So You know, SNOWing-up as a SHOP-FARI-*SHERPA* was NOT on My SPEND-SATURDAY-SCHEDULE!

ESPECIALLY, WHEN *NO* YARN WAS "INVOLVED"! -- [What's THAT about?!]


FIRST OFF, I wasn't really certain about Today's WEATHER... FRIGID-TEMPS are One-Thing, however, SQUALLS and FLURRIES are *another* Matter altogether! -- Honestly, I really wasn't THAT keen on going OUT...

*BUT*, MOTHER "INSISTED"!

SNOW-PELLETS had just begun to Fall when We left the HOUSE on the Way to Our First "DETOUR"! - There was a "DOLLAR" Store that She wanted to GO TO...

oh. LOOK!

BIGFATFLUFFYFLAKES-*COVERING*-The-CAR-in-*SECONDS*!!

We did *not* Stay for long...

Once past the Short-lived SQUALL, We managed to CAUTIOUSLY make Our Way to MICHAEL'S... She wanted to *Checkout* those "CLEARANCE"-Items for Herself! -- [I *knew* I shouldn't have mentioned Them...]

However, as MOTHER pillaged through the LAST of the "CHRISTMAS"-CRAP-STUFF, I scavenged-up These SCRAPBOOKING BRADS for SISTER....

*OVER* an Hour LATER, They were ALL that *I* came away with - [The YARN was ON-SALE, just NOT at a Price that I felt like Paying FOR - This Week!] - whilst MOTHER, *FILLED* a Cart-worth of CRAP-For-SISTER-That-I'm-NOT-Sure-She's-Going-To-*WANT*!?

Not to mention, that IT was *also* a tad infested with GLITTER - [I *HATE* GLITTER!] - and, somewhat awkward to Pack into THE CAR, *IN* the FLURRY-of-SNOW-That-I-Could-Hardly-Keep-AHEAD-OF-to-*REMOVE*-From-SAID-VEHICLE!!

Although TRAINYARDS had *not* been ADDED to MY "DAILY-SHOP-PLANNER", had the WEATHER NOT been *so* MISERABLE, I probably *would* have Ventured over to That WALMART to Check on Their "Supply" of Those New STORAGE BINS - [SEE 16JAN2014 POST] - However, the Time *was* getting ON and We still had to get to THE-BIG-MALL...

THEY were having a "SIDE-WALK-SALE", that had been on BOTH of Our "ITINERARIES"!
-- At least, there's COVERED-Parking!

Browse.
Peruse...
Didn't Buy.
Don't "Need"!

Eventually, We ended up at HUDSON'S BAY - [formerly THE BAY] - and MOTHER wanted to See "IF" there were ANY of *Their* CHRISTMAS-STUFF "Left"..?

okay. Now THAT, I *didn't* have a Problem with. The Store usually has some GREAT-Stuff. -- It took a Few Minutes to finally Find the tiny Display-Area...

Oooo... And, EVERYTHING is ON-SALE! - Plus, *another* 15%-OFF if You Use THEIR "CHARGE-CARD"!

hmm...

There were TWO of These STEEL-Plate PLATTERS
- [down to about $7.50!] - but I only Bought ONE...
A Decision that is likely to Haunt Me *Later*, I'm sure!
-- Then again, IT does weigh about 5-Pounds!

This STEEL CANDLE-"STICK" was the *only* RED ONE remaining! -- There were Several WHITE Ones of a slightly Different "DESIGN", but I didn't get Any...

At just over $3., that was no doubt Another BAD Choice on My part!





The TIN TREE was also the SAME PRICE!

Athough, seeing as IT's almost 2-Feet High and I had ALL of that OTHER METAL to TOTE around, I didn't get a Second One...



Once PURCHASING was Completed, I then had to DEAL WITH being LADEN-DOWN with Several POUNDS of *STUFF*!! - And of course, THE CAR was on the OTHER-Side of the MALL!

No worries. MY Stuff. My "PROBLEM". -- I'll *COPE*...

But THEN, a Few Stores further along, We came across CRABTREE & EVELYN. -- MOTHER hasn't been in "THERE" for quite some Time... And, usually enjoys Looking at WHAT They have during the SIDE-WALK-SALES.

ahh... The Store is "CLOSING"..??! -- [They've been Here for DECADES!] - huh.

*ALL* there's LEFT... a Couple of Shelves of "PRODUCT" that We *don't* USE, the "CASH"-COUNTER, and TWO-NICE-YOUNG-BUBBLY-PRETTY-CLERKS in the rather EMPTY BRIGHTLY-LIT Store... "CONVERSATION", naturally Ensued!

Actually, THEY really didn't "SAY" Much - *Then* - however, I've since Noticed that a Handful of OTHER BRANCHES have also CLOSED. Leaving ONE remaining, waaay across TOWN over at the *MEGA-MALL* of "BAYSHORE"!! -- I haven't been THERE in Decades, either!

MEANWHILE, as MOTHER was Chatting-Them-Up, I was Scanning some "FIXTURES" on a Back-Shelf... -- You know Me, I'm always on the LOOK-OUT for possible *USEFUL* CRAFT-SHOW "STUFF"... I asked if THEY were *FOR* Sale..??

"..No...Someone is suppose to come by to remove them.."

"..Do you want any of them?.."

[INSERT - MOTHER and I *sharing* an "EVIL-GRIN"-Moment!]

SINCE I was *already* OVER-LOADED, I elected to LEAVE MOTHER with Her New "SITTERS" whilst I, *HAULED* back to THE CAR with My Bought-TONNAGE and, subsequently move IT over to a CLOSER Parking-Lot. -- I just HOPED that there would be "SPACE" for the Future *FREE*-LOAD!?

We got about a Half-Dozen of These SLOTTED-SIGN-FRAMES.
Along with as many Small LUCITE-BOXES and Round DISPLAY-STANDS.

It was probably a "GOOD-THING" that THE-BUBBLY-TWINS *didn't* have any "BAGS", hence LIMITING Us to using Our own! Or else, We would have walked out with MORE "BOOTY"!! - [..or NOT... My Load-CAPACITY *was* Teetering...] - Besides, as it stood, I was already PAST the Part where We MOTHER would have to "EXPLAIN" to FATHER about *WHAT* We had just "ACQUIRED"...

well... at least IT's *STOPPED* SNOWING!! -- For now...

Sooo... The "GOOD PART" was, considering the Time SPENT on the FREE-STUFF and the FULL CAR, all Thoughts of Checking-Out the REST of THE-BIG-MALL seemed to have *slipped* from MOTHER's Mind! - [yay!] - Which, left Us with an Hour or so to make Use of the "NO-TAXES"-DAY at LOBLAWS...

ah! Some "needed" APPAREL for FATHER! -- That might Divert His "ATTENTION"..?!

*HOME* at last!! -- And, 20-Minutes of Sneaking-In UNLOADING. Then, SHOVELLING! -- Remember those BIGFATFLUFFYFLAKES from EARLIER??!!

yeah. The WHITE-STUFF, IT's *ALWAYS* around...

************************************************************

uh-oh...that's NOT "GOOD"!!

*cr-ap*!!

ahh... *TUESDAY*!! - oh! LOOK! The SUN is OUT, too! -- A **PURRR-FECT** Day to

**ESCAPE**!!!

[sigh] - IF *ONLY* that was "SO"...

okay. so. I got UP a tad "Later" than I had "wanted"... But, what-the-hey, I'm GETTING-*OUT*-OF-THE-HOUSE-*PAST*-"THE-CURB"-FOR-THE-*FIRST*-TIME-IN-A-?WEEK?!!
- I'll get over IT.

• Bathroom.
• Eat-Read-Newspaper-Check-Grocery-Flyers.
• "Make"-Bed. More Bathroom.
• Get dressed.
• About to leave the Bedroom, when...
• Soft-"Telltale"-YAWING-Sound-of-**STUFF-ALANCHE** is Heard!?!
• oh...

**FRAK**!!!

[*sigh*] - I've been WAITING for *THAT* to Happen... But, IT was just a "teeny" One... IT'll "keep". And, I've got an ESCAPE-PLAN-TO-GET-TO!

I've gotten OUT of the Driveway!! - WOOHOO!!

FIRST STOP - THE-BIG-MALL... Have "BANKING" to do. Then, a "RECCE" of the Place, seeing as I haven't done so in about a Month! -- *Didn't* Buy ANYthing! However, "tempted"...

NEXT STOP - TRAINYARDS... Started at WALMART first for Groceries. And THEN, to MICHAEL'S.

"My"-YARN was back to "Regular"-Price, so I was able to USE a 40%-OFF-COUPON. Just got ONE BALL. And Nothing Else was of "Interest"...

hmm... It looks like THE-GIRLS are RE-doing a bunch of CLEARANCE-STUFF over on the Right-Back-Wall... I'll just have a "Peek-Through" of the OPEN-Boxes... SISTER is doing a "RUBBER-DUCKY" Themed BABY-SHOWER for a FRIEND in March, perhaps I can Find *Something* that She can Use..?

ah. What's THIS lying on the Floor between Them..?


wait. Was that a,

"..hey! Pick me UP!

 BUY ME!!"

I just subliminally heard from that Lonely LITTLE-"SCRAPBOOKING"-PACKET-of-YELLOW-DUCKIES..?!?





Although there's a 79-Cent Sticker on IT, I went to Price-Check IT anyway.
-- "ONE-Cent"!?! --






[THANK-YOU, SHOPPING-FAIRY!!] - I carefully Perused through Those OPEN-BOXES for *any* MORE... no luck...

Time to MOVE ON! ...to FARM-BOY - Just ended up getting some "TAKE-OUT" for My Dinner Later. It was *after* SUNDOWN and I still had OTHER Places on My "LIST" to get to!

TWO more GROCERY-STORES, then to LOBLAWS.

Remember those "YARNY-BOWLS" - [SEE 07JAN2014 POST] - from LAST TUESDAY?

Well, I wanted to get some More... AND, there was this Store-Coupon for X-Many-"POINTS" if You made a $30.-plus Transaction...

The SMALLER 4-INCH ONE is One of the OTHER-TWO
from the UPPER-ABOVE Pic

However, IDIOT-ME decided to NOT "Price-Check" that PITCHER, which ended up being a DOLLAR LESS than I'd *expected* - [otherwise, I would've added-in *another* ITEM!] - RESULTING in being 65-Cents *SHORT* of that "$30." GOAL!! -- aarrrgghhhhhhh!!

[NOTE-TO-SELF -- SHOPPING-FAIRY
goes OFF-Duty at Sundown!]

7:30pm -- Time to GO *back* to "THE ZOO"... And, to EAT!

*crap*! -- I *FORGOT* about the STUFF-ALANCHE!

[**SIGH**!!]

**********************************************************************

uh-oh.. Another "SIGN" of *THE APOCALYPSE*!?!

[well, on a "Personal"-Level anyway...] - AS I SEEM TO HAVE JUST TAKEN UP "BIRD-WATCHING"!?!

Actually, IT was sorta of difficult NOT to! - Ever since the Mounds of SNOW have come off the JUNIPER TREE out Front, We've been SWARMED by a FLOCK of CEDAR-WAX-WINGS! -- And, a Couple of ROBINS, who I believe are the "Ring-Leaders"..? - Plus, a Bunch of STARLINGS...

Anyhoo... They've ALL been BUZZING about the TREE like Giant-Mutant-Humming-Birds as They try to FEAST on the BERRIES! - Right Outside of Our high-up smallish Kitchen Window...

Sooo... WHEN I probably *should* have been DOing "USEFUL"-Stuff - [whilst The ELDERLY-PARENTAL-UNITS were actually "OUT-Together-on-a-SATURDAY!"] - *I*, was "Testing" My NEW CAMERA on the Front-Walk AERIAL-SHOW!

BTW, those INDIGO-esque JUNIPER-BERRIES - [and the "Mystery"-RED-BERRIES from the Other TREE-BUSH] - really are a tad STAIN-ish... Especially, *after* being "ORGANICALLY-RECYCLED"... They DO get *on* EVERYTHING! - [..had to *clean* The CAR off when The E.P.U. got back..]


whatever...

HERE are a FEW of the "BETTER" PICS... There would have been More, but by the TIME - [as the Afternoon "Lighting" was beginning to WANE!] - I'd get a "Shot" all lined-up, They'd either FLY-OFF or I'd lose Them while trying to Find Them once again through the TELEPHOTO-Lensing!

-- BTW, I'm still fiddling with the AUTO-FOCUS on that Camera... [Looks great on the View-Screen, but Fuzzy on the Computer...]

- The CEDAR WAX-WING -
It has a bright Yellow Band across the Tip of Its Tail-Feathers.
As if it's been dipped into some Paint!

I thought that there was only ONE ROBIN...

...However, there's actually at least TWO!

a "spying" STARLING with "Winter-Feathers"

*************************************************************

oh! -- I just "Bought" IT..?

OR, "HOW TO EXAMINE-DECIDE-BID-WIN IN 10-SECONDS"!! -- well... I really hadn't *bought* ANYthing ELSE all Day...

However, at $10. IT does somewhat *BREAK* My "$5. and UNDER"-ART-COLLECTION Budget. - But, then again, the Money is going *to* "CHARITY"...

so. DESPITE the rather GOOD WEATHER, We pretty much MISSED any GOOD YARD-SALES! -- Just One down-the-road-around-the-corner... And, a Regular One in BEACON HILL.

whatever... We ended up at The SALLY-ANN. There were some "Sales" going on and, the Monthly AUCTION... Which, was halfway DONE by the Time We got There. And, from "what" I could SEE of the ITEMS, there really wasn't Anything of "worthwhile" Interest..?

As MOTHER browsed about, I "ORBITTED" the AUCTION-Area... Looked around... And, kept an EAR-Out on the PROCEEDINGS... MOST of the ITEMS were going to the PRE-BID BOOK - [that I never did have a Chance to Look AT]. And, there seemed to be only a Handful of BIDDERS partaking...

I was a few feet away when the Word "NEEDLEWORK" *grabbed* My Complete ATTENTION! - THEY've had Other Large Framed NEEDLEPOINT at Previous AUCTIONS...

By the Time I got to SEE "IT", I *literally* had SECONDS to *DECIDE*!

What do YOU Think..?

GATE-GIRL..?

The PIC really *doesn't* show the Finer DETAILS... IT "looks" like SILK-THREAD on FINE-LINEN - [or even, Silk again?] - Also, EXPERTLY "FRAMED"! -- After 20-Years - [see the Label] - the PIECE is still PRISTINE!

Now. IF only *I* can "KEEP" IT *THAT* Way for the NEXT TWENTY!!?

***************************************************************

RE-Filling "The VOID" -- PART ONE

IT'S BEEN SAID -- "...that, NATURE abhors a Vacuum..."

SO... Yesterday, when MOTHER and I brought over that Trunk-Load of STUFF to the GLOUCESTER EMERGENCY FOOD CUPBOARD  for Their Today's "YARD SALE",
a **VOID** was Created within "THE HOARD"! -- Therefore, as IS the Nature of THE UNIVERSE, the FOLLOWING ITEMS were *Sucked* INTO that EMPTY SPACE...

BTW, there was a *LOT* of STUFF!! So MUCH in Fact, that I've decided to Spread THEM over a Couple of POSTS.

FYI -- THIS is WHAT *Happens*, "when" I'm Forced to Get-UP *EARLY*! - Not to Mention, that We were OUT "THERE" for EIGHT-HOURS!! - With only a FEW Hours of SLEEP...

ANYHOO... THIS POST is devoted to My "G.E.F.C." Acquisitions ONLY. -- oh. And, I got "ALL of IT" -TOTAL, for UNDER $5.!!


When We ARRIVED, I headed Straight for the "ARTWORK" Area - [IT's a PICNIC TABLE, with Frames and Such propped up on the Benches...] - Moments before, I had spotted a GUY in the Parking Lot walking off with a LARGE PIECE. ITS "Front"-side UNseen!

I can only *WONDER* as to what GREAT WORKS I *MISSED* out on, EARLIER!

These TWO 8X10-INCH CANVASES were the ONLY "good" ORIGINAL-Pieces LEFT!

Despite, THEIR "Subject"-Matter NOT being on My FAV-LIST, *for* just a DOLLAR EACH, I *wasn't* going to PASS THEM up!

Besides, THEY are Nicely-done... Although, THEY could DO with some REFRAMING!






The NEEDLEWORK, was at the SAME-PRICE.

I *hate* the Framing on IT, though! -- IT deserves a much BETTER "FUTURE"...

ONLY 50-Cents for THIS ILLUSTRATION-Filled TOME!

ahh... And, what's a Great "YARD-SALE" without Me reeling-in at least ONE "FISH"-DISH!?!
-- IT's about 10-Inches Long...

NOW...

Amongst the Scattering of rather mundane Glassware and Crockery, I chanced upon THIS Little Cerulean GEM!



About 5-Inches, in CLEAN Condition, with the Markings of "HANKSCRAFT"...


I did a bit of quick & dirty
"Research"...

Supposively Made by the
RED WING POTTERIES of Minnesota for HANKSCRAFT. Likely in the '40s..? And, Designed for BABY-Use!


In which case, I'm in Awe that IT's *SURVIVED*!



BTW, besides the Stunning Colour, the 10-Cent Price didn't Hurt, either!!












MEANWHILE, on a further away Table, These TWO STONEWARE JARS caught My Eye...




According to the Remaining Broken WAX-SEAL on One, THESE are "MUSTARD-POTS" apparently from "MOUSTARDE de MEAUX"..?

At 50-Cents for The PAIR, THEY look Useful.

I've yet to RE-open the Sealed-One to see WHAT's "INSIDE"..?!! -- A *Task* probably BEST attempted "OUTSIDE"! Who *knows* WHAT IT'll *SMELL* like!?!

Over on the "CLOTHING"-"FABRIC" Table... For 25-Cents, got THIS One-Yard Piece of COTTON FABRIC. -- I thought the KOALAS were Cute!

WITHIN the Same "Box" was This ITALIAN-MADE SQUARE SCARF!


There weren't any Other Tags, BUT, I *strongly* Believe that IT's
"WOOL"!
Perhaps - possibly - CASHMERE..?

-- There were Other Cashmere Items nearby in Less Favourable Condition.

JUST another
"25-Cents"!! - And, I even LIKE the COLOUR!

THIS is a Little TIN CASE - about ACTUAL-Size... 10-Cents.

I'm really NOT the "SAYINGS"-
Type, per se... However, THIS sorta seemed Apropos!!?






TOMORROW, the OTHER YARD SALES *STUFF*...

************************************************************