X206hhm9OwUcNPPQ7a5Tk1j3o-Cyj1mquxGqBeIMwNdmoT3XMYR77uvmY3Dot6AXrcIcNNaAroI-3opKWY-rE74rO4X6Ow-7g/s4032/IMG_20210327_115458649_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKicSdEv565iKMBky_MK79DO6WXQJ-I-YPO2JVkyBGR9X206hhm9OwUcNPPQ7a5Tk1j3o-Cyj1mquxGqBeIMwNdmoT3XMYR77uvmY3Dot6AXrcIcNNaAroI-3opKWY-rE74rO4X6Ow-7g/s320/IMG_20210327_115458649_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">And then on another table I spotted a small framed painting,
also priced at a quarter. Original signed art…and here’s my Oregon valley scene
I was thinking I needed!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlctqrLzxnMZJHm0XRjRhQOiEeNrQb9W_iy5TvAv3KpcbVjdXq5DeeAE81XCUEPulTLlB2lZ_VedCSynVl3YnY8Rw5dz_2rH4c5BB0rU2ZO_2rmCah6bOp2t5MqaXEiryfSHBFa3uNut0/s3867/IMG_20210327_115144564_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2899" data-original-width="3867" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlctqrLzxnMZJHm0XRjRhQOiEeNrQb9W_iy5TvAv3KpcbVjdXq5DeeAE81XCUEPulTLlB2lZ_VedCSynVl3YnY8Rw5dz_2rH4c5BB0rU2ZO_2rmCah6bOp2t5MqaXEiryfSHBFa3uNut0/s320/IMG_20210327_115144564_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Even better, when I went up to pay my fifty cents, she said,
“Oh, just take them.” I told her she’d just made my day. I think I made hers by
taking the Japanese mystery utensil!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-25163829071551586512021-03-23T18:23:00.000-07:002021-03-23T18:23:14.397-07:00A Million Thanks<p>Early last Saturday morning something momentous happened on
my blog.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There’s a good chance you’ve never noticed the counter at
the very bottom of the page. It sits there quietly adding a digit every time
someone visits my blog. And early on Saturday morning, someone visited and the
counter ticked over to…one million.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now, I know there are sites out there that hit that number
in days, or even hours. Took almost 13 years here (next week is the blog
anniversary). But for a site that has never advertised – or accepted an
advertisement – and remains true to the focus on having a wonderful time paying
the least you possibly can for practically anything, a million visits makes me
very happy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A million is big. A million hours equals a tad over 41,000
days. A million days is 2737 years, 10 months, 6 days and a few hours. The height of a stack of dollar bills would be as tall as a 30+ story building.
(I'll take my share from the bottom, please!)</p><p class="MsoNormal">A million is a whole, whole lot. And of course I've never counted, but I bet I've had close to a million laughs and moments of satisfaction and amazement over what can be found when you go out thrifting. Whether you favor garage or yard sales, estate sales, rummage sales or thrift stores, the sheer entertainment value is priceless. And that's not even counting all the good stuff you can add to your life for a tiny fraction of a million dollars.</p><p class="MsoNormal">So I send a million thanks out to all who have come along on this journey for the past 13 years, with double thanks to those who have left comments.</p><p class="MsoNormal">And now let's get started on the second million!</p>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-75702155744497595022021-03-07T17:56:00.000-08:002021-03-07T17:56:22.986-08:00She Shoots! She Scores!<p>I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure the dreaded 2020
is not over yet – 2021 seems to be channeling the spirit of its predecessor
quite nicely, thank you. I actually wrote this post over three weeks ago, but I
dawdled a bit on posting it…which was a mistake.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The first glitch was that we had an ice storm. From what
long-time residents tell me, this was an ice storm like no one had seen here
before. If there are Hundred Year Floods, then this was the Hundred Year Ice Storm.
First it rained, then the rain got colder and colder, and turned to liquid ice,
and coated everything. Everything. Salem is known for our beautiful trees, and
every tree had an inch or more of glittering ice on it. Which weighed them all
down, trees were bent to the ground. And then – they started to break. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Huge limbs started falling in the night. Whole trees split
down the middle. Birches and oaks were especially hard hit, and a lot of huge oaks
were completely uprooted. Power lines, tangled in the huge street trees,
started coming down. And transformers began to explode. I heard four or five in
the area around my house go before there was one more large bang – and the
lights went out.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My electricity was out for five days. My gas furnace needs
electricity to ignite, so no heat. I was able to manually light burners on the
stove to cook, which is a very weird experience in the pitch dark. Thank
heavens for my headlamp I bought for early morning trips to the dog park. It got
colder and colder. After the second night, I begged a bed from my ex (his
apartment had only a brief power outage) and the dogs and I slept over there.
When they crews finally came and reconnected my block, I went out and clapped
and cheered for the guys. I hope I never take heat and light and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">convenience</i> for granted again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">However, the fun was not yet over. The city looked like a
war zone – in fact, the WWII memorial downtown looked like a battle had just
taken place there. Cleanup crews were out immediately, and it's only the last
few days that the sound of chain saws and wood chippers has not been constant. Part
of the collateral damage was that the Internet was knocked out. And even when
it showed they had fixed the storm outage in my area, I still had no WiFi. I'm not
particularly proud of the fact I was more fretful over not having any Internet for
three weeks than I was about not having power. It's a little scary, how much of
our daily lives depends on the Web. It didn’t help when they failed to show up
for the repair appointment I had a week ago, and I had to wait five more days
for another appointment. In fact I was in a right old snit about it. I send out
huge thanks to my friends who listened to me whine during that week!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We are more or less back to normal, and Spring is getting
closer; in fact, there are daffodils blooming in my yard. Perhaps it was 2020’s
last hurrah. Let’s hope so!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With that explanation for the delay, let me take you now to
the post I wrote in those more-innocent days of three weeks ago…<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p>-------------------------------------</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Driving home from the dog park Thursday morning I noticed a
big Estate Sale sign leading into my neighborhood. Even though it was early,
barely eight o’clock (we hit the dog park at first light), naturally I followed
the sign, which led me to a street 3 blocks from mine. I went on home with Zoë
and after feeding the gang, checked Craigslist for more info on the sale. Sure
enough it was there, along with a listing for another sale back in my old
neighborhood, and that one had a Picture of Interest.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyuwL7YBpVscx8nJ-75Pi1LMhrntbSPvSSSYwUSWAjCYdaU8K8TD6CybKF7Jcq8yBZtsiH140XEb0G_cD8dXQalsQW2L4Hq4qNGstAN68t8ClhwWEl9rN4W_WKa9uAq57gpEncYAKr-WQ/s462/Pic+from+ad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="284" data-original-width="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyuwL7YBpVscx8nJ-75Pi1LMhrntbSPvSSSYwUSWAjCYdaU8K8TD6CybKF7Jcq8yBZtsiH140XEb0G_cD8dXQalsQW2L4Hq4qNGstAN68t8ClhwWEl9rN4W_WKa9uAq57gpEncYAKr-WQ/s320/Pic+from+ad.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Back in October when I had knee surgery and Marcia was
staying with me, I put my queen size bed in the guest room and moved the twin
bed for me to use. Much easier to get in and out of than the larger and higher
one. I liked having the bigger bed in the guest room, so I decided to part ways
with the pair of twin beds in there and get a double or queen instead. That
room has a rather large closet – in fact it is just about the size of a twin
bed, and so I put a bed in there. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikToW260ez2xaAKAH78v8ijuAdXYqeWTLOqTsF9fDrwcLiH6IC3fn9k8_ThEsj6LVBtRFUcvhfFJwdGoEH_5IU8FHP6GosvL6-s5-vMHlcbOI82I28CoLFtvx4woUAg_3eCVM48qXyS8U/s903/Bed+in+a+closet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="677" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikToW260ez2xaAKAH78v8ijuAdXYqeWTLOqTsF9fDrwcLiH6IC3fn9k8_ThEsj6LVBtRFUcvhfFJwdGoEH_5IU8FHP6GosvL6-s5-vMHlcbOI82I28CoLFtvx4woUAg_3eCVM48qXyS8U/s320/Bed+in+a+closet.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">It was quite cozy and I enjoyed sleeping in
there from time to time, but as I've gotten older and creakier it got harder to
do things like change the sheets. So I moved the bed out of the closet and have
now turned it into my cozy reading nook.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZpMe3giyTCJ0vfIeDc6EhwIwbhXiCsuUjfJDFgrLNHNam3KenKuaaowF6Ex5eh9XzBOmPvw_oCfXIEvjJ8A7nPw4Z29hFiDisyX-N472aRaDXJY4-mrQCO60cL7qaB8I8uJSvo2SRwdo/s4032/Former+closet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZpMe3giyTCJ0vfIeDc6EhwIwbhXiCsuUjfJDFgrLNHNam3KenKuaaowF6Ex5eh9XzBOmPvw_oCfXIEvjJ8A7nPw4Z29hFiDisyX-N472aRaDXJY4-mrQCO60cL7qaB8I8uJSvo2SRwdo/s320/Former+closet.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNzqfQD6oOuDZpCCphaW7FlaoxhpGfNb_QYrWRoGsLuOBh1ePWQ1HozotH0-I3v60wdfguFAX3npdUPvvMsRyqyludHtMJvNXR3OmRVBvUxc0OaA_ZccUZUMs_X73AvO3dPHgLIwsBa8g/s4032/Reading+nook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNzqfQD6oOuDZpCCphaW7FlaoxhpGfNb_QYrWRoGsLuOBh1ePWQ1HozotH0-I3v60wdfguFAX3npdUPvvMsRyqyludHtMJvNXR3OmRVBvUxc0OaA_ZccUZUMs_X73AvO3dPHgLIwsBa8g/s320/Reading+nook.jpg" /></a></div><br /></div></div>So…I have been looking for a different bed since fall. Saved
a search on Craigslist so I see all the new listings, and let me tell you,
there are a lot of ugly beds out there! I looked at that estate sale listing
and saw a possible candidate, so I headed out, all masked up and keeping my
social distance.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I got to the sale, I chatted with one of the workers
while I looked at a few things on the driveway, and I noticed a footboard and
side rails for a bed. Asked her if they went with the headboard I'd seen in the
picture and she said she didn’t know for sure, her boss at the estate sale
company handled the furniture. “He’s the one who knows about that, things like
what kind of feet are worth more,” she said. My heart sank a little, sounded
like he might actually be an expert, and when I went inside I saw that some
things were pretty pricey. Couldn’t locate the headboard in any of the
bedrooms, but then I realized they had moved all the furniture into the
living/dining room. And there it was behind a couple of ottomans, a double
headboard just the size I've been wanting.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I got close, my heart started to go pitty pat. I could
see immediately this was a midcentury piece, either teak or walnut, possibly
Danish. I've never seen anything like it (and I've looked at a lot of
midcentury furniture since I bought my MCM house). </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhewkh93wniGMR1ZljDv99TtpN0dkR4AmshqN1EkmPHCxplyWOTt9cJ8JaoDcmHxv2fMNNyUbjookufo0pDsEtZmNNwUXPZk7y_7n0xfbOeakxIGFH2Qr8KWru0gUSKLlTQLTQ6oo2Ympw/s4032/MCM+headboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhewkh93wniGMR1ZljDv99TtpN0dkR4AmshqN1EkmPHCxplyWOTt9cJ8JaoDcmHxv2fMNNyUbjookufo0pDsEtZmNNwUXPZk7y_7n0xfbOeakxIGFH2Qr8KWru0gUSKLlTQLTQ6oo2Ympw/s320/MCM+headboard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Though made of wood, it
appears to be woven – the top rail is carved, I'm sure by hand, to look like
thick straps going over.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7i5d0W-w3eAvHMhYI2LuJR_ucZ5hSdU7OCviVLZqg4H_qWouomiAUNTroXXDXEok3muoUVuo5HHH7dA2LImxWBWOhuXblryZ0Cg8sv5NEQV2STD64ppEggtpmV5vSJuLV-bCplbjNCY0/s4032/Headboard+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7i5d0W-w3eAvHMhYI2LuJR_ucZ5hSdU7OCviVLZqg4H_qWouomiAUNTroXXDXEok3muoUVuo5HHH7dA2LImxWBWOhuXblryZ0Cg8sv5NEQV2STD64ppEggtpmV5vSJuLV-bCplbjNCY0/s320/Headboard+detail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">This thing is absolutely exquisite, and I knew I wanted it –
if I could afford it. I tipped it toward me so I could see the price written on
a piece of masking tape, fingers crossed.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Are you ready?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Five dollars. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Five
dollars. </i>Holy yard sale gods. I about fainted…but didn’t want to take the
time to pick myself up from the floor. I started wrestling that puppy out from
behind those ottomans. About then the lady I'd talked to on the driveway came
in and asked me if I wanted her to take it out for me. I managed to keep myself
from jumping up and down with joy as I let her take it, saying I wanted the
footboard and rails too.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I did a quick turn through the rest of the house, and
emerged with a little splurge – a $4 Noritake hen with lovely details</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia67dwA5a5tpJ78DpZPY85Xb0l0Ub_TKEKUDI61EQoUCpla2ntMkdkjAKUQG1MJ8SJQcPOcnun8dtiL74NoIMdmnCUQn8dn6lTls-0MgVI7Kdok_2UhWHDIF2E_DHBAiQubrZVmC9eX8c/s4032/Noritake+chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia67dwA5a5tpJ78DpZPY85Xb0l0Ub_TKEKUDI61EQoUCpla2ntMkdkjAKUQG1MJ8SJQcPOcnun8dtiL74NoIMdmnCUQn8dn6lTls-0MgVI7Kdok_2UhWHDIF2E_DHBAiQubrZVmC9eX8c/s320/Noritake+chicken.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNi3n-9HzDhqbKos42igIkN3nEKsjt6HD84zD-YfGlubbJlMVSjFpDRxDXOvkNG9c6U_oh-GKSX0Kk9H2HiVXLvQEBmGUBuTs1lCYrLKd0cf4VnnqLVAibVxRyfmLvhWWZRfxhHHp42Ik/s3295/Chicken+base.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3295" data-original-width="2603" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNi3n-9HzDhqbKos42igIkN3nEKsjt6HD84zD-YfGlubbJlMVSjFpDRxDXOvkNG9c6U_oh-GKSX0Kk9H2HiVXLvQEBmGUBuTs1lCYrLKd0cf4VnnqLVAibVxRyfmLvhWWZRfxhHHp42Ik/s320/Chicken+base.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsK55ayrzr47sfgEidq6s4SX0JVf4eaTgejnt5i9EmNNEhH8_yae_-dwYGe9SvHOpRDAw6fcv7zhDswifOQ96D0XgTzjdQdypGxKkK0VTYCVWK8dLNT3T5gleok3GJBS_OaOQLBAPg_mI/s3023/Chicken+details.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3023" data-original-width="2627" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsK55ayrzr47sfgEidq6s4SX0JVf4eaTgejnt5i9EmNNEhH8_yae_-dwYGe9SvHOpRDAw6fcv7zhDswifOQ96D0XgTzjdQdypGxKkK0VTYCVWK8dLNT3T5gleok3GJBS_OaOQLBAPg_mI/s320/Chicken+details.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">plus a $2 original
watercolor that’s been nicely framed. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMb0ZrBdwGdgS66fJ2MlibP8gkH9PzZeIHQMY9PMaRQubYO4H4VC8AdkhwFF9AFXRwZHGP4gCJV-OXwV9NBKoUyH3mwklvn0dgOFKtdsJMOv1MDczKoh-5fpUHLo8j5QI2cp91gYuqnRY/s3591/Original+watercolor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3591" data-original-width="2718" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMb0ZrBdwGdgS66fJ2MlibP8gkH9PzZeIHQMY9PMaRQubYO4H4VC8AdkhwFF9AFXRwZHGP4gCJV-OXwV9NBKoUyH3mwklvn0dgOFKtdsJMOv1MDczKoh-5fpUHLo8j5QI2cp91gYuqnRY/s320/Original+watercolor.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Let’s just say I was distinctly
unimpressed with the knowledge of the ‘furniture expert’ who priced the bed,
but perfectly happy to make such a score.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As it happens, I was even less impressed with the man when I
stopped by the other sale on my way home. Turns out both were being handled by
the same estate sale company, and I'm sure the "furniture expert" was the guy who
seemed to be in charge at the second one. The guy in the garage greeting people
– and not wearing a mask. In fact he appeared to be boasting about it to the
person who went in just before me. Unlike the first sale, this place was way
crowded, and I left almost immediately. If I had felt any twinge of remorse
over my bargain with the bed (okay, I really didn’t!) it would have vanished
after seeing him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So my guest room is on its way to a new look. I still need to find a
mattress and bedding, but that’s an adventure for another day. I've searched
and searched online to try to get a line on the maker of the bed, but have
found nothing comparable. So it may be quite rare. I found a stamp on the back
that seems to be a date, “Aug 18” but the year is blurred, I think it's
something like 1965. And ‘waln’ hand written, so it's probably walnut. But even
though I haven’t found a match for it, perusing eBay and other sale sites
convinces me I found an amazing deal, one of my best ever. Hop over to eBay and
do a search for ‘midcentury headboard’. Let’s just say that none of them are
priced at five dollars!<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga0xSq0AH-GilQaimyzGjbGYqKr7hSz8uGHEWXnRb_jeLCE3R6sHgda4teyVxrXRcrNxSoOPKiZrutmFrBSNElfQFNGREEO7QR7OrNUxqhh3pwaCqqssi_fqMqorsWcT65UWjcem5caoE/s3056/Oh+my+-+ice%2521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3056" data-original-width="2274" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga0xSq0AH-GilQaimyzGjbGYqKr7hSz8uGHEWXnRb_jeLCE3R6sHgda4teyVxrXRcrNxSoOPKiZrutmFrBSNElfQFNGREEO7QR7OrNUxqhh3pwaCqqssi_fqMqorsWcT65UWjcem5caoE/s320/Oh+my+-+ice%2521.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-84358514381210155092021-02-09T10:36:00.000-08:002021-02-09T10:36:19.201-08:00Baby, It’s Cold Outside!<p>Brrrr, February! I'm okay with winter until February rolls
around, and then I've had enough. And a couple of years ago, I swear to you we
had February and then we had it again, March was just the same. If I were the
kind of person who winters in Palm Springs, this is when I'd go. Truly makes me
wonder how I survived the winters I spent in Minneapolis, but I was young then
and apparently quite a lot tougher.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At least in Oregon, even in February we get the occasional
sale to go to. There was an estate sale last weekend I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">almost</i> attended. The pictures were so crazy I sent them to my posse
just for a giggle. The person must have been a very determined – okay, crazed –
collector. It wasn’t hoarding, there were definite themes and appeared to be a
lot of specially built shelving throughout the house. Lots of midcentury china,
lamps, Hall teapots, swan lamps…let’s just say there were 183 pictures like
these: </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgal1gl8I8uY2lsgZTvGFndpr2JE1-B90TtV_U4tF3MM7JmAAVWn7rLsWl3IxogYPlAeVaU7cqSaP7o3NzI-gNs10moo6_dNPURNTu9d688do4UiflmKjbgglGBc5NLjfKFQh56R1J7fJk/s325/1-t.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgal1gl8I8uY2lsgZTvGFndpr2JE1-B90TtV_U4tF3MM7JmAAVWn7rLsWl3IxogYPlAeVaU7cqSaP7o3NzI-gNs10moo6_dNPURNTu9d688do4UiflmKjbgglGBc5NLjfKFQh56R1J7fJk/s320/1-t.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-beA7d1wYdzWIZqX3aFjGf72sKFExXLJHGccYBIKgupWWHCFK9rVLW1UlnTLsxkjfuunRZGOLMn0vRPJegRgf-zqs26xFHnJpKVqH1RgoXEpIqIeBbbc7-g4-mALbXUW7JL3iobcVew/s325/1-t+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-beA7d1wYdzWIZqX3aFjGf72sKFExXLJHGccYBIKgupWWHCFK9rVLW1UlnTLsxkjfuunRZGOLMn0vRPJegRgf-zqs26xFHnJpKVqH1RgoXEpIqIeBbbc7-g4-mALbXUW7JL3iobcVew/s320/1-t+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9Tu9UaeUl5cfpTcfHrLNXmEfvECpVCfFVG5bdXIiWTu4aPEF-xf6nmCx8-N4NWfhR_XRwVYlVF1KEkqSnqf9TYpHweMneU7504ZRwIBbdsML9ezNfhxnaBV9ofNb8v7ITbFKxqkSyfQ/s325/-940386513-t.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9Tu9UaeUl5cfpTcfHrLNXmEfvECpVCfFVG5bdXIiWTu4aPEF-xf6nmCx8-N4NWfhR_XRwVYlVF1KEkqSnqf9TYpHweMneU7504ZRwIBbdsML9ezNfhxnaBV9ofNb8v7ITbFKxqkSyfQ/s320/-940386513-t.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">I'm sure every dealer in the West was there. And because of
Covid and the house being so crowded with Stuff only 10 people were allowed in
at a time. KK and I talked about going on Saturday afternoon (the 3<sup>rd</sup>
day) but in the end decided not to. Some things just take more energy than you
have to spare, and it wasn’t like I wanted to buy any of this stuff.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But I did luck out on Saturday morning. Saw there was a
moving sale listed on Craigslist that stated at 8 over in my old neighborhood,
which is near the dog park I take Zoë to every day. So we went by on our way
home and I scored a couple of plants for the yard, both in decent plastic pots.
One is some kind of clover with a red center that I may plant out as a ground
cover. </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6tjTrdBnZTWugrBaRRQLaLCxDTJQ21u3bdltMqyOZSd2fqFza25E73ttAYHEeZzZ2moNPoCXFpf1_t96Pz7KFn7Ifpc-o6uay-Xy8gitYS3uOVf7nB6bJuF-TQCHF5N_j5JecePLDzVk/s4032/clover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6tjTrdBnZTWugrBaRRQLaLCxDTJQ21u3bdltMqyOZSd2fqFza25E73ttAYHEeZzZ2moNPoCXFpf1_t96Pz7KFn7Ifpc-o6uay-Xy8gitYS3uOVf7nB6bJuF-TQCHF5N_j5JecePLDzVk/s320/clover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The other is just beginning to leaf out, but was described as having
small red flowers all summer and being an absolute magnet for hummingbirds. I’m
pretty sure this is an autumn sage, salvia gregii. Best of all, they were a
buck each. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPSUhEED0qVNpShSd8mUub1WxhKPbrtSItf9re2bMGoCSWUhQGWfHWlfcwCfB9tsbSO7sE7XeHOxLBxc62G5WusABUzVqZAGzZP0pPro2Hvd-_YUQPzVWu7LukQ5Xv_7Yem-qV_Ad4xs/s3040/autumn+sage+in+winter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3040" data-original-width="2419" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPSUhEED0qVNpShSd8mUub1WxhKPbrtSItf9re2bMGoCSWUhQGWfHWlfcwCfB9tsbSO7sE7XeHOxLBxc62G5WusABUzVqZAGzZP0pPro2Hvd-_YUQPzVWu7LukQ5Xv_7Yem-qV_Ad4xs/s320/autumn+sage+in+winter.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Then I splurged another fifty cents on something I plucked from
another pot.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsFW8Wcc1VB1U0MtpekXDzDzvTZN8yAVMr-2NcE6oHpH6TLEZ1BgL9BQz36iLQZq50wlFdTGwJf4STsHrid8IN-QrTKBVa4gMuRGvkvplSdjdJkFgMJjb3xTisyakXMrKkRHnhA6gT-ik/s2788/desireable+snail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2788" data-original-width="2493" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsFW8Wcc1VB1U0MtpekXDzDzvTZN8yAVMr-2NcE6oHpH6TLEZ1BgL9BQz36iLQZq50wlFdTGwJf4STsHrid8IN-QrTKBVa4gMuRGvkvplSdjdJkFgMJjb3xTisyakXMrKkRHnhA6gT-ik/s320/desireable+snail.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">I ask you, what kind of a gardener goes out and actually
buys a snail? But…it's a really cute snail!</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfomMQKi4s9BZTus87_HG_x-ZzKiBfeApNUSYFymAcPs1OjJDVLV_SaW_D5wysMCzzkmiNkssY2_10Kkf0Ur1dpvEkzkG4nLPVzMieG9tB1purTGCozDzJHCq22zUbTQvQp83xw2Iy1wI/s2239/cute+snail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2239" data-original-width="1515" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfomMQKi4s9BZTus87_HG_x-ZzKiBfeApNUSYFymAcPs1OjJDVLV_SaW_D5wysMCzzkmiNkssY2_10Kkf0Ur1dpvEkzkG4nLPVzMieG9tB1purTGCozDzJHCq22zUbTQvQp83xw2Iy1wI/s320/cute+snail.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-91162072157445482082020-12-25T12:00:00.001-08:002020-12-25T12:00:39.197-08:00SPREADSHEET TIME!<p>Hello, hello! Yes, I'm still here! Sorry about the long
silence, but let’s just go ahead and blame it on 2020 along with so much else,
right?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Actually, besides the dearth of sales and my inclination to
keep myself separate, safe and healthy, I had a second knee replacement surgery
in early October that put me out of commission for a while. Happy to say it
went great, possibly even better than the first, and it's absolutely wonderful
to be able to walk around without pain. And huge thanks go to my friend Marcia,
who one again helped me through those first difficult days after surgery when I
was hurting, grumpy and drugged!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Then there were almost no sales to go to, and the couple of
estate sales I tried (run by well-regarded companies) were taking so few
precautions for their customers that I decided not to participate for a while. I'm
talking big crowds inside the houses, staff not wearing masks…as much as I love
thrifting, it's not worth dying for, right?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But it is time for the annual spreadsheet review! Smaller numbers
this year, but still had fun and found some great stuff. I can hardly believe I
only spent $132.65 for the whole year. Three years ago that number was just
under $1200. I brought home 111 items with an estimated retail value of about
$2200. I'm happy with that kind of return on investment!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Crafting and gardening supplies are almost tied for the
areas I spent the most ($27+ each). Picked up a few tools and several big pots
for the thungbergia vines I plant to grow next summer. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIUfgrhCEJmMQKmYNi3yXvKAlOn50cEsMXub478d6WtS-wWBV9sGqubXsF8KGYXvcMCaPKPfghkK4BCwg4QtQRHNuB__-sIw5Tvg6OdfyPt1wohtInx4X5zg21dwLOj-YW7uo_64GaZk/s979/nice+pot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="979" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIUfgrhCEJmMQKmYNi3yXvKAlOn50cEsMXub478d6WtS-wWBV9sGqubXsF8KGYXvcMCaPKPfghkK4BCwg4QtQRHNuB__-sIw5Tvg6OdfyPt1wohtInx4X5zg21dwLOj-YW7uo_64GaZk/s320/nice+pot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxwITPMHEUcMTQuHtReT2bMlQHRwli-p538W41Vy9RUgxFpPLxWYkzRi69owkpJDxE9q92kYqWaQgItD-7USb24BpL-KDApqXxO0hGhQ2enZYuubHDs14AlzdcaX1-J3FO1EKuHlQo8I/s996/nice+pots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="699" data-original-width="996" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxwITPMHEUcMTQuHtReT2bMlQHRwli-p538W41Vy9RUgxFpPLxWYkzRi69owkpJDxE9q92kYqWaQgItD-7USb24BpL-KDApqXxO0hGhQ2enZYuubHDs14AlzdcaX1-J3FO1EKuHlQo8I/s320/nice+pots.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">And under crafting came
the twenty bucks for beautiful yarns that would have set me back well over $200
in a shop.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xuq2Lv5SXwdaFqVokMJbwMZcUF4ZBRYb8aJ3iOkav0hXxefmvkYKZf7diVxNX_AxbpjZUgh7n1OHJA2C4z2ZqPojRKLfD_zj-iilPokZTrTmX0Lffne0IQSoW3Jiziy_vKLiE86H7kg/s1013/lovely+yarn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="1013" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xuq2Lv5SXwdaFqVokMJbwMZcUF4ZBRYb8aJ3iOkav0hXxefmvkYKZf7diVxNX_AxbpjZUgh7n1OHJA2C4z2ZqPojRKLfD_zj-iilPokZTrTmX0Lffne0IQSoW3Jiziy_vKLiE86H7kg/s320/lovely+yarn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">The category in which I brought home the most number of
items was Entertainment, which included two dozen magazines to while away all
the time this year I wasn’t going out and about. Most of them were even free,
so the two bucks spent for the rest was well worth it. And I was able to share
the gardening magazines with friends, so even more bang for the buck.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVhh5Bwnt3jEA6bjPCQ7d_MrFMGfqyJjWDbOh7AgF_7beoqD6fnvBEDFnioaUzUVusGquEb0l_nEh-XgQfAMaJOccYZyb4jEgqjSLbDf19mWB_8ISwvpWf84SotoK0D5oomFzRn3Uh7jg/s775/magazines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="614" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVhh5Bwnt3jEA6bjPCQ7d_MrFMGfqyJjWDbOh7AgF_7beoqD6fnvBEDFnioaUzUVusGquEb0l_nEh-XgQfAMaJOccYZyb4jEgqjSLbDf19mWB_8ISwvpWf84SotoK0D5oomFzRn3Uh7jg/s320/magazines.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Best return on investment once again was clothing. Only brought
home 13 pieces for $9.25, but they would have set me back over $600 in a store.
Let’s face it, you just can't beat fifty cent jeans and brand new shirts! And I
had a lot of fun improving this linen Coldwater Creek jacket (narrowed the collar and shoulders, added contrasting accents, better buttons).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIyRF15D1KzBqMDi4eZ8M9p6kuC3P1dVQXMK7xMQKsTrc27O5tSpMWhpwOoxmB1JpFoiOlWmmB_roD0SjS3SqMlfyRKUDizsx7kDbJVtwvpR8SH3IkVoxRagYrePHoPnnGVg6z1V2gZkc/s774/jacket+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="774" data-original-width="590" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIyRF15D1KzBqMDi4eZ8M9p6kuC3P1dVQXMK7xMQKsTrc27O5tSpMWhpwOoxmB1JpFoiOlWmmB_roD0SjS3SqMlfyRKUDizsx7kDbJVtwvpR8SH3IkVoxRagYrePHoPnnGVg6z1V2gZkc/s320/jacket+before.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiqU03HBdhSFtNUmYcgzRwfC8BzNkBVZ6Oc5EYrDGLhWmJn1us-r1assOMMDPeO8slsgCLBUY-xvLmEBIU9aPBdAivcKm0p0NS3ikOHX42QF5JSitz5ZxDEI2QdwFiAVh3Yze9PSwvqCU/s4032/jacket+after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiqU03HBdhSFtNUmYcgzRwfC8BzNkBVZ6Oc5EYrDGLhWmJn1us-r1assOMMDPeO8slsgCLBUY-xvLmEBIU9aPBdAivcKm0p0NS3ikOHX42QF5JSitz5ZxDEI2QdwFiAVh3Yze9PSwvqCU/s320/jacket+after.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_EvMzj1VQj4lP_USUeeKFXzfujYTqpBangkFb407-vrh46wtSJJV_aXq5U5vVcRuke-wjQlnGCxvA4pJSB1wl2WL6ofrO9QBwZF4dnIcgXxy2zGUR1jrmW9N03fbPevmP6yKeIrggjs/s4032/jacket+details.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_EvMzj1VQj4lP_USUeeKFXzfujYTqpBangkFb407-vrh46wtSJJV_aXq5U5vVcRuke-wjQlnGCxvA4pJSB1wl2WL6ofrO9QBwZF4dnIcgXxy2zGUR1jrmW9N03fbPevmP6yKeIrggjs/s320/jacket+details.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">One of the upsides to reduced garaging was a drastic
reduction in my ‘category of shame’ Donations – those things I bring home then
decide not to keep. Only four this year!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was recently reading my earlier year-end-roundup posts and
came across this line:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">No matter what else happens, I can
always look back at my garaging record and say without doubt that it was a very
good year!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And I have to say, even in notoriously-awful 2020 that still
holds true. I'm safe and healthy, my wonderful pets are all well and making me
laugh, and the garaging was fun and worthwhile – as is the spreadsheet I've maintained
now for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fifteen years</i>. That's a lot of memories and personal history.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In fact, my garaging spreadsheet inspired me this year to
create one for another endeavor – my yard makeover. I've never been successful
in keeping a garden journal; I tried a few times but it never lasted. But this
year I started listing tasks I needed to complete in a spreadsheet, with a
column for completion date and notes on the project. Instantly I had a to-do
list as well as a list of accomplishments. Then I added another page for bloom
times, and another for expenses. I'm not sure I really wanted to know I've spent
almost $130 on DIRT since I moved here a couple of years ago (I mean, dirt!). But
that’s offset by seeing the great deals I've found on garden tools and pots by
shopping on driveways. </p><p class="MsoNormal">And just like the satisfaction I get from the garaging
spreadsheet, I'm amazed to see that I planted 184 things in 2020! (Okay, yes, I had some fabulous help, especially from friends Lysa and Briana!) Some are in
the ground, some were in pots and my window boxes, but (so far!) most are still
alive.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUNEDnafOxJtX8lD3Do4Df8ewD_ovyYz35PdQsfgHWc83YWHtLp7r327aHJBFmdP3l_9MiT1wbJBv7cSzWs7J2P_7NtnGqpz6odFZ61iLdCQgrVx980nH12zhW98yKPRfD79IheygI6rY/s3257/%25241+pitchfork.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3257" data-original-width="1373" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUNEDnafOxJtX8lD3Do4Df8ewD_ovyYz35PdQsfgHWc83YWHtLp7r327aHJBFmdP3l_9MiT1wbJBv7cSzWs7J2P_7NtnGqpz6odFZ61iLdCQgrVx980nH12zhW98yKPRfD79IheygI6rY/s320/%25241+pitchfork.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">The end of 2020 will not bring instant change to the
troubles of the world, as much as we might want it to. But I feel hopeful for
good things in 2021, and I know that for me, some will be very thrifty and fun
to find. I hope that’s in your future, too! </p>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373492091382931118.post-36242894243479176982020-08-22T18:08:00.032-07:002020-08-22T18:15:28.589-07:00She Made Me Go Back!<p>KK and I were planning to go to one rummage sale on Friday,
then head ten miles north to the farm that was advertising you-pick tomatoes. After
all, we wisely told each other, neither of us needs a single thing, in fact we
need to get rid of stuff that we have, yada yada yada. But then I texted her
early that morning, “Or we could go to that neighborhood sale where I got <a href="http://queenoffiftycents.blogspot.com/2018/07/the-thing-with-feathers.html">the
great light fixture</a> a couple of years ago and pick tomatoes another day; I'm
good either way.”</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yes, we went to the neighborhood sale!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It quickly became apparent that participation on Friday was
low; there were probably quite a few more sales on Saturday. But that was okay.
After all neither of us needs a thing etc. And our very first stop was worth
going: piles and piles of fifty cent clothing. I haven’t had a dig like that
for ages. I spent three bucks and came home with three pairs of jeans, </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0fXv2165zLrswRymf6jnKIree4hm8h4qgwjttCl-NRy4mACFHoYW3fj-R5DS2uy-923JU8kJXeujrfTnn6qQaawsvxdGk5ecrObeSpL5eqbWtjCxW95SBQWCozuDSkXHZW2IWTzyZFw/s917/jeans.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="719" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0fXv2165zLrswRymf6jnKIree4hm8h4qgwjttCl-NRy4mACFHoYW3fj-R5DS2uy-923JU8kJXeujrfTnn6qQaawsvxdGk5ecrObeSpL5eqbWtjCxW95SBQWCozuDSkXHZW2IWTzyZFw/w322-h410/jeans.jpg" width="322" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">two long
sleeve t-shirts, </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEN-4oC7hLWO3M3HUnZdA8CkR9GQWEDqWcTSdTymK-DAutotlVLJKvCbn-wi0Z1xglTJhfE7SwBHhSTmx9cbM010Zl2Fd5Xpo4EhYvJD4m8zM_izMZ5HAsTTCNpExr7YrypLWcbcZXDUc/s842/shirts.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="842" data-original-width="632" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEN-4oC7hLWO3M3HUnZdA8CkR9GQWEDqWcTSdTymK-DAutotlVLJKvCbn-wi0Z1xglTJhfE7SwBHhSTmx9cbM010Zl2Fd5Xpo4EhYvJD4m8zM_izMZ5HAsTTCNpExr7YrypLWcbcZXDUc/w307-h410/shirts.jpg" width="307" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">and a linen jacket from Coldwater Creek in a cheerful floral
print. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6JLvkn1X8Qs6_SnkLTPTlN_mmNL_tGrsLJNAIbwCvrZHfdchJdQfVZk1DGykV8ip7BkiQXee6NG8T5Y64bt8dlZwptOITF0zN8JEe7RopUZhrJ4w3PsxijTF5dU62z6bml59h-f-u5HI/s842/CWC+jacket.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="842" data-original-width="632" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6JLvkn1X8Qs6_SnkLTPTlN_mmNL_tGrsLJNAIbwCvrZHfdchJdQfVZk1DGykV8ip7BkiQXee6NG8T5Y64bt8dlZwptOITF0zN8JEe7RopUZhrJ4w3PsxijTF5dU62z6bml59h-f-u5HI/w307-h410/CWC+jacket.jpg" width="307" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Even better, everything fits, and except for the jacket, I don't think
any of it has been worn. It all still has that sizing smell. No fancy brands,
but who cares?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We cruised for a while longer, then decided to hit the
rummage sale on the West side of town, just down the street from <a href="http://queenoffiftycents.blogspot.com/2017/02/lucy-ethel-ride-again.html">the
epic estate sale</a> where we bought so much incredible clothing. (I’ll be
wearing all that cashmere forever.) The church ladies had moved their annual
sale out into their parking lot, and we were all masked and distancing. And so
we happily rummaged. Racks of clothing (no thanks, just bought six things),
piles of fabric (must…resist…more…fabric…), boxes of picture frames. I flipped
through these, smiling over the framed needlepoint with a funny saying about
housework. Tempting, but I resisted. I also resisted a curious glass object
among the kitchen wares, but happily grabbed the medium-sized saucepan with lid
I've been looking for. Each one I've seen for the past few months was over my
price-flinch point. At one dollar, this one was meant to be mine. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1WfD4CJo-1SfycpiaOARms7BVQDpFOJHJ4u6f2vG4KpwisFdLkF0-qcQpQpl6UU4bbWMG8ZTyKSUKBiYGzqjtNuvjSnL69YRkh9HPZDiCQQmse_9Tyl9Z2uHmqQ7gsSbvgFg2I0wH4g/s786/pan+bottom.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="786" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1WfD4CJo-1SfycpiaOARms7BVQDpFOJHJ4u6f2vG4KpwisFdLkF0-qcQpQpl6UU4bbWMG8ZTyKSUKBiYGzqjtNuvjSnL69YRkh9HPZDiCQQmse_9Tyl9Z2uHmqQ7gsSbvgFg2I0wH4g/w328-h264/pan+bottom.jpg" width="328" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0YJFkX0slU8wIdYm6mqV9itSaBw8ak9QZwjhSWShGgicE4JbNtP84WLLNHEG1yTrxNLFhlXH6CCO9nZTxRSLNg5gEIi9q0AwNhA2QqF062GVgz3GUyJbQfHne62y820yxgsQHSg7ROk/s814/saucepan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="814" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0YJFkX0slU8wIdYm6mqV9itSaBw8ak9QZwjhSWShGgicE4JbNtP84WLLNHEG1yTrxNLFhlXH6CCO9nZTxRSLNg5gEIi9q0AwNhA2QqF062GVgz3GUyJbQfHne62y820yxgsQHSg7ROk/w328-h226/saucepan.jpg" width="328" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Another dollar brought home these two wonderful vintage but unused tea towels.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcouqbMj8yqNeeJmeBehGATFUsFX58qsd3RtB1-l1vfmVyKNyPksU1QY9pkmPIxtNKmu2Y15SXIv8GMgutfRaehjC5EYRdRkoOHcYv1-_9rWssEBp0BiG4FpIy9B5fvyPgF3p3kHIr1Ss/s810/tea+towel+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="557" data-original-width="810" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcouqbMj8yqNeeJmeBehGATFUsFX58qsd3RtB1-l1vfmVyKNyPksU1QY9pkmPIxtNKmu2Y15SXIv8GMgutfRaehjC5EYRdRkoOHcYv1-_9rWssEBp0BiG4FpIy9B5fvyPgF3p3kHIr1Ss/w328-h226/tea+towel+1.jpg" width="328" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5mA-dX82VN36n3P8D2nZghCSSyy7_r207JcLZItqlE22q8-oTx-kYGxi9W2VHSNR1XyGG8lsodbE3g91wGGrkF3iiiGQu2a5LQLq2-QlZEK2YhWIDG-JWdtGytjCRAZS8EMwEEjNSkAI/s1089/tea+towel+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="758" data-original-width="1089" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5mA-dX82VN36n3P8D2nZghCSSyy7_r207JcLZItqlE22q8-oTx-kYGxi9W2VHSNR1XyGG8lsodbE3g91wGGrkF3iiiGQu2a5LQLq2-QlZEK2YhWIDG-JWdtGytjCRAZS8EMwEEjNSkAI/w328-h228/tea+towel+2.jpg" width="328" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">We grabbed Thai food at the food trucks and went back to my
house to eat by the creek. My outdoor table is probably less than ten feet from
the water, and the ducks provide a daily aquatic show, augmented by a pair of
green herons, kingfishers, geese and more. (In fact, at my birthday dinner not
long ago, also held on my deck, KK suddenly exclaimed and pointed – a hawk had
just swooped down and grabbed a fish out of the water!) We chatted about the
usual this and that, and I said something about the funny framed needlepoint
that I kind of wished now I had bought.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Let’s go back and you can get it,” she said. Nah, I said, I
don’t need it…and so we got back into her car and drove back across the river
and parked in the exact same spot in their parking lot, and I hurried over to
the box of frames, now fearful it would be gone. But the garage sale gods were
smiling upon me, it was still there, still sporting its 75<span face="" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif;">₵</span> price tag. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3QDNVgFGWi-6NT8EOUiN4kHitcG_BuOVCiZrpoyFPnQclK8iJvJIazZCgbj1IQ4dIiyln0QA6zoap27z3vaKSosXnqtdsavlDckvt05W1gkbVTNNT3JDduTZyO3SnFcx-mUL3XN1xKvw/s1123/I%2527m+not+dull....jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="842" data-original-width="1123" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3QDNVgFGWi-6NT8EOUiN4kHitcG_BuOVCiZrpoyFPnQclK8iJvJIazZCgbj1IQ4dIiyln0QA6zoap27z3vaKSosXnqtdsavlDckvt05W1gkbVTNNT3JDduTZyO3SnFcx-mUL3XN1xKvw/w328-h246/I%2527m+not+dull....jpg" width="328" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">I grabbed it,
then went to the kitchen wares. The mystery item remained; I showed it to KK who
thought it might be a wine aerator. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSWlFpQaIMqCPCJsCxbjYpiDI_zWNKW7A7JKkLEPbmRjpvgLr5oLJns1lLf35byI_89loAz5m-TdHDNPVhKe7ospLcbEWq3cjRIevtiKPRuORSpVyQy_fc2AY-cMaq9pDpKHmjn7zF88Q/s842/mystery+thingie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="842" data-original-width="632" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSWlFpQaIMqCPCJsCxbjYpiDI_zWNKW7A7JKkLEPbmRjpvgLr5oLJns1lLf35byI_89loAz5m-TdHDNPVhKe7ospLcbEWq3cjRIevtiKPRuORSpVyQy_fc2AY-cMaq9pDpKHmjn7zF88Q/w246-h328/mystery+thingie.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">I decided if it was cheap enough I'd buy
it. Along with this adorable bunny that would make an excellent soap dish (now
that all I do is wash my hands multiple times a day). </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCARls6DsvRVz5J7FMr_3QMCKe4RWzXFoRImvIybsLwVHcAz4Bz0RF7TxJAs73HXUXb-KsbLDYHGn53eGJbrda-T6CeoEXVfo_Xa3PxbtSSxYk0R5LE9_I1JyMwTb_9gfjldLb71SQG8/s700/cute+bunny.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="507" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCARls6DsvRVz5J7FMr_3QMCKe4RWzXFoRImvIybsLwVHcAz4Bz0RF7TxJAs73HXUXb-KsbLDYHGn53eGJbrda-T6CeoEXVfo_Xa3PxbtSSxYk0R5LE9_I1JyMwTb_9gfjldLb71SQG8/w238-h328/cute+bunny.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjirAhKe5u1R4wNGtWB2czEH0xdONd1Rv0TYTgY18BAdoxF5xiKcJ2RSjwUBUGlP9GbZBISROklw2zoWyESK3tPWixez4B9iuRIaaLlrlf_Lg4HC1-e3i76LfqfCNFX8CKqcOjsfqAR7kM/s729/side+buddy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="729" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjirAhKe5u1R4wNGtWB2czEH0xdONd1Rv0TYTgY18BAdoxF5xiKcJ2RSjwUBUGlP9GbZBISROklw2zoWyESK3tPWixez4B9iuRIaaLlrlf_Lg4HC1-e3i76LfqfCNFX8CKqcOjsfqAR7kM/w328-h276/side+buddy.jpg" width="328" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAg3OOEtfKPAT1DkaVwjONKfMbfEq2qgcCWtkOKa47Ee3oBMN3kIQAn88i5r4hSCDWUJjk03Qs4xDSzvxF2ajGu32TAdk84ntyQGmZ_pjviyKH3g2l66HuuByURfdpHpF3qcIRaS7ax8k/s821/soap+bunny.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="761" data-original-width="821" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAg3OOEtfKPAT1DkaVwjONKfMbfEq2qgcCWtkOKa47Ee3oBMN3kIQAn88i5r4hSCDWUJjk03Qs4xDSzvxF2ajGu32TAdk84ntyQGmZ_pjviyKH3g2l66HuuByURfdpHpF3qcIRaS7ax8k/w328-h303/soap+bunny.jpg" width="328" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">The church ladies had no
idea about the mystery item and priced it at a quarter, and the cute bunny at
fifty cents. Well within my splurge range.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Apparently KK was right, and this is to aerate red wine as
you pour it from the bottle. At first I thought not because it did not go in
the bottle of pinot noir sitting on my counter, but then I tried it in another
wine bottle and it fit. I never knew that the interior diameter of all wine
bottle necks was not equal, so for only twenty-five cents I have increased my
fund of knowledge.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfOc5mtenLh9odWGcrpinnkdDixl4LvHIoqWSIL6xG4q_drQLpnozl1yMSJssPEbsdIa2quhs1HftZAzPSyZQMSU7Cb3oOM0EjLgDCj-RecYdneyXWGu9w0gFHAps9FqtEu3KF3qJLfG0/s842/wine+aerator.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="842" data-original-width="632" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfOc5mtenLh9odWGcrpinnkdDixl4LvHIoqWSIL6xG4q_drQLpnozl1yMSJssPEbsdIa2quhs1HftZAzPSyZQMSU7Cb3oOM0EjLgDCj-RecYdneyXWGu9w0gFHAps9FqtEu3KF3qJLfG0/w246-h328/wine+aerator.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">And that's a bargain any day of the week!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>The Queen of Fifty Centshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384014133730608702noreply@blogger.com8