Saturday Yard Sales

This yard sale was in a poor part of town and unadvertised. I'm not sure why I stopped. But, it turned out well. Everything I picked up, I bought. Nothing was priced! He priced it as I asked.

$2 items:
*A set of white, 100% cotton king-sized sheets with embroidery on pillow cases and top sheet. If If  never have another king-sized bed, these can be cut down, even the fitted sheet.
*Colander new with stickers still on, porcelain over steel, the pedestal and bowl are one piece, not welded. I wonder what this costs and what it would bring on eBay. ???
*Green colander, looks old, but has stickers still on
* pair of size 12 Rockport men's shoes for someone who needs shoes.
* two journal type books
* king-sized top sheet 100% with pink flowers, "Vintage Victorian" on the label. I would love to have this on a bed, but making aprons would work, too.


$1 item:
picture frame with labels, new

The king sheets in the plastic bag they came in and both the colanders will probably be sold. That was my Saturday.

We have had 55 days without rain! Yard sales abound this late!

Your turn
What is your latest yard sale haul? Or any yard sale haul? How did your Saturday go?

In the Middle of the Night....Hulu Deal

It's 4 am and I am nowhere near sleep.

I have know all week that I was not getting over the uti. Some days, I could only lie here. Going out for food or even walking to feed Dominique was exhausting. Thursday, I had a regular appointment at my urologist. Yes, I do still have the uti. He prescribed medicine, but it will be Tuesday before the results of the culture are back.

Part of the problem is I have not eaten right since I only feel like eating what is there and easy. Now, I have to focus on more green vegetables! Carbs must go or at least be restricted. I know I am at fault here. ugh

Oktoberfest is under way. However, it is less accessible now. I could park and walk across the road. Now, they parking lot is full of festivities, so I must park at least another two blocks away. I cannot walk that. And, with this funk I cannot even pretend I would enjoy it.

My goal is to hit the huge yard sale that is my highlight of Oktoberfest every year. One year, for $1.25 I got enough sheers, expensive ones with an 8" or 10" hem. Five sets of sheers were taped together and priced. That was a thrill since I needed them for my bedroom.

Since this happens two blocks from my house, I can go early, very early--6 am. Then, I go home and take a nap and go back about 10 am, go home and lie down and return about 2 pm when everything is greatly reduced and then free.

The first year of the yard sale, I was taking a walk about 5 am. I saw lights at the Catholic Church and floodlights and people milling about. So, I went over and found the yard sale. Since I knew the woman in charge, she allowed me to shop and return to pay. They lent me a basket in which to carry items home. I walked back with a check.

You can find tires for your car, a bathroom sink, toys, baby furniture, some antiques, and this is all on the outside of the tent. Inside there are all the other small yard sale items. There is food cooked by the Catholics. On a higher playground area are games for kids plus all the swings and playground equipment.

Some people I only see at the yearly Oktoberfest yard sale. Some of these people I met at the very same yard sale. Maybe I won't go at 6 am. I will just wait until later.

There are things I want to buy. I just forgot what. My budget is limited, so purchases will be limited.

Hulu has a special price now--$5.99/month for the first year. I signed up for that. Now, the only purchase is a Roku plugin thing for $28, a one time charge/purchase. The newest and cheapest yet will not be for sale until Oct. 10. This is for new subscribers, so if you had the free Hulu, sign up under another person in the household.

I am down to two channels with the antenna. Last Saturday, there were two football game...just shoot me now! I can get the latest episodes the next day.

My melatonin is kicking and end, so I will wind this down. I am typing on my back and without my glasses, so there is no wonder what I have typed!

Your turn
Do you have an annual sale that you just would not miss? What kind of good buys have you found? Are you getting Hulu for $5.99?

Yardsale treasures

These treasures, bought cheaply, are the result of several weekend yard sales. I am so thrilled to find a pretty or useful piece for my home or for a gift. There are many things I would like to have, but I dig in my heels is the price is not skinflint cheap. You may think I paid too much for some of these. But, I am frugal and try to stay withing my budget. Nothing here cost more than $1 and never less than $.25. However, multiples can put some pieces at less than a nickle.

$1--Hand-painted dish, 7", signed, bought for a gift, but I will keep this or sell.

2 Kerr pints, 1 Ball jelly jar, not washed yet, quarter each 

Arrow, heavy-duty stapler, $1

This has been a wish of mine for a long time. It is not the kind used for upholstery, but it works well for upholstery. It carries five weights of staplers. Made in the USA. It is $35 on the Internet and $16 at Lowe's. This will be soooo handy. And, it is full of staples....double win.

 How do you like my chicken fabric below that will be made into napkins? This is something I bought retail that I have had for several years.                                                                                             

25 cents, press-on light

I have always wanted one of these for dimly lighted or unlighted spaces, like a hall closet in my home. But, I could never justify the cost. Right now, they are $6 retail. I had the battery; now I have a working light. It occurred to me that this would be good if the electricity were disrupted. No matter what you have found them priced, this is about as high as I will go for one of these.  

 $1-stationery, 25 cards/envelopes and 64 lone envelopes

View over the table where I am sitting. The hens stayed with me the whole time. They are not entirely responsible for the area bare of grass.

25 cents each

Starting on the left--I love these for tea candles. Votive candles leave drips. I put white beans in the bottom to protect the glass from the heat. However, I only get them at yard sales for a quarter. I am not even sure where they sell retail.

Center--This little bottle is about four inches high, including the glass stopper with the rubber to make it fit well. Or, is it plastic. You know what I mean. The problem with this is that the cover on the glass stopper will not come off. So, there is a little dark line that is some sort of material. It will never come near whatever I put in the bottle, but I want it gone and cannot remove the stopper cover.

Right--I love this bottle. It has an insert with holes to shake the contents through. Then, the glass top in front of it sits on top, making it airtight. I made my own pepper last year from jalapenos, so I may put it in here instead of in the plastic bottle.

I am not sure if this is white dish is oven-proof.

I saw these two displayed together, picked up the ceramic? dish and asked the price. $1.50

So, I carefully replaced it in the metal basket and I browsed. At the end of my browse, I picked up both and asked the price. $2 I took them thinking I could resell either one for that price if I decided not to keep one or the other. This was more than my budget, but I really like the white, straight-sided dish.  He did volunteer they did not go together. I was aware. 

$1, USA, 12" long
Brand is USA, and made in USA
See Thelma behind the table?

I love scalloped or curvy shapes.
The view from above equals the side view above. 

$1--Fire King Casserole, excellent condition, bright colors (to sell)

I took an equal amount of things to the thrift store. So, maybe this won't be perceived by me or anyone else as clutter. When I see things at yard sales or thrift stores that are better than what I have, I purchase and consider it an upgrade.

I will post more another time. Blogger is not allowing pictures to be put up like it did before. So, I have to close the blog after uploading each picture, and I am tired of this nonsense. Maybe tomorrow it will behave better.

Besides, the hens are whining to have their cage down so they can come inside! 

Your turn

Did I overpay for anything? What have you found this summer that was priced so low and so useful that you could not resist?

Moon and stars bric-a-brac shelf

just took bric-a-brac shelf from the car

Saturday, July 2,  I went to yard sales that were on the route I was traveling, about ten miles. I did not search for any sales or follow the signs in the country that might be from last weekend or involve adding ten miles to my trip. I hit the Mother Lode. This yard sale was right on the side of the highway.

The wall shelf unit for bric-a-brac was built from the 1940s to 1960s, I was told. If you know differently, please clue me in. I have searched the Internet for something similar, but obviously I am not googling the right phrase. One antique dealer said he would take it if it were done in the Shabby Chic style--pale yellow or green. When I glue it together, sand, and paint, the price will be high. Now it is $100. It is a little rickety, too rickety to sell or handle easily without tightening it. Gluing is the most I will do. And, that is only so I won't destroy it!

One of the guys standing there at the yard sale said that boys made these in shop in high school. I believe him.

This shelf was nailed directly to the wall. Nails are still in the back. You can see them at the top. The guy swore it was the original mirror. I believe him. My Aunt Willie in Mississippi had one of these. I was so envious, wishing we had one. Well, she was my mother's aunt, the sister of my grandmother. Now that I have thought on this for a bit, I am not sure if hers was empty or had things on the little steps. I have seen them in use both ways.

Your turn
Have you ever seen one of these actually in use? Paint or sell as-is after gluing? Price too high? What would you ask for this online? Exactly what is this called? Ricky, help me think! Or, was that, "Ethel, help me think!"

99 Degrees and Failures and Accomplishments

Remember my celery grown from the bottom of the celery? Well, with all the worry of the tornado, I just watered it too much. Soon, it died.


Remember the celery at its zenith?

Absolutely no potting happened on Wednesday. I accomplished much, but it was indoors:

*sorted and dated cans of food
*made up a box of food to give a new acquaintance who is struggling
*sorted a few books
*packed away blankets
*loaded and washed dishes in dishwasher
*washed iron skillets
*took cans to recycle=$4.68 (78 cents/pound)
*picked up produce for hens
*washed and hung out three gray pair pants (rinse cycle and vinegar only)
*hung another small load of clothes
*folded and put away clothing from the clothes line
*sorted and threw out eggs kept too long (tornado turmoil)
*scrambled eggs for my breakfast
*ate from $ menu at McD with $1 gifted coupons. (Exbf ate too)
*saved 1/4 of amount purchased on necessary items by using coupons at store
*made a frugal salad for dinner for exbf and myself and one for his lunch tomorrow
*got haircut
*returned item to store
*gathered a few items to take to the thrift store

Well, it is no wonder that I am exhausted now, Wednesday night.

Ex bf did lots. Tuesday, I found a guy who mowed my yard with a riding lawnmower and only charged me $10! However, it did still look ragged since he could not walk with a regular mower to finish it. I assured him I was satisfied. I had a plan. Ex was coming Wednesday to mow. So, he had time to do a few other things instead:

*used weed eater on the yard and made it look very nice
*fed hens (he likes to do this)
*filled 2.5 gal waterer
*watered plants in my pink 4x4 foot garden/planter
*watered all the stressed plants on the table waiting for me to repot them
*dug up the volunteer Wave Petunia that was outside the rocks (and put it in a pot!)
*carried the cans for recycling to the car for me
*took most of the trash to the road
*got a plastic box from gutter, emptied it and washed it for me
*dumped rotten food into a container to throw away (from tornado, what I lost in refrigerator)
*carried the chicken produce
*put things in compost by fence
*brought egg every time (3) the hens laid one...he likes to do that
*reports who is on the nest now.

He was tired, too. But, he said it was better than mowing. He declared he would never have chickens or a cat or dog.  But, he enjoys telling me of the hens' antics and who is doing what. Chickie Daddy is a good and valued friend. I made sure there was plenty of water taken out to him, and a snack in the afternoon. Then, he had a long drive--1.25 hours home.

Here I am on Thursday and nothing done about potting. The plants will all get watered.

High today--104 degrees

Your turn
Do you ever have a very busy day and think you have piddled until you sit down and recount the tasks, large and small, seasonal or everyday, and decide you just did accomplish something? How are your plants? Any failures on the road to food freedom?