Have I mentioned my new obsession?

I have been nesting for the past year, ever since we moved to the house. I went from reading about home design and decorating online (and finding out somewhere I picked up a mid century modern preference)to thrifting. I have been an occasional shopper at Goodwill and Salvation Army, as well as a donator.



I have had an interest in the Habitat Restore since it was so close to the old house. Months back I found bright blue commercial composite floor tile for $15 a box for my future kitchen remodel and have been searching for more flooring. A trip to a Charlotte NC Habitat Restore found the same tiles for $30 a box. I was appalled. After such a deal there was no going back for me. They had a zillion color choices, but the deal wasn't there. I had to go all the way to the Habitat Restore in Jacksonville, FL for $18 a box pale green tile that will soon cover my sage green living room. I also found that the Jacksonville Restore has kitchen cabinets, even whole kitchen sets. I know where I want to go when I go to purchase cabinets.

I also found a amber swag light at the Restore. It was so 60s/70s I just had to have it for my living room. The husband rewired it for me. It takes a grand place in my living room with its long chain cord.

(not actual light, but similar)

At the same store I thought I had found a $2 car 8 track player. Ended up I must have seen what I wanted to see and it is just an am/fm tape player. It is still an awesome deal.



Now when we are riding around on the weekend I use the phone GPS and find any thrift or Restores in the area. Some weekends I wish we drove a large vehicle so I could get more stuff. Mainly we look. My sister in law came to visit the other weekend and we spent all day Saturday going to every thrift store we could find on Beach Blvd in Jacksonville. We decided that the best deals was at the domestic violence shelter, Hubbard House's thrift store. I knew it would be good when the sign out front said 50% off. Oh yeah, we found the most stuff there. The husband surprised me with a practice putting green to help me with the backyard mini golf course I am planning.



What I have learned since being thrift crazy these months is that I am still more of a looker than a buyer. The husband likes a deal, but isn't into looking at housewares and decor. My father in law has gone out with us several times. Although he is an long time thrift store shopper, he doesn't buy things. The husband likes the drive and spending time with us. I like the hunt. I like to check out the stores and deciding if they are worthy of another visit.

The problem is that most areas have at least a few thrift stores. Within a couple hours from us are a lot of cities. This may be a dangerous hobby. But rather than just drive and see the sites through the car window as we have done for years, now we have stops and searches for locations that may not be there. The GPS lady is notorious for sending us on goose chases.

Other things I have learned is that there are a buttload of people who write blogs about thrifting. Some are quite entertaining and I already have some favorites. Most are repetitive. As in, how many people can there possibly be that are obsessed with Pyrex? I have yet to notice a Pyrex anything at a store. There are people who are on a quest to make their whole home look like it came out of the 950s/60s and/or 70s. People who dress the dress, walk the walk and talk the talk. Many of these folks also sell on Esty, Ebay and/or Craigslist. I don't have this type of determination or focus.



Occasionally I pick things up that I wouldn't normally, but obviously the sites I read have gotten into my head. So I need to refocus and remind myself on what my objective is. The husband thinks I have an obsession with electronics since I brought home the car radio/tape player, a console with record player/radio, clock radio and a school slide viewer. I have pondered this and yes, I do like an old school working electronic. Yet it also is about finding things that remind me of my youth. Growing up my parents decorated the house in antiques, early century antiques. In my own way I am decorating in antiques, but more of a 50 years old or less version. Also, I think the stuff just looks cool.

NASCAR Vacation

The husband loves him some Nascar. He has far too many Jimmie Johnson hats and now is up to 2 JJ tshirts. A few years back I chose a driver. I used scientific calculations to choose... Scott Speed. His first name is the same as the husband and come on, how can you not do well with the last name Speed. Plus no one I knew previously claimed him as their own.

In 2010 the husband, his Dad and I went to the Daytona 500. We were there from morning, through the 2 hour wait to fix a pothole (who knew that could happen outside of a regular street). I was able to see Scott Speed lead laps. It was fun to see a race up close and to have someone to root for. Then at the end of the season my driver was laid off. I have yet to pick another driver. I have hope that Scott Speed will comeback. The husband even bought me a little Scott Speed car last year.



So months back the husband had an idea of taking his sister to a race for her birthday. Ironically the race was near her home near her birthday. Thus began my Nascar weekend. The first day we walked the track and received free burgers and drinks. I love free stuff. Day two we went to the Nascar Hall of Fame and walked around Speed Street in Uptown Charlotte. The Hall of Fame was very interactive. Just a shame all I wanted to do was sit down with a bum ankle. Speed Street was just companies hawking their stuff and giving away free junk.

Day 3 was the race. Our hosts were all about getting there early and tailgating. They also liked walking around in the heat trying to get free stuff. I turned back and cooled down. The race was awesome because somehow we lucked into front row seats. It was being practically on the track. I went home smelling like tires and fuel.

Day 4 I got to check out Value Village, which we don't have where I live. We also went to IKEA where I scored $1 shelves. We ate lunch at Iron Thunder, which s the best Buffalo Chicken sandwich in the world. It is huge and I swear they double bread it. The boys like the skimpy dressed waitresses.

Day 5 We went to a couple more Value Villages. I found ten 8 track tapes and a holder for them for $4. I saw a few home 8 track players. I found one miniature golf club. I was estastic. Another step closer to the backyard mini golf. We met up with the husband's nephew.

What Have I Been Doing?

I realized it has been a while since I last posted anything. What have I been doing? This is something I ask on a regular basis after I realize time has gone by and I cannot explain my whereabouts.

The husband finally got weekends off, so I have been spending weekends actually leaving the house. I know, surprising. Instead of cleaning the house, doing laundry and letting the dog in & out in between long stretched of exploring the web... I have been been worn out by adventures.

The first week I chose to go to the Habitat Restore. I hadn't been there in ages. I found cheap Armstrong tiles for my kitchen. The floor will be bright blue. Good thing I was open to color. I also scored an old $2 car tape player/radio that I originally thought was an 8 track player. That led to the rest of the day going to thrift stores and a flea market on a quest for an 8 track tape. No luck. I turned to ebay and scored a Micky Gilley 8 track tape (my father in-law's choice). Then the husband discovered it was actually a cassette tape player. Therefore we became obsessed with finding an 8 track player.

Ebay has more 8 track tapes and players then one would guess in 2011. Somehow last weekend we went by my husband's niece's house where we saw her boyfriend had one (it had been his grandfather's). So later the husband traded the car 8 track player for a CB. Thank goodness for his wheeling and dealing ways. Now I just need an old car to put the 8 track player into.

Week 2



The husband chose to go to Devil's Millhopper. I know, cool name. It ends up being a sinkhole in the midst of the city of Gainesville, FL. It is a state park. You walk down stairs to the bottom. It is like an oasis or mini rainforest in the city. It is very beautiful. We walked around the trail. It is well worth the trip to see. People have been visiting it since the 1800s.

http:http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif//www.floridastateparks.org/devilsmillhopper/



That weekend we also went to see the movie Thor. The husband has been a fan of Thor since he was a wee boy carrying around a Thor figurine.




Week 3

Wandering around... Ocala. We headed towards the lighting capital. We went to a pathetic flea market. It was sad how few people were there, how many booths were empty or not open. It was raining, but I don't think that would explain how empty an indoor flea market was on a Saturday.

We wandered through the historic area and looked at huge over priced homes. We got Dairy Queen and I was sugared up and happy.

Week 4

My brilliant idea was the Bostwick Blueberry festival. I have been to the Callahan Blueberry Festival with a friend and it was cute. Plus I got a bunch of blueberries and blueberry ice cream. The husband's idea was to bring the dogs. We took two dogs to the tiny town of Bostwick. The festival could have fit in our yard. We walked around, looked at aprons, plants and bird houses for sale. The dogs were petted by the young and old.



We took the dogs home and wandered out to Lake City. It wasn't on purpose. There isn't much to eat in our town. We ended up at Sonny's BBQ. I haven't eaten at this location before. I guess we are working on eating at every one. We wandered through the big city Walmart. The husband found camo underwear. He ended up happy. Now he just needs camo socks to be completely camo-fied. He does answer to "The Camo Kid."

Retired, passed and planted

This has been an interesting week (well, more than just 7 days ago).



I went to a retirement party last weekend. It wasn't the usual retirement party I have attended before. First off it was not at work. We already had a lunch thing for the retiree. This was a party she was throwing for herself. The lady retiring is my favorite coworker at my new work location. As soon as I started there she said she was retiring in 6 months. The other coworkers are also within a year to 5 years of being able to retire. I am the embryo on the block.

So I was the only person from our department to attend her party. She rented a cabin for the weekend at this park. Some friends stayed there and others had their own camp sites. They grilled, had drinks and even fished. The husband won a burger challenge - a 3 pound burger (it looked bigger than that) and fries eaten in 30 minutes and it was free. The people watching thought he was going to puke. His second burger challenge win. Now he is on two web sites for being a burger champ.

It was nice to be out and having fun. I have become a shut in since the husband has been working weekends. He was interviewed for a job that has weekends off and applied for another with week hours. I miss our wandering drives where we go nowhere in particular and see all sorts of sights.



A huge thing this week was I took my exam for my license. I spent all last Sunday studying. I paid for online practice tests. It definitely helped since the test is not like a regular multiple choice test. I got nervous worrying about passing. People had wished me luck, which was nice. I didn't want to have to tell them I failed. I took the test and they give the results right after. I PASSED! Out of the two sections I got the minimum score on one section. But I passed. I was so excited. it was a rare excited moment for me that I texted everyone I could think of. I was so relieved. I really didn't want to pay all that money again.

I took the whole day off to take the test since it was in the big city. I was done before 11 am. I sat in the parking lot thinking what should I do with myself. Then I thought of where could I go. I haven't gone out into the world by myself like that in so long. Then I thought of the used book store that I hadn't been to in eons.

I drove to the book store. It was awesome to get to smell old books and see the shelves and shelves of possibilities. I couldn't think what I wanted to find so I wandered the aisles like I used to years ago on my trips to the book store. I wandered around every aisle. I wore myself out. I always get confused about what the price of the book is when it isn't written on the book. So I found a couple copies of Viktor Frankl's book Man's Search for Meaning. One copy they had caught my attention because of what was written inside it. A father wrote to his daughter that he read the book while in Vietnam and found it meaningful to him. That struck me. I read the book and have since referred it to others because it is such a unique book.



I wandered and wandered in the book store. I found biographies and just knew that something would draw me in. I went down every aisle. They had a ton of biographies. I found a few interesting ones, but nothing smacked me in the face. I was disappointed because I have found so many awesome books just wandering that store. It must have been a fluke. I spent a whole $6, so I was very well behaved.

After the hours spend wandering the book store I was starving. Another thing I don;t like doing besides not liking to go out in the world on my own much, is eating in a restaurant by myself. I picked a place the husband doesn't like to go to much, but I like and had lunch. I looked around and there were more people eating alone than people eating with others in there.

While out and thinking about how years ago I would be too self-conscious to do those things I was impressed with how little anything bothered me. I have my moments when I don;t want to do something. I still avoid some places where I know there are a lot of people. I still do things with large crowds, I just know to keep out of smooshy places where I feel overwhelmed. I was proud of myself and getting out in the world. I really have become a recluse on the weekends and it bugs me.

The husband, since he works at a home improvement store, has been bringing home the deals. No major home projects yet. He has brought home plenty of plants. We have berry bushes, a birds of paradise palm type tree, dogwoods and flowers. We have been cleaning up the yard and planting. He moved a fence the other week which opened up the front yard. He trimmed trees. Some had limbs that touched the ground. We cut back the Jasmine that hasn't come in since he moved here. We brought two types of Jasmine this week - his fav Night Blooming Jasmine and Confederate Jasmine. They will take over the fence. The previous owners had a big piece of fence plopped in the middle of the yard. We connected the other fence to it and it had a huge effect on the front yard.



I decided to get creative with a planter. I found a wore out wheel barrow out back. It was falling apart with holes in the bottom. I filled it with rocks, then dirt, then cheap flowers. The husband found some cool globe LED solar lights. We stuck one on each side and now the wheel barrow is a planter, light and decoration. Usually I kill plants or they dry up in the harsh weather. In this yard the previous owners put water spickets all over. I just need about a zillion more hoses to cover all areas.

Yesterday I finally got some tomato plants. This will be my first attempt at growing food. I want to turn an old bathtub the husband has in the backyard into a planter for them. I haven't started the project yet. That involved the husband dragging the tub to the front yard, throwing in the dirt and planting the little guys. Then the real work begins. I have to tend to them until they give me sweet tomatoes that may end up to be way more than I can eat since the husband doesn't eat tomatoes. He does eat ketchup and sauce, just not raw tomatoes. I know, what have I gotten myself into?

Obsessed

Yes, I admit it. I have an obsession with the Mini Cooper. It started with one sized down version that sat on my desk for a few years. I actually bought my own. I designed it and it was a work of art. I remember the first scratch. It was silver with a black top. It was my spy mobile. Then I was given a hot wheels version of my car. Someone else game me another. Then I met the husband. He started buying them every time he saw a small version of my car in every color they came in and in varying sizes. The collection grew and grew.

I stopped counting once my Mini collection got over 30. After a while you loose track of which ones you have. I am guilty of buying doubles. The great thing about Hot Wheels/Matchbox are only about one dollar in most stores. How can you not get something that only costs a buck.

Then Mini had to go and come up with newer versions. The Clubman. Bigger, longer, better. Ah. It looked odd. Now they come out with The Countryman. I am not sure where they get these names. But the Countryman looks like a beefier version of the Mini with 4 doors and optional 4 wheel drive. Although I am not anywhere near buying a new car (had to trade the Mini in for something more reasonable) this one is catching my eye. But I am a sucker for looks. That's how the original Mini got me.
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Plus with the new version of the Mini comes new advertising. Mini is well known for their humorous ads, billboards and commercials. These new commercials are more subtle and kind of funny.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PmT13s-Ga0http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Three men and a Baby. Not as hilarious as someone thought when they made it. http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGz1MiT-F-Q&feature=channel

Suishi. I still don;t get the point of the center rail, except in this commercial.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rK28v-AlEuQ&feature=channel

Flight attendant. This one is good since when a Mini gets going you feel like flying.