January Recap and SOME JUNK!

Not long after my last post, my Mom ended up in the hospital.  She was there the week of Christmas, including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  I stayed with her the whole time, so we really never had Christmas.  I came home on Christmas day and had a meal and opened gifts.  We only get each other a few things, so it was quick.  The boys pooled their money and bought me a fancy Cannon camera with lenses and tools and a tripod and all sorts of things that I have NO IDEA how to use.  I haven't really even looked at it to be honest.  But, I will. 

I had called my Mom on a Saturday morning and she started off talking okay, then it turned into gibberish.  I manged to get her to hand the phone to my step-dad.  He thought it was her blood sugar and he was giving her peanut butter and juice. He thought she was getting better, but it really scared me, so I suggested that he call an ambulance.  Once it got there, they thought it was a stroke, so they took her to the hospital.  After a blood test, they discovered that she only had four units of blood in her body - normally you have 14-15.  Over the next two days she had six units of blood and two IV's of straight iron.  Man, that iron had her PUMPED UP.  She wanted to do trivia at 1:00 am, watch a movie and talk about food.  It was funny to see her go from talking gibberish (that was not funny - that was terrifying) to being all fired up and wanting to go-go-go!  Apparently, one of her medications has been taking her iron and just flushing it straight through her body instead of using it to make and maintain her blood cells.  She went home on the 26th and promptly got bronchitis and a sinus infection.  GOOD GOD.  Actually, that was about two weeks later - I got those things two days after being home.  She is finally feeling better from that.  She is still weak, but the doctor said that she would be weak from the blood loss for a few months - throw in being sick, and well, yes. 

So, that's my life so far this month.  I am feeling better and have had the junk fever lately.  But, there isn't much good junk out there.  I was hoping that 'Spark Joy" thing would fill up the thrifts.  I think it is- but mostly clothes, books and kitchen stuff.  Not the sort of things I want to find.  Besides, who in their right mind would open a box of vintage Christmas and have it NOT SPARK JOY????

I went to an Estate Sale this weekend.  Twice, in fact.  Thursday I bought a few things and when I left the lady told me it will be REALLY CHEAP on Saturday afternoon.  Well, I'm no fool,  I went back on Saturday afternoon.

I bought this old metal doll crib on Thursday.  There was a huge walk-in closet stuffed full of dolls, barbies, doll clothes and baby clothes.  The crib was in the back full of junk.  I asked how much and it was $20.  Then someone said the dolls were half off, then someone else said the whole closet was half off.  Finally we all agreed that the crib would be $10, so I swooped.  I wish I could keep it, but it will go to the Junk Ranch.  It's a minty green and very sweet.

.I also bought this beautiful California Hand Prints tablecloth on Thursday.  It was the second week of the sale and late in the day, so I cannot imagine how it was still there!  It was $6, but 25% off so that was a no brainer.  It's a keeper!  Everything was 25% off and the dolls were 50% off - when I tallied it up at home, my purchases totaled $52, but I was only charged $20.00.  So, not sure what kind of math that was - but I liked it.  :)

I spotted that huge 5 lb. Louis Sherry Chocolate tin on Thursday, but it was $25.00.   When I left on Saturday, I held it up and the lady flashed five fingers at me.  SOLD.  Also a keeper as I already had the two smaller ones.  

So, Saturday I was in the doll closet looking and the lady stopped by to say "I will make you a good deal on anything in here - we have to get rid of it!"  So, I said, "How about all of it?"  Well, her eyes light up like "YES!".  She thought and said, "$40?" and I said, "SOLD"?  There was a lot of stuff - ten trash bags FULL and boxes and tote bags and baskets and a hamper and on and on.  I got it all organized and a man helped me load it all.  I couldn't even see out the windows!  That;s when I decided I was crazy.  Lol  

Sunday I spent the whole day sorting it.  I have four trash bags going to Goodwill, things for a friend, an ebay pile, a Junk Ranch pile, a booth pile and a things to still research.  There are five Ziplocs full of Barbie clothes and one gallon Ziploc full of nothing but Barbie SHOES.   I mean, that is a LOT of shoes.  

Effenbee baby doll headed to ebay.

Strawberry Shortcake dolls for ebay.

My favorite things to list and sell - smalls.  They are all in that big chocolate tin, so I can paw through them and decide what to do with each item.  Do you see those TEENY CAT EYE GLASSES?  I mean, seriously!  

Santa will stay at my house.  Because, duh - SANTA.

Here's probably part of the reason that stuff wasn't moving out of the doll closet.  It's a doll size or children's sized set of silverware.  Completely cute and all - but $35.00?  Of course, I got it in the "all for $40.00" haul, so it was a great deal.  I love them and will hang on to them for awhile.  

Buying an entire close like that is a huge amount of work from packing, loading, unloading, sorting, hauling away, selling, pricing, etc.  It takes a lot of time.  But, I think I will probably make $800-$1000 when I am said and done.  So, time is money and money is time.  

Friday night The Bean and I went to a concert and I booked us a motel room for the night.  We were only about 45 minutes away, but it was spitting snow and I knew we wouldn't be headed home until after 1:00 am, so why not play it safe and get a room?  But, when we got there - the SKEEVE factor hit big time.  The rooms were in the process of being renovated, but the tile wasn't complete, the grout was dirty, there was no hot water, there was a quote from the movie "Saw" scribbled inside the bathroom door "Let the games begin..."  There was a small window IN the shower, but no covering.  Oh, I could go on and on.  We complained about the water and were moved to another room.  It was actually renovated and not too bad.  But, I still had the ick factor.  When we got back after the concert, there were 12 men in the parking lot and six went into the room on the left of us and six went into the room on the right of us and I was like, "Oh, HELL NO. I am not staying here!"  So, we grabbed our stuff and hightailed it home.  I think the $62.00 loss on a non-used room was a fair price to pay for not getting robbed and/or murdered.  We had been at the casino and although no one knows if you have won or lost- why not try to rob them anyway - just in case?????  Anyway, the concert was great, I did win a little and we will always remember that motel adventure!  

So, what's going on in your world?