Hey Harriet! Check Out the Shadow Rose!

This is an old newspaper rendition of a rose that I found in a large envelope last year at the county recycle center. The envelope was marked “Evelyn” and had many cut out roses from newspapers and magazines from the 1940’s.  I think this is one of my favorites.

Fatigue … I has it!

Under the Occoquon Bridge

Wordless Wednesday, Check it Out!

Occoquon, Virginia

Weebles Wobble But They Don’t Fall Down

I haven’t really felt like blogging much lately.  I have been very busy running back and forth to doctors’ appointments and such.  Do I write about it, or not? Do people that stop by my blog for a dog biscuit recipe really care what’s going on?  A few people have commented, and others have e-mailed me their concerns, but I haven’t really felt like writing about it.

So, here goes …

In the past few weeks, I’ve learned all kinds of new words and acronyms:

• My PCP sent me to a NEURO who noted all of my SX and sent me for MRIs and an LP and the DX is MS.

Seriously, you cannot make this crap up!  Need a translation?

• My primary care physician sent me to a neurologist.  After a bunch of visits, testing which included a couple of MRIs, extensive blood work, nerve tests, and a lumbar puncture (spinal tap), the preliminary diagnosis is Multiple Sclerosis.

My first reaction was: ” Shit!”  My second reaction was: “Well Shit! At least I’m not going crazy!”   My third reaction was: “Well, Shit! I guess its better to get this at 52 years of age than at 22.”

I could go on and on about the symptoms I’ve been having, but I won’t.  I just want to tell everyone, I am not drunk, I just walk like I am.  Weebles Wobble But They Don’t Fall Down.  Well, not yet any way.

My dogs can tell that something is not right as they haven’t been getting their regular walks.  Cosmo has taken to sitting on my feet all of the time, and Clover seems very needy at the moment always wanting to sit next to me on the couch with her head in my lap.  I’m going to have to hire a dog walker pretty soon, or they might pack their bags and move to Florida to live with my parents.  I wouldn’t blame them one bit.

Will You Please SIT STILL!

Would You Please Sit Still So I Can Take Your Photo!

A Church Fundraiser, and A Few Good Yard Sales (6/6/9)

My all time favorite church fundraising yard sale was yesterday.  I got there just as they opened the doors, and came away with a few goodies.  I always find something of interest at this sale.  One year, I bought two matching brass headboards for my twin beds in the guest room ($10), a pet barrier for the SUV ($3), and another time, a huge cache of vintage baby clothes/smocking patterns. 

I could have spent at least a couple of hours at this sale, going through every single item for sale; however, it filled up with people so quickly, and every which way I turned there was a little kid running around with a toy trying to trip me.  I filled up my tote bag, and after 30 minutes, headed out to a couple of yard sales.  The weather was lovely, and I was home by 10:30 a.m.

Here are some photos of the goodies that I picked up this week and on May 9:

Folkmanis Raven Puppet NW ($3)

London Linen Tea Towel #1 ($1)

London Linen Tea Towel #3 ($1)

London Linen Tea Towel #2 ($1)

Vtg Pyrex Refrigerator Dish w/Lid (25 cents)

Grill Wok New ($5)

5 small muffin pans ($1)

Set of Autumn Themed Cookie Cutters (25 cents)

Vtg Wood Recipe Box (25 cents)

Cast Iron Griswold Corn Stick Baking Pan ($1)

Monkey Pod Wood Salad Set ($5)

Vtg White Glass Chicken Trinket Box ($2)

Vtg Christmas Poinsettia Tablecloth ($1)

Vtg Christmas Table Cloth w/6 napkins ($1)

Vtg Girl’s Rabbit Muffler ($1)

Washington Nationals Insulated Lunch Bag ($1)

Let’s Play Poker, Boris

I went for another MRI this week, and this time, I made sure I was scheduled for an “open MRI.”  Seriously, there was no way I was going to go through that again if I didn’t have to.  This MRI was at a different location, I showed up 15 minutes early, and they took me in right away.  Great!  In early, out early, right?

In walks Boris.  A normal looking guy with a short clipped beard, eyeglasses, and a very strong Russian accent.  He called me “ma’am” or “Mrs.” and did his best to keep me informed about what was going to happen with the MRI.  Ok.  I was just praying that this trip through “the machine” weren’t going to shock me into submission.

Hint to anyone that has to schedule an MRI.  If you are at all claustrophobic, book an Open MRI.  Woohoo!  That was a much better experience.  However, if Boris is your technician, you will not understand one word that he says over the microphone.  “OK ….. blah blah blah blah blah.  Ok.”  I finally gave up.  Between his accent and the crappy microphone he was using, I figured if he really needed to tell me something and I didn’t answer him, he would come in and check to make sure I hadn’t fallen asleep or passed out.

At the end of the procedure, which, by the way, took almost 3 hours instead of the usual 1 to 1.5 hours, Boris told me, “Mrs., I took beauuuuutiiifulllll pictures of your spine.”  He then proceeded to either tell me what a great doctor I had, and how nice and thorough he is, or that my Dr. is a great poker player.  I’m really not sure about half of the stuff he told me.  But seriously?  Boris made me laugh, and the Open MRI is my new friend.

Beagle Babies – Three’s Company!

A colleague and friend e-mailed me this photo on Friday.  The two females (center and right) are about to find a new home with his family of Beagle lovers in Virginia.  I mean, seriously, how cute are these Beagle babies?  C’mon, Ken!  Three’s Company!

Bodie – The Mud Monster!

Thanks to Erin for letting me post this picture of Bodie on the blog. 

When I saw this smiling muddy dog, I knew I wanted to share it! 

Bodie – You Are One Cute (Dirty) Dog!

 

Don’t Stare At Me!

I had an MRI last week.  I’m pretty sure it was my first MRI, because I surely would remember if I had ever experienced something like that before.  I asked to book for an “Open MRI” but when I got there, I was told the “Open” machine was “Closed” for maintenance and would I want to reschedule? or, perhaps go ahead with the regular MRI?  Reschedule?  Get up at 6:00 a.m. again on purpose? No thanks.  Let’s get this show on the road.

First, let me tell you a secret: I am a Big Fluffy Woman, and MRI machines are not made for Big Fluffy Women.  I felt like a giant human sausage all squashed up in that contraption.  Lying on my back, panic buton in my left hand and nothing to do with my right hand, I clasped my hands and tried to relax.  I had on earphones so I could hear the technician and listen to some really crappy music, and try to block out the REALLY LOUD sounds the machine was going to make.

The technician came on the earphones and said in a very calm voice, “Are you ready?  Yes?  Ok.  This first scan will take about 45 seconds.”  I’m thinking, “This is not too bad, just relax and remember to breathe and not move your head and ignore that FREAKING LOUD NOISE.”  Just then, the machine starts up, and I experience a zinging shock that starts in one hand and zooms around my shoulders, down the arm and ends in my other hand!  PANIC PANIC PANIC.

The voice says in a calm voice, “What’s the matter?”, to which I yell, “Woah!  I’m getting shocked!”, and the technician says “Unclasp your hands, you are creating a closed circuit, that’s why you are getting shocked.”  Ok, now, don’t you think that that is something they should have told me before stuffing me into that tube?

After the procedure, I went out to the waiting area which was by now filled with future human sausages.  Lots of people looking at me, a couple smiled, a few looked away.  It was strange, and I wasn’t sure what was up.  Were my clothes on backwards? Did the MRI machine turn me purple?  When I got to the car, looked in the rearview mirror as I pulled out of the spot, and realized what everyone was looking at!

Vintage (Paper) Rose – 1940’s

I saved a bunch of roses from the trash last year.  They were in an envelope marked “Evelyn.”  (More Roses can be found here.)  All of the pictures had been cut from newspapers and magazines from the 1940’s.  My friend Robin bought the collection from me on and turned them into beautiful gift tags.

Check Out – Today’s Flowers

Rethinking the blog … changes coming.

I’ve been rethinking the blog lately.  My friends keep telling me that I need to write down some of my stories and experiences, both past and present.  My friend Rob has been trying to convince me of this for years.  When I started this blog, it was all about the dogs.  The mutts are so much a part of my life, that I’m sure that they will always be a part of this blog, too.  But, it is time for a change.

So, stay tuned. More stories to follow, and a few of them are real doozies!

Cartoon by Dave Walker.

Pause at 3:00 p.m. on Monday to Remember our Veterans – Rolling Thunder!

This is a repost of what I wrote last year … Have a safe Memorial Day, and remember our Veterans not just on Monday, but every day.

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, was first observed on May 30, 1868 in order to commemorate the sacrifices of Civil War soldiers. It was declared a national holiday by Congress in 1971 to be celebrated on the last Monday in May. I find it so strange that people will wish you a “Happy Memorial Day”. Kind of an oxymoron having “happy” associated with a solemn holiday when we are remembering our veterans, especially those that have died in service to their country defending our freedoms.

The National Moment of Remembrance was also established by Congress and it asks Americans, wherever they are at 3 p.m., local time, on Memorial Day, to pause in an act of national unity for one minute. Congress chose 3 p.m. because it is the time when most Americans are enjoying their freedoms on the national holiday.

This year in Washington (DC) there are a lot of public events that anyone can attend as long as you don’t mind the crowds. There is a concert sponsored by PBS tonight on the South Lawn of the Capital, there is a parade of marching bands and veterans from all 50 states on Monday, and wreath laying ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial National Memorial. In my opinion, the most impressive gathering is the 21st Rolling Thunder.

This year, Rolling Thunder expects to break last year’s participation of over 400,000 motorcycles with almost 825,000 particpants in their weekend-long get-together. I had never heard of Rolling Thunder until I moved to the area. Now, I look forward to the bikes, the noise, and the characters that begin rolling into the Metro DC area beginning the Friday before Memorial Day Monday. The riders are almost all decked out in leather with a U.S. flag somewhere on their clothing and on their bikes. They are loud! And, you can’t miss them. I live about 25 miles outside of the District, and this morning I could hear a large group about 1/2 mile away gunning their engines as they make the trek into Washington. (And, yes, Clover heard the Thunder, thought it was a real storm coming, ran inside and up the stairs and hid in the closet for a half-hour.)

Taken from the Rolling Thunder website:

“The major function of Rolling Thunder®, Inc. is to publicize POW-MIA issues: To educate the public that many American prisoners of war were left behind after all previous wars and to help correct the past and to protect future veterans from being left behind should they become prisoners of war-missing in action.”

Can you imagine what 400,000 motorcycles, mostly Harley-Davidsons, sound like when they rev up their engines all at the same time?

It sounds like thunder.

If You Have to Pee in Virginia, Better Learn to Hold It.

Just when you think you have heard everything, something comes along and surprises the crap out of you.  One of those moments happened to me this past week when a story played on the local Washington and Northern Virginia news.  What story, you ask?  Here is a reprint from WTOP’s web site.

Va. spent $3M to renovate 6 now-closing rest stops

May 21, 2009 – 4:34pm

Hank Silverberg, WTOP Radio
MANASSAS, Va. – The Virginia Department of Transportation’s decision to close 19 interstate rest stops to save money has left some people scratching their heads.Of the 19 rest stops, six of them – including two on I-66 in Manassas – were renovated within the past five years.

Virginia spent $3 million on the rest stop renovations. But now VDOT says money is so scarce, there’s no alternative but to shut them down.

VDOT cites the availability of off-road services as one of reasons to close the rest stops.

“You can go to McDonald’s, yeah, big deal. But this is so convenient and it’s always clean,” one driver at the eastbound I-66 rest stop in Manassas says.

Six of the 19 rest stops that will close are in Northern Virginia. The stops will close in July – at the height of the summer driving season.

VDOT has decided not to close two “truck only” rest stops on I-95 in Dale City, which were previously on the original closing list.

There is still some discussion of franchising out all of the state’s interstate rest stops, but that would require a change in federal law. VDOT says if that doesnt happen by 2011, the closed rest stops could be torn down.

(Copyright 2009 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

I’m having one of those Homer Simpson “Doh” moments.  What the heck are these people thinking? That everyone will get off of the Interstate and go to the nearest McDonalds?  Now that the police won’t have to patrol the rest stops, they’ll be out there arresting people for peeing in the bushes alongside the highway.  Mark my words.

“Am I Cute, or What?”

In Honor of May 14 & National Dance Like a Chicken Day …

Don’t you love weird and wacky holidays?  As a kid growing up in South Florida, I lamented the fact that there were no groundhogs in our backyard.   All we had were lizards and frogs and they didn’t hibernate at all.

Don’t you wish we could have off on May 14th to celebrate “Crazy Day” or “National Dance Like A Chicken Day?”  What kind of BBQ would you plan to celebrate “Underground America Day?”  Is there a special drink to celebrate the birthday of Marshmallow Fluff?

So, today, May 14, let’s commemorate:

May 14

Crazy Day
Motorcycle Day
Race For The Cure Day
Underground America Day
Marshmallow Fluff Birthday
National Third Shift Workers Day
Drunk Driving Memorial Day
National Dance Like A Chicken Day
My Dad’s 82nd Birthday

And, in case you were wondering …
Into blender container put 1 c. chilled fruit juice (orange, cranberry, grape, apricot nectar), 2 large spoonfuls Marshmallow Fluff. and 3 ice cubes.  Blend 30 seconds or until smooth.  Makes 1 serving.

I didn’t mention my mom’s birthday which was May 7th.  Mostly because she lost track and celebrated on the 6th by mistake.  I called her on the 7th to wish her happy birthday, and after a lot of convincing that it was in fact May 7th and that it was her birthday, she was not thrilled to be 78 all over again.

BBQ at My House thanks to Pioneer Woman!

I hardly ever win anything.  I found $150 in a couple of books last year that I bought at the thrift store and then felt so bad about not giving the thrift the money, that I went back and bought $150 worth of stuff to make up for it.  But, win a raffle? or the lotto?  Nah. I leave that to my dad.  He’s the Lotto winner in our family as a winner of the Florida Fantasy Five last year.  (Oh, yeah! and he shared with his favorite daughters, too.)

I have been reading Ree’s blog “Pioneer Woman” for about a year now.  Our lives couldn’t be more different.  She’s married with four kids and lives on a ranch in Oklahoma.  I’m single with no children, just dogs, grew up in Florida, live in Northern Virginia (now) and have lived in Africa, China and Europe for my job.  Ree has the most wonderful sense of humor, she is a great writer, she’s smart, and lives the life of a Harlequin romance novel.  How can you not like Ree?  Another thing she does pretty regularly is give away lots of good stuff on her blog.  I have entered the giveaways and really never gave much thought to winning anything.  Ah ha! That’s until yesterday!

On Saturday morning, I went out to shop some yard sales.  At one particularly sale, they had a small Weber grill (good used condition).  I thought to myself, “I should buy this good used grill.”  But, then said to myself, “Nah. I’m going to win the one that PW is giving away.”  Something else caught my eye at the sale, and I moved away from the grill to look at some overpriced paperbacks.

Guess what?  I checked Ree’s blog late Saturday.  I won a Weber Grill with all kinds of fun grill stuff.

Now, I need to try this out on Lotto tickets or in picking the winner at the Preakness.

BBQ at my place on July 4th.  You’re all invited.  Bring lots of steaks and booze, and whatever you do, don’t park in my neighbor’s spot, he’ll have you towed.

Thanks Ree!

A Few Good Yard Sale Finds, and No One Yelled At Me Today

I took the dogs to daycare this morning and headed out for some yard sales.  There were quite a few community sales in the area, and I decided to drive through one on the way to another.  I have shopped in both of these areas before, and have in the past found some goodies!  The weather started out pretty cool, but warmed up quickly.  The humidity was very heavy and zapped my energy quickly.  I was d-o-n-e by 11:00 a.m., and asleep on the couch by noon.

Today, I came home with:

• 20 DVDs – $20 – Animal House, Caddy Shack, The Devil Wears Prada, Mystery Alaska are just a few.  How can you resist buying DVDs at that price?
  
• At the same sale where I got the DVDs, I bought 8 Music CDs – $8.  It was kind of strange as thee people had all of these DVDs and then the music soundtracks on CD to coordinate with the DVD.  Odd.
  
• New Black Crow Hand Puppet – $3.  Not sure what I’m going to do with this, I just couldn’t resist. I may just use it to drive my dogs nuts. It is adorable and NWT (and marked $39.00)  The lady that I bought it from said she bought it in Utah on a trip.  Ok.
  
• A vintage rabbit fur muff for $1.00.  I had one just like it when I was 5 or 6 years old.  I’m going to have to see if I can find the Easter 1962 photo with me and my cousins and our Easter dresses and our fur muffs.  Not sure why I bought it, except it tugged on some nostaligic thread (and it was only $1.00)
• 2 Vintage Christmas tablecloths, one of them came with 8 matching napkins.  ($2.00).
  

I also went to the yearly Boy Scout Tag Sale at the Expo Center in Chantilly.  It opened at 8:00 am, and I got there at 9:00 a.m.  There were a lot of people, parking was at a premium, and they had a lot of junk.  I didn’t take photos this year, because it looked almost exactly like last year.  I stayed for about 20 minutes, did a quick recon, and decided if there was ever anything “good” there it had already been scooped up.

I bought:

• Pewter plate (one from a set of 6) – Washington Crossing the Delaware.  The whole set of these goes for a couple of hundred dollars.  I saw them a couple of years ago at an antique store and for the set of six they were asking $350.00.  I, on the other hand, now have one and I paid $3.00.  Must find more.
• 6 packages of new thank you notes – 10 cents.

After the yard sales, and because I was in the neighborhood, I stopped at the Burke (VA) Weekly Farmers Market.  It is held in the parking lot of the VRE station (the Virginia Railway).  They finally got the parking garage finished and the construction at the site is almost finished.  It was a real mess for a while, but now it is much easier to maneuver.  The sellers at this farmers market are very nice and its usually the same group every Saturday morning.

I am going to be eating:

• A quart of Virginia-grown strawberries ($4.00)
• A giant bag of baby spinach ($3.00)
• A head of red leaf lettuce ($3.00)

I almost forgot to mention that the azaleas are in bloom in Northern Virginia, and they are absolutely beautiful.  I didn’t have my camera with me yesterday, but I am tempted to head out tomorrow morning to get a few photos.  I am such an idiot.  When I first moved into my townhouse in 2003, I had a huge rhododendron and a couple of azalea bushes taken out.  I thought they were ugly.  It was October and I didn’t know how pretty they would be in the Spring.

Stuff Dogs Like – Pot Holders!

Yes.  It is true.  My dogs like pot holders and they are not choosy.  The like the used/dirty ones the best, probably because they smell like food! Cosmo is always sneaking them out of the laundry basket, and I find them in the strangest places.  Last week, I found two of them in my bed under the covers!

When Clover was a puppy, she would steal my pot holders, Tupperware lids, slippers, and socks. Most of the time she didn’t destroy these items like she did with everything else, but instead would bring them to me so I would throw them for her.  Tupperware lids fly pretty well (like a Frisbee) but they are hard plastic and if they hit something like a lamp or a small ceramic statute, it could get messy.  Slippers and socks were more for playing tug-o-war, but pot holders?   Oh yes!

They are used for tug, fetch a la Frisbee, and all other kinds of games that you can think up.  And, if you throw a pot holder, and hit something with it, they usually don’t do any damage. The ones that have a silver silicone backing are usually stronger and Clover and Cosmo have yet to shred one of these or pull it apart.   Some of the cheaper ones have bit the dust, but in general the pot holder stands up pretty well.

Word to the wise:  Do not, under any circumstances give your dog one of those homemade kind made by Girl Scouts with one of those plastic looms.  They come apart too easily, and those little colorful bands that get woven into a useless potholder that melts with high heat, can cause gastrointestinal problems for your dog if they swallow any of those synthetic loops.

Really.  Ask Clover.

Cosmo – What a Nice Surprise, But We Still Have Work To Do

I have admitted before to not being terribly thorough with Cosmo’s training.  I admit it, I have tried, accomplished some things, and have not accomplished others.  One of the things that I have never been confident doing is letting Cosmo off leash in an unfenced area.  I am convinced that his recall ability is limited because a) he thinks everything is a game, 2) he turns a deaf ear to me when I try to work with him,and 3) its my fault for not working him harder.

Last week, Dave, the lawn guy, came by to cut my yard.  I unlatched the fence gate so he could get in and whack at the weeds that disguise themselves as grass in my back yard.  When he was done, I looked out and thought he had closed the gate when he was done.  About 45 minutes later, the mutts wanted to go out and I accommodated them by opening the door from the kitchen to the yard.

Cosmo headed straight for his favorite shrub, and I realized the gate door had swung open.  I nearly pannicked thinking how late I was going to be to work because Clover and I would be scouring the neighborhood for Cosmo.  I snapped my fingers at Clover and pointed to the open door to the kitchen.  She looked longingly at the open gate, but turned right around and went back inside.  I expected no less from her.

Cosmo, on the other hand, looked at the gate, turned and looked at me, and promptly sat down next to the shrub.  I grabbed his collar, told him he was a good dog, and and led him back into the kitchen where he received high praise and a really big dog biscuit.  I am very happy, and relieved to see that Cosmo has absorbed some good manners from Clover.

I still don’t trust him to be off-leash, but we’re working on it.  Now, if I could only get him to take me seriously we might actually make some real progress.

Hey Harriet, Does this shadow make my ass look fat?

Swine Flu (H1N1 Influenza) and YOUR Dog

I haven’t become obsessed with this flu outbreak, and I’m glad that my mutts don’t watch Fox News or else they would think the end of the world was nigh. When I got an e-mail from the ASPCA this morning, I was surprised to see the article below as I really had not given much thought to Swine Flu affecting my pets. Glad to know it should not be an issue as it would be HELL trying to get Clover to wear one of those cotton face masks.

Courtesy of the ASPCA:

Can My Pet Catch Swine Flu?

Don’t worry, pet parents! The recent, rapid outbreak of the H1N1 virus, previously known as swine flu, appears to present little risk of infecting our furry friends. In the past few weeks, only humans have been affected by the new virus, and it’s still unknown how the virus will impact other species.

“Currently there’s no data demonstrating any risk of dogs and cats contracting this strain of the virus,” says Dr. Louise Murray, Director of Medicine at the ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Hospital in New York City. “However, owners of pet pigs, as well as farmers, should monitor their animals’ health more closely and take steps to limit transmission from humans to pigs and vice versa.”

If you do count a pet pig as your animal companion, please consult with your veterinarian about a Type A influenza vaccine, which is available and recommended for all healthy swine.

Dr. Miranda Spindel, Director of ASPCA Veterinary Outreach, adds: “Swine influenza or swine flu is one of the leading causes of respiratory disease in swine throughout the world. Like most influenza A viruses, swine flu generally causes high levels of illness in pigs, but fatalities are uncommon.”

For the latest information about the outbreak and your pet’s health, please visit the Center for Disease Control (http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu). If you suspect your pet is ill or if he exhibits any sudden changes in behavior, please contact your veterinarian immediately.

Read the ASPCA’s official statement on swine flu.

Anyone Seen Where She Put The Other Slipper?

Clover - Age 1 - Dublin, Ireland : Surrounded By Stolen Booty

Golden Blossoms From Over the Fence

The neighbor’s forsythia has not been pruned in years. I think its gorgeous just as it is.  And, if he pruned it, I wouldn’t get a chance to enjoy it.

2009 Yard Sale Season Is Upon Us! And I Ventured Forth Today!

I went to bed this morning at 4am and was up and out the door for some yardsales by 8 after having walked the dogs, etc. So, as you can guess I’m tired. AND it was HOT HOT HOT today! Its 7:15 pm and still 91 degrees out there.  I drove 58 miles, hit six big community-wide sales that included sales at individual homes and at a central location.  I stopped the car and got out to look around at 48 sales and drove past so many I lost track.  Toys, Toys, Toys and baby clothing everywhere.  I saw so many Graco car seats I couldn’t believe it.  It was slim pickins in the retro/vintage arena, and in most cases it looked like a TJ Maxx or Pottery Barn had exploded along with a Toys-R-Us.

All of my crap is still in the back of the truck, and I’ll unload it all later after it cools off a bit, so no photos of today’s treasures.  I mean really, I found nothing remarkable or terribly interesting today – just some good deals on some things I really wanted.

Of note, I bought:

• 2 camera tripods – Large (New) Slik Camera Tripod : $4.00; Small table top sized (used/vg+) $1.00
• Large Williams-Sonoma Chilly Shopping Bag (keep your groceries cold) – $1.00
• 10 different music cd’s – $1.00 for all
  
• Tall trash can for the kitchen (silver, step on the pedal to open the lid kind) New – $5
• NWT FDNY ball cap – $1.00
  
• 20 Outback Restaurant pins – $1.00
  
• 2 pairs of REAL (not painted/tourist kind) of Dutch wooden shoes – 50cents each (Not Sure Yet – this may be one of those things that I end up donating to the thrift store after a whole lot of time looking at them and thinking WTH?)
  
• National Audubon Society Singing Bird Wall Clock – $1 (for my dad)
• Clear Pyrex baking dish with lid – 50 cents (me)
  
• Five really pretty scarves for $1.00 each. A couple are marked YSL but I am not sure if they are for real. Will need to look up the RN number off the tag.
• Freebies: a salad spinner, metal cookbook  stand, and a new mouse pad
• Passed Up:  a set of six vintage Fire King Jadeite bowls for $35. I offered $15 and the lady yelled at me. Oh well.
  

Here are a couple of photos from this morning. Click on them for a larger view: