Crazy Thrift Store Prices!!

I dropped into a local thrift store the other day....while Liesel was having a spa day...with a new groomer (more on that in a minute)...

Have the prices in thrift stores in your area gone insanely high?  I realize everything has about tripled in price....a tub of Becel margarine - $9.99!!  I don't know how families are making ends meet.  

Now...I know nothing about the origins of this cookie jar...but it was donated to the thrift store.  My jaw hit my shopping cart when I saw the price!!  Talk about sticker shock...even filled with cookies...I wouldn't pay that price!!!

I recognized this piece immediately...knew it was hand painted in a ceramic shop...(I used to love going to ceramics class)...and this lobster serving dish was always on the shelves ready to be painted.  Sure enough...I turned it over and it read "Greenmount Ceramics).... I attended classes there when we first moved here.  This piece was expertly painted....someone with a lot of experience painting ceramics! The date it was painted...(people carved the year on the back of pieces)....was 1973!   But it is not worth $24.99!  At least not to me...but then I dislike lobster anyways...

My dream job would have been to own a ceramics shop and hold classes.  The last pieces I painted, years ago...was a set of twelve....snowman dinnerware ...my daughter in Nova Scotia inherited them.  Sometime I'll ask her to take pics  and I'll share.  My Mom...back in the 70's got me into ceramics...I thought it was for old ladies!!  (of which I now am one)...but one evening I joined her at class...and was hooked.  I found it so relaxing...I could paint for hours!!  There are a couple of studios here...but it's more the artsy fartsy types of pieces...

I presume this is a cheese server...really cute & I love the colour.   But not for $9.99.

These bowls are originally from Home Sense...Liesel has the exact same bowl...in gold...for a water dish....I didn't pay much more for it new!!

Even with it being Seniors Day (not sure how the girl knew to give me the discount) on the two ice cube trays I picked up but I was okay with it.  And yes....I do qualify.  *sigh*

So...update on Liesel's new groomer.  Her previous groomer was located out of the way...an area I seldom venture to.  And for some reason Liesel would not let her front legs or nails get trimmed.  Remember she has arthritis in her front paws..so that could have been the issue.  There are numerous groomers here... I went searching for one close by, mostly took small dogs...and understood Liesel (and her Mama's) issues.  My stomach was in knots when we arrived for her appointment.  There are two groomers....and Meghan had the pleasure of working with Liesel.

Meghan advised Liesel was very nervous and scared...and terrified of the clippers...and scissors.  The only alternative...was to hand strip her.  Which Liesel loved!  She laid down & allowed her groomer to strip her by hand!  (it's painless obviously...Liesel likely thought she was getting massaged).   Hand stripping is the proper way to groom a wire hair btw...but few groomers know or use the technique.  The other groomer held her while she had her nails trimmed...no problems.  I can't tell you how relieved I am to have found Meghan...and she was so patient and kind...and Liesel looks & smells like a princess!  Her next spa day is booked for the end of September....

Okay....I'm sharing the next story which shows how my mind works or doesn't....sometimes.   I ordered a couple of swim sets...and they arrived the other day.  I'll share this photo first....notice...there is no zipper or enclosure  in the front.  Very important....

I was convinced...they had sewn the boob padding to the back of the swim top....in manufacturing...someone screwed up!!  My boobs aren't on my back....not yet anyways.

Imagine my embarrassment...when customer support advised the zipper goes in the back!!  I'm certain customer support had a great chuckle....thankful he could not see my red face!!!  

Anyhow...now it fits perfect!!  No replacement required...

The top is longer on the second set...and it's pull on...no buttons or zippers required.  And shorts for bottoms.  Hopefully I'll have a chance to try one or both of them out this weekend.  There is a huge yellow ball in the sky...it resembles the sun.  After countless days of rain, rain and more rain...we are due for some pool time....

That's all for now!!  I greatly appreciate you spending a bit of time with me today.  I hope you have an awesome weekend...so until next time....