On Overload

I'm feeling frazzled, overloaded, and that there simply aren't enough hours in the day. That's retirement for you! But it's all good stuff.

After getting home from months away, we went right into having Open Studios (an artist's event in Santa Cruz) for two weekends in a row. Daniella was showing her paintings again, and did VERY well, but it meant having about 100+ people a day cruising through our home, for four days. That's over, but it required a level of energy that was hard to summon up after all the traveling.

Next, I've been begged to come back and do a little more work at the University, so I've been going up about 10-15 hours a week for that. It's good to earn a little extra, but working is for - well - working people, not for us retirees! We like to have all of our time to use freely! I find that this is becoming a good habit!

We just took another short trip to Santa Barbara and Ventura - a two day adventure to drop off paintings at a new gallery for Daniella down there.

Meanwhile I've signed up for two small art classes - one about portrait painting, and another one for more in-depth charcoal drawing. Each meets once a week, and so far they are great. For me this is pure pleasure, even though I'm a little intimidated by the "real" artists in the group. I'll get there!

Add to that the daily phone calls I've been making for MoveOn.org to encourage voters to get out and cast their ballots all over the US. Now I'm about to be trained to be a poll volunteer and work at the polls on election day, particularly keeping an eye on the electronic balloting process. As I've said before, not much scares me like the fraudulent voting tactics that have been popping up all over this country. I am looking for ways to do whatever I can to make our local process work as smoothly as possible, and to participate in this election in the most meaningful way. I've already sent in my absentee ballot - now I hope it will get counted!

Sorry, dear blogger friends - I haven't been much of a pal lately. I appreciate all of you who have left me such wonderful comments, even so! Many thanks!

Clutter

Our house is usually pretty neat and tidy, but we do have our little pockets of clutter. This one, just inside the front door, caught my eye this morning, and it occured to me that clutter often has stories to tell. Usually in our house, the story has to do with "why we couldn't get rid of that" even though it is not something essential to our livelihood or well-being. I'll tell you some stories about this little clutter corner.

The big straw basket was a "score" at a yard sale a couple of years ago. It is African, and so beautiful - I love it. Inside that basket is a handmade quilt, a last-stab effort to hold me given by an ex-husband about 25 years ago. It is a beautiful quilt, too good to get rid of, but it holds emotional content that prevents me from actually using it on a bed. So it sits here filling out the sides of the basket. On top of the quilt is an assortment of toys, also found at yard sales, and kept on hand for neighbor children who might come visiting (but secretly also for our grandchildren, who are not yet more than a gleam in the eye of their grandmothers).

Also in the back of the corner is a Chinese umbrella stand which came to us from the estate of Daniella's mother who died several years ago. We now have a solitary green umbrella living there. It was left at our home last year after a party, by one of the hapless guests who apparently never thought of it again. It is waiting to go home, but it probably never will. There is also a nice, carved cane. Nobody in our home uses a cane, but it is nice and it is hand carved, and it gives the umbrella stand something to hold. Someday we might be glad to have one (but let's not go there!)

Next we see a small wooden stool (also from Daniella's mother's estate) which has never found a true place in our home, so it moves around from one clutter corner to another. Sitting on the stool this week is a Cuisinart in a box, the tiny size used to chop garlic and various herbs. Our friend Pamela, on Whidbey Island, expressed a wish to have one of these little machines, and Daniella found one, so there it sits waiting for December to come along so that it can be carried up to the island. Today, I might add, is mid-October.

Finally, the big blue daisy-covered tote bag in front holds assorted swimming gear - bathing suit, visors, sunglasses, lotions, towel, shampoo. It will be going to water exercise with Daniella later this morning, so it is passing through on a quick stopover.

For anyone who might wonder, the lamp on that table belonged to my grandmother, and then my parents. It was the one thing in my parents ' home that I most coveted. When it came to me, my son Phil made the glass lamp shade, when he worked at Johnson Arts Studio in Santa Cruz.

Does your clutter have stories??

Apples

Lots of bloggers can brag about their sexy tomatoes, or their grandbabies, or their great works of art. Today I'm bragging about apples. When we got back to Santa Cruz we found the most abundant crop ever of apples and pears on our trees. The apples seem to get more delicious each year. They are juicy, tart and sweet. I've been making applesauce, and giving them away to anyone who will take them. We also have plums, lemons, and oranges in our yard. As the old saying goes, "an apple a day....." Wish I could send you all some!

Born Again

Our little dog Zuma has not been well for the last couple of years. She has been listless, overweight, suffered from flaky and itchy skin, and rarely seemed happy. She often sat with her tongue hanging out of her mouth, and taking a walk with her has been more like dragging a pull-toy on a string. Often she hid under the bed rather than go for a walk. She was cold all the time, and shivered frequently. Her tail was permanently tucked between her legs, and we never saw her wag it. We have taken her to numerous vets, tried out a wide range of pills and potions, and even had a "dog whisperer" come and try to figure her out. Nothing happened. Here she was, lethargic and seeking a warm spot to rest.
While we were on Whidbey Island we took her to the Useless Bay Animal Clinic, and the vet immediately said "I think she may have a thyroid problem". She proceeded to do a blood test. No vet in Santa Cruz had ever suggested this. Sure enough, Zuma had a thyroid level of 0.01, where normal is between 1-4. We immediately started her on thyroid medicine. The results have been miraculous! After just a few weeks on the pills, our little dog is like a puppy again. She is full of energy, playful, and begs to go for long walks. She runs all the way, pulling us along behind her outstretched leash. At home, she plays with toys and runs around the house like a pup. Her tongue no longer hangs out. Her tail is up and out and wagging. Her skin is silky and coat is filling out. The itching and flaky skin is gone. She jumps onto furniture where we previously had to lift her. She is curious and excited about everything, and more alert than she has been in years. It is truly like having a new dog, the results are so startling. Here is a recent shot of our happy little Zuma. Needless to say, we are thrilled!

Back on Line!

After a minor wrestling match with Blogger and, as it turns out, my outdated browser, I've managed to get back into my blog after a few weeks of having no luck! Sorry for the long silence. To those of you still reading this, I am home again in Santa Cruz, after our month-long travels through the midwest. In fact, in the last 4 months we have travelled over 10,000 miles through 18 states. The last trip was terrific, every day. Without writing reams about it, I'll try to share a few of my most memorable highlights of those last weeks on the road.

Milwaukee - the surprise city of this trip. I thought it was only a 'beer and brats' kind of town, but in fact it is vibrant and exciting. It has one of the most beautiful buildings I've ever entered, the art museum, sitting on the shore of the vast Lake Michigan. The museum was designed by the Spanish architect, Calatrava, and it looks from some points of view like a great white swan just lifting off into the sky over the lake. It is gorgeous, inside and out. Here are a few photos:Not only is the building stunning, but the art collection is magnificent too. The Bradley Collection emcompasses all of European and American contemporary art, with over 700 pieces donated by one collector.

Missouri - on our first visit there, we fell in love with the rolling countryside, leafy green trees, winding rivers, elegiac farms. One day we rented bikes and took a 30 mile ride on the Katy Trail, a bikes-only pathway that runs for 245 miles along the Missouri River, flat all the way. Despite our sore butts, we loved every minute of being able to get out into the woods and meadows and explore.

Grand Teton and Yellowstone Parks. This was another first, and both of these national parks did not disappoint. The Tetons are shown below, at sunset.We saw bison, wolves, and dozens of elk. One of the most exciting moments was watching a pair of bull elk rutting, ramming their antlers together repeatedly, and then bellowing loudly as they repositioned themselves for another run-in.In Yellowstone, we explored the weird bubbling, steaming, simmering geyser areas scattered throughout the park. We watched "Old Faithful" gushing high into the air. Everywhere in these park the views were breath-taking, and the air was brisk and salubrious.Autumn. As California residents, experiencing seasons is always a treat. During the month of September, the autumn colors were advancing as we drove along. We saw golden aspen, willows, cottonwoods, flaming maples, and many other signs of the fall season. So often I thought of just the simple notion of "America the Beautiful", because this trip was all about that - from the wilds of Montana to the lakes of Minnesota to the prairies of Kansas to the Rocky Mountains, and everything in between. I've had such a bittersweet feeling, torn between immense love for our country and huge sadness at what we have become politically, militarily, and emblematically in the world. If anything I'm even more determined to fight back against the powers of fascism and extremism growing in our government. Today I signed up to work at the polls on election day, because I am deeply concerned about the validity of the American electoral process. For some reason I'm more frightened of fraud in the voting machines than all the saber-rattling about terrorists. I want our voting system to remain intact, untampered with, and reliable. For the last 6 years, it has been violated repeatedly, and without the soundness of our votes, our democracy is gone for sure. At least, I thought, I can do a small part to participate.

Anyway, it's great to be home again.

On The Road Heading East

That's me and my camera, on the road in North Dakota, trying to shoot pictures of those beautiful rolled hay bales that are everywhere in that landscape. For a week we've been travelling across the country to St. Louis (our current location). The trip has been fantastic, with so many highlights. We came across the lower Cascade range in Washington into the fully-ripe fruit producing area around Wenatchie, where we stocked up on the most crunchy-delicious apples I can ever remember eating. That first day we made it all the way to Missoula, Montana - wow!

The next morning we took a delightful detour to the little town of Basin, where we met a fabulous group of women artists and musicians, thanks to our new friend Bryher who owns a little cafe there, and is the sister of my dear friend Mary. This little community has put together a Women Artist's Refuge, a retreat center where artists can go and stay for months at a time and work. In a nutshell, what we can say about Basin is .... We'll Be Back (and soon)!

Montana, of course, was heartbreakingly gorgeous. We drank in the luscious scenery, and wildlife (elk, sandhill cranes). That second afternoon we had a little adventure. We stopped in Billings for gas, and when Daniella turned the key in the car there was a huge BOOM from our vehicle and the engine was dead. We were stunned, and frightened, but eventually discovered that our battery had simply exploded. The plastic on top was all cracked open, and we could see battery acid roiling and steaming inside - scary! We called AAA and were towed to a local Sears store (mind you, this was Sunday of Labor Day weekend). They changed the battery, tested the car, and determined that there were no further problems, so off we went again. Wow! We stayed that second night in Miles City, MT - on the far eastern side of the state.

One sad thing that we noticed all the way across Washington, Idaho, and Montana is that the evergreen trees are dying. Everywhere, there are dead trees and dying trees amongst the green ones. We've heard that global warming is creating new conditions in the forests that weaken the trees, allow beetles to attack them, etc. There is also the excessive heat that these states have been experiencing, along with a shortage of rain. It was shocking to see it, however, and very worrisome to imagine where it might lead. At the very least, it increases the fire danger considerably. At worst, it threatens all of us.

On The Road - North Dakota

Because our dear friends, Rob and Mary, are in North Dakota, we especially wanted to visit that state. We were immediately struck by the splendor of the Badlands, the vast and rolling rock formations and gulleys that sprawl across the land in all directions. ND has a real cowbow culture (see above!), and field after field of blooming sunflowers, grasslands of fragrant sage, and rolling meadows edged with brown-eyed susans. The beauty is subtle but undeniable.

Our friends live about 50 miles off the main highway, and then about 8 miles back on a dirt road - what they call "on the mountain" where they are building a home on land that has been in the family for generations. Rob has done an amazing job of putting up a house by himself, and, although there is still much to complete, he has done so much, so skillfully. His parents, Bob & Edna, live nearby in their lovely home, and we had some meals together there. Best of all was the time catching up after many years apart. Mary and I have been close friends for about 30 years. She was with me when my last baby was born. I love her like a sister, and it was a great joy to have time with her and with Rob.

Rob took us out in an open jeep, driving all over their land. We kept meeting up with his dad, age 86, out riding one of his many horses - something he does every day.In the evening, the family built a camp fire and we sat out under the stars. Chris, Rob & Mary's son, is a performance artist who uses the name "The Rappin' Cowbow". He recited cowbow poetry at the fireside, and then Grandpa Bob sang a few songs - he has a rich, deep voice. Here is the family looking at some of Daniella's art work.It was difficult to say goodbye to ND and get back on the road again......what a terrific visit!

On the Road - Midwest

After leaving our friends in North Dakota, we headed east, eventually into Minnesota, land of 10,000 lakes. The landscape turned from brown to bright green. There were little lakes everywhere. That night, Tuesday, we stayed in a little town called Fergus Falls, MN, unremarkable in every way. On Wednesday we stopped in Minneapolis at the Walker Art Center, and spent a couple of hours looking at the exciting contemporary art in their collection.

By Wednesday night we had driven down into the corny state of Iowa, and spent the night at Cedar Rapids. We passed the Spam Museum (didn't see it in time to turn off for a visit - darn!) and were delayed at a traffic intersection in the middle of nowhere while a long tractor parade passed through - go figure??!!

Yesterday (Thursday) we finally saw the Mississippi River when we stopped for lunch in Hannibal, Missouri (home of Mark Twain). We bought sandwiches and took them up onto the river levee for a picnic. While we sat there, someone played old-timey songs on a calliope on a river paddleboat. It was joyful and so evocative of that whole Mississippi River culture. Later we arrived at our hotel in St. Louis, had a delicious "tapas" dinner, then rested up to prepare for today when we must put up the booth and art exhibit that begins tonight and goes through the weekend. Let's hope that Daniella kicks butt!

Farewell to the Island for Now

We'll be leaving for the midwest on Saturday. It is heartbreaking to leave here, even though we will be having exciting adventures in many parts of the country where we've never explored. Still, it will tear at our hearts to uproot from this precious spot where, each time we visit, our happiness seems unbounded! Here are a few last lingering photos from the days just gone by.

My dear sister-in-law, Lynn, visited for a few days (she's with me in the snapshot below). We took a long beach walk and observed some heron drama which we did not understand (mating? fighting?). A pair of herons on a sand bar, both with wings unfurled and extended, seemed to be stalking each other. First they would move in one direction a few feet apart, then both would turn and move in the opposite direction. After a bit of this dance, they suddenly turned and faced each other and rushed together, jumping into the air when they came together. This happened a couple of times over about five minutes, and then they went their separate ways. It was beautiful and dramatic, that's for sure! By the way, can you guess my favorite bird???

We saw a magnificent sea star stranded in a tide pool.Just for laughs, I'm including a photo of how they wrap "donut" peaches up here. We've been subscribing to a weekly box of produce from a local organic farm (fantastic food) and each week we've been getting these donut peaches packed up as donuts! Too cute!Since we'll be on the road for the next month, I probably won't be able to post much on this blog. Hopefully in October I'll have lots of new things to talk about! See you then!

Suggestions Please?? Midwest here we come!

During the month of September, Daniella and I will be driving to and through the mid-west. She has art shows in both St. Louis and Kansas City, and between times we will go to both Madison and Chicago, to see friends, look at art museums, and get to know these two cities a little bit. We are looking for suggestions for great places to visit in those areas: good restaurants, places to stay, sights to see, "not to be missed" spots, or any other ideas that might make our travel more fun and interesting. We'll be driving first through Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, and then heading down to St. Louis. Don't yet know our route home - but we will swing by Whidbey Island to pick up Zuma at the end of September, and arrive back in Santa Cruz in early October.

Please send us your ideas, suggestions, etc. by Friday! Many thanks! ...... Tawanda!!!

Jump for Joy!

Painting by Sylvia Worthy

For a dinky little island, Whidbey has a cutting-edge athletic facility, the Island Athletic Club. Their indoor salt-water pool has a glass ceiling that rolls open to the sky when the weather allows it. The very first thing I did when I arrived here was to get a temporary membership so that I could participate in water aerobics. I think I've been to water aerobics 6 days a week since I've been here, and it has become one of the things I most look forward to, and something I'll miss so much when we leave. Our teachers are terrific, and give us a great workout. One of them, after our final stretches, has us crouch down in the water and then shoot out in a huge 'Jump for Joy'. This morning I realized that for me, these water exercise classes are truly about jumping for joy, feeling the happiness bubbling up and out, reveling in the sensation of floating. I'm in bliss, for sure!

Painting by Klaas van Weringh

Island Days and Nights

The last 10 days of our summer on Whidbey Island are already ticking past. I've been loathe to spend time on the computer when I can be outdoors enjoying all the pleasures of this area. But here are some of the highlights of the last few days.

1. Films - Two in particular stand out. We saw an old film, The Sheltering Sky, a Bertolucci classic from 1990, written by Paul Bowles. It is such an amazing, artistic, reflective film, entirely filmed in Saharan Africa. I was just dazzled by it, and the thoughtful and enigmatic themes it puts forward. It has certainly been added to my all-time-best list!

Last night we saw a screening of a film called "Inlaws and Outlaws" by a young Washington filmmaker, Drew Emery. This is a documentary that takes up the themes of love and marriage and gay marriage and gay love and love relationships in general. It is a wonderful effort, and has so much to say. Drew is pushing to get the film distributed as widely as possible, and has even had some success in - for example - midwest churches. If you see it in your area, by all means go see it. It is terrific!

2. Books - I've been on a reading bender. Today it is the "Life and Times of Michael K" by J.M. Coetzee. Recently finished "Night Work" by Laurie King. Next on tap is "The History of Love" by Nicole Kraus, which many friends are raving about. Love. To. Read. !!!!!

3. Sights - Even after 5 years of coming to the island, I never tire of seeing the magnificent bald eagles. There is a tree above the parking lot at our favorite beach where the eagles love to hang out in the mornings. They sit up there and preen their feathers, watch the beach activities, and probably, digest their fishy breakfasts. Here are a couple of snapshots taken this week, standing under that tree.

An Outing

Yesterday we took the Keystone ferry to Port Townsend, always a beautiful trip. As we sat on the ferry waiting for it to leave, I noticed that there was a cluster of blue herons sitting on the pilings just next to the ferry, shivering in the foggy morning air. I snapped several photos of them, and as the ferry pulled away I could see that they have a nest right there. Perhaps the two smaller herons are the babies (teen-agers), since they seemed lighter in color, smaller, and more shivery than the older one standing behind them.
We spent the morning with our friend Shane, having breakfast at our favorite Sweet Laurette's, and then looking at the incredibly crafted jewelry and metal boxes that Shane is making. Then she dropped us off at our friends Roger and Robin Andrea (New Dharma Bums) for the afternoon. We had an informal picnic, and then rode off on e-bikes to a beautiful trail that goes along the edge of the cliffs above Puget Sound, and eventually down to a beach there. We sat and talked next to the water, and then hiked out and rode the e-bikes back to their house. We were back at Whidbey Island in time to celebrate our friend Pamela's birthday last evening with some cake and berries. A wonderful day!

Here is Robin Andrea in a characteristic pose, camera in hand, watching birds, with the city of Port Townsend behind her in the distance.

Odd Bird Behavior

A few days ago I went to my favorite, Maxwellton Beach, when there was a large "minus tide" - meaning that the tide was WAY out and the beach was huge. While Zuma and I were walking, a huge bird flew right over my head, swooped down, and picked up something off the beach. As it flew up into the air, I could see that the "something" was long and stringy. I tried to photograph it, while wondering what on earth it could be - certainly not a snake, probably not an eel (never seen one on the beach). In this photo, you can see the bird flying head-on, with the long, wiggly thing dangling beneath its body.
This not very satisfying photo was a disappointment - but I continued to photograph the bird as it flew towards the trees at the back of the beach. This time I could clearly see that it was an osprey carrying a long green piece of kelp. If you click on the photo I hope you can see this against the trees. Now I'm wondering what osprey do with kelp? Do they eat it? Does anybody know?

Five (not too) Weird Things

I was tagged, by Tara Dharma, to create a bizarre list of five weird things about myself. At first I thought “No Way!”. This is just too embarrassing, and too … well ….. weird. I just won’t respond. Then I thought "Only Five?? That's not too bad. "Now, I surrender and will make this list – but as I do so, I realize that I’m just not a very weird person, at least in my own eyes.

1. I obsessively play the piano with my fingers during most of my waking hours. I had piano lessons as a child, with a heavy emphasis on fingering, and I’m always working on that fingering, even though I haven’t actually played the piano for years

2. I seldom listen to music, even though I love it. It’s just that I love words even more. So I listen to NPR radio, read or write whenever possible, and when that is happening music is a big distraction!

3. I’m a really poor swimmer, and have never enjoyed being in the water much, but in the last couple of years I’ve developed a passion for water exercise and can’t get enough of it.

4. For my entire life, I’ve been a very early riser, as well as a light sleeper. I could probably count on both hands the times I’ve slept past 7 am in the last 20 years. I’d like to, but it just doesn’t happen. But early mornings are definitely my favorite time of day...

5. I don’t like the flavor, taste, smell of coffee and have never in my life been a coffee drinker – don’t even like coffee ice cream. And I'm an adult - weird!

Painting by Cynthia Tom

Books and a Girl who Loves Them

I'm responding to a tag from the ever-succulent and wild woman, Divajood, about books, one of my favorite things in the world. I could write a book about books I've loved, but will try to confine it to a few for this meme.

1: One book that changed your life: I’d have to say Middlemarch (George Eliot). I read it in college, when my life felt as if it was in a real mess, and something about the clear starchiness of the moral and ethical choices in the story, and the way they were described, helped me get through a hard time.

2: One book you have read more than once: Many of the poetry books by Mary Oliver. They never fail to give me joy.

3: One book you would want on a desert island: A big sketch book and lots of art supplies so that I could entertain myself, journal, draw, etc.

4: One book that made you laugh: Oh, so many have done this! One old favorite is Here At The New Yorker, a story/anthology of the early days of the New Yorker magazine. Hilarious! Another favorite was A Winter’s Tale by Mark Helpern. I remember reading it and laughing until tears were running down my face.

5: One book you wish had been written: More true stories by women throughout history, about their lives and the times they lived in. We get so much of our history through the male perspective, wars, conquests, etc.

6: One book you wish had never had been written: I’ll have to agree with another blogger I noticed who suggested “The Bible”. Add to that the Quran and any other “holy book” that religious extremists interpret literally and use to bludgeon others with their beliefs. I think these books have caused more misery than value.

7: One book that made you cry: Again, so many do! I think perhaps I’ll mention Atonement, by Ian McEwan. It is a masterpiece, it made me sob, it touches the human condition on so many levels.

8: One book you are currently reading: Just finished Two Lives by Vikram Seth, a double biography of his aunt and uncle set in the time of the second world war. And I’m always reading The New Yorker, every week!

9: One book you have been meaning to read: I have a big long list. My Kind of Place: Travels from a Woman Who’s Been Everywhere, by Susan Orlean is nearing the top of my list!

10: Now tag five people: Oops, I can't! I read very few blogs, and am shy about pushing my agenda onto anybody. But if you, dear reader, feel inclined to make a book blog, or write a list in the comments below, or simply to go to your favorite wicker lawn chair and read, please feel free!

Okay. Tag. You're all it.

Low Tide Morning

Just back from a beautiful morning beach walk at Maxwellton. We had a low tide and a vastly empty beach today. Although it was clear and sunny, there were wisps of mist rising from all the tide pools, and trailing white clouds over Puget Sound. Here were some of the morning's treats:A shiny red plane doing flip-flopping aerobatics and barrel rolls over the beach (no photo, too gape-jawed to respond, but here are Daniella and Zuma on the beach).
Eagles feeding in the bay - plunging into the water, then flying off with fish in tow.
Squiggly little piles of sand everywhere, indicating some creature below. Daniella said it looked like little spaghetti dinners !Blackberries picked on the way home - this is the season!! Oooooh I do love it here on Whidbey Island.....

The Journey - David Whyte

In these horrific times, when war is tearing the world to pieces and when hatred seems to outweigh all reason, sometimes it helps to turn to art, poetry, or nature, to regain a sense of balance. This poem helped me today with my feelings of despair and helplessness about the world. I am sifting the ashes and looking for a wedge of light. THE JOURNEY
Above the mountains
the Geese turn into
the light again
Painting their
black silhouettes
on an open sky.
Sometimes everything
has to be
inscribed across
the heavens
so you can find
the one line
already written
inside you.
Sometimes it takes
a great sky
to find that
small, bright
and indescribable
wedge of freedom
in your own heart.
Sometimes with
the bones of the black
sticks left when the fire
has gone out
someone has written
something new
in the ashes
of your life.
You are not leaving
You are arriving.

-David Whyte
from The House of Belonging

Striking Gold

While browsing through a favorite Whidbey Island thrift store earlier this week, I spotted an intriguing looking brown wooden box on the shelf. When I opened it, imagine my surprise to find 50 tubes of oil paint, and 29 (all sable) brushes in this beautiful box, marked at $50. I have little experience with painting in oils, but not due to lack of interest or desire. I know the cost of a single tube of paint, and of expensive sable brushes, and this box held a fortune! Now, thanks to Daniella's generosity (she stepped up and bought it for me), I find myself possessed of the means to begin to paint in oils - one step closer to becoming a Renaissance Woman, right??! Is anybody else out there lucky at finding terrific bargains at thrift stores and yard sales??