Happy Monday you crazy kids! The kick start of a new week and new beginnings. The day new diets are determined to be started and Friday plans are already formulating.
I don’t have any weird hang ups with Monday, I’m just glad I’m still invited to the party, ya know what I mean?
Spring is slowly settling in over south Texas and with that comes warmer temps, lighter clothes and the promise of longer days.
But before spring is really in solid, we do usually get a few cooler days before those warm days are permanent.
Of course with the changing seasons, it means retailers will mark down clothes to make room for the incoming season.
Thrift stores are no different.
I frequently haunt a local one for items I can flip, repurpose or upcycle for my little vintage shop. Learn more about it here….. https://sassyfitnesschick.com/2018/07/25/the-journey-of-opening-a-vintage-business/
It’s amazing what can be found there if you time it right.
Yeah, you have to wade through the usual cheese graters, random glasses, candleholders, tired picture frames and whatnot to get some cool nugget but I find the hunt as fun as bagging the game.
Anyway, I was waiting for the door to open last week (’cause they don’t open till that clock hits 10 ya know 😉 )
They had racks of markdown winter clothes out front, I guess giving us something to do while we waited. I had noticed this leather jacket hanging right on the end of the rack
I tried to ignore it.
Really.
I have enough black, rocker chick type jackets. I have a thing for them and they in turn, work for me.
But it was just hanging there like it was waiting for me to find it…. and then I thought.. I think it’s my size…
“just try it on” the little bad voice in my head whispered
I pulled it off the hanger, slipped it on, and of course, it fit like a glove.
And it was black. And it had all the zippers and snaps, and cool stuff I love on those jackets….
I casually asked the lady what the price was since there wasn’t one on it.
Her reply… “Oh, it’s 3.99 but all that is half price today.”
I blinked twice… and popped the jacket back off the hanger into my waiting arms.
2.00? You’re coming with me baby.
Ok, I don’t always find cool clothes… I don’t really look for them. As stated, I’m usually after discarded goodies I can flip for my shop. Sometimes, I’ve got an armload and other times I’m left empty handed.
One week though, I had decided that there was nothing I needed/wanted/ could use. I was on my way out and did a final “drive by” down the frame aisle. I saw a lady holding a sampler.
A “sampler” is what girls used to do back in the day, practice their sewing. It could contain things like numbers, ABC’s, simple pictures etc. I love them and have several in my home.
How had I missed these the first time???
I lurked around looking at random things hoping she’d discard it and walk off.
She did.
I snatched it up and also a smaller one on the floor next to it.
My first thought was that they were so heavy. They were framed in glass, double glass.
My second thought was… these look really old.
Like… old.
I didn’t hesitate, but scooped them up, paid the clerk the 11.67 they came to and left.
Outside, I eagerly examined them and came to the conclusion, they had to be real because who would go through such trouble to preserve something that wasn’t that old unless, well, it really was??
And why were they tossed in with the cheapo frames on the floor?
I have questions.
Who would get rid of these? Why would someone take such effort to preserve them to only have them land in a bin of cheap frames and art work? Why was something so old, obviously antiqued, so cheap??
Lucky me.
They fit right in with my love of old cool things. And I got both for 11 dollars and some change.
It was my lucky day 😉
Before we leave this topic….
Hubby and I went to a big flea market yesterday. I found a bunch of cool goodies, but this table, how cute is it?
I love these old school tables. The claw feet always help me to date it. They just don’t make such detailed furniture anymore.
This is going to go through a lovely transformation… I promise to show it off when it’s done 🙂
When I’m not flipping furniture……
Spring time also means birthdays in my family. My daughter in law requested a chocolate cake I make with strawberries. It’s a family favorite…
Honestly though, the frosting I could just eat out of the bowl. With an entire pack of real butter and rich chocolate, it melts in your mouth.
I’ll give you a minute to just stare at it and imagine….. haha
Well, I did make some healthy side dishes for the meal… that helps right?
There are lots of recipes for asparagus and tomatoes but I kinda do my own thing. I toss the asparagus and tomatoes together with some olive oil, crushed pepper and sea salt, plenty of fresh garlic, and then roast in oven turning frequently till it’s all tender. I added fresh parmesan cheese at the end.
It’s like heaven.
It should also be noted that we were celebrating her birthday early ’cause next week her and my son will be in… Ireland….
and it should also be noted I will be watching my 2 year old granddaughter while they are gone.
She’s like 2 going on 20.
She makes me laugh and she does crazy things.
She’s my spirit animal.
I’m grateful that I’m an above “average energetic” grandmother ’cause it’s gonna be a busy 9 days 😛
And in some final what on earth?? thoughts….
I heard a story on the news recently that made me just wonder … wonder why on earth it even needed mentioned.
It was about some actress or some famous “ish” person “coming out”….
What was she coming out about?
She has stretch marks.
Yes you are reading correctly. She was coming out that she had stretch marks a common normal thing millions of people have.
I was scratching my head at how this was newsworthy and I guess on some level she had felt this had made her less than a person or something like that.
This is what our world has come to. That our value is based on surface things. That if we are somehow “flawed” there’s something wrong with us.
Listen, you may be genetically blessed and not have a single one. You may have done every thing possible to not get one and boom, there they are.
It’s not just that. You don’t have to look far to see that besides stretch marks, cellulite ( again something millions have, even skinny people) is another damning factor making you less than worthy.
Let me just state this incase you need reminded.
Those things don’t define you nor do they make you less valuable.
I can tell you this. When I’m on the road running or cycling or when I’m lifting heavy things, the last thing on my mind is my stretch marks. ( and yep I got some with pregnancy) they don’t define my strength and power. They don’t affect my performance. They don’t keep me from wearing running shorts and a sports bra or a 2 pc swimsuit.
And I hardly let them bother my self esteem.
We live in such a shallow world where such surface things can define us or reduce the value we feel for ourselves. Society. social media and beauty magazines do a good job promoting this crap.
This is just a reminder that you, and your real or perceived flaws are fine just the way you are.
Now… tell me…. do you go to thrift stores? Do you like finding treasures others have cast off? With the arrival of spring, what’s your favorite outdoor activity?
sassyfitnesschick 