The Dollar Store

I love going to the dollar stores. It does not matter which dollar store I go to—they are all my favorites. I am a cheap scape and shopping in them quenches my thirst for compulsive shopping,

When my children were young I would make shopping at the dollar store a precious treat. My first husband traveled and spent much time away from us so I found cheap entertainment for the kids. I would give each child a$5 dollar bill. They could pick out whatever they wanted. I would also give a special prize for the most resourceful purchase. I think they had fun because years later one of my daughters took our foreign exchange students on such an outing with me.

I also went through a stage of coupon clipping and the dollar stores are a great source for free items. (I no longer clip coupons. I am too compulsive to enjoy this task.) I would get many small bottles of cleaners for pennies. I also got a few containers of soy milk for free. Too bad nobody I know drinks soy milk.

The other day my son’s girlfriend asked for a ride to the local dollar store. I have spent much time at the house caring for Chuck. She does not have a car and spends lots of time at the house as well. We needed time out.

We were like two kids at a candy store. We went down every aisle. There were so many treasures. Shopping was a true pleasure. We must have been in that store for over an hour.

I came home with gifts and treasures. For under $30 I got a Happy Spring Coffee mug for my daughter. I filled it with a bunny and various candies.I stuck a bow on it. She was delighted that I thought of her. I got sugar free cookies for Chuck. I think they are already gone. I got a new fairy for my fairy garden. (Some day I will write about that.) My grand babies live my fairy garden. I also got a color book and crayons for my grandson. Then I got myself aDr. Pepper, some Funions and a bee journal for my writing

I love going to the dollar store. It completes me.

Almond Cookies And Godivas

We live in a small rural town. There is a liquidation store that we like to shop at. The owners buy damaged pallets and sell the product at a discount. We go in about once a week and scope it out. We were searching for some French butter cookies that we found last week. They were so very good. No such luck. The supply was empty.

Instead we found chocolates and almond cookies. Our finds cost us about $12 today. (Not to mention the cost of Chuck’s added insulin shot.) Happy snacking to all and to all a good night.

Peppermints

My grandmother was a very interesting lady. She did not have very many vices that I recall. We seldom found snacks at her house. One day my cousin Paul showed me where Grandmother’s soft peppermint sticks were in her cabinet. He told me if I snuck one to only get one so she would not know they were missing. She loved peppermint sticks.

So up to speed. My husband Chuck bought big tubs of peppermint candies for all the men in the family at Christmas. He enjoys peppermints too. We had three tubs extra.

I keep one rub on the kitchen table. I like to put one or two in my mocha coffee in the mornings. When I was not in the kitchen our son told his girlfriend to swipe the tub and put it in their room for them to eat. She told him no because I use them for my coffee. (She is scared of me.)

We have another tub in our snack stash in our bedroom. Having a secret stash of snacks is imperative when you live in a house that does not respect snack foods ethics. Chuck battles with high blood sugar. Today he found the peppermint stash in the bedroom. When he completed it he found the stash in the kitchen. The girlfriend tattled on him. By this time he was a#sugar high looney bird. I took his blood sugar and it was extremely high. I show him up with insulin. I confiscated the remainder of the peppermints and hid them in my cupboard.

I now understand my grandmother’s secret stash.

The Secretary Desk

the desk

My grandmother treasured certain items in her home. She was very fond of depression glass and certain pieces of furniture. She had an old oak secretary desk in her living room. I always liked that piece.

Yesterday I was scrolling through Facebook and saw a neighborhood group that had items for sale. A friend of mine was selling a desk somewhat like my grandmother’s. She told me she could deliver it.

Her and her husband came over. The desk is beautiful. I told her I was so very excited about it. It will require some wood putty and a few screw but for the most part it is in great shape.I am good at updating and crafty like that.For now I put some lemon oil on it.

I have a different desk that I used to have at my other house. I kept it in a corner and used it for bible study work. I plan on turning this desk into my new Jesus desk. Maybe God is telling me to get back to studying. I am eager to organize this foyer with the desk being a focal point.

I also learned I have much in common with the lady I purchased this desk from. She and her husband often visited the store that my husband Chuck managed. It was good to see them again.

Gardening

My grandson helped me garden today. He loves the outdoors and I enjoy his company. I bought a basil plant a few days ago at the farm store. I saved planting it for today because I knew he was coming for a visit. He gets bored easy so I chose a quick project. I love a salad of cherry tomatoes, purple onion, mozzarella cheese and vinaigrette in the summer.

Sweet Basil
Cabbage

I see that my cabbage made it through the winter. It makes a nice piece in the flower bed. I have four.

Tulip

I wonder what this will be. It is a tulip I think.oh

Oh…

Oh my Goodness. What a great treasure for a Dinky and grandson to find in the garden. He said it must still be alive because it’s tongue is sticking out. How did he see that?

Dead snake

Treasure On The Back Porch

My mother was a great collector of much of nothing. Today our grandson is with us and we found a box of my mother’s old broken jewelry. You would think he hit the jackpot. He has found great pleasure in carrying around the beaded Indian necklace.

Broken Jewelry

I find that funny. It was like my mother giving him a hug. She has passed away. She told me that if she was able to communicate with me from Heaven she would. I catch emotional glimpses of her from time to time. This particular necklace was one of her favorites.

My mother was a published poet. She had it in mind that she had Native American Heritage. Her family denies this fact. I am not sure if they thought it to be a disgrace. My mother would go to open mike at the book store downtown. She wold dress in an old burlap costume and put a feather in her hair. She thought this was totally appropriate. Looking back I would have to say it was not. She would also wear this necklace. Him picking it touched my heart.

Where Oh Where Has The Dish Box Gone?

Soooo… The other day my grandson went up to the spare room to play with his toys and watch cartoons. He told me that he could not turn on the TV. I had a house full of family so I did not go check out the problem. I told him to go play outside.

Soooo…….this past week I babysat my grandson. Again he told me he could not get the TV to work. This time I went upstairs to check out the problem. The dish TV box was missing. What the hell? Who would take the box? I thought the grandson might have played Mr. Fix it and taken the thing apart. I searched through his toys. I could not find it anywhere.

Sooo… I told this story to Chuck thinking he might have done something with it. Sometimes he goes on some OCD spurts since he had that stroke. He did not do anything with the box. Oh my, where was that box?

Soo………. I asked the young lady that has been impregnated by our privileged millennial son if she knew where it was. She told me, “Yeah, we lost our remote so we took it so we could watch sports.”

This was after I paid $550 on aTexas snow storm electric bill, $450 on a family bundle cell phone bill, and $250 on Dish network. That Dish bill was the last installment of the sports package. No help in paying these bills has been offered.

Sooooooo………I lost my shit. I told the young lady she had three days to find that box. I ordered a new remote that should arrive by next week. I told her not to take anymore of my shit without asking. I don’t know to order a remote if I do not know one is missing. I have insurance and it is free to replace. Communication is key.

Soooooo……then I went out to my flowerbed and accidentally chopped the Dish Network wire to the satellite with a pick ax while digging a potatoe bed. Everything is better now.