May 31st

As of today, I have been married one half of my life.  That is a scary thing to realize, isn't it?  Half of my life.  I was never the type of girl that dated or had a real boyfriend until I met The Breadman. And, even then, we were friends for a year or so (after I got through a period of thinking he was a creep) and then we decided we didn't want to not be together so we decided we liked each other. Then we we did that, whatever it was, for a year until a friend pushed her checkbook calendar at him one night at dinner and said, "Pick a Wedding Date."  He chose May 31st, looked at me and said, "Does that work for you?".  So, suddenly we were getting married, yet I hadn't had a proposal?  Anyway, I never thought I would get married, let alone be married half my life.

Here's the whole story to anyone new here or if you just want a good laugh.  It's a favorite post:  The Creepy Guy

*Notice how I gracefully didn't mention how long I have been married so you can't go the Math to get my age????  Clever, right?  It's our 24th Anniversary.  So, 24 + 24 = 29 OF COURSE!

**Thank you for all your kind comments on my last post.  I love it when you appreciate my sense of humor and my writing.  It makes me feel all squishy inside.  I am not really traumatized by those filed trips  - but I will NEVER forget them!  

Field Trips from HELL

When I was in Elementary School, I don't remember taking many field trips.  We always went to The Aquatic Center, which was actually a day long lab class at the lake.  We would go out and look at algae on the lake, learn to use a compass to get back to base camp and other fun outdoor activities that I DID NOT LIKE.  But, it was a day away from regular school and fun to be with my friends and eat a sack lunch - even if my Mom DID pack it in a full size brown grocery bag with my name written in six inch high letters SHARA LEE on it.  Ahem.  

When The Bean was in Elementary School I chaperoned on many, many field trips - the fire station, the dinosaur exhibit, the Agriculture Park, the University of Arkansas, a train ride, the Wildlife Preserve and on and on.  Fun, age appropriate trips.

When I was in High School, I took two very different field trips.  One that scarred me for life - seriously - and one that freaked me out for other reasons.  Wanna know where I went?  Trip 1:  The Mortuary  Trip 2:  Prison  

WHAT THE HELL?

Trip #1: Let's start with the Mortuary since that scarred me forever.  First of all, we saw things that no one should ever see unless they have decided that they want to be a Mortician.  What happens at the funeral home stays at the funeral home, am I right?  You just do NOT want to know how things happen and what they do and how Grandma stays looking like Grandma FOREVER if you get my drift.  Also, it is very important to add that the teacher that took us there and made us SEE all these things with our very own EYES was.............wait for it............BLIND.  Yes, a blind teacher made us see the embalming tables and the hoses and drains and stains and OH MY GOD.  Seriously, can I still sue them for this after all these years?

First we toured the casket room.  I had only dealt with one death prior to that and I was a child, so I was kept out of all that stuff.  I just sat in a pew and ate an entire roll of five flavor Life Savers and looked at my shiny black Patent leather Mary Jane's and ruffled socks.  But, I digress.  We looked at the caskets, and some fake silk flower arrangements, and a rack of clothes.  Some of the girls needed a diversion, so they were looking at the suits and nice dresses on the rack.  That's when they told us that you could rent, I say, RENT those suits and dresses for the "viewing" if the deceased didn't have anything proper to wear.  Whoa, Nellie.  Those girls dropped those clothes and headed straight to the bathroom to scald their hands.

Then we went to the room.  You know what room I mean.  Chemicals, tables, scales, refrigerated drawers, sheets, rolling tables.  'Nuff said,

So, that's probably more than you wanted to know about the Mortuary.  There's more deep in my head - but I will save you from that.  You're welcome.

Trip #2:  Oklahoma State Penitentiary

This is a bad ass prison full of hard core prisoners - murders, rapists, serial killers.  Signs all up and down the highway read "DO NOT PICK UP HITCH HIKERS."  Uh, okay.

When we got to the Prison, we had to go through the metal detectors and get frisked.  Now, this is really personal - but I was 16 and I was having my "monthly visitor" if you get my drift and I was TERRIFIED that when they frisked me they would think I had a bundle of cocaine all up in there if you know what I mean.  YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?  Luckily, it was a lady that did it and she didn't throw me to the ground and cuff me.  WHEW.

Next we went to a room where the Warden greeted us and said we would be going into the actual prison.  Uh, WHAT?  No thanks, this is good enough.  See ya.  Bye.  I'm outta here.  But, no.  We went in the prison.  The last words the Warden said were, "IF a prisoner were to grab any of you, we do not do bargaining. So, keep back."  CAN WE LEAVE, PLEASE?  Nope.  Okay.  So, we go into the prison and we walk in front of the cells.  The prisoners are in their locked up cells and they can see we are young and afraid and we were just told that if one of them grabs us, big Whoop.  So, of COURSE - they stick their arms out and try to grab at us with their hands.  There was a retaining wall in front of the cells so we had to walk with our backs to it and slide sideways along the corridor while they grabbed at us and by us I mean our BREASTS.  Saying cute little prisoner things like, "Gimme them t*tties."

We finally got out of there and we were all so happy to be DONE.  Oh, what's that?  It's lunch time? Let's go through the cafeteria while they are eating?  MAMA!  COME GET ME!  Nope.  So, we go to the cafeteria and walk along the sides with they are all eating.  These are the lesser criminals, (but still criminals, am I right?) and they see a group of teenagers, so they start banging their trays and making cat calls to make us all shake in our boots.  There were guards with shot guns standing around the edges of the room, so no one stood up or made a dart for us.  'Cause KABOOM if they did.  Where were those dudes with the guns when they were feeling us up in the hallway??????

During our question and answer time with the guards and Warden I asked if the prisoners were ever reminded WHY there were actually there.  I suggested that a photo of their victims in their cells so they would have to see that face every day.  The Warden actually thought that was a good idea.  After that, we left.  It was GREAT to get out of there and head home again.  Our hitch hiker really enjoyed the trip!  HAHAHAHA

Every thing you just read was completely true except that last sentence.  I SWEAR!

Edited to add:  I was in the Gifted Program in my High School (NO REALLY!) and as part of that I was exempt from some classes that were required by most.  It was during those times of the day I was able to sit in on other classes in higher grades, work on the Student Newspaper, attend field trips with other classes (the Prison field trip was in a Senior Pre-Law course) or work on projects I was interested in such as working with a group of deaf preschoolers twice a week for a year.  Most of all of this was good.  Except the Mortuary.  And some of the Prison. 

Rain, Rain...Go AWAY!

We have had so much rain.  Nearly every day or night or both it rains and rains and rains.  I feel bad that CA is in such a terrible drought and we are SO tired of the wet stuff.  Why can't everyone have just the right amount of rain?

It floods certain areas here, but never into towns and washing away homes like it did in TX.  Just enough to close some roads and make the creeks and rivers swell out of their banks.

The little creek by our house is usually only rocks with a trickle of water - you can easily walk across it on the rocks and not get wet.  But, not this week.  (While I was typing that, the weatherman just said four more inches this weekend.) That's the creek up there.  It used to go across the street and they would close it and we would be stranded.  But they elevated the bridge and there are other street out of our subdivision now.  I never minded getting stranded at home.  But, once we couldn't get home.  I didn't care for that one bit.  

The next day, the creek was low and running slow again.  But everyday it rains more and wells up again.  I'm just thankful we get a little reprise every day or so to let it calm back down.  

The real reason the rain is driving me crazy is that I am desperately behind on my prep for The Junk Ranch.  I need some sunny days to go out in the garage and drag junk out and start pricing it. Yesterday I finally had an afternoon to do that and today is another one.  It rained in the night this time, so I have a sunny afternoon ahead of me.  

The night we drove around looking at the flooding - we came across a pile of FREE things by the street.  One of the things was a hose cart, which we needed.  We had scored a free one years ago, but it recently crapped out on us.  I figured I would find one at a yard sale or thrift sooner or later.  But another FREE one is much better!  I had my flea market junk in the back of the car so we couldn't get it in.  That didn't stop The Bean.  He got out and drug that thing a block home.  

He was wearing shorts and rain boots dragging a hose cart down the dark street.  He really gave me a chuckle.  Whenever I used to go to Spring Clean Up looking for freebies, he would just sit in the front seat and look straight ahead acting like his Mother was NOT out there getting things from the curb.  Then one day he spotted an old wooden tool caddy full of old axes and hammers and stuff.  He couldn't get out of the car fast enough to grab it.  Now he knows that there are good things to be found by the curb!

Mom's dumpster diving boy!  The hose cart works great  - no leaks and Freeeee!  

(The Breadman drove the work truck home all weekend.  That filled up the driveway!)

The sun is waiting for me!  Bye!

A Mid-Week Junk Fix with MORE Nudity

After we picked up the truck yesterday, I was near a thrift that I wanted to hit, so I stopped in.  I had heard they were moving to a new location, and I was right.  I promised that I would "just be a minute" and I would "just take a quick spin around" and then when I got in the door I saw a big sign that said, "ENTIRE STORE HALF PRICE."  I sent a text of that photo to the car where The Bean was waiting with his book.  A short text came back, "Uh-Oh".  Ha.  He knows me too well.  In the end, my grand total was $30.00, but it halved to $15.00.  So not a bad deal.  The Bean (he came in to shop at those bargain prices) got three nice arrows for $6.00 that added to my total.

Two vintage boxes full of old quills and calligraphy nibs.  I love old office things.  But, they will most likely go on ebay or to The Junk Ranch.  

I got 8 Reader's Digest Books with pretty colors.  Four of them had bad bindings, so they got cut apart.  I used to cut the covers off all the RD books for crafting, but I have a nice supply of good ones now.  People like to use them in decorating now.  So I will take a box full to TJR.  

A beautiful Denby Pottery Pitcher from England and a small thrown pottery vase.  The inside of the pitcher is cobalt blue and SO pretty!

A lovely pink cake plate.  

I don't know if it's new or old, but it's pretty and useful. And it was $1.00!  

This morning when I went to ebay, my homepage showed a bunch of vintage birthday candles.  My mind suddenly remembered that I had found a vintage box of birthday candles at the thrift.  But where were they?  I run to the recycling tub, a dig in the plastic bag bin and I found them!  minutes before the recycling truck came.  Yea me!  

This is one of my favorite collections, but one I rarely ever find out thrifting.  I receive them in Happy Mail packages and swaps.  So, I was happy to remember this one before it was too late!

Two very old books and a Fruitcake Tin from the now defunct Continental Bakery (The Breadman's old employer).

A funny little Graduation girl.  She's much less scary in person, I promise.  

One of the old books is a piano music book with the cutest little notes and drawings.  

The second book is a "Bedside Companion" from 1935 and I tell you what - that book is really risque!  Nakedness, Raunchy jokes, cartoons and bad words!  

Here is a list of things a man should have on hand for his lady when she comes over.  

K-Y Jelly?  Lord a mercy.  I didn't know that stuff was around in 1935!  

This is the second post in a row where I have had to mark out boobies.  

What is this blog coming to???????

When I got home, I had an email from that same thrift telling me that the store was going to be 75% off the next day.  DADGUMIT.  

A little mid-week junk fix to spur me along.  

Hope you are finding some junk too.  Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

A Journey, Some Junk and Middle of the Night Phone Call

This morning the phone rang at 2:00 am.  Is that really even considered "morning"?  It was really the middle of the night.  I had been asleep for little over one hour, I had not slept the night before due to storms and I had driven a good portion of the day Sunday, so I was beat.  Tired, tired, tired.  But, when a phone rings at that hour, you JUMP up and answer it.  It was The Breadman.  He was on the way to work and the truck just stopped running.  Right on the Interstate - in a construction zone - on a bridge with those concrete walls on each side.  No shoulder, no median, nothing.  His first impulse was to call me to come steer the truck while he pushed it off the road.  Except three minutes earlier I was in a deep sleep and I was in no condition to jump in the car and drive.  Not to mention I had to put my contacts in, put on some clothes (and a bra for heavens sake) and then actually drive to him about six miles away.  Long story short (too late for that, am I right?) just as I was putting on my shoes to leave, he called to say that his boss had driven past and noticed him and came back to help him push it off the road and then drove him on to work.  BIG SIGH of relief.  Not that I wouldn't help him - I was going to help him.  It's just I was not awake and I do not drive at night in the first place PLUS since I cannot reach the pedals in his truck he usually makes ME push the damn truck!  What a night.  We got a tow truck to it about noon and by three we had a call saying what the problem was (a burned out coil of some sort) and it will be ready tomorrow.  $400.00 plus the $75.00 tow truck is hard to swallow - but he could have been killed where he got stranded, so I am thankful that it is all over and easily repaired.  Not to mention, I got to go back to bed.  After my heart slowed down. Those night time phone calls are not fun, are they?

I am also thankful that it happened to just him close to home rather than to all three of us on our trip yesterday.  Lots of long isolated roads with no houses or help in sight anywhere.  We drove to Carthage Missouri to meet up with my family from Kansas and Missouri. Once a year we converge on a city park for about four hours.  We visit and eat and have a grand old time.  We all keep in touch other ways, but we don't see everyone face to face that often - so these meet ups are great for a hug and some one on one time.  

I always like to pretend we are in Utah or Colorado when we go through this part of the highway.  But, it's really just on the MO/AR line.  

There were five men from three states in four different cars and they all came wearing khaki cargo shorts.  It was funny.  Like the official family reunion uniform or something.

  

Hide your eyes!  Nakedness!  (I cropped out her - uh - stuff)  My cousin brought a bunch of things from his Dad's estate to share with the family.  Pottery, woodblock prints, oil paintings, posters, sculptures and other things that my great Uncle had made.  His stuff is a big deal in certain areas of the art world.  He had too much and wanted to share some things with us.  This is also where I got the pottery a few weeks ago.  It was so generous of him to do that!  I ended up with a five foot self portrait of my Uncle, a woodblock print of a Goat from a book he illustrated and a oil that my cousin did for a movie.  My Uncle was big on nudes.  (Scandalous!)  There were several yesterday and we all got so used to them, no one realized that they were prominently seen in the background while my two year old cousin blew out her birthday candles.  That's a video for the memory album!  

There is a statue of Marlin Perkins in the park.  He was born in Carthage.  

Did I mention that it is HUGE?

I would hate to leave you with nothing but a journey - so her's the junk from last week.  Just a few things - it has rained too much for yard sales and I have been too busy pricing for The Junk Ranch to hit many thrifts.  

A piece of Pyrex.  I don't collect it and I don't usually buy it.  

But for 50¢, why not? It's boothworthy.  

This is a vintage DAM troll from Denmark with real wool hair.  He is discolored a bit - I don't know how or why.  I mentioned this in my listing yet I have had countless questions from one person about it.  I mean, I only know what I know, right?  Question after question and then the last one said it was only worth about $8.00 for the yes and hair only.  Maybe that's right, I don't know.  But they are hard to find and collectible.  eBay said to start it at $39.99, but I only started mine at $19.99.  And I did sell that Blythe.....  Anyway, I am afraid that person will buy it, then cause be grief over it.  Ugh.  

And lastly, you will be happy to hear - this old mannequin form.  I thought it was some sort of a cardboard Hobby Lobby thing at first.  But it's a heavy old form with a wooden interior that should be on some sort of a stand.  I hate that it has all the dictionary pages modge -podged on it.  I want to take them off, but those suckers are ON there.  So plan two is in the thought process.  I'm hoping Lara and I can use it in the booth for some vintage clothes and jewelry somehow.  

Speaking of our friend Lara, go give her some love if you follow her.  She hasn't talked about it yet, but she lost her precious Dad last week and she is just so very heartbroken.  Bless her sweet heart.  <3 nbsp="" p="">

The Week in Junking: Thrifitng ALONE

Wednesday is Family Day.  Everyone is off work, so we usually run errands - buy groceries, lunch out somewhere, a Dollar Tree trip, etc.  Lately, nerves have been on edge and we have all tired of the monotony of it all.  So, Wednesday I dropped the boys off to see The Avengers (I just can't......sorry Eddie) and I headed on over the hill to the land of not frequently visited thrifts.

First I stopped by to meet a sweet friend that I met at the last Junk Ranch.  She's become an IG and FB friend now.  She saw those candle blowmolds I found last week and fell hard for them.  I sold them to her and said I would drop them off since I would be near her work.  I found her, handed over the blowmolds and then, she handed me a pan of BROWNIES that she baked me (and I kid you not, they were the best brownies EVER) and, YOU GUYS are going to FLIP over this!  She took this photo:

Me by the Flowered VW my Mom and I painted in the 70's.  

And she had THIS commissioned for me:

Can you BELIEVE she did that???   Isn't that just the NICEST thing - ever?  I mean honestly, I cannot get over how very, very nice people can be in this world.  It's really just overwhelming.  

Okay, on to the junk:  I know that's why you're here.  

I'll start with the best find of the day, week, month and possibly year so far - this globe.  Holy guacamole!  It stands over three feet tall, revolves and turns.  It is a Starlight Globe, so that is why it is black and it has the star formations on it.  I never knew why some globes were black - I probably learned that in Science class at some point, but it got pushed out of my head by that "Pearl Drops Tooth Polish" commercial from the 1970's.  Anywhoooo - The globe was $25.50.  Which is A LOT for me to spend on anything.  Especially when I am thrifting.  

But wait - the whole store was 25% off.  That knocked it down to $19.12.  I was still on the fence about spending that much money and then I remembered that I had just had a $20.00 bill pressed into my hand for those blowmolds and THEN and only then did I FINALLY come to my senses and grab that globe.  And now, every time I see it and handle it I am So darn glad that I bought it.  It is super heavy and just really SO cool.  It will go to The Junk Ranch and then to the Funky booth if for some reason it doesn't sell.  But it will.  I know it.  

I bought a few other random things that day, but nothing compared to that globe.  This oil painting was $4.00, but I had a 20% off coupon, so it was only $3.00.  It will go on that fantastic vintage French Artist I bought earlier this year (Ironically at the same thrift store now that I think about it!) at the...wait for it...Junk Ranch.  Bet you all get so tired of me saying that.  

On to the smalls - I'm trying to buy less of these, but they are so hard to pass up when the price is right.  Pottery vase, handy glass jar, "half a cup" cup. puppy planter, a vintage Peanut Butter jar (that was full of nails), a tall candle with a funny puppy on it and a vintage coloring book with super sweet pictures and some strange ones too. 

Case in point:  This one.  

I have analyzed this all day.    What's up with that angel dude's hands?  

All I can come up with is, "WTH?"

This doll came from the thrift - 56¢ after discounts.  She is made by a lady that sells dolls at huge craft fair in the Fall.  This doll would be about $32.00 in her booth.  A deal, for sure at 56¢!

A Maker's Mark sweater for a bottle of booze.  I got one of these from Maker's Mark when they mailed them out.  They sell well at Christmas time.  

A sweet book about Daffy the Elephant and a pull toy duck.  The doll quilt came from the baggie sale last weekend, but I forgot to mention it.  It was a quarter.  Seriously!

It was fun to get alone and not sorry about eyes watching me look at junk.  I like to look at all the things.  Twice.  Sometimes people don't have patience for that.  :)

Word To Your Mother: Happy Mother's Day

It's Mother's Day.  I collect Mother's things.  Or things for Mother.  Or something like that. I started picking up the sweet old Mother plaques to sell.  But they sat in the booth and never sold and that made me sad.  I brought them home and fell in love with the sweet words and sentiments. So, another collection was born.  I've never really seen any other Mother's day collections, but I'm sure they are out there.  

Mom, Mother - what do you call yours?  Mine was Mama when I was little.  Then Mumsie about the time I started Junior High.  She's still MY Mumsie.  I never liked "MOM".  But, guess what I am to The Bean - MOM.  I love it, of course. :D

I added in some of my favorite babies, because you can't really be a Mother without a baby of some sort.  The set on the right is one of my favorite things - they belonged to my Great Grandma.  They are salt and pepper shakers.  Can you imagine using them????  Not me!

I bought a big scrapbook full of vintage cards  - all from Georgie to her Mother over all the years. There are cards from every single holiday and they all say Mother on the cover - if it's a holiday like Christmas, Georgie penciled in "and Dad" under MOTHER.  Georgie really liked her Mom.  I get that.  

I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday.

Happy Mother's Day.

The Week in Junk: Goodie Baggies Galore

This are definitely picking up in the land of junk around here.  Thursday I went to a sale that is a favorite of mine and then I returned on Friday for another round plus I hit about five other sales along the way.  I have lived in my house for 20 years and I know the area very well.  Most times when I see a sign on a street or road, I pretty much can guess which house is having the sale.  I am usually right. Most of the people usually remember me and ask how my son is doing and how old he is now. I mention this because I went to Jean's sale and I only know Jean from going to all of her sales over the years and I stopped at Billy and Wanda's house that I only know because they have a plate on their truck with their names and those were The Breadman's parents names and from going to their sales all these years.  Since I know what they might have and how the prices are - those are the sales I return to over and over.  I also know which houses to avoid for the very same reasons.  I'm sure that's true for most of you too, but I really just thought about that this weekend when I did a street view on Google and saw a familiar house and knew there would be good stuff there.  And, I was right!  

From Billy and Wanda's sale.  $3.00 for the pair.  I have been finding blowmolds every weekend. The good thing is they sell for good money.  The bad thing is you can't flip them immediately.  You have to wait until the season rolls around.  So far I am out about $20.00 for ten blowmolds - but I should make about $200.00 or more later.  That's worth saving, I think.  

The sale that I went to twice - the couple have several flea market booths and attend copius amounts of auctions.  They have a ton of stuff.  Even their booths are low priced and chock full of cool stuff. They have these great sales where they sell off  the rejects at silly low prices.  My favorite thing is the baggies.  Jean fills up baggies with odds and ends - like things like toys, kitchen gadget, key chains, figurines, etc. and then prices then from 25¢ to $1.00 each.  I love these baggies.  Almost too much. If I see one thing in the baggie that I like I buy it  - especially if it is only a quarter!  I think a bit harder if they are $1.00, because that adds up.  When I get home and start opening the baggies - it is just SO exciting.  Silly, I know.  But, it's like the school goodie bags where you don't know what you are getting, but you know it will be good. I do cull out a lot of stuff and donate it to Goodwill.  I keep anything that I want to keep or that I can use or that I can sell.  This time I got a bunch of packages of lace, seam binding, buttons to cover, sequins, zippers and rolls of gorgeous old velvet ribbon that I put in my craft cabinet and didn't bother to photograph.

And all this random stuff.  It was like Christmas morning!    Single shakers, old toys, bits and bobs of this and that, a Gurley Angel, Spun chicks, millinery flowers, chalkware nativity figures including Baby Cheeses, porcelain animals and so much more.  It's like an I-Spy isn't it?  I sold the two Strawberry Shortcakes on Instagram, so I am doing good already.  Most everything else will go to the Junk Ranch.  

There was a Kneehugger in one bag.

You might have guessed he's a keeper.

I bought a ton more, but  lot of it already put away or took to one of the booths.  Sorry about that.  

I paid 50 cents for the old metal suitcase - the scales and things were in the FREE box.  I cleaned everything up so its still rusty, but not all filthy.  The scales work.  I think.  I sure as hell didn't stand on them.  But, I pressed on them and the dial turned.  That's good, right????  

The old suitcase is beat up and rusty, but it has a ton of charm if you like that sort of thing.  I do.  Great old label too.  

The paper on the inside is neat as well.  Not sure if this is something that would sell.  I think it will, but I think I might use it to hold a lot of my ephemera.  Just open it up and BAM, you're done!  

My thrift senses went into overdrive when I was near a thrift that I never go to do to HIGH prices. Like, crazy high.  But, I decided to stop because you can't ignore those senses.  The best thing I discovered was that the prices had gone down a lot plus nearly everything was a certain percent off too.  I got a Scrabble game and an Othello game (our favorite) each for $2.00, then they were half off that.  DEAL-E-O!  

I also bought a cool little display rack that held Jibbetz - those "decorative" things you stick in the holes of Crocs.  It's a cool little rack that I think I can use for something.  Just not sure what yet.  I'm thinking buttons.  (That's a photo form the 'net.  Mine looks just like it though).

I was super happy to find this giant red gumball machine.  It's from 1985, which isn't exactly vintage in my book, but they seem to be popular right now.  It will head to The Junk Ranch.  It needs to get out of my house, because I am kinda digging it.  And I don't need it!  

Saturday there was a community wide sale about two miles from my house and a 100+ vendor yard sale at the Fairgrounds.  Guess what?  I didn't even go to any sales that day.  I'm happy to find one sale and score a couple of goodies.  The idea of lines and competition just don't get me excited about going to big events like that anymore.  The idea of it sounds fantastic.  But actually going...eh.  

Did you find anything good this weekend?  I think I actually had more fun on the journey than actually scoring GOOD JUNK. but I still had a good time. 

Okay, BYE now!  

(Spotted at a scary ass sale.  Aiiiee!)