Choppers

Hey, hey, hey. Guess who got to leave the house today????? Me, me, me and The Bean, Bean, Bean.

There are a lot of choppers in town. Choppers, choppers, everywhere. You know, I am talking about motorcycles, right? Anyway, there are motorcycles on every corner, at every parking lot, at every resturant, everywhere at everwhere. It is crazy. But, I think it is fun. And the Bean likes it too. There are regular motorcycles and fancy tricked out choppers like I have neer seen in my life. Some are quite and some are loud. But, it's all fun.

This afternoon we went to Wal-Mart and heard that Jesse James of West Coast Chopper fame was there signing autographs and posing for pictures. Well, you know who always has her camera with her, right? Well, guess who didn't have it today! Doh! But, luckily, we live less than two miles from Wal-Mart, so we zipped home and got it.

When we got back, we got right in line. We were twelve people back in line, so Iknew it would be short and sweet. Wrong-O. He signed autographs for about three people and then he stopped to do a TV news interview. Then he announced he had to "pee". I've never heard a celebrity announce they needed to pee. So, his entourage of women and local police officers took him in the store, cleared out the bathroom (I didn't think that was necessary) and I suppose he peed. Then he signed autographs for some of the employees before he came back out to the parking lot where we were all cooking in the sun. I'm not really complaining, I didn't mind waiting, but it was hot. Really hot. 93 degrees on October 5th! The guy behind us got bored and called his friend, "Yea, dude, I'm waiting to see Jesse James. Yea, he went to pee, but I think he might be pooping 'cause it's been a long time". I mean, really, TMI.

But, then, he came back, got in his spot and signed his heart out. People were lined up through the parking lot. He was a good sport dealing with bikers, kids, goofy Moms with absolutely NO motorcycle smarts (not me!) He signed books, magazines,posters, T-Shirts, hats and even skin at one point!

He's a pretty good looking guy. No sign of Sandra Bullock anywhere though. Mrs. James, you know.
He signed the hat we bought. Called The Bean, "Hey Bud". Check out the tats. Yea, tats. I know my lingo. I watch "Miami Ink."
Posed for a nice picture. The Bean even smiled! He met Ronald McDonald once and he looked absolutely terrified in the photo. Ronald even commented, "He knows I'm a clown, right?" The Bean by a giant West Coast Chopper Car. Why is this blue and underlined? Ya got me.
The Bean by a fancy pimped out West Coast Chopper Truck with Bling-Bling. Yea, I'm cool.

West Coast Chopper hat signed by Jesse James along with the magazines they were handing out. Note the scantily dressed girls and giant ba-zoombas on the left. They handed these to my 12 year old son. Yikes!

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Before the celebrity sighting, we went junking. (This might be a good time to mention that The Bean is 100% well now. Yeah! We got a doctor's note excusing the whole week so the school better just shut their pie hole and let him come back. They can get a bit harsh about absences. But, they are the first one to send them home when they are sick. You can't win!)

Anyway, back to the junk! I got these metal letters for $1.00. Like a lot of things I buy, I really don't have a plan for them. I picked them up three times and put them back. But, they just spoke to me. They have little hand painted cherries on them. I imagine I will tie them on swap packages and the like. Or, I might move to 12233445 Chery Street.

I was stoked to find this big gallon size baggie chock full of vintage ric-rac and trims. Not the greatest picture as I took it in a hurry. I got 21 packages of ric-rac alone. I have ideas for Christmas cones, so the white ric-rac will come in handy for a snow themed one I have deep inside the old noggin. Oh yes, $1.00 for the WHOLE bag. I know!
It was a Christmas kind of day today. The little Christmas hankie came from the thrift for 25¢, the elf from one sale for 50¢ (in a baggie with a bunch of true junk) and all the other little vintage Christmas doodads were in a paper sack for 25¢ at another sale. Not pictured, I also found several packages of miniature crafting Shiny Brite bulbs (from Woolsworths and Duckwalls)malong with some other vintage crafting Christmas goodies.
These hard plastic cupcake toppers were $1.00 at a big tarp sale where everything was strewn on the ground in various area marked 25¢, 50¢, $1.00, etc. They are divine, don't you think? Pardon the pun.
The vintage bulbs on the left came from the tarp sale for $1.00 and the bulbs in the boxes on the right came from a different sale for $1.00. I love the figural bulbs - the bird particularly. And the lantern. And the candle. And the bell. Okay, okay, I like them all.
This fun vintage tablecloth was in a box of sheets and towels marked "Choice $1.00". It might actually be a twin size coverlet, I'm not sure. I think it wil make a fun tablecloth for one of my PTSA Fiesta Days I am planning.

This old board game has a great game board inside. The playing pieces are metal Zephyr's or something along that line. Very cool. It was $1.00 at the tarp sale.
Roll of cool vintage metal lawn edging. You would slice your foot off if you stepped on it barefoot. Sharp! Loved the old graphics. I thought I would put it on the garden bench, but it's out in the elements and the label would get ruined. So, here it sits on my porch on top of my old chicken coop.
Fun old Bing-O game. I think these are sell-able for collages and crafts? Not really sure. 50¢
Fun old hard plastic bunny. I have removed his sticky glue tie looking thing on the front. He's a cutie. Not sure why I needed him, but he was only a quarter. He's about 14" tall.
So, at the tarp sale, I spot this little sad turkey in the 25¢ pile. I thought he would be cute on the Thanksgiving Day table or maybe even in a swap box. So, I pay my quarter and I bring him home. Once I get him home, I decided to check him out and make sure he didn't have any rips or tears. I see a staple on his wing, so I decide to remove it. Then I flip his wing over and it's a little metal button. And my 41 year old eyes squint and see on the button it says "STEIFF". Holy batcrap! A Steiff. For a quarter. I've never seen an actual Steiff anywhere! So, at that point I am still thinking he would be cute on the Thanksgiving table and this fun yard sale find would make a nice conversation piece. That's when I got catty and looked it up on ebay. The last one sold for $162.50. Holy Guacamole! I like him and I'd like to keep him. But, that $162.50 is saying my name! "Gobble, Gobble, Gobble, SELL ME!"

More Junkin and More Motorcycles tomorrow. Proabably no pee'ing celebrities though. But, you never know! Tune in!