A Quickie!

I was on a mission last Friday to stay with practical stuff that I actually need. Which was fairly (if not 100%) successful. Found a broom at the first estate sale Judy & I went to, what could be more practical than that?

The most practical item: needed a new trash can for under the sink. Found the perfect one, and then used it the rest of the morning to corral my other finds. Made me think I should always go garaging with an empty trash can in the car!

Reddest item: A toss-up between the brand new silicone spatula and the set of measuring cups. I’m giving the cups away to someone else, so let’s go with the spatula.

Coziest item: two skeins of Icelandic wool for a buck. But I don’t see yarn, I see a warm pair of felted slippers (one of these days).

Most vintage item: As we were leaving a really junky looking sale I noticed what I thought might be one of those old bed lamps, which you hooked over the headboard of your bed so you can read comfortably and turn it off easily when you get sleepy. (That’s how we all fall asleep, yes?) It turned out to be a vintage bathroom light 

complete with a dismayed-looking face for a plug. 

The price was fifty cents, how could I not take a chance on it? I put a query on the local Next Door site asking if anyone knew where I could get it rewired, and almost immediately got a reply saying her husband is a retired electrician who would be glad to do that for me. So I schlepped it a few blocks over to their house. Gary took one look and said the wiring is just fine, but come out to the shop and he would burnish off all the rust and gunk on the base and end caps. Which he did, it’s ready for a new coat of spray paint. Wouldn’t take a penny, and ended up showing me several of his other projects. Besides being an electrician he does plumbing, carpentry, you name it. He restores cars and motorcycles. He makes beautiful walking canes that he gives to anyone who needs one. He buys pieces of antique rifles and painstakingly fits them into new pieces. I finally asked him if he ever eats or sleeps; he laughed and said he has a lot of nervous energy. I could only think of Michelangelo; I bet he had a lot of nervous energy too.

Best bang for the buck: Picked up a new Rubbermaid utensil tray to help organize my pantry, like this one. My price: a quarter. Amazon’s price: over $16. Good grief.

Happiest piece of scrap fabric: The sale with the waste basket was at a quilter’s house, and there were free scraps. This is my favorite.

Funniest item that is also blue: at the junky looking sale, another shopper pointed to an item and asked what it was. “It’s a cat carrier,” was the answer. “My daughter just had to have it.” She sounded good-natured but I believe I detected an eye roll. I glanced over at the item in question, and when the other shopper didn’t take it I strolled over and picked it up. When I asked how much, the lady said make an offer. I shrugged (don’t really need another pet carrier) and said I could do a dollar. “Sold,” she said. So for one dollar I brought home a new carrier for Millie. She is going to be an astronaut the next time she has to go to the vet.

Isn’t it a hoot? They retail for about $70. Seems well made. And Millie will have a swell view from inside.