What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

I Just Paid For That

Today was The Breadman's day off so it was Family Day. We......



  • Went to the bank to get Mom some thrifting money for the week


  • Drove through the car wash to wash the six pounds of bird doody that was all over it


  • Dropped The Breadman off for a haircut


  • Ran into a grocery store next door to "admire" the Eclairs and may or not have purchased three

  • Stopped at the bread thrift store for duck bread



  • Ran into the Salvation Army where I left in utter disgust at the lack of merchandise


  • Stopped at the park for PB&J sandwiches, pretzels and string cheese packed by Moi


  • Possibly ate those eclairs we did or did not buy

  • Drove out to show The Breadman a lake he didn't know existed even though he drove within 1/4 mile of it every day for nearly ten years (Don't ask)


  • Drove up "Dead Horse Mountain" (actual name of street on street sign) to cruise million dollar homes on the golf course

  • Stopped at Neighborhood Market for a "few" things, left with a few things for $66.00.


  • Went to cemetery to feed the goofy geese that apparently do not like Wonder Bread





  • Stopped at a thrift to pick up something for a fellow blogger and found a few goodies too.

At that last stop, I spotted a box of older linens sitting by the check out counter. I asked if they were priced and she told me they were so much each depending on size. I secretly wished i could just buy the whole box and go through it at home, but decided to just dig there. I asked the only person working the counter if I could take the box over to the furniture area to look through it and she said yes. So, I took it over to a small end table and started sorting through doiley's, tea towels, pillowcases, tablecloths, etc. I was pretty focused on what I was doing and The Bean and The Breadman were standing there watching me.

That's when this young college aged couple stepped up to me. The guy said, "You'll have to fold that back up, I just paid for it." "What?" I asked. "I just paid for that, you'll have to fold it back up." I stammered, "But, the girl told me I could look at it" thinking to myself I wished that I would have just asked to buy the whole darn box. "Well, I'm sorry, but I just paid for it," he said. I was sick knowing that I would never know what was in the bottom of that box. Slowly I put each item back in because I didn't want to wrinkle them or just stuff them in the box since he had just paid for it. When I was done, I picked up the box and handed it to him.


That's when he looked confused. "What's this? " he said.



"You said you just paid for it, " I said, starting to get a little PO'ed at the whole situation.


That's when his wife realized what was happening, laughed and said, "Not the box! The table! We bought the table!"



He handed me back the box, picked up his table and left, still confused. I'm not sure he really did ever figure out what was going on. He wanted his table and I wanted that box of linens. I asked the boys if I looked stupid and they both said they thought that the couple had bought the box of linens. The Bean said, "I thought now why would be want a bunch of dishcloths like Mom would want?" Hey!


So, what did I find in the box once I realized I could dig in it after all? *My computer is supposed to automatically flip my photos upright, but for some reason tonight it isn't doing it. When I do get them flipped, they flip twice and are upside down. So, sorry for the sideways photos.***





A nice bright linen dishtowel. Love those bright colors. I thought it was a tablecloth when I first spotted it. I wish it would have been....


A sweet pair of embroidered linen Guest Towels.



A "Wednesday" Tea Towel with a Pickininny girl that says "Wednesday Ah is Lazy."

Politically incorrect? Yes. Cute? Yes!


Every day (except Saturday) tea towels with Native Americans on them. I haven't thoroughly checked these out to see if they are Politically Incorrect too. I think they are respectful - no Redman or "Me Smokum Peace Pipe".

I left a ton of other tea towels and things, but I got the really good stuff. I never used to like linens, now I think I am obsessed.

Speaking of which...there is a sale tomorrow at a house where the lady collects everything, plus she buys at auctions to resell too. I struck up a conversation with her one day at a sale and she said she would stockpile tablecloths for me and have them at the next sale. WooHoo - let's hope she didn't forget me! Cross your fingers!

8 comments:

  1. Sounds like a pretty full day! I found you from another frugal blog. I always enjoy "meeting" another frugal friend!!
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  2. FUN! DAY. Gotta love it when then men in our lives humour us and let us have our way at 'Junk Shops'!!!!!!!

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  3. haha, the funniest part is your kid! Why would he want that dishcloth that mom wants? :-)

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  4. Too funny! It doesn't sound like he was being very polite. I mean, telling you what to do...not cool. It would have been different if he said "I just bought the table, would you please move your linens?" Geez.

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  5. Sounds like a busy day! I had to laugh at your story, lol.

    Too funny about the Beans response, too.

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  6. You're too funny! Men...sometimes they're just too dorky for their own good!

    Love your linens!

    Hugz,
    Michele

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  7. I would have assumed the same thing if I were you the way they said that-with my heart dropping as the comment spilled off his lip! I'm glad you were able to continue treasure hunting and found some a few lovely pretties in the mix :)

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  8. OH WAS THAT A GREAT STORY!!! I am crying!! I can just see the whole thing going down! HILARIOUS!
    Beth

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