The Gray Days

I was awfully glad to spot some pink blooms opening on an ornamental fruit tree across the street from my house this morning. Otherwise I’m afraid I might have to succumb to the February doldrums. We need a really good holiday this time of year to pep things up, and I’m sorry but IMO Valentine’s and President’s Days just don’t cut it. I’m wracking my brain to come up with a good suggestion, and I’m stumped. But I’ll work on it.

Meanwhile, thanks to rain and more rain (or possibly snow and more snow where you are, unless you are in Australia and this is your best season) sales have been few and pitiful. Judy and I did manage to find a couple of estate sales yesterday. We loved the midcentury house the first one was in. There were two of these planters/room dividers right inside the front door.

The place was huge. Love the hanging kitchen cabinets dividing the kitchen from the family room.    They had a lot of stuff for sale. We both thought this Grundig Majestic was pretty cool, but it didn’t appear to be a working model.

I spent a whopping 50¢ there, on this MCM shot glass. Judy found it one second after I told her I was looking for a small glass for the bathroom.

My big buy from our other stop was a DVD. Its companion came from last week’s only sale.

We were headed back to the place we planned to have lunch, and Judy commented that we were close to the Goodwill Outlet Store she’d visited with her sister. Let’s go, I said, having never experienced “the bins.” It’s the place where leftovers (mostly clothing) go to be sold by the pound after they’ve had their half-price week at the Goodwill store.

I had absolutely no expectation of finding anything, but it was interesting just as a spectator sport. Lots of people there looking. A number of very focused women had carts and were quickly and methodically searching through the bins and adding to their load. When new bins were rolled out they were there waiting to get first crack. I really wanted to ask some of them what their plans were for all this stuff but they were so focused there was no way to start a conversation.

Judy and I ended up spending $6 between us. She scored a couple of little sweaters for Buddy the Springer.

Maybe we can have one of those ugly Christmas sweater parties for the dogs next year. She also found some new Ralph Lauren PJs and a cashmere sweater. I ended up with two pairs of jeans that fit perfectly. Well, except for needing to shorten the dark ones about 10 inches. (Does anyone REALLY have legs that long??)

The light blue pair are capris, with cute buttons at the hems.

So while pickings have been slim, we’re still out there picking. Hmmm, maybe we could have a big national festival in mid-February to celebrate finding great deals?? I’ll have to work on the idea. I’m not sure how we can get dancing in the streets into it, and this time of year we need at least that level of excitement to look forward to.