Wow, a vacation and thrift stores and yard sales. It can't get any better!

We have lots and lots of squirrels, much to my dogs disgust. I have two oak trees in the front yard and they leap from tree to tree. Blackjack my elderly Doxie sits for hours in front of the glass doors and looks out. He would be perfectly happy if he could sit right outside the front doors. He loves nothing better than to sit in the front yard under the trees and just watch life go by. We live on a circle at the end of the culdesac, so there is not a lot of traffic. For some reason the front yard is his thing. He is not too keen on the back yard though. He likes to wander off a little ways and then slowly amble back. Obviously, he doesn't get to do this very much.

However, the squirrels (and next door neighbors' cat drive him crazy. We have double front doors and I often open both so that he has lots of sunshine to bask in. There have been many times that squirrels or small birds come right up to the glass doors and attempt to come inside. Blackjack always scares the daylights out of them when he sees this. They are like built in entertainment.

Of course he also loves to sit there and greet all the trick or treaters too. He is always dressed for the night.
At Christmas, we have lots of cars driving through looking at lights and the outdoor decor in our addition, and BJ sits and watches them, too. I don't know if he intends to be a guard dog, or just part of the decor.

Luvs, enjoy your vacation. Got your email.

Hi Luvs,
Glad you are having a good time! Can't wait to see your goodies..

I was supposed to be IN a yard sale with neighbors yesterday, but I just didn't get all my stuff together in time...
I baked them a big Banana Choc Chip Crumb cake, and spent 3.00

I got 8 tropical type (big flowers) napkins from Wm Sonoma for 2.00! And then 2 cake molds for 50 each.
They are doing it again next Sat., so I will be ready! I really need to have one here..Too much work packing it up and bringing it over...
Safe trip home, friend!

Luvs,
Can't wait to see all your new finds. I just love picking up a good deal. My car automatically turns toward the curb when I try to pass by a yard sale. Sort of like an old horse that knows its way home.

Kathleen, I bet what you're selling next week will make some woman a happy camper. Wouldn't mind showing up to one of your yard sales myself.
Is the recipe for the Banana Choc Chip Crumb cake very involved? Sounds delicious.

If you can't get out to the yard sales, there's the internet!
I've had my eye on the Fitz and Floyd Bandana pattern for a while now. Last week I got twelve 4-piece place settings for $138 including the shipping on eBay. It was one of those "or your Best Offer" bids. To be perfectly honest, I wasn't looking to buy all those dishes, but it was as cheap, if not cheaper, than 6 dinners and 6 salads (which is all I really wanted) anywhere else I looked. The set is also supposed to included those fabric zip-up dish storage thingies with little sponge dividers to insert between the stacked dishes.
And now the justification: Well, we do most of our large group entertaining on the patio in the summer and these will be great for outdoor entertaining, right? . . . . Right? . . . . Say, "Yes." . . . OK then.

Gosh! I have to get to the front porch before my husband does when the boxes arrive!

As you can imagine, the tablescape is taking shape in my head as I type.

How nice to hear what you are all up to! Glad you are having a relaxing vacation, Luvs and we will wait patiently until you get home and take some pics of your TS finds.

Printer, sounds like you live in a nice area with the trees and cute wildlife. Your dog sounds like a character!

Kathleen, I can relate to needing to have a garage sale. It would be great to free up space (for more pretties) and make a little cash. It just seems overwhelming to round it all up and price it. I, too would LOVE to go to any sale YOU are having!

OA...a definite "YES"! You certainly NEED those dishes if you do outdoor entertaining with large groups! They sound wonderful and a great deal. Hope you make it to the door before the dish police! Are there any online pics you can show us?

I took a couple of vacation days from work last week and took my mom to an Il Divo concert in a nearby city. We had a fab time, enjoyed the concert, went to a TS as well as shopping at all the chain stores we don't have in our little town. (Very nice mother/daughter time) I managed to sneak my purchases in while DH was at work and will gradually work them into rotation. Hope I can take some pics of them then.

DD

So great to hear from all of you. Ah, the Dish Police! I didn't know how good I had it before DH retired--now he's home all the time and it's really hard to sneak things past him! LOL

OA, of course you NEEDED those dishes for outside entertaining! NO doubt about it, and look at all you got for the money! Right? We will be looking forward to your tablescape after you get them. ;o)

PD, your dog sounds precious. ;o) Aren't they just so much fun? Mine make us laugh every day.

Kathleen, I've only had a couple garage/yard sales in my life and it sure is allot of work. I mostly just cart my excess off to the TS. Of course, I always end up going in to look around and end up dragging more home too! LOL

DD, that is so great that you got to have that Mother/Daughter time together, it's a treasure for sure.

Luvs

Hi everyone... Luvs, sounds like you are having a Luvly trip!! Good for you!
I laughed about the squirrels. Princess Posie cat likes to lie on the high chair seat while we are eating breakfast. Right outside that window is the tower for the antenna. There is one particular squirrel that has our schedule down pat, and comes to sit on the step of the tower EVERY morning. That puts he and Posie nose to nose through the window. She hisses and shakes her teeth at the squirrel...undaunted he prances and poses, chatters up a storm and shakes his tail up and down at her....EVERY morning! We laugh at them EVERY morning...one of us is going to get tired of this someday :^)

Hi Jaybird, No, I don't think you will ever get tired of it--how cute that the squirrel knows just when to come look in! Nice way to start your day with a laugh too. ;o)

Getting some nice showers here in Missouri. The air smells so good after a rain, doesn't it? Things are so pretty and green here after all the rains they've had. We've been gone just long enough that I'm missing home a bit, and my granddaughter, but know I'm lucky to have this time to see the rest of the family. ;o)

Luvs

Hi Luvs...sounds like you're having a splendid time, with all the 'Wild Life' and to think you're TS shopping too!!
Those squirrels sound like they are so conditioned to visitors that they have a regular routine with everyone's pets!! Looking forward to your pics.

PD...I'm chuckling over your dog! He does sound like a character. They do have funny personalities and do enjoy being the 'center of attention'..

Kathleen...I've done many a tag sales w/friends, and have always found that we end up buying 'Stuff' from each other!!
Seems I end up hauling my leftovers, besides my New purchases back home every time!!

To everyone else.. I so can relate to having DH home and having to sneak in purchases!!

Also, OA...I've been active on Ebay too! I was laughing at your getting your purchases from the porch before DH saw them. I've been there - done that - and STILL am!! LOL

jane