Thrifty Therapy

So, today I had to take our oldest dog, NanaDaisy, to the vet. She has been diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure. We are having to leave her there overnight.
This constituted some Thrifting Therapy. Since there was no dog to be left in the car and no children tagging along, I skipped over to the Goodwill in Chatham. Now, this store has been through 3 address changes in the past 4 years. Bear with me for a little back ground. When we moved from Chatham to the farm, the Goodwill was located in a century old building on Main St. complete with uneven wood floors, tin ceiling tiles and that old musty smell that is so quaint with old buildings (if you don't have to live in them). They moved from this location to a strip mall type building - the former (very small and defunct) $ store. It did not take them long to realize this space was way too small for their store - SO - they moved into the HUGE (but, defunct) video store. Well, it does not have the same "feel" of the old building, but much nicer than the $ store. All that said, it seems that I do not find the "good stuff" at the new store like I usta at the old store on Main St. I guess there is a lot to say about nostalgia.
I only found 3 books of interest:

"The Complete Homesteading Book", is full of great tips on getting along with less (something I am attempting to do) It goes a little farther than I am prepared to go to at this time - but, I will not say, "never", just not now.

"Leaves of Gold", , An Anthology of PRAYERS, MEMORABLE PHRASES, INSPIRATIONAL VERSE AND PROSE" is an inspirational type book. Just like the one that my mother received as a high school graduation gift. It has quotes from the Bible, Charles Lamb, John Bunyan, Goethe, Hans Christian Anderson,Confucius, just to name a few. It's great. The book was copy written in 1948 - The book I purchased is the Tenth Printing, done in 1961.

"Beautiful Gardens in America" is obviously, about gardens. It has pictures and descriptions of different gardens through out the US, from "Mariemont" in Newport, RI to the remarkable gardens of Alaska. But, it was the inscription in the front cover that grabbed my heart and "spoke" to me.


To Alice XMAS - 1937


Since you are unable to visit the gardens -
"Beautiful" - I bring them to you. I wish
I could bring you the woods the flowers,
birdsong, even the Sylvan Brook -
And Spring.____

Love Uncle Oscar

Oh, how my mind began to race. Who is Alice and was this sweet Alice sick? Was she confined to her bed? Or just a broken leg?? Was she young or old?
Nevertheless, what a blessing to have someone love you so much to bring some gardens - beautiful - to you and then the wish to be able to bring things of pure joy to you and lay them at your feet. And, who is Uncle Oscar? Did he travel frequently? Did he look like Cary Grant or Danny Kaye?
See, this is why I love old things - they have a history, something significant tied to them. Thrifting Rocks!!!!

To Uncle Oscar and Alice - thank you for your love of beautiful gardens, for your love for each other. And to whom gave this little treasure up, I am eternally grateful. You have allowed my imagination to run wild with wonder. And I am even more thankful that I can go and see the "Gardens - Beautiful", the woods, the flowers. I am able to hear the birdsong, and to hear, see and wade in the sylvan brook and to fully experience Spring. We are able to live the happy life.