I wonder if a Rescued Art Shop could be viable?

It breaks my heart to see decent art put to the trash. This piece wasn't in the trash, but I worry it might end up there. At $25, it's a bit pricey for tAmVets (even though the canvas alone would cost more than that). I don't consider myself a good judge of modern art, but I love the vibrant feel of this (perhaps because it has been Winter for soooo darn long?). I have no place to put it and am trying to downsize in anticipation of a future move to a smaller place, but I hated leaving it. I hope someone who loves it finds it. It would do so much for a room. Even bad art is better than no art and there is something about an original, rather than a print, that feels stimulating. I'd open up a Used Art Shop if I thought it could sustain itself. Do you think it would? There's a lot of original art out there that is decent, just not in the current style. And someone poured their heart into it.

Wondering if you can mix wood flooring for a cheap, "not new" foor.

In my search for a "not new" wood floor, I've come across many people selling off the remains of their wood floor installation. I wonder if it would be possible to mix several of these remains of unfinished floors to make a whole? There certainly would be enough narrow width, 3/4" unfinished oak flooring. I would think if you let it sit in the room for a very long time, the humidity levels of the boards would even out so the shrinkage would be consistent. Perhaps if you took samples of one board to each purchase, you could ensure the tongues and grooves matched up...I would think the different milling of these might be the largest problem. Does anyone know if this would work? I cannot find any definitive info about this on the web. I'd also be interested in mixing different engineered hardwoods...possibly even different species as you'd likely not get matching finishes, so it might be best to buck consistency and go for a variegated type of look (though, I would think all lights or all darks so as not to make it busy). How do you think that would look/work? Photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/exalthim/4207906252/in/photolist-7pQBVN-5BD82W-5BD3PC-7PBUPc-7PFT6W-ejoaei-6YFQbe-e2BzNM-a4uEfL-oFQ2hD-6NP3wK-nVgUYj-8kSFH9-cELKWf-9yrw8P-8YBWy5-oewuHR-nVgGFw-ocB2UU-ocLff8-4Wc7rw-jJiJFs-8MQHo6-gGnFR7-cpEJVU-ocBJm5-nVgWVA-7BYghi-avpuKM-kuD1bS-a99rqC-78enag-ccVyzy-9W6LdQ-7W9zaX-dmxwKS-62ainT-kuAmpn-nVgoB7-ocLHyg-7BYgir-jPoUHD-6aAAXM-4W7PLD-epcgLY-nVg8Wp-4Rrg1E-e1qVM5-7PFTLq-boquRD

Cheap jewelry makes me happy.

Not just cheap as in a bargain, but cheap as in not valuable. My husband has no idea how lucky he is. I like chunky, funky stuff. Have no desire for diamonds or gold. (Not that I don't find these attractive on others.) These pieces were picked up with a 30% off coupon at Savers (the pickings were slim, but I like these just the same.) The zebra necklace was $3.50 and the pin, $2.

Bargain dentistry is actually extra new.

A tooth (actually, a tooth under a crown) broke clean off and it is going to cost me $4,600 to get an implant. If I had more time, I would have probably been able to get that done at the local dental school for a fraction of the price. If there is a dental school in your area, you should know that they offer greatly reduced dental services (at least, that's how it works at most dental schools in the US). The work is well supervised by the teachers, but it is performed by the students. The problem is, it usually takes more visits than it would at your local dentist office (the students work slower) and for major work (crowns, etc.), you have to submit your case before the semester starts. If your case is accepted, you'll be paired with a student who will work with you and you have to be available at times that fit into the student's schedule.

I applied and was accepted to have a crown put in by the UB School of Dentistry some years back, but I got a major work assignment right before the semester started, so I had to decline as I knew my availability was going to be sketchy. I thought about going back to the school route for this very expensive implant (I'm assuming they do implants), but I really can't afford the extra time away (and I'm a baby, very worried about something as tricky as an implant).

Often dental hygienist schools will also offer free teeth cleanings. It's worth checking out if you are on a tight budget.

My favorite plant ever was murdered...and I haven't found another just like it.

This big, beautiful delphinium was murdered by another plant. I can't recall the name of the murderous plant, but it was yellow and daisy-like (not one of the ones in this pic). The killer wasn't even all that attractive. But, I put it in one year and the next, it was all over the place...including the spot where this delphinium used to be. I was still pulling remnants of the evildoer 3 years later.

I loved this delphinium. It was the perfect color blue. It was huge...taller than me and even wider than me! I have trouble growing delphiniums. They are finicky for me. But this one thrived for a good number of years. The form of this delphinium was very unusual, as you can see. I've seen small delphinium varieties with same bushy form, but never any big ones. I can't tell you how much I loved this plant. It game me so much "bang" for one plant. The plant that did it in wasn't even near it (well, until the following Spring when it was everywhere). I bought both from the same reputable nursery (though many years apart). When I remember the name of the murderer, I will post it.

The late bird gets the bargain brisket.

This was almost the tale of a brisket-less girl. My local market had brisket on sale for $4.99 lb. before St. Patrick's day. I snubbed my nose at $5.99 and $6.99 brisket in other stores knowing this. But, I did not go to pick up the sale brisket until the 15th because my fridge was mighty crowded. And when I went, there was none. None at Target either (Target has some amazingly good prices on groceries). On St. Patrick's, I had leftovers. Finally got to my major grocery store and got the brisket, which I am boiling right now. Hoping Aldi's will have their usual $5-off double glazed spiral cut hams after Easter.

New lipgloss and "not new" perfume.

Full disclosure: I bought a tube of new lipgloss. Could I live without it? Yes. But, it's an $8 pick-me-up that puts me in a good mood, makes me feel special, and helps me put in a bit of effort on the otherwise lost cause of my appearance. Lipgloss is the only girly thing I use. No other makeup, no facial products, nothing fancy for me. I even buy Covergirl Outlast lipgloss because it lasts all day. I'm not one to touch up the hair or makeup during the day.

I was surprised to find that you can buy second hand perfume at the thrifts. (Note: the photo is from a drugstore...look at those high prices.) They had it at AmVets and I've seen it on shopgoodwill.com. I seldom use perfume as the smell makes my mother ill, so I'm always conscious about whether I'm going to be close enough to anyone to bother them. I do enjoy perfume, but have enough to last me a lifetime (mostly from gifts). If I needed some, I would not be shy about going "not new" for perfume. But, um, the lipgloss...that has to be new.

Planning a bargain perennial garden: if it's large, go with Purple Echinacea.

A large garden and small budget practically require this plant...if you also have some patience. The first year, you'll just have the one plant. But, this baby reseeds readily, so you'll have big purple/pink flowers all over the place in years to come (NB: if you don't want these everywhere, best not to plant any...or be extremely vigilant about deadheading before the seeds fall).

This is a perennial, so it comes back every year. That also means it doesn't bloom the entire season, but it does have a long blooming season. Plus, it's difficult to fail with this plant. It tolerates drought and some shade. When I first started my garden, I used this as a "filler" plant. But, as I've gotten more plants over the years, I've eliminated it (I have no spots left to "fill" and was tired of pulling this out of spots I no longer needed it). However, I've introduced other echinacea variants that aren't as hardy and never seem to reseed. kind of miss this one, though.

When going "not new," pairs are a conundrum.

I need to update my bathrooms. The marquee style vanity lights looked bad enough to begin with, but now the only LED replacement bulbs I can find are clear, rather than frosted, and they virtually blind you. I have been using CFL replacements, but they are a bit ugly as they have a big metal base a third of the way up the globe. Plus, the CFLs aren't as economical for a bathroom situation as the ballast in them blows off every time they are switched on...so they don't last as long in environments where they are frequently switched on and off. In fact, I "timed" (writing the install date on the bulbs) my CFLs in my downstairs bathroom (LOTS of off-and-ons) and they lasted slightly over a year rather than the projected seven. That's pricey and not good for the environment as they contain a bit of mercury.

I use the term "update" loosely as when you update with used stuff, you are mostly changing rather than updating. However, I like going with antique or unusual looks rather than the latest style (which is guaranteed to look dated in 10 to 20 years). However, finding matching pairs is a real problem. I guess I will just have to be patient. And probably have to pay a bit more. Oh well.

My "not new" garden stake needs a little something.

Thought I'd try to create some repurposed garden art. This first attempt is both a win and a fail. It's a win because the construction techniques seem to be working. A fail because this one is kind of blah. I thought I could add some yellow wire between the two white dishes, but that didn't work out as a I had hoped. With just the two white dishes, it's a bit bland for anyone except the most extreme minimalist. I have an idea to bring some color to the center, but can't implement it until it gets warmer out (need to work in the garage to avoid the excessive fumes). I'll keep you posted how that turns out.

Full disclosure: while the glass dishes are used, I couldn't find any "not new" pipes and fittings...so the "stem" and attaching hardware are new.

The offspring now has a real wardrobe, just shy of $100

Took the 20-year-old to Goodwill and Savers. Boy, was he in a shopping mood! (Unfortunately, we have a very small Goodwill, so most of his shopping was accomplished at Savers). Still, he has all the shorts, t's, belts, sunglasses and hats he needs for the summer, all in one swoop. Glad he was in a mood for "used"...often, he won't go near the used stuff.

Movies are better in a "not new" theater.

Being a once-grand old town, we have a few of the fabulous theaters of the vaudeville area around. Luckily, some offer Tuesday deals like the chains do. This amazing, restored theater (The North Park) was our choice for a movie on Tuesday. $7 tickets and a large pop (though not as gargantuan as at the chains) and buttered (real butter) popcorn (same large size as the chains) for $6. The beautiful historic setting: free!

The ultimate recycler. (video)

http://www.wgrz.com/story/news/local/buffalo/2015/03/16/buffalo-snow-piles-melting-central-terminal/24883233/

Check out this little news segment on a guy who is looking for treasure in the snow melt at the Central Terminal in Buffalo, NY. For those unaware, when we get a lot of snow (upwards of 7 feet this year...at least twice), it has to be trucked away as we run out of room to put it. This guy goes to one of the site where the snow was dumped and salvages what he can. Industrious, adventurous and helping out society as well as himself.

Get "not new" flower bulbs at your local botanical garden (cheap!).

Depending where you live, any week now Spring flowers will start (or finish) blooming. And when those tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, etc. are done blooming, your local botanical garden (if you are lucky enough to have one, and most larger cities do) will dig up those spent bulbs and sell them for next to nothing. Here in Buffalo, NY, the sale occurs on April 24th starting at 9 am (but lines will start forming closer to 7 am). The bulbs will sell for $10 for a huge shopping bag full. I believe there is a limit of 3 bags per person. By noon, everything will be gone. It's a great way to get really good bulbs at dirt cheap prices...especially if you have a large area to fill. Check out your local botanical garden's bulb sale...and if they don't have one, ask them why not.

I think I should have tipped the estate sale guy.

I'm a generous tipper at restaurants and places you are traditionally supposed to tip. But, tipping isn't part of my (lower middle class) upbringing, so I forget to tip when unusual situations arise. Like the estate sale worker who carried a heavy grinder to my car. He was an old guy and seemed fairly poor, so I'm feeling very bad about it. It just didn't occur to me to tip. And I surely should have as he provided an invaluable service at a great effort to himself. I should probably tip him more than the durn grinder cost. For all I know, the guy might just hang out solely for tips (the estate sales I go to usually don't offer any assistance). I'm hoping I see him again at a future sale and will tip him at that point. Kicking myself.

15 cents a tile at Buffalo ReUse...and old fashion colors not available elsewhere!

I certainly didn't buy enough ceramic tile...just ten. But, I am proud of my restraint...I could have brought home hundreds. And I don't have any place to put hundreds. So, I'm going to go through the projects I want to do, make some color copies for reference, and then go back for more tile. I'm hoping they'll have cinderblock or some other materials I can use to build my raised garden beds when I go back. Because it is going to warm up someday. Isn't it?

Buffalo ReUse: rooms of old sinks, windows, doors and more.

If you live in a big enough city, there is likely something like this there. (If not, start one up!) Buffalo ReUse does "green demolition," salvaging as much of the original structure as they can and reselling it from an old warehouse. I believe they work in partnership with our local Habitat for Humanity. It really is a rehabber's dream as you can find stuff that fits the look and era of your properties. They also have odd lots of ceramic tile and other such stuff that comes in...the prices aren't ridiculously cheap, but they are very good. Lots of cool stuff, too, like glass doorknobs, fancy wood molding, pieces of old marble counters, etc.

I, stupidly, went to a 75% off day at an estate sale (stupid, because I didn't notice the sale ended early that day and was over when I got there) nearby and then went to Buffalo ReUse to try to find cinderblock or something similar to build my raised garden beds. No luck this trip, but they did have some uniquely colored ceramic tile for my mosaic work.

More "not new" at The Foundry Buffalo

These mirrors are created by a gentleman who also works at Buffalo ReUse doing "green" demolition of buildings. With green demolition, as much of the building as possible is salvaged for resale at Buffalo ReUse (went there today, more about that in a future post). The reddish mirror is made from flooring at an old John Deere factory. The ones I liked were made with wood that still included bark. I think the spaces at The Foundry are free, or very low cost. They prefer neighborhood (East side), women/minority, and/or low-income individuals, but anyone can apply and if there is space, you have a good chance of getting it.

Everything at TheFoundryBuffalo.org appeared "not new."

All the member's cubbies appeared to be made from reclaimed materials. The doors were all hung in the same style (shown), eliminating need for "swing clearance." Here you can see the hanging mechanism was rigged together from old stuff. I believe this is the door to the cubby of the lady who raises llamas. She uses her space to clean, card, spin and loom the wool. Pretty neat. Check out The Foundry website for info on events that are open to the public.

Went to a super cool, mostly "not new" Makers' Fair

Some dear souls have transformed an old factory/warehouse into a business incubator of sorts. Today I attended a Makers Fair featuring some of the craftsmen. Unfortunately, only some of the participants were present. Others whose spots you could peek into through windows included someone who make really cool, high-end birdfeeders and a reupholsterer (I took a card in case my own planned reupholstery attempt fizzles.) A very cool place and a number of the participants were doing "not new" stuff...turning old unwanted things into new, useful things. If I were only younger and braver, I may have found a second career.

The "not new" leather chair's major blemish.

The leather chair I purchased with craigslist for $225 is finally in the house and seemingly undisturbed by the feral cat in the garage. It is difficult to see in the photos, but not difficult to see at all in person, that there is a large blemish smack dab in the middle of the seat. I am going to try to fix that and will post before and after pics. The chair is supposedly only 3 years old and retails for $699 (but who pays full retail?), but I still think I overpaid because of this big, stupid flaw. I figure that if I can't fix it, I will purchase a piece of hair-on cowhide to cover the seat. I think I will like the look of that, but it will likely cost at least $40. Oh well. At least I have all the living room furniture I need for the time being.

Some estate sale companies are better than others.

Probably for different reasons for buyers and sellers. I've noticed some overcharge so much it is not worth bothering with their sales. Others, I only go on the days when they offer a discount. Some are always priced appropriately. I so miss the estate sales that were run by a little 90 year old lady in our area for a few years. Her company didn't have a name, but when she advertised the sale, she would always call it a "nice sale." She was so honest, I remember her fretting once because the sale was so small and crappy, she didn't think it was a "nice sale," so she didn't know if she should use her company line.

My only problem is, there are so many getting into the estate sales business, I now have to keep notes so I remember which ones to avoid.

Wishing I started shopping "not new" sooner.

I am such a, ahem, frugal gal that I can't believe I didn't commit to "not new" sooner. Perhaps it was the time involved in going to garage and estate sales...time I didn't have much of when I was working full time. Or maybe the amount and quality of second-hand merchandise wasn't as good. People used to hang onto their furniture and other belongings, especially treating stuff inherited from mom and dad like treasured heirlooms...now, I'm shocked at what people can't wait to get rid of (wedding photos? Really?!). My mother always looked down on "antiques" as rebranded trash...so maybe it was not having a role model. Whatever the case, I realize that I do already have a lot of used stuff that I love, but I could have gotten a lot more if only I'd thought to embrace the notion of trying to buy used first, instead of heading to a regular store first.

How could anyone let this mid-century modern gem get away for $112?

Well, I let it get away, but I wasn't happy about it. The finish needed a little work, but it's an American of Martinsville piece! So beautifully constructed: dovetail joints, solid walnut...and the bones of the piece were excellent condition. It's a shame people pay three times as much for crappy particle board furniture when something like this is available for a few hours of elbow grease.

I have no place to put this. Still, I would have purchased it anyway if only I had a van and two strong guys to carry it. With a tiny bit of work, I could have turned it into a gem and sold it for a huge profit. (I love refinishing furniture. Housework, not so much.) Sigh.

My "not new" leather chair and my "new" feral cat. Sigh.

Finally was able to coordinate getting my sister's van and my son's muscles together to go check out a leather chair I saw on craigslist. It was not cheap ($250), but it seemed like it would be perfect (emphasis on "seem").

Nice people, but the "flawless" chair had a major scratch smack dab in the middle of the seat. Still, I had made so much effort to coordinate the pickup, I bought it anyway (with a $25 discount for the scratch, which, in my opinion was not enough...I'll post about that later). When we got the chair home, the husband determined I hadn't shoveled a wide enough path (our snow is still shoulder high, a shovel's width is all I opted for this year, and that nearly killed me) for he and the offspring to get the chair in the front door (likely the only door it will fit), so the chair is staying in the garage overnight.

Sooo...the problem is, a cat moved into our garage last night! We couldn't get it out, so I left the garage door open about a foot on the bottom so the thing wouldn't be trapped. Again today, kitty doesn't want to budge. Even my dog barking at her half the day hasn't phased her (she has plenty of spots to hide). The dog sure is enjoying the entertainment, the neighbors probably not so much.

I am worried the cat will use the chair as a scratching post or toilet. I have it covered, as you can see, but I am still worried. Tonight I am building a little cabin for kitty: plastic storage bin with lid askew, 2 liter bottle of hot water wrapped in a towel, blankie and an open can of tuna in front of the whole shebang. Hopefully this will lure kitty away so I can close the garage and protect my chair. Things never seem to be easy. The first time I have a cat in the garage and the first time I have a leather chair in the garage...and it all happens the same week.

I could not find a "not new" kitchen rug.

Well, I promised I would reveal any "new" purchases and this rug is one of the few. I have been searching for "not new" kitchen rugs for a couple weeks and really couldn't wait any longer. The offspring can be very clumsy. His "dropsies" have cracked three of my porcelain floor tiles. I need some cushioning on the spots he is most likely to drop. I couldn't find any used scatter rugs that came close to being the right size/shape/color (I am still looking for more as I have ugly unsuitable rugs in place in two spots right now), so I purchased this rug on clearance (only $5 off, bringing it to $20) at TJ Maxx. I would have preferred a prettier one, but I didn't have time to waste as I had nothing for this spot.

The good news is, while used rug shopping, I've found that you can get decent area rugs suitable for a living room second hand, so when (if?) I get a wood floor, I can get a nice "not new" rug.

Gaaah! My lack of math skills cost me at the estate sale.

The offspring has always wanted to airbrush paintings and t-shirts. Airbrushes and compressors are pricey, but their popularity is waning quickly. When I saw the estate sale I was at had two air compressors, I felt I'd be safe waiting for the second day of the sale, when things would go half price. That also gave me a chance to research the choices, so I knew exactly what I wanted when I went back.

Both compressors and all the accessories were still there the second day, so I picked up what I wanted and asked if they would take $100 for the lot, which they did. But. I had added incorrectly! I ended up just getting the box of jars for "free"...which I thought they should have thrown in no matter what. I wanted to knock another 20% off the 1/2 off cost since that's what I figured was fair price for equipment that was not in demand, and may or may not last very long. But, I added wrong in my head. I hate me!

Worse yet, there was a third day of the sale when things were 75% off! Gaaaahhh! I paid sooo much more than I should have. Still not sure if the third day was added on at the last minute or if I somehow messed up and didn't notice there was going to be a third day. I'm not going to look it up. I couldn't stand to know if it was me messing up. On the bright side, the offspring is thrilled to have some airbrushing equipment.

3 estate sales and all I got was a thingamajig.

Is it better when you come up empty-handed at an estate sale...or when you spend (and save) a lot of money? Difficult to decide. There's a lot to be said for not spending money, but I hate wasting my time and effort. Fortunately, the sales I went to were close to where I had to be, so not much gas was wasted. And they were in ESTATES, so it was fun to see how the 1% live. (Though, unfortuntately, they made everyone take off their shoes and the entryway was sopping wet. Ugh!) I did see a wheelbarrow for $13, but when I asked to borrow my sister's van to pick it up, she said she had a wheelbarrow I could borrow...so I saved the $13. I will only need it for a week or so when I set up my new vegetable garden in the spring, so that works out perfectly. As for the doohicky (or is it a whosit?), I think that will come in handy when (if?) I install my engineered hardwood floor, as I know you are supposed to cut the shoe moldings with a coping saw rather than a miter cut...we'll see how that works out.

12 bean soup with ham and kale...meals for pennies

Can't get a much heartier soup than beans and ham and it is mighty affordable, too. Especially when made with dried beans. Though, I suppose if you add the cost of Beano...

I made a ton after Christmas as hams were on sale (they have great, extremely affordable spiral cut hams at Aldi's and after the holidays, they are often reduced further...usually $5 off). I go for their top-price holiday ham (usually under $2 a lb. and comparable to the $6 a lb. ham at a 'regular' grocery store) and it's still a bargain. Couldn't really taste the difference between Aldi's and the expensive leftover ham my sister gave (expensive to her...free to me). I made gallons of soup and divided it into two different batches to season differently so we wouldn't get too bored. Most of it went into the freezer to be brought out bit by bit. I used a curry mix in one half and the other was "plain." The carrots and maybe some of the onions were from my garden. With Spring coming, we're finishing up the last of it as we'll be in the mood for something lighter (the chicken veggie soup I made the other day will be more fitting).

$3.25 earrings felt like a splurge.

Sometimes, it's all about a mood pick-me-up. These are definitely not in style, but they are extremely sparkly (which I could not capture). And I could afford the splurge, so rewarding myself was worth it. Especially if it will help me resist larger $ purchases. Hard to believe this came from an estate sale at a McMansion. I soaked the posts in hyrdrogen peroxide and am a happy camper.

Somebody's gonna get this "not new" hardwood floor at an unbelievable price, but it won't be me. :-(

Saw this on craigslist. 500' of recycled solid oak hardwood flooring for $300. It is very narrow, but I like that classic look. Umfortunately, I don't feel I have the skill set to install solid hardwood and the husband won't spring to hire anyone. I'm glad someone has gone to the bother to recycle this floor. It will be worth the effort.

Regrowning carrots from carrot tops...

can't be done. Well, it can, but it will take two years. The first year, I'm supposed to get an attractive flowering carrot plant from which I'll get seeds. The second year, I'll get carrots from the seeds. Or, at least, that's the info I found on the web. A lot of time and trouble for some "not new" carrot seeds, but the seeds being free and the plant supposedly attractive, I'm willing to give it a try. Hopefully, once this thing roots, it will be warm enough to plant it outside. Hopefully.

Should you eat a carrot bigger than your head?

Someone suggested that readers would be interested in the picture of the biggest purple carrot I harvested this past Fall. Again, most were normal size, but a few (in the same area), must have really liked the spot. I'm guessing that the carrot split open when I released it from the pressure of the soil while digging it up, since the crack was fresh looking and not dirty. I could be wrong. In any event, this carrot weighed several pounds and took many days to eat.

And now for something completely different: purple carrots

Cooked the last veggie from my garden that was still in its original state (have a bit of homegrown stuff in various soups in the freezer, but this was still in its carrot form until today). It is a purple carrot, but orange on the inside. This year, I hope to grow a variety that is purple inside and out. From what I've read, orange carrots became popular for some political celebration in Europe, but before being bred for that purpose, most carrots were not orange and the not-orange carrots tend to be more nutritious. Haven't done a side-by-side taste test, but these taste the same, if not better.

Homegrown veggies allow me to have some "not new" food...as in, I didn't buy it new (though, in this case, the seeds were new). Plus, you get the freshest, healthiest veggies and they never have to take up room in the fridge. I had a couple exceptionally huge carrots from this batch, but most were normal carrot size. I scrubbed this really good so I didn't have to peel it since they say most of the nutrition is in the skin. (If I were eating it raw, I'd peel it, I'm not that brave a pioneer woman.) This went into chicken vegetable soup. You can see it sauteeing in the skillet...I like to sautee my soup veggies. The offspring ate three bowls, so I can feel I did my motherly duty in getting some veggies into him.

Soup is a really economical dish. I used to be even more economical, buying a whole chicken and cutting it up, but in my "old age," I've taken to buying rotisserie chicken, then saving the leftovers for soup (three chickens for three days' dinners gives me plenty for making stock and having a meaty chicken soup). Since it's getting close to Spring (in theory, at least) and this carrot was just starting to send up shoots, I cut off the top to try to regrow carrot(s) from it. Don't know if it will work, but that will be the ultimate "not new."

Saved by the Scrabble game (from the Internet auction).

This is not what I was saved from. I'm hoping to purchase this lighting fixture later this week for $90. That's not cheap, but I think it is a very good deal as it will fit the style of my room and would likely cost at least 3 times that much new (I consider 60% off as my "base savings target" for a decent second-hand deal on most items). Do I NEED this fixture? No. I have another where it will go, but I don't like that fixture. I'm hoping I can sell it for what this one costs and consider it a wash (plus a lot of footwork and trouble, but I'll be happy).

Do I need the stuff I just didn't get at the online auction? Some yes, some no. There was a sturdy looking metal tool chest for under $10 that I really could use for the garage. But, as long as I was getting that, I probably would have gotten the really cool looking metal chairs for under $10 and a couple end tables which may or may not have worked out. I keep telling myself something just as good will come to me much closer (the items were 40 minutes away and there was only a 4 hour window on Saturday to pick everything up, so it would have been a bit of a pain). Still, I feel loss over that durn tool chest and those chairs. Sigh.

The good news is, instead of watching the close of that auction online, I was playing Scrabble with the offspring and hubby. Difficult to get quality family time with the 20-year-old son, so I definitely made the right choice.

Robertson: Worth it to Pray Away Demons on Clothes, Inanimate Objects

Pat Robertson: There could be demons attached to your thrift store finds

Pat Robertson: There could be demons attached to your thrift store finds  According to Pat Roberston:  ”Can demonic spirits attach themselves to inanimate objects? The answer is yes. But I don’t think every sweater you get from Goodwill has demons in it. In a sense your mother is just being super cautious, so hey — it isn’t gonna hurt you any to rebuke any spirits that might attach themselves to those clothes.”



I'm not worried, but I thought I'd better warn ya so you don't go putting hexes on me if a deal I directed you to is possessed.

The video didn't post so I put it in its own post (next).