A few weeks ago (on blue box day) the pre-schoolers and I went for our daily walk. I can't resist throwing casual glances at what people throw out on a weekly basis. On this day, we were strolling down main street and passed by our local thrift shop. My well-trained eye immediately spotted primary colors in amongst the jars and cardboard destined for the recycle plant. Stuffed into a large box, was an entire collection of jumbo cardboard blocks!
I momentarily froze. Just 4 days earlier I had seen this exact set stuffed into the very same large box at a garage sale, with a piece on brown tape on it, optimistically asking for $10.00. This was too good to be true!! Now I had been rewarded for my frugality. I knew that ten dollars at a yard sale was nearly criminal, and though I'd been tempted because I knew how much fun the daycare kids would have with them, my Mennonite heritage found its assertive side and Yelled: "NO! For ten dollars, you could buy 3 jugs of sensible white MILK!!! Waste not, want not! This toy is frivolous, and a dreadfully irresponsible way of "stewarding your resources!"
Yes, I was being blessed indeed- good things come to she who waits, and I was receiving my reward as promised. I prompty tossed all toddlers out of the stroller and turned the versatile beast into a shopping cart, carefully propping up my treasure and buckling it in to ensure that all forty-one pieces would make it safely home to their promised land.
OOOh, life has its unexpected pleasures. Goodness only knows what may be resting on the curb this week.....
4 comments:
One of my students in a lifewriting class pointed me to this blog. I don't know whether she commented directly, but I'm sure she'd be happy to have me share her comments. I agree with them.This was a hilarious blog written by an amazing woman. She adds her witty sense of humour throughout rich, detailed accounts of every day life. I like the way that she really allows the posts to be relateable to her audience. Her sarcasm also creates a real voice. When I started to read this blog more in depth, I was not only laughing out loud, but I found myself imagining this character of a woman, probably a very large personality, loud, maybe some crazy hair. Definatley a hearty laugh, and a big, beautiful smile. I felt like I had met her, or possibly someone much like her. The voice she uses is easy to feel familiar with because it is real. It is her voice and her stream of thoughts, but not so carelessly journaled togethered, more crafted, and enriched with her inert comedy and jokes of life.
The familiarity within the issues she discusses is great also. With her little clip of an illustrated comic, she describes the "lady lust". Something I'm sure everyone can relate to:
"I suffer from "lady lust". It's a fairly new diagnosis and may not yet have been published in the DSM, but I HAVE THE CONDITION and therefore know it to exist. The symptoms include "checking out" other women and wanting to OWN certain features that they own. This leads into obsessive thinking about how I could manipulate my own inferior parts to be more like those of the other woman. Usually at this point, I come to for a minute and tell myself to shut up and get over it."
Her realness is what makes me laugh and actually keeps me interested in her posts... To be honest, this may be a blog I actually do start reading.
- And check out her bio. She even adds her witty voice into it, making her more of a character. "
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this made me smile. I LOVE charity shops (English thrift shops). Today I bought a mug with a ceramic frog in the bottom - we have one my husband has had for about 30 years, I bought this one for a friend for 30 pence.
I don't have the same Mennonite heritage
but do have a background of protestant work ethic which has similar effects!
I love a barjin ( as Marko's Slovenian father calls them).
I also think Ellie's student has summed up the wonder of you perfectly x
"versatile beast", you are so funny. I love the way you communicate your mind. It is so witty. I feel badly for those of you that only know Joyce in blog land. I'll have you know, she is every bit as wonderful as you have imagined her to be. I feel so priveleged that God put it in the plans to bring her into my life. So proud of you...you are every bit as good as ellie eluded. You someday will be in Clearspring village signing autographs in your debut book, "Chronicles of Blunderview". I just know it! I really love your blogs...I chuckle every bleepin' time I check them out.
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