Happy Friday!

I cannot being to describe how incredible RELIEVED (not technically "happy") that it was Friday. It has been the longest week. Yesterday was brutally, repulsively, obnoxiously hot and I alternated between wanting to crumple into a heap and cry out of sheer misery, or blow through a rampaging, screeching temper tantrum. :( Grr, unbridled aggression.

Most people know how I feel about the ambient temperature situation in the classrooms, I think.

:)

So I actually have not checked this blog for AGES!! This last month has kicked my behind. I last posted on the 18th?? Ugh. I think sometimes I try to at least start, save, and bookmark posts, even if I can't finish them right away, but the last month as gotten away from me in a major way.

At least I have an excuse, though! I tend to think that there are basically two ways of going about it: going out and DOING things (called living life) or blogging it. Um, blogging about it takes way more time than actually doing it, I think. At least, it does for me, because I can be such a detail-obsessed anal-retentive self-EDITOR.

At any rate, in the last month, I have been subjected to the following overwhelming (though mostly rather fun) experiences:

August: packing up my massive, massive, massive classroom with boxes and boxes and boxes. I think it is a good thing that I ended up with more boxes, and not more stuff than boxes. Sometimes that happens. My nice neighbor helped me. So I bought her Chipotle. I also laughed my darn fool head off silly because her crazy kid was drooling relentlessly, and gnawing everything in sight, including staples on the floor (oops) though we tried to contain her in a ramshackle cardboard box, i.e., playpen. The corner of that box lost the battle with that child's teeth.

August: getting an initial TEMPORARY placement for teaching. It was at a wonnnnnnnderful school, but it was a temporary substitute assignment while the regular teacher was out recovering from surgery. I love the principal at that school. I would love to work for him. I have never heard a principal speak like him. I won't say how he sounds, even though the very thought kind of cracks me up, but he definitely sounds way younger on the phone than he looks in person. He called himself "an old man" on the phone, and I didn't believe him until I met his wonderfully chipper, balding, grey-headed, slightly tubby, roly-poly old-man self. How cute is it that he went to KINDERGARTEN at the school of which he is now principal??? He is just an adorable little man. I have major fondness for this person and hope to work with him sometime.

August: working like a darn fool and KILLING myself making all the food and getting all the preps for my sister's bridal shower. I heard nothing but compliments, though, and I hope people had a nice time. I have decided my two favorite wedding shower games of all time and I hope to play them always. They are some of the funniest things I have ever heard in my LIFE. :D What household chore do YOU hate doing, and why?? And what DID she say when she opened that gift?? Ah, the gifts. Such beautiful wrapping. Why am I such a wrapping paper FREAK?

And? That chicken salad recipe was awesome and amazing. I LOVE me some AMAZING CHICKEN SALAD. Yum. Also, it was easy. I should make it more often. I added halved grapes to mine. Whee!

August: delaying the inevitable, and then spending the entire morning in that temp assignment teacher's classroom going through first grade materials and organizing stuff. Then getting a call in the middle of the day and finding out I was actually going to be offered a permanent position (also first grade!) at another school. No, I wasn't angry about having WASTED MY TIME, essentially, at this other school.

Wanna know the freaky thing? I'd actually been to that school AND THAT CLASSROOM before, several years ago. A very good friend I'd met when I previously taught kindergarten and had district trainings invited me over to her school to take a look and everything. I could NOT believe I was in her old classroom. We'd both been bumped (read: laid off) and moved to other schools the same year, as well. So basically, in the last 8 years, I have taught at schools in Lakewood (off of Candlewood!) - East Long Beach (off of Bellflower!) - Lakewood (off of Candlewood!) - East Long Beach (off of Bellflower!). Each school has been less than 5 minutes from the other school in the same city. Blah. What a waste of time, and energy, moving like that!

Oh, you know what else was fun?? Getting to move all my own stuff from the old classroom to the new classroom, even though technically I am supposed to have district help with that. But being told 3 days before school starts that you are moving, and then having two holidays (a Friday and a Monday, no less, when we start on Tuesday!) right away kind of means you end up having to do it yourself. It was RIDICULOUS. But sis and her bf were GREAT help! Whee. Would you believe I was working in the classroom until 10:45pm the night before school started? Yeah. Apparently, nobody believed that I could put ALL of that stuff (four rows of boxes 6 feet high, in the middle of the room) away in 2 days to get ready for the first day. I SHOWED THEM ALL! Frankly, I'd much rather not ever have to do that again. And the main reason why I didn't freak and stress about it all? BECAUSE I'VE ALREADY HAD TO DO THAT ONCE IN MY COTTON-PICKIN' RIDICULOUS LIFE ALREADY. So, whatever needs to happen, will happen, cuz that's my version of hard-working, ethical responsibility, I guess. And that stupid, useless, annoying woman is NOT welcome to come into my classroom ANYMORE, when she practically ignores me, proceeds to search out her friend (who very generously volunteered to help me), and then starts TALKING about me WHILE I am in the ROOM, and asking the most frivolously UNhelpful, pedantic, redundant questions. "How are you going to get all this put away?" "Does she know that school starts tomorrow?" "But school starts tomorrow!!" And when I inform her that I've had to do this once before, already (boxes piled UP in the corner, nothing put away, the DAY before school starts, because the lousy, ridiculous, obnoxious custodian preferred to schedule ALL his other custodians to help HIS 2 pet favorite teachers move their things from the storage room NEXT TO THEIR CLASSROOMS the week before, instead of already HAVING all my boxes moved from ONE SIDE of the school to the OTHER anytime throughout the summer, since I busted my hump to have EVERYTHING packed away 2 days after the previous school year ENDED), she then informs me MOST irrelevantly that she HAS been an aide for 20 years and KNOWS how much work it is to get ready for a new year. THEN WHY DON'T YOU SHUT YOUR YAP AND OFFER TO HELP ALREADY, THEN, RANDOM ANNOYING MENTALLY INDIGENT STRANGER LADY, AND QUIT ASKING USELESS QUESTIONS AND AGGRAVATING THE CRAP OUT OF ME!!!

As if I needed more stress!

:)

I seriously was 2 seconds away from unceremoniously kicking her out of my room (yes, MY room) before she wandered off. I am GLAD I have not seen her since! Seriously, I have never even had to CONSIDER asking an adult to leave, before. She was just beyond the pale.

September: Oh yes, my first staff meeting at the new school and the first day of school!! Somehow, I made it through. DANG, it is hot all up in there!

September: Oh, 3 days after school starts? My sister is getting married? Yeah? Family coming in from all over the country? Oh, OK. Actually, it was lovely and fun to have my cousins and aunt and uncle come and help me in the classroom for a bit. Every time I see the lovely bulletin board (with paper donated by yet another cousin!), and the giant gouge in the ceiling tile from the unsuccessful attempt to close the transom - I feel smiley.

The wedding - and rehearsal/dinner/weekend - was fun and busy!! However, it was one of the most stressful, unnerving, and downright cursed, fiasco-laden experiences I have ever gone through. It deserves its own post. ARGH!

September: Oh, best friend from high school? You are getting married too, five days after my sister? And on the other side of the country?? OF COURSE I'LL BE THERE!!!

:/

Couldn't be helped. :)

I'm sure it's interesting for the sub to take over a class when they've only had 5 days together, and with you. Haha!!

The flights were fine. The inn was gorgeous and amazing and inspiring. It was a lovely everything, that area is cute. I will save additional details for later.

September: Oh, the week after you get back, we get to have Back to School night, TOO??? Yay!!!

And then I FINALLY made it to a friend's kid's birthday party. The kid is 3. I was invited to the two previous parties ... and somehow never got the evite invitations until AFTER the fact. Oops. But man, busy busy busy! And there's another kid b-day party tomorrow. The downstairs neighbors' daughter is turning one. Hee.

Anyhoo. Somehow, I survived. And September is now almost over!! Yikes. I hope I can make it through the year with my lovely, wonderful, special "screams-and-cries-every-day" little friend in the classroom.

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!

Oh. My. Gosh.

"Becky, look at her butt."

HA!

Yes, I'm up late. Yes, I should be asleep. Yes, I should feel proud that I actually got SO much done this week.

But no, I don't feel that way, because my mother has a nagging problem. *hiss*

So I'm online looking up all these random things because cleaning out my old bedroom FOR THE FINAL TIME!!! meant that I found all these old pictures and souvenirs and such from my college days (so young! so leetle! so twee!). I toooootally starting reminiscing about a very good friend I had, and wanted to look her up on hotmail to see if she was still around.

On the msn.com site, instead, well, I admit my interest was piqued by the article about a Mormon missionary calendar. As in, a calendar composed of Mormon missionaries - male - AND NOT EVEN FULLY CLOTHED.

It's no Calendar Girls, but goodness. It's WEIRD. As in - are those two things even supposed to go together??

What is TOTALLY EVEN WEIRDER IN THAT STUPID ARTICLE is all the other random flirty calendars that are out there. (Check out the article, since I don't feel like linking to the kinking!)

Now, for those of you with a more delicate constitution, I do believe the next portion is rather PG. Just warning you!

APPARENTLY.

THERE IS.

A CALENDAR.

OF PICTURES.

OF CATHOLIC PRIESTS.

Oh yes indeed. I guess they tried to pick the better-looking ones. And all of them are wearing appropriate attire, I believe.

I dunno, doesn't something like this fly in the face of ... what is generally expected?? I don't think TOO many "religious institutions," including the Catholic church, are totally way too out of touch with reality and the world at large. I'm sure many would disagree with me, on multiple levels on many points - but it just seems freaking WEIRD to put these people/men who have dedicated their lives to serving the Lord in a position where it is OBVIOUS the INTENT is NOT exactly HOLY. You know? I'll be honest, there was some nice eye sugar that I wouldn't mind looking at every day, but actually, I just wouldn't. IT'S ICKY. Also, I am not like that and I would get bored. Appreciation is one thing, and glued eyes are another.

It's so very ... Thorn Birds. Yes, even with Richard Chamberlain!

So, if you must, you can find the gallery of previous years, and a comments section. Good glory.

ALSO!! THESE HORRENDOUS COMMENTS squick me out. Since apparently little innocent ole me never knew there was a gay fascination with priests? Where was THAT particular personage from The Village People, then? Because we all know what song they were singing, apropos enough. :P

OK, enough of the weirdness. I looked up stats for this little blog on google analytics and found some weird referrals again. Yikes.

Admittedly, "Rachel Ashwell" with various accoutrements is a HUGE hit referral. But "a eiffel tower down the middle on a comforter"?? (#24. ) And "cute butt"???? Really? Really?? I don't recall blogging about that!!! (#53.) Maybe I did mention something about a "fabic oy," (#62) or "hyena comforters" (#74). "Octopusmania" (#84).

But the primary referral is still "Goodwill finds." I kind of like that. :)

D-d-d-d, D-d-d-d, TJ Maxx!

Anybody remember that jingle??

I was out running some errands today and decided to make my OC Goodwill rounds. Whee. Bought a kids' toy, and a duck-headed red umbrella. It goes with my black and white polka dotted rubber boots I bought at Marshalls. I fully intend on taking a pic and throwing it up here because it is seriously just that cute. Red, white, and black. Great palette. Also -

Marshalls is my favorite store.

Maybe Home Goods is tied with it. Home Goods blows my mind. I find the stuff there A-ma-Zing.

That is because I have a sick fascination and uncontrolled compulsion for buying dishes and other breakables.

So, I hit the Goodwills, and TJMaxx is next door to one of them.

Why the post??

1) I'm sliiiiiiiightly frustrated at not finding shoes that FIT my FAT FEET for the two weddings I'll be in, in the second week of September, which also happens to be ... my first week of school! Oh, yay. Such good planning, sis and best friend. :P
(Update: I did go on a little shoe-specific shopping trip with my mom late this afternoon, and actually found TWO pairs of gold shoes that will work for Hillary's wedding - I will bring them with me to her shower in Santa Barbara on Saturday, for her approval! Go, mom.)

2) This little girl was JUST too FUNNY. I think she was about 5 or 6. In the entire time I was there, including two trips to the dressing room, she was just spouting stuff. I am sure she is a hoot at home. Also, her voice carries. Very easily. She's a doll. Blond hair.

So, the first thing I overheard - I was perusing and browsing the shoe aisles, and I hear the little girl's voice exclaim loudly, "Well if you wear that, your peepee will show!!" I believe they were by swimsuits/juniors.

And, I mean, who doesn't love to hear the word "peepee" loudly broadcast across the store whilst you are shopping?? Good times.

She seemed to be on a "peepee" fixation, making several subsequent comments involving the showing of the pee+pee with certain articles of clothing that were under scrutiny.

I find it cute, what some parents teach their kids to call things.

"Peepee" is preferable to the anatomically correct label, I suppose, when one is out in public, and surrounded by strangers.

"Put that on and I'll be able to see your peepee!"

Great. I heard the mom shush her and say, "Alright, that's enough peepee talk!"

So then, the next thing I overheard was in the dressing room. Trying on clothes. I think the mom had an older daughter, and the little one. I first hear anxious worrying over toys - "Mommy!! Mommy! You forgot our toys!!"

I guess they were left in the cart with stuff they weren't trying on, because that's the explanation I heard. This little girl was very worried, though.

So the older one was trying something on, and the mom as well, and the littler one was in the same dressing room as the mother. I hear "Mom, look at this, I love it ..." from the older daughter.

Mom: "But you already have so many ..."
Older Daughter: "No, I don't! I only have that one, and this one is different ..."

Mom shushes the younger daughter, who is making some noise.

A bit of quiet ensues, with faint sounds of rustling clothing and personal adjustments being made.

And then, out of the blue - "I CAN SEE YOUR CRACK BUTT! I CAN SEE YOUR CRACK BUTT!!", followed by some nervous giggling. I don't know if she was feeling embarrassed, or utterly amused by her own hilarity.

Yeah, your "crack butt," mommy. As opposed to your clean-and-sober, or even merely-drunk, butt. Which shows.

You know what this girl makes me wish?? That I could just haul off and holler every little thing that pops into MY head with the running commentary on life's observations, yo.

Mom shushes her abruptly and in earnest, this time, and basically tells her to pipe down, because "That's ENOUGH". I get the distinct impression that mommy is feeling embarrassed. Not mad, just shy of thorough mortification.

I walked out, at that point, and was SO tempted to comment in passing, "I bet she gives you an earful every day, doesn't she?" but I thought that might be a trifle interefering.

And then, just as I was about to leave the store, they were looking at socks, or belts, or purses, or something, in that general vicinity, and I took a quick swing around jewelry.

I do remember edging past them, when they wandered over towards the bath and beauty products, and as I round the corner of the jewelry display, out of the blue, with only silence preceding it, I heard "You're the best mommy in the world."

At least, that's what I thought I heard. It was sweet. It was unprompted. And it also sounded a bit like "You're the Pest mommy in the world."

I mean, I didn't expect a lil Caucasian blonde kindergartener to use the word "pimpest," did I?

Mom, to Little One: "What? *laughs* Where did you learn that? Who taught you that?"
To Older Daughter: "Did you hear what she just said??"
Older Daughter: "No, what?"
Mom: "Say it again!"
Little One: "YOU'RE THE PIMPEST MOMMY IN THE WORLD!!!"

Oh, yes, she did.

I sort of love that kid.

I wonder what the family's holidays and barbecues are like.

More laughs than a barrel of monkeys, I'd imagine.

Have YOU shown your "pimpest peepee crack butt" to the world today?? :)

24/7

First of all, I just now tried some C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine in the Black Cherry Soda flavor - $2, instead of $7.50, at this past Bath and Body Works Semi-Annual Sale in June.
I have to say, I LOVE IT. I really don't go for minty lip thingies, but since I started with Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer in Raisin (sheer color), I find I don't mind the minty so much. I mean, mint on the lips - I can't help but think that it's just toothpaste run amuck with a lazy episode of brushing, you know? So, I will NEVER get the freaking Savannah Bee Company Lip Balm in Mint Julep ... but I am officially a HUGE fan of the C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Shines.

Verdict: thick enough, VERY shiny, I don't recall much of the fruity cherry scent, but a nice tingly mint. And I love the look of the tube! Very major thumbs up. But I SWEAR I am not turning into a lip gloss fiend. :)

Also, tonight!!!

I went to dun-dun-DUN: WAL-MART!! Twice!!

I know. I am killing true American values just by stepping onto the property. I have been such a die-hard Target FANATIC the last few years, I didn't feel like diluting my devotion.

However, on the nice board, someone shared that they found plastic storage totes for super cheap ($2.25 and $1.50!!!). I had to check it out, especially since it was in the same complex as Mimi's Cafe, where I took my parents for dinner. No reason, just because. I was craving their very-special Cobb.

So, the Wal-Mart. I was feeling kind of hesitant. The last time I was there, I think was after Christmas. Sheer madness, and rampant pandemonium. I was there for ... more storage containers! I still think they have the best prices. And somehow I had remembered that they are open 24 hours a day.

But the disorganization, and relatively cheapy look ... blech.

Anyway, I was quite soundly surprised!! It actually is full of very polite customers, who struck me as being noticeably happy, cheerful, and just generally NICE. Even if it's late at night on a weeknight. Maybe I thought I'd meet some people like those that make appearances on this lovely site. Naaaaaah.

The place was clean - there wasn't stuff and pallets all over the place. Working scanners were a bit scarce, at the second Wal-Mart. Helpful employees were at both.

And the lines were not massively long, like they sometimes are ... but maybe that's just in the middle of the day. I DO, however, recall looking over the morass of lines and then feeling quite pleased with myself for spotting, and heading towards, the absolute SHORTEST line ... when I hear the rattling of a cart behind me. As I round the corner to the last straightaway ... she literally speeds up to try to race me to the finish line! I thought to myself, "Oh NO, you're not!" and then I saw her stop, and look at me in surprise, and say, "Oh, are you ...?" The mere fact that she did that, and took the long way around, incidentally, inclined me to let her go first.

It was a good deed for the day. I don't have any kids dragging behind me, like she did, nor do I have work in the morning. Lucky me.

Just about 500 pounds of loose stuff to get moved around. It goes very fast when it's boxed up, or dumped in storage totes. It's the sorting and organizing that eats up time. Wish me luck! :)