Still no Title bar, I see. Is it just me? Do you other Bloggers have a title bar? Did I do something wrong? Hmmmm.

I still don't have the laptop hooked up to the wireless router. My desktop has a USB port and a phone line but it needs to be connected it with an Ethernet cable. So, I am either up the proverbial creek without a paddle OR (please, please) they make some sort of an Ethernet to USB/Phone line adapter. I will have to make a tirp back across town to Office Depot to ask them. I noticed something funny when I shopped there on Friday. I usually cruise Office Depot looking for Clearance and sale items then pay for it with my $3.00 printer cartridge coupons. So, I am not exactly a "big spender". On Friday I was trying to find the 25¢ Crayola markers and three packs of PaperMate erasers. One sales guy asked if I needed help and I told whim what I was looking for. "No, we're out," he says. Okay, then. So, I head over and end up spending $700.00 on the laptop and the router. Suddenly, salesmen are flocking to me - "Do you need a printer?" "Do you need a laptop bag?" "You know, we might have some sale items in the back." And, wah-lah, suddenly I have stacks of markers and erasers appearing in my cart. I guess when you are forking out the big bucks, they treat you a little better. I still used a $3.00 coupon on my $708.00 purchase. I mean, I had to get a deal somewhow! It did come with a $200.00 rebate, so that will come in a few weeks.

Last week I did my first PTSA Teacher Appreciation/Hospitality gig. Tradition has sugary donuts in the lounges on the very first morhing of school. But, the first day of school is a super duper traffic headache causing ordeal, not to mention having to pick up and deliver donuts at that ungoldly horrific hour. (I am not a morning person, have I mentioned that?) So, I opted to do bagel baskets - dozens of bagels, cream cheese and an assortment of preserves. The teachers loved it and gobbled it all up. I bought the bagels and cream cheese at Aldi's and the preserves at the Dollar Tree. Now, if some of those teachers knew it came from there, they wouldn't have eaten it - but it was good quality food at a good price. $70.00 to feed 125 people - not bad. And, that inclued baskets, plates, knives and napkins.

Wednesday is a very big day in my life. The "Dancing With the Stars" announcements will be made. How sad is that I am a dork. I" I saw a comic in the paper this morning - the Mom was running to the windows all excited about her new washer and dryer coming. "This is the most exciting thing that has happened to me in a very long time" she says all enthusiastically. The teenaged son goes to his Dad and says, "You need to try harder." It doesn't take much to excite us wives and Mom's, eh?

Well, I am chatty this morning. Me and Kirstie Alley - a little chatty. Off to buy birthday gifts for the boy. Oh, it was so easy when little crappy $ Store things filled in between the more expensive iteems. Now everything he likes costs a minimum of $20.00 - books, PS2 games, DVD's, remote control vehicles. I suppose it is safe to assume that he days of Play-Doh and Lego's are behind me. *Sigh*

I see there's no TITLE bar again.

I broke one of my cardinal rules in sailing today. I topped at a sale that did not look promising. One table with some clothes on it and a tarp on the ground with some old pots and pans on it. I drove past with no intentions of stopping, but as I passed, I noticed there were two tables of stuff inside the garage. Even though it didn't look like much, I decided to give it a whirl. First of all, I had to park near a busy intersection and run across the street. When I got to the sale, I noticed that the table wascompletely covered in bras. Lots and lots of bras. Odd.
When I stepped inside the garage, the overwhelming stench of cigarette smoke enveloped me. that is my Cardinal Rule - if it stinks of smoke - I am outta there. But, then I spotted this.

Vintage Cocktail Bowl

I picked it up and turned to ask whoever was having the sale, the all important question, "How much for this?" That's when I spotted a tiny old lady in the corner. She had a cigarette planted in the corner of her mouth and her left eye was partially shut to keep the smoke out of it. I suspet that eye hasn't been completely open in 40-50 years. I asked the question and she replied, in a voice very similar to George Burns, "$1.00". SOLD. It is a two quart mixing bowl, although it is had to tell from this photo. I decided to take a second look at the "bra" table, as I noticed there were sheets and linens too. At the very bottom of the pile I found this. This vintage tea towel is in perfect condition. Bright red with crisp graphics. Love it. And, surprisingly, it doesn't smell like smoke at all - it does have a slight moth ball scent to it though. A day on the clothesline ought to fix that one.

And, under a different pile of tablecloths (not cool vintage ones, alas) was this "Waltzing Matilda" linen tea towel. Brand spanking vintage new and completely stench free.


Out to the tarp of old pots and pans - spotted this Foley flour sifter with the cool aqua colored handle. Hadn't seen that color before on a kitchen tool. The little spinny doo hickey was not attached, but I decided to get it anyway. I fixed it when I got home. So, a cool score.

Now I had enough good fresh air in my lungs to hit the garage again for any hidden tresures. And, boy, oh boy, I did find some! Old chopper with glass jar, red handled rolling pin, metal ice cream scoop, wooden handled pastry cutter and six tiny muffin pans. I had one of these in my little kitchen as a girl. Oh, who am I kidding, I still have it. I have everything!

This piece of pottery was covered in dirt and grime. I wasn't sure if it was even matte white under it all. I soaked it for about an hour and took a scrub brush to it. It is perfect! Not a chip anywhere. I don't see a maker's mark, so it might be a woman's handywork at ceramics class. But, it is swirly and wonderful. It's a keeper for sure.

Then I started spotting glass everywhere. First, the nice Glasbak batter bowl, a creamy colored Fire King custard dish, a tiny covered Pyrex dish in pink and the red refrigerator dish. The refrigerator dish has some discoloration on it that washing didn't take off. I think I have some Dawn Power Dissolver, maybe that will work. I don't want the red to flake though. Any ideas? I also got a nice old jelly jar glass with red, white and pink flowers on it that seems to have escaped my pappaatzi camera. I only paid $5.00 total for everything above.From different sales:


Anthromorphic Candy Cane Salt & Pepper Set - 20¢


Fantastic Shabby Chic-O pink metal tray-$1.00


(Such a bad photo) Funky glass piece - 50¢

Is it old? Is it new? I don't know. I don't really like glass, so I'm not very knowledgeable about it. But, for 50¢, why not.

Let's hope some or all of this is a big old money maker, because I went a little whack-O today and went and bought a laptop. DS has been wanting one and I think it would be beneficial to him for school (he has handwriting issues - or rather the teachers have issues with his handwriting). My computer is dreadfully slow as of late and I am in need of listing on ebay like crazy. I bought a wiresless router so we will soon have Wi-Fi in the house. I should be able to work on listings in the evenings when I am with the family and not have to be in the Office all the time. My buying a laptop unannounced to DH has nothing to do with him coming home last night announcing that he had purchased season football tickets (ack) without asking. I don't mean he has to ask per say, but that is a lot of money to spend on a frivilous thing (in my opinion). Especially since I did most of DS's Back to School shopping at the Super Cheap Thrift and I spend most of my evenings clipping coupons. But, oh well, I got a laptop. Nanner-nanner-na-na.

Thrifty Thursday

I went to a few thrifts this week. It usually takes me a few days to regain my singlehood and venture out in public alone once school starts. Tomorow morning means early yard sale arrival once I drop the boy off at school. I love, love, being the first one there when I am already out and about - but, I will not get up early just to go to a sale.

Boyds Bear with Bear Wear - $1.00

Owl Cup with Googly Eyes - 25¢

Creamer with Cherry Handle - 45¢

***I don't know what sort of dishes this creamer is a part of - but if I found a whole set, I would go bonkers. The handle is a three dimensional cherry and it is just too damn cute.***

Miniature Pottery Piece - 25¢

Handcarved wooden spoon - 50¢

Vintage ladies hankies - 7 in all - $1.00. Love the red one.

Three boxes of sealing wax and two wax seal stamps - $2.00.

Written on the box was GIRL SCOUT SEAL.

I was very excited to find this, but once I got it home and peeled all the making tape off the box, I discovered a Fleur de le stamp and an "S" stamp. Sadly, I don't think these are Girl Scout related. Oh, well, "S" is my first and last initial so I guess I'll be doing some wax sealing on my mail.

Three very cool decks of very old cards - $1.50 total.

The Congress Cards on the top are dated 1917 and come double boxed. Isn't it interesting how important a luxury item like a deck of cards was back in the day? Now you can by a deck of cards 2/$1.00 at the check-out of any grocery store.

Sweet, sweet vintage greeting cards.

These were bundled with some newer cards at the Super Cheap Thrift. There wasn't a price on it and they have a very strict new policy - "NO TAG, NO SALE". But, I took a chance. Guess what I found out? Greeting cards are FREE. Yipppee.The lanterns on the card on the left are all glittery and sparkly and the little angel babies on the card on the right are just freaking adorable. I got ten cards in all. If you get a birthday card from me, it will be vintage!

I wish the whole set would have been there, but these cards are specifically for March and April birthdays. A whole set would be great framed. Like I need something else to hang on the wall.

I went to one yard Sale this morning on the way home from school. I only had a five dollar bill, so I had to shop wisely. I spotted three gallon size bags chock full of rubber stamps priced at $2.00 each. I grabbed the two biggest bags and left the smaller bag. I also got a belt buckle, a vintage chick with an egg (too cute), a coin purse, a tiny bunny in a basket and a Tyson chicken paperweight for a total of $4.80. I went home and dumped the stamps out on the floor and started grouping them. There were three different alphabet stamps, but I didn't have a complete set of any of them. I was getting discouraged, thinking that I had just throw out $4.00, but then I remembered the other bag of stamps. I ran in and stole, er, borrowed, eight quarters from DS's stash and went back to grab the other bag. Thank goodness it's a small town. And, yes, I now have three complete sets of alphabet stamps and a lot more. 251 rubber stamps in all. I will list them all as one "You get what you see" lot and stuff them in a Flat Rate Box. I (heart) those boxes.

6th Grade - Day Two

Well, as I suspected, DS had a great day at school and came bounding out of the building all smiles. He was jaw-jacking a hundred miles an hour about his teachers, his classes, who he ate lunch with and what they did in PE (stacking cups, if you are interested). This teacher has a snake, this one has a lizard, that one has an entire shrine to the Kansas Jayhawks (we are from KS and come from a long line of Jayhawks fanatics). Another teacher haI amon with the same name as DS, so she immediately deemed him, "My favorite student". So, all is well.....Whew.

I appreciate everyone's kind words about my boy. I know he is growing up and, yes, that is a sign of a 'stache, but no one is to mention that or he dives under the coffee table in shame. I am an only child and so is DH, so we raised him the way we were raised. If he can't go, we don't go. So, we are always together. No parties or going out for Mom and Dad, we'd rather be with the kiddo. That might make for an awkward time when he moves out. Of couse, hat won't happen until he's at least 40! My Ramen Noodles are just too tasty to leave! ;o)

So, life is back to normal and all is well. I think I deserve a trip to the thrift! I'd probably be quite a drinker or smoker if I had those vices. But when stress hits - , I thrift! I'm not a junkie - I'm a junker!

First Day of School - 6th Grade Edition

First Day Blues
Orange shirt, orange backpack, orange water bottle - check.


Too many lazy days at home, with no schedule, meals whenever you want them, heck, you can even go pee when you need to at home. But, at school, schedules prevail, you eat when told and pee when told. But, the main thing at home that he loves is time with Mom. He's my buddy as you can tell if you've read this blog very long. We do every thing together. Perhaps too much. One day last year he asked me wht I do when he is at school. I told him the usual, landry, grocery shopping, etc. I asked him why he asked and he said he worries about me and that he should be here to help me. I told him that his job is to be a KID and go to school and learn and have fun and not to worry about Mom.

Words escape me when I try to tell you what a sweet boy this child is - his teachers are always amazed that a boy can be so polite and thoughtful. I know a lot of boys are polite and thoughtful. But, my boy is extaordinary in these matters. He's the last one out to door at school because he hleps the girls with their backpacks, picks up every bit of paper and crayons on the floor and hold the door open for the kids behind him. I know it is esy for an parent to make these comments and expect you to believe them. But, I need you to understand that this boy is special and unique.

I've often wondered if I should have put him in daycare or an after school program to partially break his parental bonds. But, even if that would have made the first few days of school go smoothly, what would that have done to his personality? Would he still be such a sweet wondrufl boy? Would he still hold my hand and call me his "Pretty Mama"? That isn't something I am willing to risk.


This is the year I have been dreading. Of course, I say that nearly every year. Big changes every year. But, luckily, he's still my boy.

The first day of school is never easy on him, or me, for that matter. ,

This year is 6th Grade. He'll be 12 on September 6th.

That's almost a teenager.

Oh My God.

A year from Junior High. Of corse, they don't really have Junior High anymore.

I am very involved in school, thousands of hours volunteering, plus years as a Substitute Teacher to boot, so I know all the kids. And, I do mean all the kids. So, this year at Open House, I see that almost all the boys and girls have sprung up a couple inches since last year. Some of the boys greeted me with "Hello, Miss Shara" and it was two or three octaves lower than last year.

Oh My God.

And the girls! Let's talk about the girls for a minute. They have, well, boobs. And they are cheerleaders wearing itty bitty short skirts. And they wear mascara and body glitter and cotton candy lipgloss and they sitthisclose to my baby boy. But, he still likes Hot Wheel Cars and Transformers and his pig Beanie Baby. But, he also has an inordinant interest in looking at Miley Cuyrus/Hannah Montanna. And he turns red when I mention his little friend, Susan. And, lately, he wants his skivies to color match his clothes.I think we are about to cross a line.

Oh My God.

The teachers warned me that halfway through 6th grade, some of the girls get stuck up and the boys go completely girl crazy. Not my kids! Not my babies! Surely NOT! I will say that I got a LOT more hugs from the boys last year. And they aren't exactly eye level with me yet, if you get my, oh so, subtle drift.

Oh My God.

He'll be driving in two years.

Graduating in six years.

Making me a Grandma someday. A GRANDMA, I said.

Oh My God.

I think I will pick him up after school and take him shopping for some new Hot Wheels.


Smile for Mom, please.



Well, that will have to do.

Thanks to everyone for their warm birhday wishes including Miss Heidi for her thoughtful Birthday Blog Post to me. I had a nice day - lots of goodies and surprises. DH bought me a Portable Lighting Studio. It's a set of lights all packed up in a carrying case that converts into a light box for phtographing things for ebay. Hint taken. SELL SOME STUFF. It's funny - I had spotted this at Wal-Mart and shown it to DH and commented on it. (Now, don't get me wrong, I do like it and it was nice he listened to me for those three minutes) BUT, he has selective hearing. I had shown it to him, said, "Hmm, look at that. I know how to make something similar for $10.00. Someday I'm going to make one, because I really need it". He heard, "Look at that. I need It." So, I got it.

In our house we are often plotting out how we will spend our Lottery Winnings when we hit it big someday. (The fact that we rarely even play the lottery has no effect on the hopes of winning eventually...) Two items of pure luxury and on the un-necessary list are these: My very own soft serve ice cream machine and a new pair of socks every day. I love the feeling of new socks - all soft and smooth and not knappy. DS must have heard me saying this, because he, along with the help of my Mom, bought me 20 new pairs of socks. Time to clean out the old sock drawer!

Thursday afternoon we hit two thrift stoes. Our last thrifting day before school starts on Monday morning. Unlike a lot of Moms, I like to have DS with me when I go sailing and thrifting. But, he is good company and not a little one digging in things or crying to go home.

My three best find of the day include:

1947 Audubon "Birds of America" Book with 345 Color Plates - $2.50 (seems to sell for $75.00-$100.00)

Longaberger Basket - $1.00

Charcoal Pyrex Baking Dish - $2.00

This is my first Pyrex purchase. I had never seen one like it - black with the white snowflakes across the sides. It has a vintage feel but a modern look. I didn't know the name of the pattern, but the resident Pyrex lovers on Yardsalequeen told me that it is Charcoal and a rare pattern. So, I guess I did okay buying it.

At the Salvation Army they have a big bin full of baskets and I alwyas dig to the botom of the bin looking for oak splint handmade baskets, seagrass baskets and Longaberger Baskets. I've dug through a lot of old Easter Baskets, cheap import basket and the like, but I have found several good baskets during that time. This time I was on one side of the bin digging when another lady walked up and started digging on the other side. Well, I consider that bad manners. I wait for that peson to finish before I begin my digging. Anyway, at the bottom of the bin, I snagged this small Longaberger basket. The lady was not pleased that it was on my side and not hers. I was! I really don't give a fig about the Longaberger name, but it is a good sturdy basket and I will sell it once I know the name for that size basket. Any experts out there? DH has an Aunt that collects Longaberger Baskets. She has them everywhere in her house and saves up for months to buy some of them. And then there's the liners too! What money she must spend! I have three - this one, one I found in that same bin for 50¢ and one I foreged out of someone's trash! Big spender, eh?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DS is off to a Back to School Bash tonight. At a girl's house! With boy's and girl's. Swimming, games, movies, snacks, etc. And that leaves Mom and Dad to be alone. Oh, some of you are saying, "Oh, how wonderful." Truthfully, I don't know what to say or do with him alone for 2 hours. Kind of makes me wonder what the next forty years of my like will be like......

Let Them Eat Cake

Today is my Birthday!


There is a big gift bag from DH waiting in the living room and a smaller one from DS too. My Mom and Step-Dad will come over later with goodies. My Dad came over yesterday and brought me a cake, roses and a card with a $Fifty$ in it. (Hellooooooo Hobby Lobby....). It's funny, birthday cakes are a big thing with my family. Well, at lest with me, my Mom and DS. It must be white cake and it must be real buttercream icing. That whipped stuff is okay for a dinner party or dessert - but it is NOT a birthday cake. So, my Dad shows up with a beautifully decorated birthday cake all encrusted in roses. He announces - "That is the GOOD kind of cake - none of that heavy rich buttercream icing - it's the WHIPPED! And, you do like chocolate, right?" So, my Dad doens't know me that well. It's all good - he meant well. DH prefers chocolate/whipped, so he's got himself his very own birthday cake for my birthday.

I was tagged by Wendy to share seven things about me that you might not know. I was taggged a long time ago to do the 100 Things list too. So, I have compromised and done 25 things about me.

Here goes - bear with me:

1. I am an only child, I married an only child and I have an only child.

2. At my old job I was in charge of deciding what and where all that inpulse crap goes at the checkout at the grocery store - nail clippers, AA batteries, flashlights, cotton swabs, jump ropes, bubbles, ChapStick, Appliance Bulbs, etc. All the little things you might have needed but forgot to pick up in the store. I decided what went on there and exactly where it went on the check out (jump ropes at child eye level, etc.). This was a planagram implemented in over 100 grocery stores. If someone at Store #98 decided to put something else where the Chapstick went - I could WRITE THEM UP and GET THEM IN TROUBLE. Oh, what power.

3. I have been on a romantic cruise and on a romantic Hawaiian Vacation - both with my DAD. I flew 12 hours to Hawaii, got on another plane and flew for an hour to our island, got in a bus and drove for an hour to the hotel. We arrived at midnight and I was car/plane/bussick as a dog and all I wanted to do was go to bed. I walked in the room and discovered ONE BED and immediately broke into tears. They brought me up a fold out cot. got to sleep on a fold out cot in Hawaii. All night long I heard this damn noise that kept me awake, Swish, Swish, Thwonk, Thwonk, Swish, Swish. That noise drove me nuts. I dreamt of being HOME and not in this hellhole with the damn rod across my back and the damn swishing slash thwonking noise. When I woke up I discovered that the sun had risen, the swishing noise was the ocean lapping up under the window of my room and the thwonking noise was a pineapple tree loaded with pineapples banging on the balcony. The hellhole had turned into PARADISE. I loved it there.

4. I was a speed skater in high school. I lived at the skating rink. I could go on two wheels around the corner and touch the floor with one hand to keep my balance while I went around the curve. I could go forwards, backwards and sideways. I skated every skate - slow, fast, couples, speed. I could go fast or slow. The last time I put on skates I fell on my a$$.

5. I was induced for four days before DS was born. Two days in a row I had that damn Patossin IV drip and it never worked. They sent me home each night with the IV thing still in my arm wrapped up with guazey tape. I went home for the Labor Day weekend (ironic, eh?) and returned on Tuesday to do more IV's - still nothing. Back again on Wednesday for more IV drips. I announced if it did not work THAT DAY I was going home to wait for labor to start naturally. The doctor said, "Oh no you are not" and broke my water. Ouch. Five hours later DS was here. Maybe they should have done that seven days earlier!

6. Everytime I return home, I hold my breath in anticipation of seeing my house gone - burned down, blown away, etc. I am always very pleased to see it still standing. I gues that went without saying...

7. I caught a guitar pick from Richie Samboro at a Bon Jovi Concert in the 1980's. It is autographed. I still have it and could have it in my hands in 5 seconds if needed. But, I don't know where my birth certificate is right now.

8. I once went to see Dr. Ruth Westheimer with my Mom speak at the University. Okay, that is a misplaced modifier - I went with my Mom to see Dr. Ruth. My Mom was not appearing with Dr. Ruth. Anyway, I've never heard the words "penis" and "vagina"so many times.

9. My best friend in high school and I had a note writing competetion. I wrote her a two page note. She wrote me a three page note. The last note I got from her was 28 pages front and back and couldn't even be folded.

10. I sent another friend a "Thank you" note once. She sent me a "Thank you" for the "Thank you" note. I sent her a "Thank you" for the "Thank you" for the "Thank you" note. And so on.....I believe we were on the 32 times removed "Thank you" note.

11. I think I collect collections. I have too many things. And I love them all. I should get rid of some things, but instead, I just buy more.

12. I was named Arkansas Soup-er Volunteer of the Year by Campbell's Soup in 2006. Campbell's Soup received an essay extolling my virtues and all the goodness I do for the school and the students and what an overall grand kind of gal I am. But, guess what? I wrote the essay myself and submitted it. Shhh. Pathetic, huh? All I won was 10,000 labels for the school which is a little over $100.00.

13. I don't like men with red hair or chest hair. I married a red head with a furball on his chest. What the hell was I thinking?

14. My middle name is Lee, my three male cousins are Lee, my Grandmother is Lee, my Uncle is Lee. My son, the first great grandchild is NOT a Lee. I was in deep doo-doo for that one. I named him in honor of a good friend of mine that died at his own hand far too young..

15. I would wear pink every day if I could. Actually, I do wear pink a lot. Most days even. I suppose if I was to appear on "What Not To Wear" Stacy would say, "Pink is not a good color for you" and then Clint would throw all my lovely pinks into their stainless steel trash can. Wah.

16. I have one green shirt. It is the first green item I have ever owned. It is ugly and I look terrible in it. If I was on "What Not To Wear" Stacy would say, "Green is a good color for you" and then Clint would show me a headless manniquin wearing head to toe ugly ass green. "This is how we would like for you to look", Clint would say. Ick.

17. I make the butteriest baddest toffee you have ever tasted. It is perfect every time and I don't use measuring tools or a candy thermometer. I, however, cannot boil an egg that will peel.

18. I do not like to talk to people on the phone. If they call me - I will talk - but I NEVER call anyone just to "talk". But, I do talk to my Mother for at least an hour every day and could talk to her all day if we didn't have men and chores a'callin.

19. Fried Foods give me indigestion. Onions give me heartburn. But, onion rings do not bother me at all.

20. I have a fear of going to concerts, plays or any event where someone is on the stage. I know, do you understand me? I KNOW that they are going to point out in the audience and call me on stage. It doesn't matter if I am on the front row or the nosebleed section. They are looking at me and going to make me come up and sing, dance or just look at me. I know it.

21. I know all the words to "Telephone Man" from the very early 1970's. "Then my fingers did the walking ont he thelephone man, singing, hey lauddie lauddie get it anyway you can..." It was a very risque song about the telephone man coming over to, er, uh, "service" a lady. I was far too young to understand what it was about, so I just sang it! I was only about six or seven.

22. I love candy. I don't mean I like to eat it (well, I do some). But, I love to look at candy - especially at convenience stores and grocery stores in other states and countries. I like candy at touristy places - like rock candy that looks like pebbles and rock candy that looks like quartz, etc. Some of it is such pure crap and goofy - others are downright weird. The whole Mexican candy section is just whacked - they will sprinkle chili powder on anything and call it candy. No thank you.

23. When I was a kid, I used to ride my bike to the marina at the lake, call my parents to say that I had made it and then ride home. One day I hung up the payphone and money started shooting out the little door on the payphone like I had hit the slots in Vegas. I stuck my bicycle basket under it and nearly filled it up with dimes. I rode home with it because I didn't know what else to do. I'm pretty sure my Mom or Dad called the phone company to report it and no one believed them. I still don't know how that many dimes fit in that litle payphone.

24. We can't go anywhere without DH seeing someone he knows. Wal-Mart, the grocery store, out to eat, etc. We went to a wedding in Dallas and a guy walking across the parking lot at some apartments yelled, "Hey Curtis." This person didn't even know anyone involved in the wedding - he knew DH from a friend in High School. When we went to Vegas we were walking across the casino headed up to our room when a girl came running up and grabbed his arm, "Bet you didn't think you'd see anyone you knew in Vegas!" she said. I was floored. But, then her husband walked up and I went to school with HIM! Even Steven on that one!

25. I eat all of one thing on my plate before I go to the next item. Food cannot touch. Anything with a sauce or leakage (melted butter, soy sauce) must be in it's own vessel. I do not eat creamy things or white creamy things (mayo, gravies, all those icky macaroni, crab and coleslaw items at salad bars). The first time I ate at DH's family's house, they served pie after dinner. Everyone put their pie on their plate on top of their dinner..."goo". I couldn't do it. Couldn't eat pie. Nearly puked up what I had eaten watching it all.

Okay - your turn think of 25 things about YOU to share with your readers. (This means you too Oliveoyl!)

Mail Call!

I've always had a secret "Crush", if you will, on the mailman and the UPS man. (The fact that our mailman is a lady - well, that's another story!) Every day, the mail arrives, leaving little surprises and goodies - magazines, coupons, samples, treats. But, lately, all I have been getting is bra catalogs and shotgun catalogs (long story, but I swear, you order one Christmas item for someone and you are on that catlog mailing lst FOREVER). And, my deceased Father-in-law gets more mail than I do some days. So, when two, count 'em two packages arrived on the same day - well, I was pretty psyched!

First of I all, I received my Summer Swap from Evelyn. Her package arrived all wrapped up like a fun gift basket.

There was a set of two nice bright Orange dishtowels - as in orange the fruit - that I just adore. There was a fun juicer, a serving platter, two bright orange frames (claimed by DS), a fun mouse and cheese timer, yellow flowered serving fork and spoon, recipe book for me to put my own recipes in and two big bags of coffee all in a nice serving basket.

For her handmade item, Evelyn made a bowl out of strips of alternating yellow and orange paper and then coated it so it is waterproof. I mean, you can't run it through the dishwasher (as if I had one), but you could serve chips in it and not hurt it. I am sure it took her a very long time to maake it! I think it will become my summer time fruit bowl. Thank you Evelyn!

Now for the Oliveoyl (Carol's) goodies. She was sneaky and found out that I have a birthday this week and sent me a box of goodies. She sent some scrapbooking paper and stickers for my "Mom" baking, lots and lots and lots of fun watermelon themed fabric, a sweet little watermelon basket and an authentic Maple Syrup tin.

Carol also makes wonderful windchimes out of fun "found" items. She sent me a fantastic windchime made out of an old wire chicken shaped basket and some fun old silverware. It is wonderful. If a breeze ever graces our yard agian, it will go outside. Until then, it is near the fan tinkling away. Thank you Carol!


I don't have a lot of friends in real life so having friends out there in cyberspace just means the world to me. I can't talk about yard sales and thrift stores to anyone I know in real life other than my Mom. Their eyes just glaze over and they don't "get it". I mentioned my blog to a group of Mom's one day and they all sucked the air through their teeth, clutched their chests and said, "You have a BLOG????" (Why yes, I do, I chat with men and have cybersex with them. As if.) That's what they were thinking! You know they were!

So, big boy, how was your day? Whoops - that's a post for a different blog.....

My Hot Friday Finds

Yesterday was a hot day. I mean HOT. The heat index was 108. DS and I got "out and about" as we call it and hit three thrifts, a Rummage Sale and the Grocery Store. The first thrift was a new Habitat for Humanity Thrift that just opened last weekend. They are starting to take donations, but really didn't have much as of yet. They did have an $800.00 chandelier that stood over 6 1/2 feet tall with crystals the size of drinking glasses on it. The lady at the thrift said, "Someone that owns a castle is sure to drop by and buy it". They did have a lot of brand new building supplies - light fixtures, windows, cabinets. doors, sinks and fixtures as well as old ones of the same that came out of old torn down houses. They had an old door that had never been painted and it was all worn and wormy and tattered (you do know that is a good thing to me...). It had a set of porcelain knobs on it as well as old ornate metal plates behind the knobs. It was $10.00 and I really, really, really liked it. But, I did not buy it. I may have to go back and check on it. I have seen desks made out of old doors and this one would have been pure perfection. Well, pure worn, wormy, tattered perfection.

We went to a Rummage Sale at the A&N Augustine Foundation only because the signs on the corner touted it was an "INDOOR SALE." Well, you can't get them for false advertsing - it was indoors alright - inside a ho, humid stinky storage room with no lights or A/C. Ack. It was hot. To say the very least. They did have some box fans, but they were just blowing that hot air around. It was like sticking your head in the oven. I did, however, find several cool things and only spent $2.00. We found a really nice Scrabble game - it is mounted on a lazy susan, has the wooden tiles and all. It is dated 1978 and is brand new. (We just played a game on it. DS's Scrabble paying words are small - WON, ARM, FUEL, FART (yes, he played FART) so we have trouble getting very high scores.)

This picture is a montage of things from the Rummage Sale and one thrift store.

Clockwise starting on the far left. Indian Doll - 50¢
Two polished stone belt buckles - 50¢ each
Deck of old Congress Playing Cards
Old Rubber Doll (Face & Hands are under her head) - 25¢
Find of the Day - Set of Six Bakelite Napkin Rings
Vintage bird in a red glittered nest
Set of Two old speckled School Cafeteria Trays - 75¢ Pair (DS enjoys eating on these at shome as he is a brown bagger at school)

I spotted five of the napkin rings at the rummage sale and knew there should be six - scoured boxes under the table and found the sixth one. Yes! They were priced $3.00 for the set, which I knew was a steal. I grabbed an old berry picking basket - threw in the deck of cards, the vintage bird, a pink watermelon crocheted potholder (yeah, yeah, I know, I know) and the napkin rings plus the Scrabble Game. When I checked out the lady told me $2.00 for it all. So, that was a good deal. I see one single Rootbeer Napkin Ring sold for $15.00 recently. The set should bring at least $50.00. So, even though we about died from heat exhaustion, I guess it was worth it. Close up of the napkin rins. I know there is a creamed corn, rootbeer and butterscotch, but I am not sure of the "proper" Bakelite names for the red, green and orange. Anyone?

I love this little vintage bird on the red glittered nest. He has a clip on the bottom for clipping on the Christmas tree. As I was leaving, I started to ask if there were more Christmas decorations that I didn't see, because I can't imagine that someone just donated one little birdie on a nest. But, the heat was so bad that I just couldn't bear the idea of going back in there. So, I didn't ask.

This talk of heat and yard sales reminds me of a story about DS. Bare with me while I wax nostalgia - we were going to yard sales one day when he was about three years old. It was very hot, but I kept finding just one more sale and stopping. Finally it got so hot I decided to call it quits. As I was buckling him in his carseat, I said, "Are you ready to go home?" He wiped his sweaty forehead and said, "Yes! Let's go home to the P/Q!" (That would be the A/C to you and me). And he said it Peeeeee-Que! It was quite adorable, I assure you. ;o)

When I got home, I had a nice surprise package from Oliveoyl who sneakily sent me an early birthday gift. I brought it in the house and then the UPS man rang the doorbell delivering my Summer Swap Package from Evelyn. So, I had quite the fun day. DS helped me unload it all. He gets very perturbed that I have to photograph the box, arrange the packages, take another picture, open the items, arrange the items, take a picture of the items, the card, the wrappings, make a list of the goodiesetc. I told him we were going to do that at Christmas too. "You have GOT to be kidding me" he said. As we were cleaning up he asked if I got a photo of the bubble wrap. Ha ha kid.

Photos and lots of details on the Happy Mail tomorrow. Tune in!

A Few More FInds

Here are a few more things I bought this weekend. 'Scuse the bad photos - I wasn't in the mood to stage some of them!

This tin featuring the Queen of England and Prince Philip. She is young! Very young, in fact. This was only 75¢. It might be sold someday, but for now it lives happily amongst my other tins. (How many tins do I own? Hundreds, if you must know).

These three items cost 10¢ a piece at two different sales. The pig and the teacher are hand painted from Italy. They are both banks. DS is pig crazy, so the pig is in his room. The teacher will go on ebay down the line. The tiny cup is just precious. Love the little pointy handle. It is Syracuse China and I assume from the late 1940's or so. I have seen pincushions made out of little cuties like this, but I doubt I will ever get that crafty. I like it just the way it is right now.

The next two items came from the same sale and were both 50¢ each. This lamp is a TV lamp and is very much ugli-full. Tack-key. But, when I paid for it, I changed my mind because I saw it through some else's eyes. The lady having the sale must have been in her late 70's or early 80's. When she saw that lamp, she put her hand on her heart and said, "I am so glad you are buying that lamp!" Then she went on to tell me that her boyfriend bought it for her in 1957 and brought it back from his summer trip to Pensacola Beach. But, after they broke up and she married her husband he wouldn't let her display it because it came from an old boyfriend. Bless her heart. You could see the memories in her eyes when she looked at that lamp. She told me it had been in her closet all these years and she sneaked a peak when she could. Mean old husband anyway!

This doll came from the same sale. She told me it had been in the same closet all these years too. "From a different boyfriend. But, I never told him!" she said as she motioned over her shoulder to her husband and winked at me. She was too funny!Does anyone know if this doll had a purpose or did it just sit on a bed? I think she will do well with the Shabby Gal stuff on ebay. She does however, have a slight problem with flashing her chest! Bad doll!

I found these today at the Salvation Army for 50¢ each. As my Mom is reading this, she is clutching her jaw saying these make her teeth hurt. I know she remembers drinking ice water out of those old aluminum tumblers at her Grandmohter's house when she was little. I remember those same glasses and that's why I liked these. They are sherbet cups or ice cream cups. I suspect they are reproductions, but I don't care. Vintage is as vintage does. I really must have a scoop of ice cream in the blue one as I recline on the pink glider. I must!

(Side Note: Are there any doctors or self medicators in the house? I have a terrible case of heat rash. It is red and sort of itchy. Not too itchy, but it is annoying me to death. Any home remedies out there? I'd rather not say where it is but, I will keep you ABREAST of the situation. Yee-Ouch.)

Road Trip

Last Thursday we loaded up along with my Mom and my Step Dad and went on a day trip. All of these locations were only about 45 minutes from home. First stop was the Mildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel. This was built by Architect Faye Jones in memory of his Mother. It is a beautiful chapel made entirely of steel and glass. It sounds very high tech and industrial, but it is absolutely beautiful. It is extremely peaceful and quiet there.
Sign in the woods that appears to lead nowhere:
Steelwork above the front entrance:
Inside looking out: (Looks a lot like outside looking in)
Inside looking down the aisle:
Doorway outside:
Behind the Chapel there is a small private lake with a dam that runs across the Yop. you can drive across the dam, which is one lane only, gravel ed andnot only is the lake right there to the right, but there is a very, very steep downhill plunge on the left. You can drive over it and turn around in a circle drive then come back over it. The boulders are to prevent you from plunging left or right. I was assured by everyone in the car that it was a beautiful sight, but as the driver, I kept my eyes straight ahead.

Next, it was on to the Veteran's Wall of Honor. This has been there for over a year and we have yet to have visited it. Which, is an outright shame, because my Step-Father's name is on it. It is beautifully executed and a wonderful tribute. However, it was honest to goodness probably 150 degrees out in that hot sun and I thought I could feel my brain boiling inside my skull. We did not stay long, but will most certainly go back when the temperatures have cooled this Fall. It is really a shame they put it right out in the sun with no shade or covered sitting areas at all since it is for the Veteran's who mostly have some sort of disability condition in the first place.
Entrance to the Wall of Honor:
Walls of Names:
Memorial Fountain in Center:
We found his name!
There it is - Raymond C. Clyburn (we call him Clark.) Bad knees compliments of Desert Storm.

Back in the car, crank up the A/C - head to the Square to visit Walton's Five and Dime which is the Wal-Mart Visitor's Center. This was the home of Sam Walton's first little store which was in comparison to the old Walgreen's or Ben Franklin Store. Now it is a museum and has lots of intersting Wal-Mart related items in it and the history of the Walton family. Sam's first office is replicated inside as well as his office in complete form the day he died. It is interesting to see the differences. His favorite old pick up truck is in there too. There is a note above it that says "People ask me why I still drive a pickup when I could drive anything in the world. What am I supposed to do? Haul my hunting dogs around in a Rolls Royce?"
Wal-Mart Visitor's Center:
This is the Shrek that was modeled for the Wal-Mart commercials. There were so many cool things in here, but it was all behind glass and nearly impossible to photograph without glare.

There was a fun display of items that had been returned by customers for unusual reasons. First, there was a tennis racket and someone had whomped the holy crap out of it. Reason for return? "Does not serve well." A big outside thermometer - reason for it's return? "Never kept time well" and an old metal Thermos bottle made in the early 1950's and returned in 1983 because "it leaks." It was tested and found that, indeed, it did leak! The customer is always right!

Statue in town square:
Nice cool fountain that lowered the temperature to only 130 or so. (It was such a hot day).
This is an old hotel that is now a Retirement Community. My Step father used to have the run of this whole place when he was a kid. His Grandmother owned a Beauty Shop which was located in one of the small storefronts on the lower level and his Grandfather was the Chef at the hotel. There was a a back entrance from the Beauty Shop into the hotel that lead to the kitchen and all the hidden coridors and he used to run amuck. It was all very "Suite Life" like Zak and Cody.

We ended the day by driving around the perimeter of Lake Atalanta and over the dam. We were driving on the vey tippy edge of a dirt road that plummeted right into the lake. As the driver, once again, I kept my eyes focused on the road and the photos taken were few and far between. It was very pretty there and we saw lots of turtles swimmiing in the water.
As a young boy, my Step-Father would ride his bike out to the Lake, camp put all weekend and fish for his supper ALONE. I won't even let DS go to the mailbox unattended. My, how times have changed!

School starts on August 20th, so the Day Trips are about to come to an end. We will start our Saturday Fun Days once the temperatures cool a bit. Today we are going school supply shopping. Let's just say that DS is less than pleased.