Monday, May 17, 2010

The Best Things in Life Come from the Thrift Store

Welcome to "The Gods Are Bored!" Now I know, I know ... you're going to argue with me. The best things in life are free, right? Let's examine this proposition.

The best things in life for me are my husband and my kids. Well, the husband sure does pull his share of the weight and more, but the kids. Whoa. Anything but free! Take a gander at Heir's college tuition. Or Spare's fancy fairy wear. I have worked my fingers to the bone and shelled out ducats liberally for my beloved children.

Big Red, on the other hand, set me back three bucks. I bought him at the thrift store. I had to convince another customer (who didn't speak English) to sell him back to me. Since then, Big Red has been a mainstay of the Spoutwood Fairy Festival, beloved by young and old.

Let's review. My dragon, Big Red (pictured, having pretended to be a kite and gotten stuck in a tree), cost three dollars, no tax because I bought him point of sale from another thrift store customer. Now, just look at that grin on my face. I'm not mugging for the camera, readers. This was a candid shot. I didn't even know it was being taken!

The moral of this sermon: Are you still going to that crappy shopping mall? Get thee to the thrift store! The best things in life are lightly used.

6 comments:

Alex Pendragon said...

One of our twins has this uncanny ability to find the most expensive looking duds at the Salvation Army Store. She could probably get rich buying this stuff and reselling it to the Paris Hilton set on the posh side of town....hmmmmmm......

Erik said...

We love our thrift stores! In addition to the usual SA and Goodwill stores, there's an Amvets store in town that collects all the pink bags from several counties... always an adventure.

Plus, they're giving our daughter an excellent chance to practice her manifesting skills! A few months ago she decided that she needed a large stuffed bunny; knowing her allowance and how it runs like water through her fingers, we wished her luck... two days later she walks into the Goodwill and there, right next to the front door, was a pink bunny at least half her height for $3. And this is not by any means an isolated incident... is there a bored god of shopping?

Debra She Who Seeks said...

You are one youthful and merry-looking chick in that faery fest photo! Great shot!

Maeve said...

I adore thrift stores and yard sales and consignment shops. :)

And auctions. You never know what will go through an auction. Our coffee table that is holding up magnificently to rowdy boys and their rowdy games came from an auction. It was either $3 or $1. I can't remember for sure. Some day when rowdy boys are beyond the "scratch up coffee tables" phase of life I shall re-finish the wood. :)

Souris Optique said...

The best things in life totally come from thrift stores! And my first date w/ my sweet husband was going thrifting, so I can say that without caveats! (well, I suppose he wasn't technically _from_ there...)

Erik -- I totally do that! I think the randomness of the selection helps a great deal.

Thrift stores appeal to my primitive gatherer side. :D

Souris Optique said...

Oops. Sorry for posting twice. Didn't realize you were moderating these and thought my first one had disappeared into the ether.:/