Like, freaking, food, again.

I don't usually eat breakfast. I know it's good to, and I'm supposed to, but most times I don't at all feel hungry in the morning, and more often than not, even feel vaguely nauseated for no reason.

Plus, I have discovered that when I eat in the morning, it really DOES jumpstart my system, and I end up being hungry 3 hours later, to the point of ravenous obsession.

My schedule is SO not conducive to working that in. Actually, considering the more recent push for health/exercise/nutrition in the schools, I should probably just plan that into my day and MAKE time for good healthy eating habits, and being a good example. I'll have to consider that. BAD habits are hard to break, though very fulfilling when I indulge in them.

So today, I had some water that I finally remembered to throw in the fridge so it would be cold. I went for a good 3 weeks without even any drinking water in the house. I haven't used my Brita in ages, I can't find my extra filters, and it is SO overdue for a change it is not even funny. After seeing all the ads promoting the drinking of tap water as economical and environmentally friendly - bad plastic water bottles! Bad! - lately, I gave my tap a go.

Oh, H3LL no. I am SOrry, but sometimes I can't even rationalize how my place is not dumpy. These pipes are AWFUL. Water comes out in the tub orange, initially. Any water from the kitchen that dries on the pots and pans that I didn't wipe down end up with white crust. I know it's not necessarily the fault of the pipes, since our prolonged drought has greatly exacerbated the already hard, dodgy quality of Southern California water.

I always did wonder why my hair and skin didn't dry out like a frickin desert when I was in Europe, but I think it's because the water is softer there!

Anyhoo.

I finally hit Stater Brothers and stocked up on some water. I am STILL waiting for my neighbor to take me with her when she goes to the Aquateria (or whateverelse they may call it, I think that's close enough!), because the icy cold water she gets from that, from her fridge, is delicioso. I think it's a little bit dumb to pay for water, really, when you can drink tap, but I did try for a week, and it was gross. Just gross. Metallic, and .... it comes out orange from the sink faucet for a full minute. You can't always tell just by looking at it, but hold up a glass of it next to the WHIT sink and you can SEE. Hork. Le gag. So, I'd much rather buy a big 5 gal. and get the water for 20¢ a gallon, but I did buy several of the Smart Water bottles because I LOVE THE BOTTLES. And I plan on using them for some science explorations in the classroom, regarding density and viscosity. Of course. :)

So then, I wanted to finish up my peaches in the fridge. I bought them like 2 weeks ago, and good thing I threw'em in the fridge, because they would have rotted outside. Yuck. I ate one already, last week, and decided I'd polish off all three of them today. Washed them up, they felt okay, and I took a bite of the first one. Yuck! Tasteless! Mealy! I tried the next one. SAME THING. I was soooooo disappointed.

Then I picked up the smallest one, and it was good. What a waste, though. Blech. So only two good peaches out of the four. And the smaller ones were better. I don't think I want to buy Stater Brothers fruit anymore.

The grapes that I never finished either, were good, though.

Also, I had a HUGE hankering for pizza AGAIN! I think this shall be known as the summer of Dominos pizza. I got a craving about a month ago, looked through my coupons, and found out Dominos is just down the street, about 5 min away.

I swear I have had pizza at least a dozen times in the last month. The Gotham City is a good deal, but I just LOVE their thin crust. And chicken. And I love mushroom.

And Miss Claudia who answers the phone totally already knows me. She doesn't even take down my number anymore; as soon as she hears the name, she just takes the order. Ha! Besides, I always pick up the orders, never deliver.

So that's what I had for lunch, and will probably have for dinner.

I did pass the local farmer's market down the street - first time I ever saw it, because they have it on MONDAYS at 9. So, that's generally impossible for me to go to. Then, as I picked up the pizza, I figured, why not, I'd hit the thrift store across the street, because that is where I found the pink Pyrex last week! It was a bust. I walked out with nothing. That's a good feeling, though, because I spent a BRICK at Vets Stadium and my wallet is now nearly empty.

At the farmer's market on the way home, I took a look, and found the juice people! I have been LOOKING for orange carrot FOREVER. That is my FAVORITE. I ended up getting the orange passionfruit, and some apple. I have been craving awesome apple juice this year, since I went with Jen to Oak Glen. The apple juice I got there was frickin amazing. Like nectar, I swear. Mott's, you lose!

Anyway, I haven't tried it yet, but the orange passionfruit was decent. Decent, and not going to spend $7 on it again. :P

All. Shopded. Out

Well, I went to the Antique Market today. Just got back, and I am POOPED. Hopped in for a cold shower (which I NEVER take); it was blistering hot today.

It was a pretty good day! I was severely disappointed to only find ONE teacup stand from this one dealer ... when all I needed was two. Just. Two. Bugger. I like symmetry, you know? They hold 10 each, so it would have been perfect, I think. I even asked if I could get one from her sometime this week, but she lives in Northridge! They only brought the one today, and it was not even in new condition. So she knocked off $2. I met other people coming from Moreno Valley and all sorts of place. So I'll have to figure out what's going to work for this darn shower.

My feet got SO dark. :( I am glad I brough the umbrella, even though it has now basically fallen apart. ARGH! I wore my Tevas so I wouldn't get WORSE tan lines on the feet ... but I swear I am now an additional 4 different colors.

Then, the backs of my knees started itching after the shower, and I thought that was weird - and then I realized I should probably stop scratching, because it was sunburn. Yowza!! I remember standing in the sun at the very end, last rummagey (as opposed to "final call") booth, trying to tan my legs ... good thing I put sunscreen on my arms (ouch) and face today. But still!! I always overdo it! :(

Anyhoo, feet were aching, the bag was SO heavy, but I got some things that I am really happy with. I did not, however, get the darn shams I have been looking for for practically a year now. I am very annoyed with that wife person, geez. No pics, either, I didn't get around to it, and I was feeling miffed!

NOW TO CLEAN AND SORT AND ORGANIZE ALL THEM THINGS, PLEASE.

I changed the batteries in the camera so I'll take some pics tomorrow and slap'em up. Now to start matching stuff and seeing what works! :)

A reply

The first blog on my blogroll is a thrifting INSPIRATION. She gets deals I only dream about. So do other people. People who buy $20 1940's dresses off the Halloween rack at Goodwill and sell them on eBay for $1,360. I am not even kidding.

Anyway, I'm still learning. :)

So, Selena posted about changes in thrifting. I started to add a comment to her post, realized it was 3402978192872937 words long, and reconsidered. I frickin' EDITED myself (nearly impossible for a verbose, detail-oriented perfectionist like me), and figured I better just post it in my own space. So, go read her post there and then stick around here if you want to subject yourself to my garrulous and loquacious and waxing commentary!!

And, can I just say??? Editing oneself is HARD. "EVERYTHING'S important!" :P

*******************************************************************

Selena! Girl, that is SO funny. I was just thinking that ["it's not what it used to be"] today! I'm working on a post on my blog about what a complete and useless WASTE of time the garage sales were today. Blech. I had a decent day, overall, and did get something that *I* considered a good value to me, though it is not a "steal."

But, yeah. I thrifted very intermittently when I was younger, like in high school. In college, I was fortunate enough to have a FREE college thrift store - and what I mostly got were clothes - J. Crew leather boots, London Fog down coat, Levis jeans, a bookshelf for my dorm room ... free, free, free. The nice volunteer ladies (all professors' wives) were BEGGING me to take things off their hands, every week. I felt guilty, but they always said they had more than they knew what to do with. They originally started taking donations because they had so many international students (especially from Africa) who just about maxed themselves out paying for tuition, and they didn't want these poor families with kids to freeze their tooties off in the lovely, inviting, Chicago winters. :P Isn't that nice???? I loved that place. They had free baby clothes and baby furniture, even - and toys! Plus, the local neighborhood/community was VERY well off - there was really nice stuff donated.

I spent a pretty penny at the local thrifts, too, and loooooooooved my camel wool coat for $7 ... but those days are gone!!

I hit 4 garage sales today (decided not to stop by several, though I saw signs), and you know what? I didn't buy a SINGLE thing. I was thinking of you, too, wondering what you do when you ARE hunting and chasing and deciding whether to drive that extra two miles to another random sale. You also often cross my mind when I walk by the shoes at thrift stores, because I HIGHLY DOUBT that I will ever find Borns for $8, or freaking $400 boots ... but shoes are honestly not my thing. I just don't know how! But you are very inspiring!

Today, I think I am glad I passed on the run-of-the-mill garage sales, since it was all old, dumb, nasty junk. Dumb toys (not even anything good), manky old clothes, stained burp cloths, used foot spas ... and overpriced!

Also, I do not appreciate being misled by an advert of a "great, overflowing" yard sale to find only 6 3x3 piles of stuff in the front yard.

I really have only been thrifting in earnest, regularly, for about a year or so, but the two things I notice are THE PRICES, and the selection. Old stuff - vintage, I mean, not just OLD - just is not that common. It's not terribly common here, anyway, being in California, as compared with other parts of the country, I suppose. That is why I am SUPER DUPER excited to spend a weekend in Philadelphia this September, and I'm planning my thrift list, etc. for that Saturday! Hee.

Even the estate sales - I remember going to one a long time ago, with my mom, and I guess we only went because it was in the neighborhood, not because we needed anything. Um, how about finding $300 worth of signed traveler's checks in a book I picked up?? We turned that in, of course. Earlier in the year, I also found a wad of $72 on the floor of the garage at another estate sale, but that was because the guy dropped his change envelope, and he never even knew! I wonder if it was bad that I actually did sit there and count the money first, instead of just handing the stack back? :P.

At the organized, professional estate sale that I'm on the mailing list of, prices are at least double what I think would be a steal, or good price, and SOMETIMES they mark it down half price on Saturdays. Mostly, though, as you said, it's just a wholesale dumping of the contents of a house, including half-used kitchen cleansers and laundry detergent, cans of soup, clothes and shoes right out of the closet ... :(. I guess a lot of the better stuff gets bought up the first day.

I would say there is a combination of two things that impacts what is available at thrift stores now, and maybe impacting the garage sale market. Firstly, I honestly think the internet, and craigslist, and ANTIQUES ROADSHOW, have changed how knowledgeable people are about pricing things. Especially Antiques Roadshow, and maybe magazines like MS and such. People know more - people know what to look for - it's easier to research (even a know-nothing like me has learned a few things!). So prices go up since people can check eBay to see what used old junk is going for.

Also, retail stores have amazing sales - I never realized until a couple years ago that some stores have REGULAR (several times a year) 75% off and 90% off sales. It's too tempting to resist. Some stuff is great to buy new. I know of many moms who stop thrifting and hitting garage sales because they can get brand new children's clothing for the same prices. The internet has helped to disseminate this information collectively - there is so much I would NEVER have learned on my own. The sharing and communication aspect is a monumental shift for me. And, since this stuff is so cheap, and people prefer buying new, they probably don't bother with trying to resell for pennies on their original nickels and dimes. I think this post-modern, not boomer, generation is the "disposable" generation. We haven't lived through rationing or deprivation, we were raised on consumable, disposable goods, and we do buy cheap and replace often. It's a change of mindset. This is a big contrast to my grandfather's generation - going through war shortages, he was a monumental hoarder. I think I get this gene from him - then again, I didn't go through a war!

Anyway, today was just a bummer with lame junk at garage sales, and limited, nasty selection at the thrift stores.

Honestly, though? I talked with one guy, and it's like - when I talk with people about what I find, I mentioned the goods and the times that I DID get something worthy - nothing is mentioned of all the FRUITLESS searching and unsuccessful attempts. People who don't' thrift like this might not understand. Thrifting, and shopping in general, is basically a matter of statistics - going more often, especially at the right time, once you figure out the schedules, even, and you'll hit pay dirt (or plenty of dust!) eventually. Not $35,000-a-year-in-book-resales, necessarily, but still saving quite a bit of money for nice, good, or even just limited availability stuff.

There are times when I don't find anything, and that's okay. There are times when I am only looking for one thing - or when I DO find it, it's about 5 times more than I want to pay for it. Suddenly I start seeing it everywhere. Yes, full 4-pc sets of the pink Gooseberry Pyrex mixing bowls!! But NOT for $75 or $60. :(

The gas is okay, because I don't make special trips - everything is basically on the way, in a loop, otherwise I go only on weekends, or if I'm in the area. It's worth it to check, especially now that I've figured out which stores have commonly had the old stuff I'm looking for.

Thrifting is always going to be around, but it's shifting to REsale, i.e., Target salvage, damaged goods, returns, etc., and not necessarily so much vintage goods.

Long Beach Antique Market, finally!!!

It's the third Sunday of the month, once again! And it has been so, so, super long, since I visited this place. I just had Sunday School to teach every. single. Sunday. Not that I mind it, really - I've been MUCH better about getting up on Sunday, even though I am shamefully and routinely late to my parents' place in order for us to carpool. And I do like the kids. And it probably is considered "tiring," but dang, them kids is so cute! It's been a leeeeeeetle more challenging lately, transitioning from one crop of kids to another, since the 3 eldest (sometimes 5 eldest) just graduated up to the regular, non Pre-K group, and these younger ones needed a little bit of training.

BUT SERIOUSLY, they are so super awesome and cute about making a line! All. Seven. Male. Toddlers. Of them.

:)

Anyhoo, I begged off teaching Sunday School tomorrow, and thankfully the other teacher will take over for the week. I hope everyone survives! I guess I hear sometimes it's a little different when I am not there. Not to say it does not ever get crazy when I am there ... but compared with MY PUBLIC SCHOOL CLASS OF KIDS, it's a cakewalk. These little guys just dart real fast sometimes, chanting "No! No! No!" as they are running away in dizzying circles around the room the entire time, or, as with last week - wailing and shrieking "Mom? Mom? MOM? WHERE ARE YOU, MOM?!? WHEREDIDYOUGOMOMMYMOMMYMOMMYMOMMY!!!!!" while courageously and doggedly avoiding my labored scurrying after them. And yes, I have to run and snag them because I jus' can't be havin' that.

Thusly, I am taking a day off, and I plan to spend a good several hours at this Long. Beach. Antique. Market.

I have no idea where my hat is, and I hope I don't get burned again, like I have been, several times previously. Duh, I guess the back of the neck reaaaaaaaaaaaaally catches all that sun when you are leaning over with your head bent, checking out the piles and piles upon the tables for ... six straight hours. :|

Maybe I can get rid of the tan lines on my feet, too - they will show in my sandals that I'm supposed to wear for the next two weddings I'm in. OK, the ONLY two weddings to which I have ever been invited to participate.

:)

Yay, I'm so excited! I would like to visit my little fabric peeps (maybe I'll take a picture!) and what I think I really want to get are the teacup display stands that I saw last time. They were going fast. White-painted metal, and darn if they weren't in the shape of a giant teacup ANYWAY. I remember that the lady who was selling them had a distinctly European accent. Maybe German. Maybe Dutch. Maybe something like that. Maybe I should wear my Amsterdam shirt again (that I got at Old Navy, not even in Amsterdam itself!) because I found myself involved in many more interesting conversations with the Dutchie peeps last time. And I enjoy having random conversations with both vaguely, and genuinely, interesting people! Especially foreigners.

Anyway, the teacup display stands were only $5 each, and they were certainly hot items. Several people (all women, of course!) bought them. There were bigger ones that displayed 10 teacups and saucers each, as well. What I'd like to do is set them up as a display for Judy's tea party bridal shower this next Saturday. It's gonna be 20 people all crowded into Dave's place ... and I hope it is not HOT!

I am soooooo looking forward to it. I have spent soooo much money on this. But I like doing stuff like this for people! And, I suppose it's an excuse to buy stuff, and spend money on things I'd LIKE to get, but can't always justify.

I know I spend too much money. I know I have way too much stuff. But it's a free country. And how's my not spending money going to help the starving children in Africa? Oh, yeah, maybe if I send it to them.

Anyways! Like my dear former colleague once mentioned, our hearty Christian guilt complexes are well and thriving.

:/

I would just love it if my family would quit worrying and complaining about how I spend money ... and graciously and gratefully accept what I would like to do for them.

Hope to have pics of the Market for you tomorrow! Once I find some new batteries for that dang camera ... ooh. Maybe I will bring my big one, instead! Yes.

And pics of the bridal shower will certainly be up, because I will be so proud of that event. I hope harsh and brutal reality does not dash the quixotic imaginings of my hopes and dreams, because I would be soundly mortified on that occasion.

Also, ashamed of my under-achieving self.

Goodnight!

What I Had to Eat Today,

a.k.a. - unbridled self-indulgence.

:(


Alright, so I was all proud of myself because I wasn't going crazy with the food today, even though I'd been to the Farmer's Market at Cerritos Towne Center. Then again, I don't tend to eat a lot in the mornings. I'm a DINNER person. Dinner at 4pm sounds fantastic, along with a LATE 9pm dinner. Where in the world is that culturally common, again?

Here's the unfortunate breakdown for the day:


2 chicken tamales with overflowing amazing favorite mild green tomatillo sauce: $6
Amazing, sublime, indescribable jasmine green tea with milk, blended:$3.13

That was all up until about 2pm. Then I continued on from my morning garage sale rounds (stupid, stupid, and useless, until I hit a semi-decent clearance/liquidation of a real estate staging business! ) to the bakeries, where I was interested in placing an order for some cream puffs for my sister's shower

Honey Bakery cream puff: $0.75

Micasa Bakery blueberry cheesecake: $3.50
Micasa cream layer cake: $3.50
Micasa ham and egg omelette sandwich, 2: $2.30
Micasa "club" sandwich (sliced hardboiled egg, ham, and cucumber): $1.75

Tea Station Seaweed Chicken Rolls: $5.41

Pho Saigon plain large pho, BBQ chicken, and Thai iced tea: $10.39

DANG, THAT'S A LOT OF FOOD!!!!

Seriously, what happened there? I guess I ordered when I was HUNGRY?? Plus, that plaza had a ton of food places and I was just looking and I'd already ready reviews on yelp and I love to try new things and new places ...

Overall total for food for the day?? About $36. For one person. :( It makes me think of all those senior citizens, or young families, that are trying to eat on like, $200 a MONTH. OY. I know I am spoiled from being a single person. And it's not like I INSIST on being single, flying in the face of all other options.

Anyway, in a minor defense, I ate the Micasa sandwiches pretty much as soon as I got them (I loooooove that stuff, but it's not CHEAP for what you get, sandwich-wise!), I didn't end up having the chicken rolls until later, like, 8pm, for dinner.

And I'll have the cakes for breakfast or lunch tomorrow (mm! cheesecake for brekkie! ha), and the pho for Sunday dinner.

So then it's only like, $11 for food on Saturday, and the rest spreads out to Sunday.

Anything to pacify my hearty Christian guilt-complex with a heavy-handed veneer of rationalization, I guess.

Gooseberry days

Whoa! Yesterday was a GREAT thrifting day. It's been weeeeeeeeeeks since I hit the thrifts, and I missed it and needed a reason!!! Good thing I stopped by, because I fooooooooooound stuff I'd been looooooooooking for for a while!!!!!

My first finds - two pink gooseberry Pyrex mixing bowls!!! Small one was $3.93+tax, and large was $5.95+ tax. I think that's a great way to mark things. They use grease pencil, so sometimes people rub off the dollar amount - this way, the one-cent digit is the same as the dollar amount so people CAN'T STEAL.

And I certainly don't NEED any more glasses, but I couldn't really pass them up ... I don't know if they are Pyrex. I don't think they are Pyrex. But the pattern is so strikingly similar!! They maybe be the flamingo pink color?? But for a set of four gooseberry (type) pattern glasses, I thought $1.91 just JUST FINE. This was at the other thrift store in scary North Long Beach, where it smells inside, but the deals are AMAZING. Like the "madonna blue" COMPLETE place settings FOR FOUR reproduction Madrid, for only $9.09. I loooooove glass. I'll get a pic up, soon, especially since I will bring these out for my sister's bridal shower next week!! I plan to have lots of pics of that.

So, now I have a trio set of the pink gooseberry. I do think I like the pink-colored bowl better than the white. To be honest, I probably only started liking Pyrex because I saw my friend Jen use hers to make some scones. I totally did not even remember where she got it, and when I asked, she said she received it at her bridal shower from the mother of her/our friend Anne. I soooooo don't remember that. But Anne's mom's house is one of my favorites to go to because there are such lovely antiques, and her gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous collections of glass - Depression glass, and elegant glass.

Anyways, I KNEW I already had a larger, white gooseberry bowl. It took some huntin' to find, in my demolished chaos of a kitchen, but I finally found it! And I think the set looks very nice together. It didn't have a price on it, so I don't believe I got it at a thrift store. I'm at the point now where I can't remember where, or what I paid, for stuff - that's a scary thought for me. But I'm pretty sure I got several pieces for $5 each at a stall at the Long Beach Antique Market. I remember those guys, because the weekend before, they'd run an estate sale that I visited. I remembered the dude named Dale. Hee.

I looooooove that pretty picture. These pics were taken on my back porch/balcony, btw. It's nice and quiet, since my apartment only has residential houses behind it. I also saw and looooooooooooved the chair and table set - TJ Maxx! I think the chair and table were $20 each. I thought they went so well with the paint job at this apartment. Too bad they painted out front a HORRIBLE scheme, so super ugly. I'll get pics of that up some time as well. The back looks nicer, for now, especially since there is a nice large tree right there, and a lovely patch of grass.

So here are my kicky rain boots and the umbrella!! Don't know why the duck looks so demented.


Boots: $10 clearance at Marshalls. I looooooooove polka dots!!!
Umbrella: $2.99 at Goodwill. I love cool umbrella handles, and RED. I still kinda kick myself for not getting the big red candy-cane handled umbrella for $1, at that one estate sale.

Anyways! The combo of black/white polka dots, with the red umbrella ... I love it. Singin' in the rain!!

Thankfully, our summer has not been TERRIBLY hot so far, it's already mid-August. This week in particular has been FANTASTIC. Nice and cool. Yippee!