July 21, 2012
A thrifting I will go.
Our day started quite early, with Steve and I heading out to a trail for a lovely bike ride. May I pause a moment to explain that I just recently acquired the first bike I have had in years, and that I am a city biker. I bike to work, I pedal about town. So the trail, which I have walked before and recalled as fairly level, seemed about my speed. It’s funny how what you do on foot or in a car often doesn’t translate to the bicycle. Let’s just say that if I ever want to have my brain rattled about in my skull like that again, I’ll just stick my head in the washing machine mid-cycle. About half way through the return ride I began trying to think of ways this could be worse…”Strap a screaming baby into my basket?” I thought.
So paved roads it is then. And what’s a lady to do to make up for such trauma? Yard sales! I acquired more than a couple of interesting items today, and I’ll show you a few (the others are for me to spring on you at a later date).
Behold find number one: a very old Kenmore sewing machine for $20.
It’s as musty as a hobo’s sock but it came with a box of attachments and is in amazing condition. The attachments interested me because my sewing machine didn’t come with any and I figured they might fit it, as it is also quite old:
This one dates to about 1918, is foot powered and cost me $40 plus $10 to have a belt for it shipped from the States. I love it, as it is a workhorse that requires virtually no maintenance and will function even in the event of an apocalypse. But it had few attachments and they were puzzling. I didn’t realize (due to the yard-sale giddies) that the one I bought was a Kenmore, not a Singer – so whether or not the attachments fit, we’ll have to see. But at $20, no one is a loser here. Not around this topic, anyway.
Next, we have the small globe vases – five of them at 50 cents apiece. See how lovely the hydrangeas look. I have a yard full of these puffy white folowers, if anyone wants some. Serioulsy.
I acquired the vases from a self-confessed control freak who bought them as centre pieces for her own wedding.
“Yep, Bridezilla, that’s me,” she said, before quietly following up with “I wasn’t fit…” I assume she meant to finish that with ”…to take the helm of such a large scale event without suffering a mental break and alienating the man I was to wed.” She still had a wedding ring on, so it can’t have been all bad.
Finally, we have these, which made me squeal with delight when I saw them:
Amish coasters! A small box of them! These are so cute but even more, they are perfect for Dutch Blitz night. What is Dutch Blitz, you ask? Why it’s a vonderful goot game!
If you’ve never heard of this, it’s a card game invented by a German optometrist in America as a way of helping his children learn colours and numbers. It’s most easily described as a full-contact cards. The best game ever. Buy it, try it.
So you can see how my coasters will go over well on Dutch Blitz night. Except that you are not actually allowed to have your drink on the table during play on account of the physicality of the game.
What? You should see us play Spoons.
