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.

Girls' Empowerment

The Drama and Dance teacher at my school runs a Girl's Empowerment group. She emailed the link to this video with hopes that it would be shared. Show it to your daughters and sons. Talk about the message. Link it on your blog!

Cheers,
Erin

Shattered Memories

Alright, my blogging has been so inconsistent, that I just want to thank whomever you are for still giving me the time of day. I guarantee that I have not been sitting around in my silk bathrobe eating bonbons on the divan. No, I've been teaching, tutoring after school, and trying to be a good mother and wife in between. Next, I have to say that I'm not used to the new Blogger templates. I think that I'll get used to it and learn to love it, but the screen I'm looking at right now, as I try to create a little magic, just looks like some minimalist art gallery - all white and drab. 

So much more than just a mug: a lifestyle. 

Anyway, since I haven't found any yard sales in my neighbourhood and there's been nothing of note at my local thrift store, I thought I'd look back at my Sanka mug. Sadly, It went to the great trash heap a few months back. The rattan-style handle snapped off unexpectedly and I have too many chipped mugs holding pencils and pens, so I tossed it. At least I have the picture. Everything about this mug and Sanka remind me of my seventies/eighties childhood. Good times.

My secret beach a year ago. We were there today. Duncan looks a year bigger and there wasn't any snow. 

We discovered a whole whack of pottery last year, which we dragged back home. Today, we found the beach. We had to get by some people living in tents by the river. They seemed nice enough, but they had some evil, yappy little dog that looked like it would be better suited sitting on a rich woman's lap enjoying high tea. We finally made it to the beach, ankles unscathed and we found even more amazing pieces. I'm going to have to open up a museum of broken crockery from the early 20th century. I'll try to take some pictures tomorrow.

With any luck, I will finally get my thrifting groove back.
Thanks for sticking around.
All the best,
Erin

Calling Local Yard Sale Queens

Hello there,

Do you live in the Greater Toronto Area? Are you a crazy, funny yard sale queen?

If you answered yes to these questions, please email me at monkeyintherocket@yahoo.ca

I am helping someone with a project. I don't mean to be circumspect, but that's all I can say for now.

Here's something very cute to get your toes a-tappin'.