YARD SALE + THRIFT STORE FINDS

Here are some recent finds while I was out poking around!

A nice sturdy vintage apron with an embroidered cook who looks like she's deranged or on happy pills or something, lol!

I love this gothic-arched display case from a yard sale.

Another red bunny cookie cutter to add to my Easter collection! The purple Wood and Sons, England plate now resides in my purple half-bath.

I don't know who made this blue vase, but I also have a yellow one just like it. The tin will get a makeover at some point.

A big basket to put annual primroses in on my shady porch, a Dickens Christmas Stories book, a wood cover for a scrapbook or craft, and a Mary Engelbreit address book!

This is the cake I made for my Becky's 18th birthday on the 22nd of May. The sticks are to keep the layers from sliding off. Becky had her last day of school on the 22nd also. She's now officially out of school; she will get a certificate of completion instead of a diploma. No idea what the future holds for her, but that's okay - I like having her at home!

Becky made the vase a few years ago in school, and the irises are 'Honorabile', an 1840 heirloom variety.

NEW TABLE

We've acquired yet another "new" kitchen table! This came from my aunt's estate; she passed in January. My sister and cousin have been cleaning the house and this was the only item left that no one else wanted. I was so surprised because it was my aunt's husband's dad's, then they inherited it. My earliest recollection is of it being in the same dining room in the same house in the early 60's up until the present. So I have no idea how old it really is. Mister can't tell if it's mahogany or not, and it's about 54 inches across.

Obviously, Mister hasn't had time to put it together yet - where do I put all my clutter until then? LOL!

MEMORIAL DAY AND MY DAD IN WWII

My dad, Edwin Simms Pink, Sr. served in WWII in the Mediterranean and in the Pacific Theater. He was a Navy man.

He would occasionally talk about his time in Italy, nothing much happened there according to his war diary, but never about the Pacific. That must have been where he saw all the action. He had even brought home a German helmet with a bullet hole directly in front of the brain. We played with it as kids, not knowing the significance of it. Boy, was that thing heavy!

One of my brothers had taken the diary and transcribed it, along with my dad's photos, making a nice 3-ring book for each of us. Here are two photos from the Pacific:

Thank you to all the soldiers who served, and died, protecting our country so we are free today.

THIS AND THAT

Warm Sunday greetings to you all!

Last weekend I saw this out by the barn:

It's a woodchuck (groundhog). Not too happy about it - thought winter was over!

But, then, yesterday I saw these:

Snowdrops. Finally!!

This past week I also received two packages in the mail. The first was from my brother in Tennessee. His wife works at a Payless Shoe outlet or factory. Every year they send up some shoes, usually sneakers or Skechers. This was a fun assortment:

A new pair of Minnetonka moccasins, a pair of Sporto wellies, and a very colorful pair of sneakers! I think that will keep me for the year!

The second package has a story to it. Do any of you (older) folks remember the western from the late 60's called The High Chaparral? This was my all-time favorite t.v. show! Last year I stumbled across reruns on the INSP channel - what a thrill! So I took to Google to see if any cast members were still alive and what they were up to.

I discovered a website and a facebook page. At the time, they had just finished having a High Chaparral Reunion in Tucson, AZ which included a few hundred fans, a couple of cast members and writers. It sounded like they had a wonderful time and were planning another one for March '14.

I decided right then and there that I was going to attend, come "he_ _ or high water". I started saving and came up with enough for the registration fee. During this past year I have made some fantastic H.C. friends on facebook and couldn't wait to meet some of them in person.

Well, during the year I lost my babysitting job (remember Jade?) and our finances were tight anyway. I kept hoping and praying but it wasn't to be. I knew I couldn't get my registration fee back, which was okay, but then the Reunion Coordinator said it would be used as a "sponsor donation". No problem. The reunion was last weekend and I so enjoyed seeing everyone's pics and hearing their stories. Ultimately, I was thrilled when a package arrived which had some Sponsor Gifts in it:

A tote bag from INSP channel, a sponsors badge, my favorite - the coffee mug!, a sample of Arbuckles' coffee which is made in Tucson, an H.C. pen, coaster, pin badge advertising Rudy Ramos' one-man show about Geronimo, and a pack of Hubba Bubba gum - which Don Collier portrayed the Hubba Bubba gunslinger (or gumchewer) in the commercials.

Even though I couldn't attend, I was still able to enjoy the experience with everyone's videos and pics!

THE TROUBLE WITH CATS

Last Thursday night, the 13th, Katherine (my 21-yr-old) heard a cat outside and went to check it out. There was a black and white one having a stare-down with one of ours. (This b+w has been around off and on for some months; don't know if it's a pet or feral) Our cat came in and Katherine said the b+w was making funny sounds - I'm guessing typical male cat sounds. It came over to her, rubbing against her and stuff so she patted it - it turned and bit her, through her faux-suede coat and all! Four puncture wounds on the wrist, the two from the top teeth were deep in there.

The next morning she was in a lot of pain and the top/back of her hand were beginning to swell. So we went to see the doctor. He said they don't keep rabies meds in their office so he sent us down the street to the ER. Poor K was all crying and stressing from her anxiety and everything. 

What they did was give her an iv of ampicillin, a drip of morphine, three shots/needles of rabies stuff then, lastly, a needle of antibiotic directly in the skin at the puncture sites - four times and moving the needle around sideways under the skin to spread it around!

(And poor Becky (16) was with us and had to just sit and make the best of it for four hours!) 

We had to go back to the ER at 1:00 a.m. as K had a temp of 101. They gave her another iv for the infection. Got home at 4:00 a.m., went back at 11:00, Friday, for another infusion. Back that night at 8:00 for more. I was sooo tired! Thank goodness the hospital is in the next town!

Had to go back every morning and night for antibiotic infusions - four and a half days worth. Infections are inconvenient, if nothing else! 

Final Chapter: After the 4-1/2 days of going to the hospital twice a day for half-hour infusions (i.v.) of antibiotics, we only have two more visits to complete the rabies vaccines. What an ordeal! Katherine was such a trooper, and all the nurses showed her extra love because she was up front about her anxiety. The doctor that saw her each morning took a special liking to her and spent time talking to her about her art work, college, self confidence - she was awesome!

TODAY IS REDNESDAY!

Hi everyone! Today is Rednesday, but I'm not hosting it anymore. Melody of Brown Gingham Creations is!

I have a favorite aunt, Aunt Rose, who passed away a few weeks ago. She was the youngest (at 80) of six with my mother being one of the oldest. Three are still alive. Aunt Rose was full of fun and always ready to give a listening ear or some sound advice. She lived in a big old house with a barn/garage, a garden shed (my uncle's), a grape arbor and a pond "way out back" on the property.

I loved the occasional sleepovers and family gatherings there. She made the best grilled cheese sandwiches in the world! She always had this Chinese lantern hanging in her kitchen - I don't know why because she loved Native Americans (adopted two), wolves, and angel dolls. I always wanted it and was fortunate to be able to have it after she was gone.

It's sad how some people die and it's expected, and some it isn't. Aunt Rose, at 80, could easily have passed for 60 or 65. She wasn't gray, but still a pretty strawberry blond.  She was very active with gardening, crafting, and being social. Cancer quickly took her over the summer. I will always have fond memories of my favorite aunt!

SURPRISE! I'M BACK!

Hello friends! After three months of "holiday", I'm back to my blog. So many (frustrating) things have happened this year that, when I gave up Rednesdays, I just kind of faded away from blogging.

Frustration #1: My agorophobic almost-21 daughter uses my computer most of the time (hers gave up the ghost early Spring), so I don't get to just pop on whenever I feel like it. (I took advantage of the fact that she's sleeping right now!)

Frustration #2: My camera broke and I can't afford a new one. I hate this! I feel so helpless without a camera to shoot pics of all the thrifty things I find, and my beautiful flowers, etc. (Don't have a smartphone, either).

Frustration #3: We're in a serious financial bind and may have to move to a town with cheaper tax rates. (Oh, I hope not! I love my house and yard!) My two Asperger girls would be devastated if we had to relocate.

Frustration #4: I had a fender-bender in July with my red pick-up - brakes went. Found out that front and back brakes are all shot to pieces, rusted, etc. Can't afford to fix truck. (Using father-in-law's Tahoe temporarily) Mister's car is very near being on its' last leg, too. We have another small Ford pick-up that he's trying to get working; it's been sitting for six years.

Frustration #5: Because of #4, I had to give up babysitting Jade, whom I've watched for four years. The monetary amount was token, which didn't even cover the cost of gas to pick her up from school in the afternoons,  but it was still money. But, now that I don't watch her anymore, I'm glad that I don't. It's kind of like a small weight lifted off of me.

Frustration #6: My now-11th grade daughter wants to quit school. She's in special ed and they're saying she can do the same amount of work that a "normal" student can. (Duh! What do they think special ed is for anyway?) She says that school has traumatized her and lowered her self-esteem. So Mister and I have a special meeting with the school this coming Tuesday, the 10th.

Okay, are those enough depressing thoughts for you! LOL! Yeah, they kinda shook me up a bit. I still think positive, too, though - I'm not ready to call the funny farm yet! If I didn't have God I'd be flat on my face. I love the New Living Translation's wording of 2 Corinthians 4:9:

"We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God.

We get knocked down, but are not destroyed."

Also, 2 Timothy 1:12 tells me,

 "For this reason I also suffer these things;

nevertheless, I am not ashamed,

for I know Whom I have believed

and am persuaded that He is able to keep

what I've committed to Him until that Day."

 

So, it's all good in the 'hood, and I'm glad to be back here! Don't know how often I'll post, but I'll be here!

REDNESDAY

Welcome to Rednesday! And - welcome to Spring! Finally! (even though we, and others, still have snow on the ground!)

You never know what's going to happen from week to week, or even day to day. Yesterday, after we'd been home from school for a while, I found this on the kitchen counter:

Becky had a microwave accident - with her pretty red polka-dotted B mug! I love the note!

Here is my knick-knack shelf with a few St. P and Easter items on it.

Have a good week!

REDNESDAY

Hi all! Well, on Friday we got the 19" of snow. Since then, we've had 50F/10C temps! Tonight (Tuesday evening) it's pouring like crazy! That's New England!

I wanted to show you the pretty Easter/Spring tablecloth I got at a thrift store a while back, but it won't photograph well because I keep a plastic covering on it. This is a shot I took right after I bought it. It was sold by Avon in 1994. I just love those bunnies!

Katherine will probably kill me for this if she finds out, but this is her holding my cat, Smokey!

That's all for this week! Enjoy the wearin' of the green Sunday!

REDNESDAY - LET'S BOOK IT!

Today I'm going to share some books that have red in them!

This first, We Like To Do Things, was an antique store find this past weekend. It's from 1949, doesn't have a back cover, and I paid $3.25 for it - way too much for its' condition, but the graphics are so awesome!


Hey, where are the child labor laws?

No child abuse here - just grandpa abuse!

Picking cherries? Sounds good to me!


I'm sure many of you are familiar with this darling book from 1945. A little bunny saw a cardinal and decided he wanted red wings, too. So he went to the wishing well, got his wings, and no one recognized him, even his mommy. So he had to go back and wish them away.




The next three books are family heirlooms. This first one is called Song and Study for God's Little Ones, copyright 1894.

It was my great grandmother's.

In this book, "Nearer My God to Thee" was called Bethany. "Come Thou Almighty King" is called Italian Hymn!
This book was my grandmother's.

It has no date, but I'm guessing early 20th century.


And, this one was my mother's.

Yes, her name was Agnes . . . and she had red hair!



Now, this adorable little book is from Made In Pixieland. And, guess what? It's not a book! It's a secret book.
I recently put a gnome and mushroom inside it!