THRIFTING AGAIN IN 2010!

I was filled with anticipatory glee this morning as I started out on my first garaging trip of the year. Of course I always have that heady sense of adventure on Saturday morning. I'm sure it's the same thing gamblers feel when they arrive at the casino—today I'm going to strike it big. But on the first venture in January I feel it not just for this morning, but for the whole year to come. Woo hoo, there will be cool stuff out there that I can use that doesn’t cost very much, and nice people to talk to, and pets to pet. Let me out the door!

I don’t harbor unrealistic expectations of sales in January. There aren’t that many—but in most of the country there are none. I hope those of you in colder climes won’t hate me when I tell you it is a gorgeous sunny day in the 70s. I intended to count the number of sales I went to, but forgot all about it after number one. Thought for most of the morning I'd find nothing to bring home, but the thrifting gods smiled in the end. I spent $3.75 on:

A 6” tall Piglet for the collection of children’s literature toys in my office.

A wooden manikin
who gets to join the rest of the chorus line who dance on the hearth this time of year.
Someday I hope to find the horse version of this, and the articulated hand.

And the real find of the day…
Isn’t it a beaut? A bit worn in places and not the most exquisite workmanship I've ever seen, being machine appliquéd (but hand quilted)
but I love the design…and that it was three bucks. Even better, when I got home and showed my husband my finds, his reaction was “that’s really cool.” Thought he might think I had enough quilts, but obviously he knows me better than that after forty years of acquaintance!

It certainly felt good to be out on the trail after a two week gap. (Thanks to all of you who have kept dropping by the blog and leaving those nice comments!) Our two week “camping trip” to our new Midcentury Modern house up in Salem was a lot of fun. We took our two dogs along; they think a large house without furniture is the best thing ever. Finished getting things cleaned and fixed up, and turned it over to a property manager to rent. Everyone send good thoughts toward our finding fabulous tenants soon. We had just about everything possible weather-wise: cold (down in the 20s, cold to us!) warmish (50s), sun, rain, and even a day of snow!

It's been a number of years since we last lived in the Pacific Northwest, but this gave us a good chance to remember what the winters are like. Okay, I admit that part of me will miss garaging in January after I retire in a few years, but I think it's a tradeoff I can live with. And meanwhile, I'll remember to be grateful for sunny Saturdays in the OC!