My day slipped away from me yesterday in the most fantastic way. I actually spent the day doing some of the things I love. My little 11 year old, Journey, that HATES shopping, was home from school for the day. Since becoming a New Suburban Pioneer (aka: stay at home mom), it seems I have a bit more time for "schooling" Journey. She helps me cook and yesterday she helped me get through quite a few thrift stores.
We made a route so that we didn't waste gas and then hit every thrift shop along that route. I will tell you that Salvation Army has much better prices than Goodwill so I really liked those stores and there were so many treasures out there in those stores. Journey and I had such a great time looking at everything and discussing what it was and what it's use was. She saw several old ice cream makers and wanted to buy all of those but we resisted them. She did end up with a new little crocheted shawl just her size and I was more than happy to pay 1.96 for it, since it was a super easy pattern... just attaching 2 rectangular pieces together to make a neck opening. I think when she is not wearing it, I can work on making more of them from her pattern! Nice winter activity during my occasional TV time. I love to keep myself busy!
Among the treasures we found yesterday was a little knitting loom for her to use and also a campfire cooking tool that will look great hanging by the fireplace until I have a whim to use it to actually cook something this winter. I will fill you in on the results when I do it! I would love to see how it feels to cook on an open fire. During our trip through the second or third store, Journey actually said "Wow, I did not know thrift shopping was this fun". I have converted her!! Haha
We were on a mission yesterday keeping our eyes open for 3 things. One was a real rug weaving loom... long shot at a thrift store but it doesn't hurt to look. The other item was a grain mill of some sort. I need a more efficient way to grind my wheat and other grains for homemade bread and finding a nice one without spending an arm and a leg is a daunting task. I scan ebay and Craigslist and also keep my eyes peeled all over town for one but I am still on the hunt. The third thing I am looking for is a certain kind of casual shoe... another long shot but if I find the kind of comfortable slip on casual shoe that I can wear in the winter when it is too cold for my flip flops, I will be ecstatic. I am, however, a bit picky about my shoes so it just can't be any old worn out ugly thing (which is what I found yesterday but did not buy).
On the way to our first destination I said a little prayer to the Guy upstairs. I wanted to ask him for these items specifically but I know better than to say a prayer like that. What I did ask for was PATIENCE in my search (I really struggle with this so hoped he would grant that one). When I want something I want it "right now". I also asked for the wisdom to make the right purchases.. and also asked Him to provide to me what I NEEDED... not necessarily what I wanted. It was a tough call and I ended the day knowing that my prayers had been answered, even if I did not come home with the items I was searching for. It becomes more apparent to me every day that we don't actually know what we need but Someone else is watching out for us.
Journey and I finished our day at the pet store where all the exotic animals are sold, Aqualand. She had a ball there petting every single animal and trying to hold them all. It was a great day for us, and probably the best reason in the world for not writing in the blog, which I commit to keeping up and have many more ideas to share with you in the weeks to come! Having the ability to spend quality time with the little people in our lives is worth so much more than money can buy!
We spent the evening together as a family actually grinding enough flour to make some healthy oatmeal monster cookies. I will be sharing that in a later blog today, complete with the recipe we used and some pictures of the crazy tools I am currently using to grind wheat. It takes a village at my house to make flour! All in all, a wonderful day of foraging and family!
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