Sunday, October 30, 2011

Batty


A coworker told me about an annual event that wasn't far away. She said she has always wanted to go to the Bat Fest, but never makes it there. I looked it up online after work on Friday and there it was, the Lubee Conservatory 7th Annual Bat Fest.


Yes, they need to jazz up that logo. But the festival was cute and free.

<span class=Lubee Bat Conservancy - Saving Bats. Conserving Ecosystems">

Florida Bat Festival

It was mainly set up for kids, but I saw plenty of adults admiring the many varieties of bats. Some with wing spans up to 5-6 feet. Like the picture above those adorable creatures were eating if they were not just hanging there. They ate watermelon, pineapple, corn and bananas.

We wandered around, checked out the booths and got a kick out of the kids dressed as batman. The husband bought me a glow in the dark bat necklace. I am always a sucker for glow in the dark.

Of course after we wandered around bat fest I wanted to check out a couple thrift stores I haven't been to in Gainesville. I was in town for the fest, so of course we just had to.

(borrowed from yelp)

I checked my google maps list the closest stores. I checked out Outreach Thrift Store. It was a mid size store. They mainly had clothes. Tons of children's Halloween costumes. I found checkered material to get creative with.


Right next door to The Outreach was a Salvation Army thrift store that my google maps did not even list. Google navigate woman's voice, I am very hurt by this. The Salvation Army was a lot bigger. They had some interesting furniture. The husband found a record player and speakers for his mother to play the one record he gave her a while back. I found an interesting hook project picture that I will cover in another post.


The next spot was another store I had not been to, The Children's Home Society. This was a very cute store chocked full of all types of things. Really nice furniture. Lots of clothing. The husband found garage door rails for a low price. We don't have a garage, but he will find something to do with it. I found a slide holder box thingy.


Once I get some photo slides for my very cool school projector I can store them in the box.


Since I was close by I had to visit one of my favorite thrift stores. Haven Hospice Attic Resale Store is a fair size and has a diverse inventory. Plus I like the organization. The staff are always so nice. I found a golden yellow Deluxe Ice Crusher. I resisted the avacado green electric iron. Plus I have that problem with old electric devices. The husband shook his head when I showed him. I find it useful. We don't have an ice machine. Upon further research I found that it can be used to make snow cones. Combine that with the air popper and I can have a carnival.


The trip ended with lunch. I found these hot chicks in the bathroom.

Friday, October 28, 2011

I'm so excited, I just can't hide it...

I am so excited by having my first follower and comment this week. I squealed like a little girl when I saw that word... followed by and 1 comment popped up next to last week's blog. I am honored to have you both.

Someone reads me, someone really reads me!!


It only took 40 posts. My previous blog only had a few comments and no followers and it went for 826 posts. Okay, I cheated with some being articles that interested me. No matter what the stats or how many comments or if there are any official followers I would still do it. It just helps to know someone other than me are reading it. The first blog was personal, but it rambled. This one is different, more about fun things in life. I am still working on my finding my voice. There are plenty of other topics I want to get into. It will certainly evolve. Just like me :)

Thanks to my first follower... Gunnar and Sherry,

known for their very cool site,

http://eccentricroadside.blogspot.com/

I am a follower of theirs and I enjoy their road trips (and am quite jealous of their wonderful blog and many adventures). Definitely a blog to read, or at least look at the awesome pictures.

Not to mention,

Thanks to my first commenter... Vonlipi

Of the wonderful thrift filled blog,

http://vonlipisfavorites.blogspot.com/

I am new to this blog, but look forward to many more posts. (Plus I like cats too!)


Yet today I felt more like Sally Field in Norma Rae when discussing how unions are helping out state employees with all the changes to everything related to money this year. Maybe I will make a UNION sign and be Norma for Halloween at work since we can't dress up at work.


Most days I feel more like other versions of Sally Field...

A goofy girl who gets into predicaments.

Or a naive "nun"


Sunday, October 23, 2011

Florida Tour de Thrift




It has been an adventure weekend. The husband fit all his hours into a 4 day week, so I finally took off Friday. It flt like playing hooky. It felt great. The weather was cool and the sky was clear. The original plan was to go to Weeki Wachee Springs. I knew it wasn't going good for us making it there when it took us until noon to find something for breakfast.



We wandered and wandered our way south. When we were near Citra we called the in-laws to ask where they had those good scones. We stopped at Old Tyme Bread store. We went in only to be told they are not selling food, just bread. The in-laws said the lady didn't have food when they went. There were promises of BBQ and home cooking to come. We will wait and see. We bought cheese/herb bread and a couple cookies to hold us over. Thank goodness since it was a while until we found a place to stop.


I managed to get the husband to hunt for the Hospice Thrift store. We haven't been to that side of Ocala in our travels and I seem to have a partiality to Hospice thrift stores (some have such great stuff). This one was small, but the staff were friendly. They had buy one get one on books so I found an old cookbook and The Stepford wives.

Linda <span class=
(from their website)


The husband saw a KMart down from it so he had to look at diecast cars. I found 50% off Halloween pot holders. Hey, my old one caught on fire. I am still grieving. Now I must stop with the pot holders. I am up to 5.

photo
(from urbanspoon.com)

Red's Restaurant in Hernando, Florida is a place the husband has drove by and found intriguing due to the monster truck that is usually out front. It wasn't there when we stopped because it was at a show. The restaurant was packed. It is covered in wood and license plates, gas signs and a variety of people - families, regular folk and ladies all dressed up but wearing a sparkly skeleton. They had plenty of sandwiches and home cooking on the menu. The husband went with country fried steak since he is always on a quest for the best. I had the Beach Bum, with pastrami, fries, coleslaw, tomato and lettuce all in one huge sandwich. It was good and filling. The portions from what we received and from other people's plates were huge. The prices weren't bad either. The husband was happy with the bill.


We followed the road south with all intentions of seeing mermaids at Weeki Wachee Springs. By now it was after noon. The husband made a mistake by stopping at a thrift store. It was one I hadn't been to, a Key Training in Inverness.



I found the lazy susan I was looking for, actually two - green and yellow. I also scored a Beatles 8 track and Pavarotti for my mother in-law. We wandered further down the road and went to another Key Training Thrift store in Crystal River. It had the biggest Christmas room I have ever seen in a thrift store. It was like a wonderland. Christmas music played and it was mainly lighted by the lights from the trees. Unfortunately I did not get anything there. The husband found a tool.


As the day wore on and the husband commented that we weren't going to make it there I gave up on mermaids and focused on thrifting. I have been using the Google Maps app on my phone and depending on it to search for stores. We had 3 in a row that were listed, but did not exist (at least not where the lady said it should).


I was excited to visit two more Sheriff's Ranch Thrift store locations. I was so enamored with the Sheriff's Ranch in Live Oak. I wanted to see what the others had to offer. They were not as huge and not as chocked full of everything, but they weren't bad. The Dunedin location had a ton of furniture. We found a holiday 8 track, a few old books and a cool gadget that plugs into an 8 track player to play cassette tapes. The Crystal River location was chocked full of this and that, but we didn't purchase anything.



We also stopped at a Habitat for Humanity Restore on the road. It seemed newer. They didn't have much by way of home improvement, but had most everything else (thank goodness no clothes). I found 2 Statler Brothers 8 tracks for the mother in-law and a San Francisco tile trivet. I have finally came to a decision about my tile trivet collecting problem... I will purchase on travel tiles and use them on the back splash when we redo the kitchen. I was thinking getting ones in blue and green to make it go with the colors of the kitchen, but then changed to something that will be more interesting and prettier. So far I have San Fransisco and Greece.

This location also had a cool console stereo radio/record player (with storage for records) that was playing the music for the store. If I didn't already have one I would have snagged it for $75.

I think it was the Crystal River store, but the one we went to was on Highway44. Oh, their website says it too. They just moved in July.



Unfortunately no other Habitat Restore for me that day :(

Our last thrift stop at dusk on Friday was the strangest Goodwill store I have ever seen. It was a new and beautiful building right near a Lowe's. It was not anything like a regular Goodwill. It was more of a retail store. They must have gotten the inventory from several stores. It had enough Halloween costumes, accessories and decorations to fill a store. They had all types of household goods. Of course there were racks and racks of clothes. The husband gravitated to the Gator inflatable goal post. The only one they had left were two inflated ones, so he did not hesitate to carry the about 6 foot tall goal post to the register. He also found a Jimmie Johnson dry erase/bulletin board. Those are his addictions (Gators and #48).


I only found a car/plane kids shower curtain to be used in the car bedroom, probably in the closet since that room has no doors.

(from waymarking.com)

We finally broke down and followed what billboards had told us all day, go to Cody's Original Roadhouse. After a long day of wandering and thrifting we unwound with steak and a buffalo chicken sandwich. I liked that they give every table crayons regardless of age. I sometimes wish I could get to color while I wait for my food like the kiddies.


Somehow the husband has caught the bug of thrifting. Saturday we were driving to town and he did a u-turn to go to a neighbor's yard sale. He almost bought a 60s chainsaw, but resisted. I found a $1 West Bend Poppery II. When we opened it at home it had never been used. I felt so dang lucky.

(the only image that matched came from an asian site)

I managed to get the husband to check on a local thrift store that I found my green Tupperware containers, Avis' Attic. Good thing we went since they are moving next month to a larger location in downtown Starke. I found a Hot Wheels car and a car bank for the car room. But the find that I wish I could have taken home was the 1971 Electrohome Saturn Record Player. It is beautiful, as you can see.


When I got home I tried to look it up. I am a dork about researching and learning about things. Electrohome is a Canadian company who are still making electronics. They made this model from 1966 to 1971. It is made to look futuristic. I think it is beautiful with its tulip base and round speakers. The seller says they are firm on $100. If only I had money to blow. I better go check my Powerball numbers.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Cool Site - Listverse

On my regular travels on the internet super highway I come across lots of things that entertain and educate me. I love odd stuff. I love to learn strange things. I love to bring something to a conversation that brings it to a standstill.



A while back I stumbled upon Listverse. Do not ask how or when. But it is one of those sites that when I am wandering and run into a dead end I pull it up and I find things I never thought I needed to know. Like today... I learned more about Top 10 Famous People Who Never Existed. My fave was Betty Crocker. I still like her even though she is not real.

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I like nature too, so Top 10 Unusual Trees caught my attention.

<span class=
Socotra Dragon Tree


I think I need to keep the Top 10 Demons to Blame for Bad Behaviour to myself so I can use it later. My Favorite Ose is for Insanity.

<span class=
Ose

They have all types of categories: Religion, Art & Literature, Crime & Mystery, Food & Health, Miscellaneous, People & Politics, Entertainment, History, Movies, Bizarre, Fact & Fiction, Music, Leisure & Travel, Science & Nature, Popular, Controversial and Latest Lists.

I can spend hours wandering around this site. I love lists. I am also a sucker for useless information and killing time online. It is a disorder. Or maybe a future list. So check the site out and be your own judge.

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Cool Site - Retronaut

I am known for wandering around the internet coming across places I am not sure how I got there. One site leads me to another, to another and hours later I am where I least expected. It is the online version of the wandering the husband and I do when driving around on the weekend.

Today while we were wandering I went online to check out what a book I found at a thrift store may be worth. I paid .57 with tax on a nice 1964 Betty Crocker hardcover book. When I typed in the title I was somehow brought to this site...

http://www.howtobearetronaut.com/


When I was back on the laptop (I am still mastering the android phone and also the screen does not do justice to the photos), I had to check out the site. It has some of the most impressive collections of photographs. Awesome architecture photos. Abandoned buildings. Old things. Some of my favorite things.

I even learned new things, such as the IKEA catalog is printed 3 times more than the Bible annually. There is something about that store. If one was closer I could attend the Church of IKEA weekly.


I was also grossed out by vintage recipes.

(Glace Fish Mold - there if fish in the gelatin fish)

I found lovely photos of celebrities and their vinyl records.

(Marilyn Monroe and her vinyl records)

I managed to spend hours exploring this site. I reckon I am a Retronaut.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Halloweenie


I love this time of year. Fall weather is when it cools off. It takes a while for the leaves to change around here, so I envy those up north. October is the month of Halloween. I love Halloween. The decorations... the skulls, skeletons, pumpkins, ghosts, monsters. The creepy and the scary. Dressing up as anyone you wish. I haven't dressed up in a couple years, but I could whip something up in a moments notice.


Years ago I dressed in a bright pink dress I found at a thrift store and added wings. I wanted to dress as the opposite from who I was. I wore the costume to work. There were a few comments but it was very funny. The dress was Pepito-bismol pink. I added rhinestones. I had a wand. It was so much fun.


A couple years ago the husband and I went to his friend's Halloween party. I dressed as a doctor. This was the second time I have. I needed to get more use out of the scrubs and lab coat. When someone asked if I was a nurse I said, No I am a doctor! I had a fake needle. The children at the party borrowed it to give each other pretend shots. I still have the outfit. I never know when I may need to operate.

A while ago I found a children's costume accessories for a pirate - a hat, eye patch, hand hook. I used it one year just to throw something together. Pirates are always in style. Actually when I was little I wanted to be a pirate. It sounded like fun. I even sang pirate songs. That career choice didn't pan out, but I still enjoy a good pirate song.


Who hadn't cut holes in a sheet and thrown a sheet over your head. If you haven't you need to. I went trick or treating one year in this costume. By the end of the night I was wearing the sheet like a toga. It is a multi-functional costume.


I distinctly remember in 5th or 6th grade it was slim pickings making a costume at home. Too poor to buy a costume we searched our parent's closet for a costume. I used my mother's trench coat and covered my face. The teacher couldn't guess who I was because I looked like a boy. I thought I was a burglar. According to the search for this costume I was more of a secret agent.


Today I pulled the multiple containers out of the shed. I broke out the many skulls I have accumulated. I found new spots for my collections. The husband helped hang my lighted and moving spider web. We even put caution tape in the front yard. We still need to put the lighted hands and heads that we like to line the walkway with. I need more batteries for even more lighted skulls. I am thinking I should set the mad scientist lab up on the table on the front porch. I haven't put that out in a few years. I used to keep it on my kitchen island at the old house. I even have odd animal skulls, test tubes and beakers.


(I wish I had all this.)

(I got my mad scientist kit originally from Fright Catalog years ago. I added to it.)

I don't know if I will put up the Bates Motel bathroom. Psycho is such a classic film. If only I had an old lady skeleton that sat in a chair. We did put the dripping blood and hand prints on the fridge. It's made of some sticky gel stuff and looks so cool. I already put out my Ang puppet. It's a witch puppet that looks like my mother.

(from the website of the makers of the Ang puppet, I mean witch puppet)

I sent my mother this photo and she got a kick out of it. I think it looks just like her. It's just a shame I can't do a good impression and do an act with her.

Another thing I love are horror movies. I like the scary stuff. Some of my favorites...










Well, I better start thinking of how to put strange looking things into bottles for the mad scientist...