Sunday, September 16, 2012

THIS GAMBLER'S CHOICE




Tami at the age of 5


"You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away and know when to run.

You never count your money when your're sittin' at the table, there'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done."

Kenny Rogers, "The Gambler"


You will remember that I told you that I won $188.04 when we were camping at Jackson Rancheria.  Tami asked me where the 4 cents came in.  Maybe because I was playing a penny machine?  Anyway, my choice was to go on a shopping spree - garage sale style!




A little crocheted basket to hang on a door knob.




Two little bisque (?) dogs and hunting dog post card.  Might be a cute photo-op for Father's Day.




Thought this was so sweet. Another photo-op for Christmas.




Children's bedtime story book of a favorite Christmas story.  Cute pictures inside.




A tiny tin dish from a child's play set.  Goes up with the other Kiddie Cookery items above the stove.




Just loved the picture on this sheet music.




I think this little gal is exquisite.  I'm assuming she was salt to someone elses pepper.  Wish I knew who.




I love little bottles like these.  Great to show off a Cecil Brunner bloom or a violet.




This is a very shabby, but cute chicken that will be added to the coop.




These little pictures with quotes are another of my collections. It's missing the glass but that's an easy fix. I only buy them if they are really cheap.




This dresser scarf has the same lady on the other end but it is damaged. I think I will use this end as an embellishment on a pillow for the guest bed. She will be much prettier when her wrinkles are gone.




Love the silhouette on the birthday card and the sewing book and sewing machine advertising card will be great additions to my craft room that we hope to start soon in one of the Cottage sun porches.




I was thrilled beyond words when I spotted this valance.  A just right ruffle to go around a pillow made out of left over fabric from the kitchen sink skirt.




Couldn't pass this spread up for my guest bed.  Didn't really want to keep the pink so used Rit Color Remover but it didn't work.  So will see if I like it as is.




I think I will like this pillow for Christmas.  We'll see when the time comes.




I have had this little pink lamp hanging around for ages.  Always hoped to find a shade to fit.  And, boy howdy, I did.  Just love it.  So cute.




Beautiful small transferware lid, in perfect condition, except for the missing bottom.  No worries, hang it on the wall.  Pretty as a picture.




Sweet celluloid clock doesn't work but, heck, it was too cute to pass up and it will be  right on time twice a day anyway.




I think I am collecting these little wax candle figures.  I didn't know I was but over time I've picked up a few, so guess that makes a collection.




I love toys and little things.  Could you tell?  I couldn't leave this sad little guy sitting on the shelf.  Doesn't his face just scream, pick me, pick me? Of course, his little friend just had to come along also.




I thought this was such a pretty goblet.  There was only one, a set would have been nice, but will look pretty used as a vase or when one might dine solo.




Just love this country garden basket.  Good color, sturdy, and in good shape.  Thought it might be just the thing to show off some of my dried hydrangeas.




Pretty serving dish.  Can't read the mark, it's quite worn off, but can make out 'porcelain'.  Too bad the knob is broken off the lid, and one handle is missing, but think they can be hidden when used in a photo in the spring with violets or lilacs.




This is a pretty autumn display piece.  Mark is CFH with a line under and GDM under that line.  Haven't got a clue what that means.




This is a really chippy little Dutch girl and I thought she paired up pretty nicely with the little wooden tray.  Guess she could be touched up a bit?? On her face.  Another great photo-op come tulip time.




Set of four melamine dessert cups.  No fine china here, but cute pattern and would compliment a good chocolate pudding.




I was thrilled to find my most favorite story.  I have a quite old edition in hard cover but this one has very cute illustrations.


Well, that's what I reaped after one day of junking.  Oh, I'm sorry, I meant to tell you what I paid for each item.  After I had my hands full of a few things, I asked the lady if she had a box or a bag that I could put them in.  Once I have chosen an item, I will NEVER put it aside in a pile somewhere.  I did that once and someone else came along and made off with everything I had, so that will never happen again.  This is serious business.

She gave me a large shopping bag and I continued shopping.  Some pieces were marked and some were not.  I just figured I could put those pieces back that I felt were too expensive.  I just hoped they were not ones that I really loved.  So she looked in the bag and said....WAIT FOR IT, WAIT FOR IT...."Oh, you can have it all for $8.00."...That's right $8.00.  I was so polite and said thank you very much and ran all the way home..

P.S.  Did I mention that the sale is right next door to the Cottage.  This lady was a real hoarder (please don't say the pot is calling the kettle black) and her family is selling everything off bit by bit.

That leaves $180.04 in the kitty.  Oh, #*@$, not really.  My sister had a sale that weekend also and I bought a 'few' things.  I guess that means the dealin' is done!  

Stay tuned for that story later...Judy




I will be sharing the loot with:



















































Monday, September 10, 2012

STORM WARNING!!!




       ATTENTION, ATTENTION:

Batten down the hatches and get ready for a rough ride.  A Hurricane is expected this weekend!

                                                                               



We took the motor home out for the week to Jackson Rancheria RV Park.  With the price of gas nowadays, we've decided to do a short trip and enjoy the beauty of our own Gold Country. It's about two hours away so it doesn't take long but yet seems like we are on a glorious vacation.





The RV park is part of an Indian gaming casino and it is quite nice.  The Captain and I are not gamblers but we do allow ourselves each $20 and when that's gone, we're done, and we are always done pretty darn fast. But...
as it so happens, I parlayed $20 into $188.04 on Saturday evening, so I'm feeling quite flush!  Thrift stores here I come.









I remember as a little kid going camping with my folks.  I can still smell the wood smoke of the camp fire and my mouth waters when I think of the fresh trout that my Dad caught that morning, and my Mom cooked up for breakfast, along with homemade biscuits.









As a teenager, I went with family members up to Yosemite every year.  There again, those familiar smells come back to me along with memories of roasting marshmallows and climbing Half Dome.









We had a small 17 foot trailer that we pulled behind our car when the kids were small, and had such good fun watching them catch crawdads in the creek.





Looking back we had a lot of good times while camping but things are a little different now.  As we've reached a certain age, circumstances need to be a little easier.  We still want all those things that are bountiful in our memories, and we can still have them, but with just a little less earthiness, so to speak.

Case in point.....

















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We didn't quite have a hurricane but we did have a little rain and lots of thunder and lightning and as we rode off into the sunset, I hope you enjoyed coming along with us and may we all weather the storms of life and see sunny skies ahead....Judy


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"The sign in the window said for sale or trade
On the last remaining dinosaur Detroit made
$700 was a heck of a deal for a 400 horse power juke box on wheels
Now the road rolls out like a welcome mat
I don't know where it goes
But it beats where we're at
We always said some day, some how, we're gonna get away
We're gonna blow this town
What about now"

Lone Star, "What About Now"




I think we made the right decision, don't you?


I'm sharing this trip with:









































Sunday, September 2, 2012

A BRIEF INTERLUDE



Well, not really indefinitely.


Hi Everyone:

Hope you all had a lovely Labor Day holiday.  The Captain, Buddy and I are joining friends for a little get-away for a few days.




No, we are not taking a slow boat to China...




No, we are not going by horse and buggy...




No, we are not traveling by rail...




No, we are not going by Pony Express...




But, we are riding off into the sunset...




And, our chauffeur is quite competent.


See you next week....Judy




Leave the lights on for us.