I'm Such a Scrounge...

Scrounge - Seek to obtain at the expense or through the generosity of others or by stealth

We had some people move into a rental a few doors down about 3 months ago.  She works in the field of chemotherapy as a doctor.  She couldn't find a job here so they packed up and moved to Texas.

Hidden Springs had our annual yard sale a few weeks ago so I wandered over to see what the neighbors might have.  I came to find out that they evidently shopped at Pottery Barn - a lot.  They had a beautiful sisal rug that was 8 x 10 that I really wanted for our living room.  I talked to them on Friday night and they wanted $150 for it (looked it up on the website and new it sold for $300 - on sale).  So, I waited.  Near the end of the day on Saturday, I went back over and the price was down to $100.  I offered them $60 and they took it!  I love how it looks in the living room.

Yesterday as I was heading to work at 7am, I noticed that they had left several pieces of furniture behind and the realtor taking care of the place had put them out on the driveway for the Arc to come and get.  NOOOOOOO!  One item was a rocker that I had sat in and tried out during the yard sale.  It was incredibly comfortable but I didn't feel like I needed to spend any more money.  When I saw they had left it behind I was thrilled.  So, I called the realtor and asked if I could have it and naturally he told me I could take whatever I wanted, but I'd better hurry because the Arc was coming that day.  As soon as another waitress got to work, I told her I needed to run home.  I bolted out the door hoping that the Arc hadn't already come and picked up my treasures.  As I drove up, there he was, loading my items into his truck!

ACK!  I told him the items I wanted and he graciously helped me unload them and put them back on the driveway.  When Ival got home, we walked over and packed it all home.  What a score!  As we carried the rocker home, I noticed the tag said "Pottery Barn Kids" so I Googled to see what kind of rocker I have.  As it turns out, it's a Lullaby Rocker that sells for $600 new.  It's in perfect shape although I'm not fond of the denim blue colored slipcover. 

But I love this cream-colored one.  But, they don't make the slipcovers anymore.

They also had a bench with a rattan seat (in perfect condition) and the tag says "Ballard Designs."  I looked it up and they don't have the exact one on their website, but something similar sells for $569.    Who would spend that kind of money for a bench????  But free?  I'll take it - and paint it white.  I'll put it on our wraparound porch at Jacob Springs.

Last but not least, I got these too.  An outdoor coffee table and side table.  The coffee table is the only thing damaged, it has a small piece of wood out of one of the planks, but I'll paint this too and use it on the porch with the little matching side table.  

SCORE!  How I love to find a bargain - especially when it's free.  I'm not, and never have been a label shopper.  I'm much too cheap.  But, if it's free from the wealthy neighbors, I'm certainly not above scrounging.  So, $1,500 worth of stuff for a mere $60 - which I paid for the rug.  Now if we just had a home at Jacob Springs... 

See This?

I'm going to order one of these.  This will be for our new house.   I may have to correct the punctuation error and put a comma after shit, however.  I don't think I could look at it every day with a punctuation error and not have it drive me crazy.  I guess I was a secretary for too long.

I love it.  Don't you!?

Werkin' At The Merc...

I get up early every morning.  Always before 6am, usually around 5.  Don't ask me why, my alarm clock is obviously off somehow and has been for years.

Thursday night I got a call that someone wanted to see the house on Friday.  After Ival left for work, I went up and cleaned the bathroom and made the bed.  I had planned to clean slowly and have it done by noon.  Enter Murphy's Law...

At 7:40am, I got a call from my boss.

"Did you know you're supposed to work today?"

"No I'm not."

Yes, you are."

"No I'm not, I never work on Friday."

"Yes, you are.  You are the opener today."

"Damn, I haven't showered or anything.  Give me 10 minutes and I'll be there."

So, I did what I could with the bad hair, threw on some makeup and drove the 1 minute to work.  I hate when that happens.

It was a pretty busy morning, as Fridays usually are, and exactly why I only work Monday and Tuesday.  I have my routine, and I don't like to stray from it.  But, around noon a nice couple came in and sat down.  I went over and the "nice lady" said, "Hi Jodi."  I must have given her the look, because she said, "I'm BoisecommaIdaho."  Damn!  I've read her blog for several years (although she's gotten a new job and hasn't posted for a while - a loooong while) and had never met her! 

So, meeting Kristen made the discomfort of straying from my normal routine worthwhile. 

It was nice to finally meet you Kristen.  You're just as awesome as I knew you'd be!

A Much Needed Mini Vacation...

My daughter is going to see her cousin in Portland this weekend.  They've been best buddies since they were born.  They were only 3 months apart and they grew up only being about a mile away from eachother.  I feel so glad to know that even though they now live hundreds of miles apart, they still remain close.

Jacki has a small home daycare and watched Lisa's baby, Koby, for the first year of her life - until Lisa moved to Portland.  Sniff, sniff.  But tomorrow, Jacki leaves to go see her baby for the first time in almost a year.

Isn't that just about the cutest child you've ever seen? 

I hope you girls have a wonderful time!

Ranking Pixar Movies...

We all love Pixar don't we?  Well, except mom.  She's never seen a Pixar movie.  Someday, I'm taking Finding Nemo or Up over to her house and we're going to see a Pixar movie!

The powers who be - whoever they might be, have ranked the 11 Pixar movies and here's their list. 

11. Cars
10. The Incredibles
9.  Bugs Life
8.  Toy Story 2
7.  Monsters, Inc
6.  Finding Nemo
5.  Toy Story
4.  Up
3.  Ratatoulle
2.  Toy Story 3
1.  Wall-E
 
Hmmmmm.  That's not how I'd pick them.  Here's my ranking...
 
11. Toy Story 2
10.  Ratatoulle
9.  Toy Story 3
8.  Wall-E
7.  Cars
6.  The Incredibles
5.  Bugs Life
4.  Toy Story
3.  Up
2.  Monsters, Inc
1.  Finding Nemo
 

It was hard to decide between Finding Nemo and Monsters, Inc.  I love them both. But then again, I also really loved Up, A Bugs Life, and the original Toy Story.    Hmmmm.  I just thought of something.  Maybe we need to rent a Pixar movie to watch while we're in Oregon for mom's 80th birthday.  Wait!  I know, how about a Pixar marathon!
 
What's your favorite?

Do YOU Believe?

For several years, Adam had some friends that lived in an old shack up a draw just across Seaman's Gulch from Hidden Springs.  The twins and their parents lived there for years.  One day, a friend gave their dad a hand carved wooden figure (supposedly with real ruby eyes).  It was given to him because the guy who had it previously said that anyone who had the figure in their possession had really bad luck.  Supposedly, one guy died and when the twins' dad received the figure, he broke his leg.  They believe the carving was Native American.

So, rather than pass it on, the dad took the figure and put it in a wooden box and took it up the hill from their house and buried it.

Now, I don't know if this is true or not (the story as told to Adam is true, I just don't know about the "events" that surround this figure).  Adam told me today that he wants to go find the burial box the next time the twins come to visit. 

Naturally, this started me thinking.  Would I let Adam try to locate the box?  If he did, would I let him bring it home?  If I did let him bring it home, would I be brave enough to rip the "ruby" eyes out of it and put them in a ring?

I guess I'm wondering how superstitious I am.  I think you have to believe in some kind of afterlife in order to be afraid of something like this.  If you didn't believe in that, it wouldn't bother you at all to take possession of some mysterious, deadly figurine would it?  Kate/Casey, if he finds it could I give it to one of you to "keep" for a year or so to see if it's safe?

How do you feel about things like this?  Should I let Adam search it out and bring it home?  I'd be really pissed if I died because he brought it home.  What would you do and do you believe in this kind of thing?  Casey and Kate, I need feedback from you non-believers.  Is that creepy to you?

No Longer A Logger!

My brother has been a logger for 40 years.  He wakes up at 3am to go to work driving logs for hundreds of miles and gets home at about 5 or 6 in the evening.  40 years of 15 hour days in a bumpy logging truck that ended up ruining his back.

After all these years, he has taken a job that pays less but something he so deserves.  He went to work for a wonderful farmer in his small town of Genessee, working 8 to 5 hauling grain to Lewiston.  It makes me so incredibly happy to know that he finally has a job that isn't killing him.  I love him so much.

I'm proud of you brother for finally deciding it's time to take care of YOURSELF.   It was time for him to quit letting people suck the ever livin' life out of him!

First Dirt...

The Cat was delivered today.  Elliott took it off the trailer and made one sweep before he had to head home to do some chores.  He's going to level some of the property behind the tent (where the house will eventually be) and start on the pastures.  The other big piece of machinery to do the pond should be arriving from McCall this week. 

I never would have thought I'd be excited by something like this!

I Love Sarah Palin!

Compare this...

"He who warned the British that they weren't gonna be takin' away our arms by ringing those bells, and makin' sure as he's riding his horse through town to send those warning shots and bells that we were going to be sure and we were going to be free, and we were going to be armed."

To this...

"I personally believe that US Americans are unable to do so because some people out there in our nation don't have maps, and I believe that our education like such as South Africa, and the Iraq, everywhere like, such as, and I believe that they should, our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S., or should help South Africa, it should help the Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future, for our children."

And Kate still can't find anything to blog about?
Damn, that's funny!

Just For Fun...

Last night we all got together and had a little picnic up on the property.  The property which I will now refer to as "Jacob Springs."  That's the original name given to it before we purchased it, and since we just happen to have a son named Jacob, we thought it would be fitting to leave the name.  I want to have my brother make a nice sign we can put up at the entrance.  He's so artistically talented and I know he can come up with something awesome.

It was a wonderful evening, light cloud cover and a slight breeze...