So, as you know, yesterday I purchased a suitcase (necessary) and some storage boxes and shelf paper (unnecessary). Today, I spent more money I shouldn’t be spending.
Here are the storage boxes I bought -- you can only see the largest -- the other ones fit inside each other.
I watched SNL last night (Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) is very funny, so I knew it would be a good show – and it was). I knew the sale at Kobey’s Flea Market started at 7:00am. I also knew there was no way in hell I would be there that early, but I did plan to go. I went to sleep a little after 1:00am.
The phone rang this morning and it was Eric. He asked me if I was still sleeping and I told him I was. It was 10:00am, but my body still thought it was 9:00am. He was about to go out for a ride, which was why he called me. Instead of going back to sleep after we hung up, I decided to get up and get out. I had a fast breakfast of cereal and soy milk, showered, dressed, and was out the door a little after 11:00am.
I drove through STARBUCKS. They all know me by now (big surprise) and this one kid calls me "New York." Every time I drive through and place my order, if he's working he'll say, "Is this New York?" He's about 18 and he's SO cute! If it's one of the girls and I don't get my usual, they'll say, "I didn't know if that was you or not. I recognized the accent, but not the drink!" I love them!
Anyway, I got to the flea market and paid my $1 entry fee. I was looking for booth G55, which is where the woman who sent me the email said she’d be selling. I walked around, looking this way and that, noticing all the stuff they have for sale. A lot of it is the same all the time, but there are always new booths and new and different merchandise for sale.
Something caught my eye. It was a big fan. It looked like metal (old brass or iron), but when I went to touch it I saw it was plastic. I had tons of that kind of stuff in my shop over the years. Sconces, shelves, mirrors, framed art – all of which looked like metal or wood, but was really made of plastic. Most of it was manufactured in the 1950s.
Most people would stick their noses up at it, but I always loved the stuff, because it was kind if kitschy and really could pass for the real thing in a lot of cases. There were always girls who loved the stuff, because it was ornate and a little funky. I thought this looked great just the way it was, but I immediately thought of how fabulous it would look painted all one color – white on a dark wall, or black on a light wall. I LOVE fans – always have – and it was so ornate I just fell right in love with it. I asked the woman how much and she said, “Five bucks!” I couldn’t argue with that, so I handed it over.
As I was paying her, I said, “I must be nuts!” She asked me why and I told her that I was moving to New York in a month and now had something ELSE to ship! She laughed, but agreed that it was light enough and for $5 it was certainly worth it!
Now, I was walking around carrying this light but cumbersome fan! I finally found the booth with the costume jewelry. The woman was nice enough to take the fan and put it in her van while I shopped, so I didn’t have to worry about leaning it against a table or anything. She had lots of really beautiful pieces – pins, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings. All costume. All vintage. Most of it really nice. I looked at a few pins, but they didn’t thrill me. There was a really elaborate rhinestone and crystal necklace in the middle of a tray and it was marked $65. I thought that was ridiculously cheap, so I asked to see it.
She showed it to me and explained that it wasn’t signed (I couldn’t care less) and that it had one tiny stone missing (easily replaceable). These are all prong set stones – not glued -- and the combination of stones and crystals made it really glitzy. There were big brown rhinestones, smaller amber rhinestones and lots of crystals – clear and aurora borealis – all set in gold metal. It was gorgeous. I tried it on and it looked beautiful around my neck. It was something that I would have sold for about $150 in my shop – and my prices were ALWAYS very cheap, so I knew this was a good price.
I looked in my wallet and saw that I had exactly $49 left. I had left the house with $55, but paid $5 for the fan and $1 to get into the flea market. I told her that I didn’t want to have to use an ATM and pay $1.50 or $2.00 to get more money, so I asked if she would take the $49. Since I was one of her “customers” (because I received her email) and because she saw I wasn’t lying and that my wallet was now empty, she gave it to me for $49.
I was SO happy. I really love the necklace and really big, elaborate costume jewelry is SO big for this season. 2009 is all about vintage, costume, and “statement” pieces, and this is definitely all three!
I paid her, picked up my fan, and started to walk up and down the aisles, because I wanted to find the “bird man” so I could thank him again for my darling Conrad and tell him I wouldn’t be seeing him again, since I will be leaving SD in a month. I finally found him. He had the cutest birds for sale. I had my camera, and I should have taken pictures, but I kind of had my hands full with the fan, so I didn’t. There was a pair in one cage. They were some kind of exotic parakeets and they were pink, brown, and blue. They had very strange beaks that were so flat against their faces that they looked “beakless.” I LOVED them. I think if I were staying I might have had to buy one, so it’s a good thing I’m leaving!
Here's a picture I took today of my darling, Conrad. Isn't he the cutest?
Here's a picture of Conrad's travel accommodations. As you can see, they're quite lovely!
It’s also a good thing my wallet was empty, because I would have stopped to look at the sunglasses (I just broke one of the pairs I purchased in Florida in December, but I still have one pair left) and I might have gone for an airbrushed tattoo – which lasts for 2 weeks. Fortunately, I made it back to my car without hitting the ATM and came right back to the apartment.
As I was getting out of my car I saw a neighbor with a stroller. I didn’t know she had a baby, so I was a little puzzled. As she got closer I saw that she had two Persian cats in the stroller. They were separated by a piece of cardboard, which she explained she had to use so they wouldn’t kill each other. Apparently, they don’t get along!
This one was shaved!
She told me that she rescues Persians, which seems inexplicable to me, because who would ever want to abandon a Persian, but she said it’s very common in California! Apparently they breed them too much and when they can’t sell them they just let them go. So sad!
This was isn't shaved!
She told me she was taking them to the vet. The next thing I knew, she had put one in her little Volkswagen and the other ran into the bushes. Not too big a deal, except there’s a HUGE canyon right beyond our complex and the parking lot is right at the edge. If the cat would have gone down into the canyon, it would be absolutely impossible for anyone but a professional rescue team to get it, since it’s so steep that no one could get down there.
Fortunately, I watched the one cat in the car while she chased and captured the other one. She said the cat was freaked out because she had shaved her that day, and then putting her in the stroller had really put her over the edge. She looked SO funny, because the only thing that had fur was her head and her feet and the end of her tail. The rest of her was BALD. It was kind of like a French poodle style. SO funny!
After that great adventure I came back up to the apartment and looked at my purchases. I really love them both! I called Eric and told him I was a bad, bad girl, but – as always – he was happy I had bought something for myself. He’s so generous that way. He doesn’t often buy me presents, but he loves when I buy them for myself!
I’ve always thought I was lucky, because I get to pick out all my gifts and it’s always exactly what I want. He’s never begrudged me anything – ever – which is very rare in a husband! One thing Eric and I have never fought about is money. We are both very practical and never lived beyond our means. He trusts me and knows I wouldn’t spend any money if I couldn’t afford to spend it.
Anyway, I just relaxed and watched AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL. Today’s marathon was a cycle I had never seen before, so it was really great. A lot of times I’ve seen them, but it was years ago, so I watch it again. When it’s a cycle I missed and now I get to “catch up” it is really fun. I made a piece of salmon and a salad for dinner and worked on the computer for a while.
Tomorrow I have to drive to the Chrysler dealership and see about getting the rear bumper fixed. I’ve got the check deposited and just have to find out the logistics of dropping off the car and how long it will take.
I have to make the appointment with the building manager for the final inspection of the apartment. I also have to ask the building manager if he would be willing to take responsibility for the shippers picking up the car, if they do pick it up after I leave. Rosemary offered to do it, but it would be very complicated if she needed to leave work in order to go home to wait for them and it would be so easy for my building manager. I just don’t know if he’d be willing to do it. I’m betting he’s not, because he’s kind of a “stick to the rules” kind of guy and there are probably liability issues. Anyway, it can’t hurt to ask!
I have to make an appointment with the vet for a week before I fly, so Conrad can get his “health certificate.”
I have to pick up wardrobe boxes from one of the girls in HR. She moved recently and told me she has some wardrobe boxes. It would not only save me about $50, but then I can pack them before the day I move. Any boxes I need from the shipping company will come the day I leave, and they’ll be packing me up that day. Obviously, the more I can get done by myself the cheaper and the easier it will be that day. The only stuff I’m leaving for them is the artwork and the breakables, because they take more responsibility for breakage if THEY packed it. Otherwise, they can say, “Well, we don’t know how well you packed it…” and it makes it harder to collect on the insurance.
So much to do! Thank goodness I have the time to do it!