Friday Finds & Check-ins, Volume #658

They are beautiful photos, Christine. I am happy your husband has bonded with Winnie. We should all have unconditional love in our lives.

Haul: Nothing this week and likely nothing for quite awhile. I am home bound with my mother.

Weekend plans: More of the same. I am still staying at my house but going to my brother’s to help in the care of my mother post her stroke. She has progressed to the point where she doesn’t want to do anything she is suppose to and thinks that she is better than she is. She came home from the hospital being in a really cheerful mood and actually almost euphoric but it didn’t last! We are doing physical, occupational and speech therapy. She has multiple Doctor appts. which most require travelling 3 hours each way so that alone keeps us busy. My plans to move have been put on hold as it isn’t fair to leave my brother to handle everything alone. When things settle down I may pursue selling and converting a basement room at my brother’s into a space for myself and then also live in Seattle part of the time. Too much going on to think about it right now though.

One thing I am willing to pay more for than most would? Undoubtedly it is craft and hobby supplies. I have ordered chipboard from Ukraine, rice paper from Romania, origami paper from France and Japan, and even cards from Australia, thanks Genevieve!! Most people would balk at the cost of the supplies without even dealing with the cost of mailing! When you live in the woods and have long winters, you have to have things to pass your time. I read a ton but it doesn’t answer my creative needs.
I do have to share two other quick stories, one of which I have shared on the blog before. When I was first out of nursing school and making good money, I decided to invest in a bottle of Joy perfume. I went to a newly opened mall in Reno, Nevada which is where my parents lived at the time. I purchased my bottle and went home. The next day I tried to use it but couldn’t get the cap off. My mom went with me to return it and when I gave it to the sales associate she told me that they had inadvertently given me a display bottle which didn’t actually open. She said, “You don’t want to pay *** for a bottle of perfume and not be able to use it!” My mother looked at me and said, “You paid what for a bottle of perfume?!” she couldn’t wait to get home and tell my father. My family relate this story whenever money comes up. It was in 1978!!
A similar experience with a pair of heals I purchased at I Magnin back when it was still operating. I purchased a pair of opaline snakeskin heels. They perfectly matched a dress I had purchased at I Magnin also. Again it was 1878 and I think I paid almost $600 for them. Another tale my family mentions a lot.
Oh, one more!!! I was visiting my grandmother in Montana and she, my uncle and I were headed to visit an aunt. When we pulled into their yard, my uncle was getting ready to take a load of garbage to the dump. My grandmother got up in the back of his truck and started pulling stuff out and putting it into the back of her car. I was sitting in the back seat and had my newly purchased, red silk jacket over the back seat. After she through some things in I asked her to be careful. After stuffing more stuff in, I was annoyed and told her that my jacket cost more than her car and the junk she was loading put together. I had to apologize later but when she relayed the story to my parents, I again knew I was going to be teased mercilessly.