It all started last summer when I decided that I was going to begin canning. I stopped in at the OH and ended up talking to one of the gals that works there (Francine)...who just happens to be into canning...and who just happened to have a canner with a rack that she would bring in for me. I got it for $10. Score. The next time I was in, Francine asked if I wanted to place a special order for canning jars. Turns out she sets them aside throughout the year and then brings them out during canning season. But for those of us that she knows, she lets us have first dibs! Nice. I got two big boxes of canning jars, no lids, for $7. I got my food dehydrator there. Several cookbooks to add to my collection. Dang near the whole LaHaye series for Seth. Every Ted Dekker book...and these were on the FREE shelf! Hard cover! I got a bamboo tray...Pyrex...Corningware...and the list goes on and on. Well, I stopped in the other day because I saw a HUGE watering trough out front that I thought, at first glance, might be cool to turn into a water feature in my backyard. Upon closer inspection it appeared that said trough had been used for target practice...definitely not conducive to holding water. I figured since I was there already....and had about 15 minutes before Ian was out of school...I'd go on in and make my rounds. As I was going my usual route I noticed this barrel style glass container with a rusty wire handle. I snatched it up and carried it around with me for further thought. It was $12...which seemed a little high to me. But...it was very cool. And I knew it would be useful in the future for things like pickles, the big old-fashioned kind...or pickled eggs...or maybe even some kimchi. OR...dare I even say...some sort of kombucha something or other? (Carolyn? Carolyn? Did I just say that out loud?) As you can see...I deemed it worth the $12. Had I been at the Goodwill I may not have made the purchase. But because OH does such a great job...and makes a difference in our community...and helps so many families...I always know that my contributions are going to a good cause. And it's one of those purchases that I brought home and was glad about it the next day...because guaranteed, if I tried to go back for it, it would have been GONE. If nothing else, I've learned that you have to strike while the iron is hot in the world of thrifting. Because if YOU don't, someone ELSE will.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Every once in a while...
...you score a really cool find at the thrift store. Friday was a good day at my favorite local thrift store, The Opportunity House. It's a non-profit establishment and all of the proceeds go to the local women's shelter by the same name. They do a really good job there. It's organized. And clean. And always has something cool. They have a FREE book shelf and all they ask is that you put a little something in the "piggy", which is literally a large piggy bank in the shape of a pig. I stop by The Opportunity House (OH)at least once a week...sometimes twice. It's in the middle of downtown so it's centrally located to a lot of places I go. If I plan it right, it's along the way to pick Ian up from school. 
It all started last summer when I decided that I was going to begin canning. I stopped in at the OH and ended up talking to one of the gals that works there (Francine)...who just happens to be into canning...and who just happened to have a canner with a rack that she would bring in for me. I got it for $10. Score. The next time I was in, Francine asked if I wanted to place a special order for canning jars. Turns out she sets them aside throughout the year and then brings them out during canning season. But for those of us that she knows, she lets us have first dibs! Nice. I got two big boxes of canning jars, no lids, for $7. I got my food dehydrator there. Several cookbooks to add to my collection. Dang near the whole LaHaye series for Seth. Every Ted Dekker book...and these were on the FREE shelf! Hard cover! I got a bamboo tray...Pyrex...Corningware...and the list goes on and on. Well, I stopped in the other day because I saw a HUGE watering trough out front that I thought, at first glance, might be cool to turn into a water feature in my backyard. Upon closer inspection it appeared that said trough had been used for target practice...definitely not conducive to holding water. I figured since I was there already....and had about 15 minutes before Ian was out of school...I'd go on in and make my rounds. As I was going my usual route I noticed this barrel style glass container with a rusty wire handle. I snatched it up and carried it around with me for further thought. It was $12...which seemed a little high to me. But...it was very cool. And I knew it would be useful in the future for things like pickles, the big old-fashioned kind...or pickled eggs...or maybe even some kimchi. OR...dare I even say...some sort of kombucha something or other? (Carolyn? Carolyn? Did I just say that out loud?) As you can see...I deemed it worth the $12. Had I been at the Goodwill I may not have made the purchase. But because OH does such a great job...and makes a difference in our community...and helps so many families...I always know that my contributions are going to a good cause. And it's one of those purchases that I brought home and was glad about it the next day...because guaranteed, if I tried to go back for it, it would have been GONE. If nothing else, I've learned that you have to strike while the iron is hot in the world of thrifting. Because if YOU don't, someone ELSE will.
It all started last summer when I decided that I was going to begin canning. I stopped in at the OH and ended up talking to one of the gals that works there (Francine)...who just happens to be into canning...and who just happened to have a canner with a rack that she would bring in for me. I got it for $10. Score. The next time I was in, Francine asked if I wanted to place a special order for canning jars. Turns out she sets them aside throughout the year and then brings them out during canning season. But for those of us that she knows, she lets us have first dibs! Nice. I got two big boxes of canning jars, no lids, for $7. I got my food dehydrator there. Several cookbooks to add to my collection. Dang near the whole LaHaye series for Seth. Every Ted Dekker book...and these were on the FREE shelf! Hard cover! I got a bamboo tray...Pyrex...Corningware...and the list goes on and on. Well, I stopped in the other day because I saw a HUGE watering trough out front that I thought, at first glance, might be cool to turn into a water feature in my backyard. Upon closer inspection it appeared that said trough had been used for target practice...definitely not conducive to holding water. I figured since I was there already....and had about 15 minutes before Ian was out of school...I'd go on in and make my rounds. As I was going my usual route I noticed this barrel style glass container with a rusty wire handle. I snatched it up and carried it around with me for further thought. It was $12...which seemed a little high to me. But...it was very cool. And I knew it would be useful in the future for things like pickles, the big old-fashioned kind...or pickled eggs...or maybe even some kimchi. OR...dare I even say...some sort of kombucha something or other? (Carolyn? Carolyn? Did I just say that out loud?) As you can see...I deemed it worth the $12. Had I been at the Goodwill I may not have made the purchase. But because OH does such a great job...and makes a difference in our community...and helps so many families...I always know that my contributions are going to a good cause. And it's one of those purchases that I brought home and was glad about it the next day...because guaranteed, if I tried to go back for it, it would have been GONE. If nothing else, I've learned that you have to strike while the iron is hot in the world of thrifting. Because if YOU don't, someone ELSE will.
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4 comments:
that was a good find!
Yep, just keep saying it: "KOMBUCHA, kombucha, K-O-M-B-U-C-H-A, k-O-m-B-u-C-h-A!" hehe
Beautiful jar, btw. Perfect kimchi jar, for sure.
How much was the trough? It might make a cool planter. I want a trough! It would have made an even cooler little fish pond. Maybe. (I'd need to read up on little fish maintenance.)
Oh, by the way, I read yesterday that someone swore that her and her husband's gray hair disappeared after drinking kombucha tea. So there ya go. Gonna wash that gray right outta my hair. (Do you even have gray hair? I sure do. :( )
Cool find!!
I have a glass jug just like that!
It was my Mom's and she's in her 80's now. I'm missing the lid to this one too. I also have the smaller matching jug to it that does have a lid so I know what to look for at our local thrift stores.
Enjoy your new goodie!
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