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.

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Pink & Brown, Math's Got Me Down

I've been absent. I've actually tried to update on here, but Blogger keeps giving me error screens which make me mad so I give up. I am typing this on my email program and will do the old "Cut and paste" to get it on Blogger. I'm never sure if it's my computer, Blogger or the Bloggee.

DS is well and back in school. He has some work to make up, but nothing we can't get done this weekend. His teachers are very nice and were worried about him. They said they never worry when he msses because they know I am home working with him on the things he is missing. Which I do. I love English, writing, sentence formations and the like so I like to help him with that. But, Math is what he mostly brings home and, lordy, 5th grade Math is hard. I mean, REALLY hard. And I mean REALLY hard for ME. He does fine. Math on paper is one thing - I don't understand what they want me to figure out! But, if I had $25.00 and Hobby Lobby had all their Christmas Merchandise marked down to 80% off, I do know how much I could buy for my $25.00! So, that's MY kind of Math.

My Superbowl envies are still ariving here and there. I think I have gotten about 65 of them. I sent Thank you notes out to several people that went above and beyond sending me huge envelopes full of greeting cards, Post-its, samples, scrapbooking stickers and little presents. I received an email today from one of those wonderful ladies today. Her name is Helen and she is 85 years old and loves the computer. She is reading my blog and enjoys it and my links on the side. So, thank you Helen! I'll be emailing you back soon. My Grandma can't even use her digital alarm clock yet.

I received my Pink and Brown Swap from Christy over a week ago, but have been a bad blogger. I received lots of goodies from her including this fabulous velvety scarf made in pink and brown hues. I have a pink denim jacket that it matches perfectly! She sent a matching tissue covertoo. So, that is in my jacket pocket just wainting for someone to ask, "Do you have a tissue?" "Why, yes, yes I do!" The monkey clock was purchased for Christy to keep, but once she found out my blog name, she knew I needed to have it! Thank you! There was an assortment of goodies including a little treasure box that her son had taken as his own, and now my son has taken it as well. Boys do love their treasure boxes! He also confiscated the Pez dispenser for his collection. Thank you for everything, Christy!

I did find a few retail and thrift teasures this week. I hit Target in between the doctor and the school the other day. Valentine's stuff was 90% off. There was a small Asian woman perusing the Valentine's items when I walked up. I reached into the shelf and pulled out something and she stepped right in front of me and snatched the rest of them. She kept one eye on her shelf and one eye on me seeing what I took. She had her elbow up and bent out to keep me at distance. I only mention that she was Asian because little women like that are normally very quiet and keep to themselves. But, that lady had been Americanized and loved her Target bargains! Who can blame her? I did get a dozen Dove chocolate roses for 25¢ each (much to her dismay). I will use these at my next hospitality function at school.

I went to an Estate Sale yesterday. I avoid these sales advertised as "Estates By Betty" because they put exorbitant prices on everything. I cannot imagine how long it takes to price everything. The drawers in the kitchen were open and everything had a price on it. Things in teh bathroomm were priced. The clothes in the closet all had tags. This home belonged to the previous Mayor of Fayetteville, so it was chock full of high dollar items from all around the world. How often can you get into the Mayor's Million Dollar house and go in his BATHROOM? For free! He was also on the Board of Trustees at the University so there was a slew of Arkansas Razorback items. I did spring for a $10.00 glass platter that was presented to the Mayor by the Cotton Bowl in 1975. DH seemed to think it was worth buying. Since he is THE sports guy, I took his opinion. I spent $17.00 on a pitiful little sack of stuff and it pained me to pay that much. They sort of scoffed at my pitiful purchase. Had everything not been SO high priced, they would have sold a lot more.

I had sticker shock when I left there, so I hit a couple thrifts. I spent $1.75 at one for three old Coca Cola Bristolwre tins for 25¢ each and $1.00 for a new sealed boardgame called "Wordigo". On to the Salvation Army where I spent $8.00 on two teddy bears. But, wait - these are three and a half tall magnetic kising bears from Hallmark. Apparently, each store got one set and they raffled them away in 2001. I think they should do well. Hallmark collectors seem to have deep pockets. They are sitting in the car and look pretty funny - they fill up the entire backseat!

It's raining today so it is a good day to stay in and do Math. I'm making more of my little clogs and they are getting much more professional. I will post a photo when I finish this pair. I went on a felt buying spree the other day. Each pair takes less than one square of 20¢ felt and a half skein of 17¢ floss. So, they are affordable and easy to make. I'm also working on the new Spring wreath for the front door. Oh the busy life of a silly woman....

7 comments:

  1. Anonymous4:18 PM

    Glad your son is better. I was kind of worried about you all since you had not posted in so long.

    Hope the bears sell for a lot.

    Libby

    ReplyDelete
  2. I wish someone had taken a pic of you driving around with those bears.

    School math is so far advanced in 7th grade that my ds has to either call my 8th grade math wiz niece or take advantage of tutorials at lunch. I dont' feel dumb about it, they just teach things very differently now and I haven't kept up.

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  3. I thought about you today. I saw small sock monkeys in assorted colors at Wallyworld. They are selling them as dog toys, but they would probably last about 2 seconds if given to a dog!

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  4. I had a hard enough time with math when I was in school, can't imagine how tough it is now. My DH is good at math and handy to have around when shopping because I just use him as a human calculator. :)
    Good to hear that your son is finally feeling better.

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  5. Estate sales and sticker shock, I can totally relate. I hope your little one is on the mend for good!

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  6. I rarely waste time going to estate sales any more... the prices are so crazy! So frustrating.
    Our Goodwill is getting so high priced too, that I will wait for half-price Saturdays.
    Love hearing about your deals!

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  7. I just got some kissing bears from a friend for my wedding! They are not that big though LOL. :) Lovee your swap goodies! Where ever did Christy find that awesome clock? Love your felt clogs, by the way. Are they all the same size or do you size them out to fit peoples feet? I've been wanting to make elf shoes for my whole family for awhile now. I'm sure they're glad I haven't come through on that promise yet ha ha . .

    ReplyDelete

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