I’ve gotten a few good and necessary things, which I haven’t reported here. I can only remember two: a brown wool/alpaca coat for $3. It is the perfect style and fit! Actually, my dream coat. The other item was a glass citrus juicer, also for $3. Both of those were on sale during a 50% off sale.

Yesterday we went to Goodwill. I kinda broke my rule about buying only necessary things when I allowed Naomi to buy an acquarium. But the girl is an animal lover and now when she figures out what she’d like to keep in there, she has a habitat ready. I’m sure she’ll tell you more about that on her blog, when she does an entry later today or tomorrow.

I looked for jeans/pants for Jeff – but didn’t find any.

For our household, I found about 10 nice glasses. They’re all round and sturdy.

I found a bunch of pretty, eclectic plates and bowls. I was looking for tableware with which to do food photos – you’ll be seeing those pop up in gnowfglins.com pictures.

I also found a really nice DeLonghi countertop oven. Our toaster oven (also a thrift store purchase) was on its way out, so finding a replacement is a really timely blessing!

I think that’s it for my finds from yesterday. Have you found anything good at thrift stores lately?

Ironically, I am on day 3 of a 30-day experiment with T-Tapp. I would like to lose weight and inches. I needed the pants because none others that I have are comfortable, but I don’t want to be wearing them long.

Wednesday, when thrift shopping, we found:

• Jansport small purse-size backpacks for the girls. It was funny because we were looking for purse/backpacks for their California trip. Each backpack is a new-condition. $1.99.
• The Paisley Pincushion Scalloped Apron pattern. 25 cents.
• Another retro apron pattern. 25 cents.
• a purple cotton knit sheet. $1.99
• 4 yards of a pretty 100% cotton floral. $2.

Desk, $20. I am getting a laptop computer. The current computer will become the kids’ school computer. We’re setting up a wireless network in the house, but even so, I don’t imagine I’ll be carrying the laptop all around, so I need a desk. At Goodwill on Wednesday, the kids and I found this table. Disappointingly, the top is not solid wood, but compressed wood instead. Even so, it appears pretty solid and the metal frame is in good shape. Jeff says he might make a new top for it someday. I really scrubbed it down when we got it home, as it was filthy. It must have been a kids’ table at its previous residence, and apparently, was never cleaned. You wouldn’t believe what we scraped off the underside. Gross. That is in the past, however. Now it is clean and ready for me to get some good work done. I have big plans and we are all eager.

Nine West purse, $2. I am really, really happy about this purse. It has plenty of room, such that all my things fit and I still don’t fill it up all the way. I like that. I also like the white contrast stitching.

And that’s it. I haven’t purchased anything else in the last month. One thrift store seems just empty everytime we go there. But for the most part, I have not been in the mood for thrift shopping, nor had the time. We only went on Wednesday because I had prayed for the Lord to lead me to a desk. Going into the two thrift stores in Sutherlin, Oregon was my act of faith. Not that my life hung in the balance. I am grateful that the Lord listens to, and sometimes grants, my simple requests. Thank you, God.

*2 of these pyrex rectangular refrigerator storage dishes, $3.99 each. Kind of high in price, but these are classic and oh, so useful. There was another for $4.50 at another store, but I passed on that one.

*An Old Navy Wool Barn Coat for Haniya, around $4 thanks to my mom’s senior discount. I’m going to copy it, because it the style I’ve been wanting to capture for all our wool coats. I have some blue boiled wool, enough to make one for Naomi at least.

*5 round pyrex bowls, no lids, around $5 for all

*8 pairs of jeans, $1 each, for making reusable shopping bags

*Lodge Cornbread Skillet, $14.99. You can read the story about that in my GNOWFGLINS™ post.

*2 more pairs of jeans, $1 each, which fit me. I bought them thinking they would be bags but I got home and they fit really well. In fact, I’ve now decided that Eddie Bauer Natural Fit Jeans are my favorite. So if anyone has any in size 8 (Tall) lying around, let me know. The Tall is a little too long, so I had to hem the ones I brought home, but regular are always too short for me, so that’s fine with me.

*round glass pyrex storage bowl, no lid, that’s okay. 49 cents
*tennies for Haniya $2
*a whole bunch of knit sheets, everybody seems to be getting rid of them, I don’t know why.
*a medium-blue wool coat for me (I’ll show a photo later), it is long and I want to shorten it to mid-thigh. Gap. $12.99
*Back to Basics — the book about old-fashioned skills (that actually came from the used book store and I bought it with my credit)

I think that’s it. I’m most excited about the coat. But I have to shorten it successfully or it won’t do me any good.

Mikah told me he knew why someone gave them to Goodwill. “Oh, really?” I said. “Yes, Mom, look at the tops, they’re bent.” My observant boy doesn’t miss anything, does he? I told him they are supposed to be bent and they work better that way.

The first thrift was having a 50% off storewide sale. Yahoo! I found some necessary things and saved a bunch!

• Winter coat for Mikah, $2.50
• Adidas tennies for Mikah, $1.00
• “Elements of Style” by Strunk & White, $.50

The next thrift store was not having a sale, but I still found some good and useful items:

• 2 new oil decanters, very large, quality green glass made in W. Germany, $2.99 each (these will replace my smaller oil decanters that I have to refill every other day)
• Wool blanket, flecks of brown/grey/black/natural fibers, $9.99 (high I know but I’ve never seen them for less around here)
• pink cotton knit sheet, full size, $2.99 (you know I love those)
• bright blue cotton knit sheet, queen size, $3.99 (you know I love those)

I did hold back on the shop browsing because I knew we were going to a lady’s house at 4:30 to look through her fabric stash. She’s been telling me about giving/selling me her fabric for over a year, maybe two. She works at one of the thrift stores and noticed that I always buy fabric. She finally got through it all and we finally got over there yesterday.

I came home with alot. The best piece of all is 6 yards of forest green wool flannel that will make great overdresses for the girls and I this winter. Her mom bought the wool many years ago and paid $23 a yard back then. It is super nice stuff. (My goodness, those are not writers’ words.) I want to dye it black or brown, but when I mentioned that, the lady was offended and told me that if I wanted brown wool, I should buy some and leave the green with her. So I promised her that I would not dye it. I did pay her a little for the wool, as she said I could pay her whatever I could afford. I think perhaps I paid too much, but then I also think I didn’t pay enough. Who knows.

Then there are lots of knits and other pieces. I said no to everything bright, flashy or shiny. There were still many lovely pieces in my yes pile. So many I can’t remember them all. I’m washing them all up now. The wool is dry-clean only but I will put it on the handwash cycle and lay it out to dry. I will be busy for a few years, I’m sure.