An Orange-Coloured Day

Illustrator Adam Gustavson recently tracked me down, asking if I would be willing to part with a cowboy guitar I bought some time ago at a Goodwill store for a picture in a book he is illustrating. The guitar was badly in need of repair, but I really liked it, so I bought it for $5. Gustavson's work is incredible. He wanted the guitar to ensure accuracy in his painting. How could I say no? Check out his blog http://adamgustavson.blogspot.ca/ Below is the guitar before being surrounded in packing material. I'm waiting to hear if the guitar made it south of the border. 

For Bret

I read in the paper today that Bret Michaels finally settled his lawsuit with the Tony Awards people. You may recall that in 2009 Michaels had some set piece almost decapitate him after a rousing number by Poison at the Tony Awards. To celebrate the occasion, here's Keyboard Cat playing him off. Play this at work tomorrow!

The Gravy Train - Literally

I don't want to tempt fate, but it looks like my dry thrifting spell is over. 

 Last week, while riding home from work on my bike, heavy rain set in. I got soaked right through to the old knickers, but it was worth it. As I turned south on Woodbine, the sun came out and the biggest rainbow arched over the east end of Toronto. Luckily, I had my camera with me. Ta-dah!

 Here's the pot of gold that awaited at the end of the rainbow: Pyrex from my parents. It came with the apples. I felt a bit guilty as we converged in St. Catharines to celebrate family  birthdays and Mother's Day for my mother. My mom convinced me not to feel guilty since it was Mother's Day weekend and I'm a mother too so I shouldn't leave empty-handed. Thanks again. We're already ripping through the Macs. 

 My father gave me this very old Ontario Public School math book. I believe it's from the 1920s. I also bought this stacking container set for $2.00 at Goodwill. I'm trying to pack litterless lunches for myself. 

 You can tell that kids must have been a lot smarter back in the olden days. The problem solving questions were not easy. 

 This serving dish from the sixties also came from Goodwill and cost $3.00. It's a curious shape, but I liked the colour. 

 Its backside is not as pretty, but whose is?

 I think I've now got five or six of these sixties made in Japan gravy servers in different colours. I just can't get enough. It cost $2.00.

 Lastly, I bought these cut-out letter and number sets for $2.00. It says 1958 on the box. 

I'll use the cut-outs and stick the box up somewhere in my classroom for fun. 


Speaking of good times, here's Lene Lovich. This video is freaky and cool all at once. I keep listening to her greatest hits on my iPod as I cycle to work. Don't worry, I have the volume set low enough that I can hear the cars scraping against my peddles. 

"Sanks" A Lot!

 I little while back, I talked about the shattered memory of my Sanka mug. Sanka is all that is wrong with coffee, but I love the seventies and eighties memories associated with a Sanka lifestyle. Jill, who lives near Sudbury, Ontario felt my pain and was kind enough to send me a brand new, old Sanka mug. I am grateful for it and will take efforts to not let the bamboo-style handle snap off this time. 
"Sanks" Jill!

Everyone loves a mystery box. Jill was kind enough to send a funky retro card too. Thrifters of vintage goods have the best taste!

Good to the last drop. Oops, I think that's Maxwell House. Nabob, I love your 97% caffein freewill. 

You have to love a company that had a jingle created to advertise the fact that it was the third most favourite coffee in America. "Number three! Number three!"

Like A Dream

My son's become a big fan of Retro Teletoon. One of the shows that I somehow missed in the eighties is Jem and the Holograms. It's a show about a girl band who get into zany adventures usually involving shady dudes and evil competing girl bands. Here's "Like a Dream" staring a Fabio-esque male lead in his pirate finery. Give in. Get into it.