The one that got away.

Arghhh. Last night after work I was killing some time before I had to meet my husband. Of course my favorite way to kill time is to hit a nearby thrift store. There is an unwritten rule of thrifters that if your hand is on an item it is yours until you let go. Last night I let go.

I'm so mad at myself. I love to buy original art. There was a pretty fantastic painting of cactus available. I was pondering the purchase and decided to think on it. I'm not sure why I was even hesitating. The price was so right. The place was not busy and no one appeared to be looking at the art along the wall. The SECOND I backed away from the painting some guy ran up behind me an took the painting.

It's like a fish story about the one that got away.

Thrift rule #1... hold on to it until you are sure you do not want it.

What I did NOT buy this week.

Those who know me, know that I LOVE to second hand shop. I love to hunt for odd items at bargain prices. I have found some wonderful items over the years, many of the items totally useful. (Many not).

Some "most useful" items I have found include the GIANT champagne bottle that currently resides in my home office. An awesome metal candelabra that resides in my dining room. I've purchased some great artwork at bargain prices. A beautiful old steam trunk. A killer travertine dining room table that we currently use in our semi-formal dining room.

I've also bought a few stinkers that seemed like a good idea at the time. A rusty old childs bicycle that I thought might be worth something to someone else. An unidentifiable weapon of mass destruction that I found at a garage sale and thankfully re-sold at the flea market. I am still not sure what that was. At one time I did a lot of re-selling and would buy almost anything if I thought I could turn a buck.

I have no qualms about buying pre-owned. I look at it as the ultimate in recycling and I love re-purposed items.

My sister in Maine is also a second hand shopper and sometimes in our travels I will e-mail photos of some crazy or just fugly items I have discovered but would probably never buy. The uglier the better.

I buy a lot of funky thrift items but this post is about the ones that got away this week.

Creepy Butler

The first is the creepy butler. He was creeping at a re-sale shop in Scottsdale. A bargain at a mere $695. More than my recession-ass budget can handle at present. If he was $50 I may have considered it. I'd be all over having him hold a roll of toilet paper in my bathroom. Pardon me but to you have any grey poop-on?

Praying Hands Poster

Next item I passed on. A hairy armed poster of praying hands at Oral Roberts University. I lived in Tulsa once and would drive by the giant hands a few times a week. I've got to tell you this was hard to pass up except that the hairy arms sort of gave me the creeps. Don't get me wrong. I'm not one of those new-americans that hate body hair but for some reason these hairy arms gave me the heebies.

50 Cent's T-shirt

The next item I did not buy was this lucky 7, g-money, hip hop t-shirt. Ick. I didn't buy this because then I would need to buy a gold grill for my teef to go with and I can't afford that either.

Le Glorious Green Orb

And then there was this. Oh glorious giant green southwestern gourd lamp. I must admit that I actually put this in my cart and gave it a ride around the thrift store while I admired it. There were small holes poked throughout and it actually lit up. A bargain at $24. I just could not justify this purchase. It was so weird that I almost fell in love with it. This is one of those items I had to weigh whether or not it would destroy my marriage if I brought it home.

I also did not purchase this Punks Not Dead, Ed Hardy hoodie. I'm so over Ed Hardy but I'm still a punk at heart. I know that if I wore this shirt that any punks still alive might go preppy after seeing me at 50 wearing this baby. I did not buy partly because it should say Punk IS NOT Dead and that error would make me crazy. Also, Punk was way after the era of the real Ed Hardy. I'm sure he would not approve.

What did I buy you ask? Well that is another post. You'll just have to wait for that one.

Tell me, what is your weirdest thrift purchase? I'd love to know.

Thelma and Louise without the excitement of Brad Pitt

Went for a drive yesterday with a friend. The morning started as any good morning should, with strong coffee and a decadent Krispy Kreme donut (or ten).

My friend had some books she wanted to sell at Bookmans so we hit all three in Tucson. Wow. I had never been there before. What a treat.

This place is amazing. They sell new and used books, CD's, games, jewelry and decorative items. So fun. The place is very organized with a system for dropping off books that they may purchase from you. You can either be paid in cash or a little more for in-store credit.

I was on the hunt for some used copies of the Steig Larsson trilogy. I found two out of three of the books I was looking for at the last stop.

We hit a couple of thrift stores and ended the day with a beautiful drive home with some pretty clouds compliments of mother nature. A great way to spend a day indeed.

Domestic Divas

I'm still digesting my fabulous family reunion. I will post some photos soon. We had 380 adults and probably 100 children attend. It was overwhelming. I have been reminiscing about my childhood and family all month.

There was a lot of photo sharing from the old days. I thought I would share a couple of photos of some of the ladies in my life.

The black and white photo was taken in preparation for my parents wedding. We have a large family tradition of cooking in groups for special family occasions. The mainstays have always been cabbage rolls and pierogi. Only two of the women in this photo are currently living.

The color photo shows two of my Aunts again.

These photos make me so happy. I really miss these women.

Back to the Future

My huge family back in Ohio are having a family reunion next month. My Mothers family is huge! So far over 350 people have rsvp'd. ( That doesn't include the family members who don't know what rsvp means.)

The last reunion was about 7 years ago but this one is going to be special as the older generation is fading.

Above is a photo from over 40 years ago at a family reunion. In the center is my Grandfather. He is shown with his first 50 grandchildren. Next to my Grandfather is his first grandchild and she is holding his 50th grandchild. There were more grandchildren since this photo and I think the last count is close to 70 grandkids. (I am in the front row with my hands up near my ears.) I am hoping to get a better copy of this photo from my cousins.

You can imagine the progeny since then. This reunion will be attended my many of Grandpa's great and great, great grandchildren.

It should be an interesting event. I plan to share some photos and stories later.

Fashionista that I am...

I went to happy hour with a friend after work last night. When I got home I was a little buzzed and also too lazy to cook dinner. I announced that we were having KFC tonight and that I would run out and pick up dinner.

When I came home I put the chicken on the counter and said to my husband that I would be right back as I wanted to change my clothes. Smart*ss that he is asked me if I was putting on my chicken-eating pants.

CHICKEN-EATING PANTS! The nerve.

Chicken tastes so much better when you are black and blue. Or so I've heard.

Philly Days Continued...

Again I wish I had photos of the people that I am remembering from my days in Philadelphia. As stated in my previous post. I worked at an art framing shop on Walnut Street. I worked for a very nice Jewish man who befriended every stray dog (or person) who came to him.

I feel compelled to write about one of the stray people that hung around the shop. The reason I feel compelled is so that someone remembers him. His name was Nesty. Short for Ernesto. He was an adorable 80-ish short Italian man. He would make his rounds on Walnut Street visiting different businesses during his day. We jokingly called him the king of Walnut Street.

He was always dressed sort of dapper and wore a hat. I don't remember him talking about having a family or children, so partly I want to write about him so that he is remembered.

He would come in to the store and sit in one of the chairs we had that mostly were for friends of the owner who came in to chew the fat. Nesty was a little lonely I think. He told me of his girlfriend who had Alzheimer's. He told me that she was a true lady. She wore Feragamo shoes and was always dressed to a tee. He said she was always a lady until the Alzheimer's. He said she would get a bit mean and say hurtful things that she would never have said before the disease. He once gave me a couple of gold bangles that were hers. I was truly honored.

Nesty loved peppers and egg sandwiches. He would sometimes eat his lunch in the shop and he would always say that the other old guys he knew always wanted his peppers and eggs.

I'm not sure where he actually lived. I assumed it was someplace downtown and that it might have been a senior living facility.

I must say that I don't know what became of him. Because this was over 20 years ago he may be deceased.

I would like to say that when you meet an older person who wants to talk. Give them a little time and consideration. They may be alone and lonely and you may be the only person that has spoken to or acknowledged their existence that day.

Nesty, I'm not sure if you ever had children, but please know you are remembered by someone. Happy Fathers Day and God bless you where ever you are.