To Junk or Not to Junk...

Have you ever been on the verge of picking up some primo cast-off by the curb, only to discover it's being tossed out for a good reason?

With our garbage collection back in action, I was hoping that there would be some suave old items left by the curb. Alas, I have not been so lucky.

Last week I saw this old snowman that lights up sitting beside a sad old golf club bag. Neither quite did it for me, even though the snowman had a whiff of Tim Burton suburban nuttiness.
Beside the snowman house, I saw what appeared to be a chimney prop from a play. Hmm, maybe there's a Christmas theme going on here.

The hideous brick thing-a-ma-bob turned out to be sitting in an ancient produce box. I became excited and got off my bike in preparation to score. Sadly, the box was falling apart so badly that it looked like it would crumble if I sneezed. I'm sure a crafty person could have turned it into something beautiful and useful all at once. Regretfully, I decided it was just too junky for my trunky.

Yesterday, an elderly gentleman on my block placed these two old wooden ladders near the curb. I've always wanted a distressed ladder to artfully lean against the wooden fence in my backyard.

Yes, the ladder knew how to work the camera, but trust me, it was decaying before my eyes. I was worried that I could even bring termites to our 85-year-old home.

So long, rotting ladder. It could have been a great thing.

Song of the Week #7 Cat Power "The Greatest"

Chan Marshall's voice really seems to embody regret on this sad and beautiful song. The whole album is amazing. Jools Holland is right. Go and buy it now!

Reunited and it Feels so Good

This afternoon I attempted to take Duncan to a parking lot carnival. When we got there, none of the rides were in operation. It was a creepy carnival of lost souls. We made the most of a bad situation by going to Value Village, which was on the same corner.

You may recall that I bought this little made in Japan apple cup at Goodwill by the Pound a month or so ago.
Look what I found at VV - matching fruit cups! I think they'd look pretty holding small cherry or apple blossoms.

Leaves in varying degrees of pigmentation.

I know I'm a little crazy, but I couldn't resist these crafted soup cans decorated in seventies Dating Game show flowers. They were three for .99 and I know they'll end up in my classroom.

The crafter took his/her job seriously.

I'm not sure if Edward Titley made the tins, or if they just belonged to him. This could turn into an Amelie-style sweet mystery if I write to him. Do I dare? "Dear Mr. Titley. I recently purchased three pencil cans bearing your name. Could you provide me with a comment for my thrifting blog?" What do you think?
I liked this sugar canister, but it had no mates. We also don't go through much sugar in our house.
I liked the JR Ewing artwork on Risky Business. It's such an eighties game...
Although the "Bank Foreclosure" aspect makes it a timely board game for 2009.
At first, I was amazed that this game was actually made in Canada. We never make anything here anymore. Then I realized that it was printed by Holmes Printing - the owner being a relative on my mom's side of the family. I've never met the guy. Weird coincidence.

Geez, I'm blogging so much these days. What am I going to do when I have to go back to work?I'll try not to think about it now.

Erin

My TV Childhood Pt. 1

I was the last of four children and I suspect my parents were too tired to realize how much TV I watched as a child. Here are a few memories. I'm 38, so if you are a similar age, this may take you back too. Some of my picks may be a bit regional. Sorry if you live far away from Toronto. You'll still get a laugh.

I watched Buffalo 29 all the time. They showed a lot of cartoons. Was that Chuck Norris on the Newlywed Game commercial saying "No zero"? I actually watched the Newlywed Game when I was a kid. I never knew what they meant when they said "making whoopie."

I was part of the Free to be You and Me generation. I think it was the first generation where multiculturalism was taught at school and children were really encouraged to look beyond their own skin colour. The Big Blue Marble took me into different worlds. Love it.

If you were around in the seventies or eighties in Canada, you'll remember the flute at the beginning of the Hinterland public service announcements.

I loved Alice. This show was pretty feminist for it's time. Remember Flo? "Kiss my grits!"

Our family had the same station wagon you see in the intro. I'll post more TV memories in a future post.

Big Secret - Revealed!

Today we trucked out to the ghetto (I won't say where). The people were super nice, but the clutter was depressing. Too many old men clearing out their toolboxes.

I did indeed laugh out loud at Big Secret. The man selling them had been running a summer-long yard sale due to his lack of employment. He told me he just got a job and was selling everything off for ten cents apiece. He chuckled when I took the picture and said, "Those pantyhose will be all over Twitter." He knew I was up to something snoopy!
I bought this metal Christmas door hanger for a quarter at a less ghetto sale.
At the ten cent sale, I bought a book of Canadian landscape photographs by former astronaut Roberta Bondar, a Swiss mug for Duncan's tea party box, and this little note book from 1956.

This was a freebie from Perkins Diesel. What a classy touch.

It's chock full of info about combine harvesters, etc.

Unfortunately the French-speaking owner of the notebook failed to fill it with torid details of his/her love life. C'est la vie!
Each page had a New Yorker-style humorous sentence. I've never met a Fifinella I didn't like.
It was all worth it in the end, when I discovered this Electrohome fan sitting in a box for $5.00. The seller graciously plugged it in and even gave Duncan the safety lecture. These fans are amazing, but totally unsafe. I've got an old Torcan fan in the basement. They'll look fab together.

It's amazing what a lousy finsky will buy. Below, find some funny old videos to go with my elegant fan.

You Give Me Fever

It was Friday Fever today at Goodwill. Translation: Come in, find a few things for 50% off and line up forever while irritating women with cartloads of blouses debate which ones they should buy at the cash desk while your arms slowly begin ripping out of their sockets from carrying too much crockery. Still, we had fun and I bought a few things.

Oh the anticipation. I could smell the vintage treasures for the home. Too bad that after five minutes of thrifting Duncan says, "Mom, I have to do pee-pee." Thank goodness that he's a boy and that there are lots of big trees right outside the store.
Yet another gaudy seventies fondue kit that I almost bought. One of these days I'll cave in and buy a fondue set. Tragically, I'll end up gaining 200 pounds from excessive cheese eating.
Poor Bill. His life's work reduced to a commemorative plate that has in fact, been reduced.
Some of my happy finds include: Tupperware colander (.50), a seventies floral tin (.75), and this very cool graduated beaker (I believe that's what math-minded people call 'em) for .50.
I dig that the beaker was made in West Germany. "It's West German, so you know it's good." Okay, no more references to Sham Wow.
More pottery for my plants (.75) , Blues Clues Cards for the wee boy (.75), and a sushi mug pour moi (.50).

How cool is this? I can study this mug as I wake myself in the morning. This should enable me to order sushi with greater confidence.

Books for Duncan and my forthcoming Grade 5 class. I'm teaching ancient Mexico, so the Maya book was a lucky find.
Eyewitness books are fantastic. Anytime I see them, I pounce. I also bought these cute animal bookends for Duncan that cost $2.00 with the discount.

Will there be any yard sales worth a hoot tomorrow? One can only hope.

Thanks for dropping into my world,

Erin