Crap-tastic Finds

 Oh happy days are here again!!!!  It is a blowy Friday with weather moving in.  Wait a minute...we have weather EVERYDAY, don't we?  Okay, I walk out of the house and the wind is coming out of the south, I get in the car and it is coming out of the north, the leaves are swirls around the street, very confused, "which way should I blow, which way should I blow".  See all the clouds moving in from the northwest...not good my fine Thicket friends, at least not here in the wilds of the Lilac Thicket.  Winds are so gusty, I half expected my poohs to be blown over the fence into my neighbor's yard, yes the ones who sneak over when I am not home to clip branches off my maple tree. 

So I take this picture on the way up to Dollar General and I see the Thrift Shop in the middle of it all.  My breathing becomes shallower, my heart starts racing and my mind whirls with thoughts of what crap-tastic finds might await me there, finds that I just might NOT be able to live without.  So I pull in and some lady tries to cut me off so SHE can get the closest parking spot but I wheeled my bird poop festooned Honda, shifted into second and sped by her!  Yup...I got the  closet spot!  I feel victorious before I ever hit the door.

 See the open sign calling like the mermaids siren song just before the sailors crash into the rocks...yup I crashed those red doors like a drunken sailor hits those tavern doors at the first port of call after being at sea for 6 months.  I wander up and down the aisles trying to take in all the merchandise and see if something pops into my line of vision, something fantastic, something unique, something cheap.

 Yes here it is, it has been waiting for me, a printers tray, not a really old one and the missing slat is taped to the top but it can be repaired.  I have been pining for one for at least 2 years so I can stitch little designs and lovingly mount them in the little compartments.  24" by 16¼" of wooden pleasure, all for the price of $4.75...."SOLD" I shout.  The old lady volunteers don't hear me, they are deaf, you talk to them and tell them to hold it for me so I can look around more and they look blankly at me like I am speaking, say Italian!

So onward I trek, thru the maze of deliciousness until my eyes spot this wonderful picnic basket style whatever!  It is new and unused and has the irresistible red gingham lining with a pocket in the lid!  It is 10" wide and 5¼" high and yes it was calling my name "Sucker!"  $4.75!  "Sold", I scream, much to the dismay of the woman behind me who decided to move an aisle back, I think she thought there was something wrong with me.

 Then I moved down to the craft items and of course there was a shoe box full of spools of thread and they were dancing quite well, twirling and bouncing trying to get my attention.  They were very upset when they found out I only had eyes for the wooden spools and in particular the lime green spool as there was NO paper label on it, just an imprint into the wood.  20¢ and 25¢, I wept as I realized  how cheap my find was and then I heard the moans from the spools I left behind as I moved away.  My heart was heavy but for about 5 seconds because that is when I spotted....

 ...yes ladies another basket, a heavy nicely made one.  My eyes are tearing up from the loving memory as I fondled this beauty. 9½" in diameter, 5" high without the handle.  I am thinking maybe a gift basket but no...I may be selfish and keep it for myself at a pricey $3.50!

As I was walking up the aisle to pay for my treasures, I tried to put blinders on so I wouldn't be tempted by anything else but this little candlestick tried to trip me and then it shamelessly turned it's backside to me and shook it emphasizing the $1.50 price tag!  Oh my gosh, I can spray paint the metal to matchy match my decor.  This little hussie of a find is 10¾" tall and spreads it arms 13" wide to embrace my heart.  Okay, I am weeping now as I get up to check out and the blind and deaf ladies who take my money  were probably laughing manically as I sweep back out the door to find the wind battering me and my treasures as I claw my way back to my car, the wind trying to rip my babies from my bosom.  Yes it was a very emotional trip and I am worn out from the lamentations I have written here.  To live the experience once is powerful, to relive it as I pen these words is just too much for my faint heart to take.

I hope your day is as powerful an experience as mine has been as my new babies acclimate to the Lilac Thicket.  God Bless us, Everyone!