Last week on Wednesday Gannon and I had errand day. My grandson Gannon started going to preschool this year. For him, it’s four full days a week. Wednesday he’s off and can hang with me if Kalissa is working. It’s great. We both love it. I thought I would take you along on our busy day of errands.
We started out hanging out at my house for a little bit until stores opened. I was getting a little bit of pinning done for my American Patchwork and Quilting project. Gannon loves when I do this. He takes and “sorts” my pins in the pincushion.
He’s super careful and I sit right next to him so no worries…and yes, I check the floor completely just in case a pin falls and we don’t hear it.
Then it was time for me to load the van. I had goodies to deliver to my friend Lana that puts together baby care kits for Lutheran World Relief. Many thanks to those of you who have sent flannel, flannel sheets, diapers, hand towels, soap, and other needed items. I am so thankful for all that has been sent. My own church group started making layettes as well so I’m trying to help with some supplies for them as well. Anything anyone wants to send is greatly appreciated. HERE is my Amazon wish list if any of you want to send goodies. Gently used items are welcome as well.
None of this would be possible without the amazing work of… Carolyn. She’s the blog reader who makes the amazing baby gowns, T-shirts, and Hoodies. She’s a wonder. THANKS SO MUCH, CAROLYN!!
These are sheets and diapers sent by blog readers.
As I was loading that, I realized I forgot to unload my metal lawn chair. Jason, my daughter Kelli’s husband, was so sweet and welded my lawn chair. Someone had been sitting in it and the metal at the bottom of the leg gave out. Jason was able to fix it. WHEW!
I was worried it was a goner.
But…back to our trip. After we dropped off goodies to Lana, we headed to Decorah Mobile Glass. I needed them to cut glass for the frames I am working on for my cross-stitch pieces. The ladies spoiled Gannon by giving him a piece of candy.
From there it was off to the thrift store. If you were a sewing machine collector, my thrift store might have tempted you. Here is an old Singer…
…and this one is even older. The store overpriced these. The pink one was $50 and the black $150. That’s really a big jump in previous prices. I have to say that the black Singer is a 15-91. That’s the machine I have upstairs in a cabinet that I adore. I didn’t buy the machine but as I was driving home, my brain was stuck on the machine. It would be so nice to have a spare machine here that I kept on the main floor. If Kelli comes to sew it’s such a pain to drag two machines downstairs and then after she goes, carry them both upstairs. Hmm. $150 is still a lot for a machine I’d only be using occasionally. Plus the case it’s in is icky. 15-91’s are my favorite. They are such a workhorse.
There was another machine there but I forgot to take a picture of it. The machine was a newer machine but not a high-quality name brand.
They had the Norman Rockwell cups my parents had when I was growing up. My Dad drank a ton of coffee from these mugs.
From the thrift store if was off to Walmart to pick up my prescription. Then it was back to the glass store as they cut my glass while we were shopping. Then it was a stop at Goodwill…and I spoiled Gannon by going to Culvers. Corn dogs are his favorite.
When we had driven to town we passed an honor system pumpkin sale. Gannon wanted to stop but I told him we would on the way home. So we stopped. Gannon has his eyes closed because I positioned him wrong looking at the sun.
Gannon ended up picking out all gourds/smalls so these were only $2 total.
Here he is paying the honor system box. YES, we live so rurally that honor system boxes are still out and still honored.
So here’s what we ended up buying at the thrift store.
Before Gannon and I left I made a list of things I wanted at Walmart. On the list was a container to use for garbage in the van. I ended up buying this for 50 cents.
The DMC floss was all 10 cents a skein. I have no idea if I ended up with duplicates of what I already have. Either way, it’s okay. For 10 cents each, it was hard to pass them up.
I bought this crow pincushion pattern for 10 cents. I think down the road I’ll make the pumpkin and strawberry versions for my dough bowl.
I got bowls for Buck’s house. He really needs to stock a whole kitchen for his house so I’ve been picking up a few things for his house when I come across them.
I bought some blank cards, a decorative box, and some crafts for the childcare kiddos. It was $2.50 for the bowl set and 25-50 cents for everything else.
The fabric was 50 cents each. The T-shirt prints on the left are all for Carolyn and the French General piece is for me.
I bought a puzzle for Gannon and binoculars for my house. Puzzles are 25 cents. The binoculars were 50 cents each.
I bought two picture frames for my stash. The black one is plain and I’m sure will work for something in the future.
The other was a Lord’s Supper print. These old religious prints are the ones that have the best moldings on them. They have lots of details. I was happy to get them for $3 each.
I had paid and as I was going out the door, I saw this. It has the look of a scale. Both of the “candles” are battery lights. I am not sure where it’s going yet but I liked it and thought I could play with it once it’s home. It was $4.
I keep imagining my house once the grandkids all get a little older and I don’t have so many toys set up. Right now half of one room is toys and the other half is my computer and office space. Someday I want a shelf and chair there to cozy it up. I imagine this might go there then. We’ll see.
It definitely needs a cleaning. I found this tin at Goodwill. It’s a really pretty vintage one. I have such trouble saying no to them.
It was used to hold sewing items.
I was excited about these handmade trims. I’ll use them for finishing cross-stitch pillows.
Once home, Gannon took a nap and I wrote this blog post. It was a really fun day with Gannon…and thrifting.
What a fun day! Gannon gets to learn so much while he is with you. He certainly was taking the pin sorting very seriously – cute! I now live in rural area and a couple of places that sell sweet corn and now pumpkins is done by the honor system. It works so well, except when I don’t have the correct cash, but I usually don’t mind a little extra because I know the money is going directly to the bank for daughters’ college funds. I haven’t stopped for my pumpkins/gourds yet.
Wow. I had no idea Gannon would be going full days.i thought you might be seeing him for some half days. Seems like a lot for such young children. Bet he sleeps well at night.
How fun to be a Grandma, huh? I adore my GREAT grandchildren! Two are still infants, but I too had such a wonderful time with my older ones. This is God’s reward for all the work and stress of earlier years! I’m so happy for you, Jo! And happy for your littles too. Gannon seems to be such a sweet, agreeable little guy! I hope you have many more years of time together, and corn dogs, of course! : ) I love your blog, and faithful account of your relationship with your girls, sons, and grand children! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing your day! I enjoyed it myself!
Go back and get that old Singer Jo ! Make your life easier, you deserve that!
If it makes you feel better, I paid $350 for mine, but thats here in California! $150 is a bargain!
I love seeing your thrift finds.
A helpful hint perhaps. I use my IPhone flashlight to check for pins on the floor. They seem to really sparkle with that light.
How wonderful that Gannon gets one day with his grandma Jo all to himself, memories being made for sure.
I had that same pink sewing machine! It was the first sewing machine I bought shortly after I got married. I sewed a lot of my daughter’s clothes on it. I think I bought it around 1986 or 87. Brings back some sweet memories. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Nothing like a day with Grandma. I stopped at the thrift today too. A pair of brown Nautical shoes $2.25, black & white duvet cover $4 (already got it taken apart – will be a quilt back, brand name plaid shirt $3.50 and quilted vest $3.50 for me, 5 yards of fabric $4. Yay !!
It’s so fun for me to see all of the things you find on your adventures! Keep ’em coming, please. I’m still in the house, due to Covid and autoimmune issues, so I enjoy this immensely. It was so interesting to see your floss–I immediately recognized a color I had used to cross-stitch teddy bears for a baby’s birth sampler, a couple of decades ago. Aren’t brains funny? I can remember that, but the things I forget from current days…I would list them for you, but I can’t, which is no joke. :)
I love “spending the day” with you, Jo! I don’t even have to leave the house haha. Thanks for sharing with us. Gannon is such a lovely boy.
Oh, seeing Gannon carefully putting pins back in your pincushion shows me that your quilting pins are as bent as mine are! This is a great post. It’s amazing that Gannon did not become fussy or whiny as the day and your stops went on. I remember how fun it was to do things with my kids once upon a time. Thanks for the memory!
Looks like you and Gannon had a great day, Jo. Congrats on the thrift scores!