Thrift store Thursday

So, it's Thursday again, and it's the only morning that I have no kids AND no other major responsibility that I HAVE to get done. Granted, there are about 6 loads of laundry waiting to be folded downstairs, but that can wait. So, after I dropped off the kids, I headed to my new favorite thrift store, Unique Thrift. I wish I had my camera there last week so I could have documented the creepiest thing that has happened to me in a long time: I was stalked by an old lady!

Seriously, she followed me around town in her car first, honking at me and pointing her finger at me. Then, I thought I lost her for a good 10 minutes, so I headed to the thrift store, and she was already there! She followed me around the store standing really close to me and making loud sighing noises...sometimes she just stood at the end of an aisle and stared at me. Then, she followed me out to the parking lot and tried to block me in so I couldn't leave! It went on for quite a while, and then I lost her. But seriously!?

So, anyway, I went again today, (she was not there) and picked up some t-shirts for Sammy-Sam and some skirts for me for the summer. I was oddly drawn to this green floral one but then realized that maybe I liked it as a throw-pillow for Claire's bed and not neccessarily to wear. Who knows. But now it's in my closet so I probably will wear it. I'm all of a sudden drawn to everything old and vintage looking that exists. Tell me if I start looking like an old lady.

One of my favorite vintage things to find are old school books. They are so sweet and simple and they remind me of how school should be. Not stressful and overly grown-up like it is now. It's funny how even in this giant inner-city school where I tutor, the kids fight over the Dick and Jane books that they are republishing now. I think they just identify with the nice, familiar stories. Not all the weird Sponge Bob crap that they get so much of now.

Look at the illustrations in this science book. It's so pleasing to the eye, isn't it?

And there are these simple little experiments to do that Claire would totally get into. I haven't been great at introducing much science to her yet (beyond zoo-trips and the like) but this book makes me think I should do some stuff with her like this flashlight/globe experiment. Isn't it funny to think that our little people don't even understand these concepts like that the earth goes around the sun? It's fun to think of teaching them that and having them KNOW that for the first time.

Okay, but here is the funny part. This book is from '62 so there are some really funny things in there too, like how we have just GOT to find the exact right poison to kill all these bugs that keep attacking our crops! It says: "The scientists have tried many kinds of poison powders and liquids....it is very hard to get rid of insect pests when they find the right food!" I don't think these people knew the term "organic produce" yet. Haha.

The other story book has some funny poems, like Sammy's favorite called "Mr Nobody". Mr Nobody gets blamed for all the naughty things that happen around the house that no one wants to take responsibility for. I wonder why he likes this poem so much? Hmmm...

And, I've been collecting these old cross-stitch pictures. The one on the left I picked up at a thrift store, but the one on the right was made by my grandfather's mother, I think. Maybe sister? Anyway, it's old. And I have this idea about making a room in our (hopefully) new home some day that has all these old crosstitches on the wall. The idea is to make it look fun and new though...not old-ladyish. I stole the idea from Stephanie over at NieNie Dialogues. Her home was featured in Cookie Magazine. Look at her guest room here and tell me if I can pull it off. Actually, while you're there, look at all the homes that are featured. They are so fun! It makes me want to throw away everything I have and start over....

Alright, gotta go pick up the kiddos.