Fabulous Finds!

How often are one's frivolous desires fulfilled as if bequeathed by the gods?? Not often in my experience, but recently I've stumbled across a few hard to find finds. Kinda like a mini bequeath-a-thon. Get this! 'bout 2 weeks ago while making my weekly pilgrimage to my fav thrift stores, lo and behold look what was waiting for me!

Not only is this folding rocking chair beautiful, it was only $25! Beautiful doesn't cover it! How grand this will look in my humble, yet palatial tent sweet tent! Another item I literally tripped over is my yoke. Leisurely purusing the offerings at an antique mall type store, my foot hit the yoke which was dangerously, I guess is a good way of putting it, leaning against a door frame. It fell, I yelped with glee (No, not Finn, Rachel and Kurt) recognizing an item I thought all but eluded me. Online these things were $100+. Oh happy day! I guess the secret to finding these kinds of things is to go to your thrift and antique stores often, even though most of the time you'll be bored out of your gourd seeing the same stuff week after week.


I've tried so hard to scale down. I've actually taken inventory of the stuff I bring to events and cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye, there isn't anything I can leave out except a few decorative lanterns! I think my 2 major space hogs are my washtub table and the fly and its kazillion poles. The table is an old, wooden square thing that is incredibly heavy. I snatched it up from someone's tree-lawn on garbage night a year or so ago. I'm trying to find something that could match the ambience of the set up. Woe is me.

Beef Stew, Enamored Youngins and the Chamber Pot Comeback Tour

It was so nice at the living history event this past weekend. It was the maiden voyage of my new old tent and the first leg of the chamber pot comeback tour. I must say, I love the chamber pot. Woo-Hoo! I went potty at night...slithering out and into my bed, barely opening my eyes!

I spent all day, the day before fixing the darn thing. I'm no wood wizard so it really did literally take all day! However, it was well worth it indeed. The chamber pot, you say? Yes! and that does mean that my offspring didn't accompany me to this event. My daughter was feeling poorly and my son was taking a computer security class. I'm sure the reasons were sound, at least I think they were...hope they were...kinda

I cooked for myself this time! I made beef stew! Because of space issues I used a few short cuts like pre-cooked meat but omg it was so good! Besides the meat the only other foods I brought were fruits and veggies: potatoes, green beans, onions, apples, oranges, peaches, carrots etc. I wanted to make biscuits and breakfast foods but my daughter got sick while we were grocery shopping so we rushed home and I forgot my ice and other ingredients. Oh well, C' est la vie! There's always next time.

Boy was I exhausted! Hauling water all day in 90 degree weather isn't exactly a walk in the park. Check that bucket out! I got it at a Renaissance Faire. Its heavy when it's empty so imagine it full of water! Not only that, my legs are covered with bruises from where the bucket hit my legs while carrying it. Poor me...Poor, Poor me!

One of the more popular parts of the demonstration for the kids is the blue bag. Imagine my horror at experiencing a blue bag malfunction! I was robbed the oohs and ahhs of the usual excited bright-eyed children in awe of the magic I perform, turning clear water to blue. Seriously, the little ones love it. They also love washboards. I have small buckets for the tiny teenies, and my soaking tub for the bigger young ones who pose no risk falling into the soaking tub and getting hurt. They love taking garment to copper and scrubbing away. Its cute, very cute. However, what isn't cute are the magical mothers who disappear, leaving said enamored youngins in Suds Row, and for some reason expect the laundress to play governess! Yeah! Seriously! If you're a mom you understand that although the child has no business trailing you like a duckling, you can't just shush it away and tell it to go find mommy, good luck and have a good life! I never let my kids out of sight and seeing that so many do is frightening!