Memorial Day Road Trip

My husband and son have been suffering from severe cases of bronchitis over the last few weeks.  However, last weekend OBB (Oh Best Beloved) and I went on a mini-road trip.  I had been down to Rocky's a week before, leaving my wedding band for replating, or electrolosis, or whatever they call it; and it was time to pick it up.  I told OBB that I'd drive and treat him to lunch if he'd go with me.  Free lunch always does it.

I guess I need to explain about the wedding band thing.  Back when we were married it was hard to find white gold, so I settled for yellow gold.  But, I've never cared for it - the color I mean, not the ring; I love the ring; it's completely me.  I'll wear silver jewelry and walk past gold.  It's always bothered me that my ring was gold colored.  So, talking to this jeweler down there, she told me that I could have it rhodium plated and for only 40 bucks.  SOLD!  I was finally going to get the color I wanted.  While there, my friends found a very nice ring with much bigger diamonds and sapphires than I have and it was suggested that would be the perfect gift for our 20th anniversary next year.  OBB did think it was a very attractive ring.  I won't hold my breath.

Anyway, Rocky's is quite a place.  Part pawn shop, antique shop, jewelry store and Alladin's Cave.  OBB decided he wanted to wander around and of course, while he was wandering, I was getting into trouble.  Actually, he got into more trouble than I did.  I was getting information.  Inspired by Deb over at the Thread Gatherer, I have been picking up scissors and putting them in my simple, clear glass, flower frog (it's what I had).  I just love her idea of using a flower frog that way.  But, Deb must live where flower frogs go to spawn or something, because while she seems to find many with no trouble, they are few and far between in these here parts.  Well, I asked them if they had any sewing or embroidery scissors.  They didn't, but two men down in the antiques department recalled a booth at an antique mall just down the road that might have something.  When OBB was done wandering, I asked if we could put off lunch just a little longer to run down there and check it out.

Long story short, we got there, the very helpful ladies at the information counter pointed me in the right direction; I found the stall and thought I'd died and gone to stichers heaven.  First of all, I picked out the two pair of scissors that were in the booth.  Then, of course I had to look at everything else.  In the bottom of a case, I found a tin that is like two others I have.  Except someone used it for their sewing basket about 70 years ago.  I had to have it and when I got home, I found that inside was a bonus pair of scissors!  So, here are the scissors.

The large pair in the center are very unusual and marked "Toledo".  If anyone knows anything about these, let me know.  To me they have an Art Deco vibe putting them between 1925 and 1940.  The small, plain steel ones on the right were the bonus pair.  I really like the details on the Lion's Tail pair on the left too.

So, here's what my collection looks like now.  My favorite pair are the Sajou tortoise shell I gifted myself with for Christmas a few years ago.  In the background is a tin tray I recently bought for a dollar at a yard sale.  I love it!

Like I said, Deb's frogs and collection are much more impressive; this is just my little slice of scissors delight.

Here's the tin.

Deb's got one of these on her blog too.  I've got three now.  The first was my mother's.  When we had class parties in elementary school, she'd send me with the tin full of cookies.  She used it for cookies from PTA to Eastern Star meetings and everything in between.  The other one was picked up by a friend at a church bazaar and given to me.  It too was full of someone's sewing stash and fun to go through.

I dropped my camera about two weeks ago.  A Nikon D-70, so not some little $50 job.  I'm really depressed about it.  I had a pile of page protectors on the table and put the camera on top of the pile.  It slid off and crashed to the floor because the page protectors were slippery.  Note to others, don't do same!  I feel SO stupid.  The flash doesn't work now and the lens is really messed up.  We are going to look in the pawn shops for a replacement lens,  but I think it's going to have to go to camera hospital to have the flash repaired.  Cha Ching! 

Anyway, the lens works at 70mm; but I'm not that tall (more short and squat).  So, had to stand on a ladder and take pictures down.  It's been a real dark day here because of thunderstorms and rain so the light's not so good either.  And, with no flash, I had to be resourceful.  So, here are some pics with the big flashlight as a lightsource!  Needless to say, I looked quite remarkable up there dangling off the ladder, flashlight in one hand, camera in the other; hanging off the ladder!  It's a wonder I didn't drop myself!

The tin came with quite a haul of old needle packs.  The one with acorns on it though is a silk stocking repair kit, not a needle pack.  It is really cool!  Oh, yeah, got several hoops too.  I think I'll use those as simple frames.  In the back right you can see the bobbins of thread.  That's a rayon floss called "Syltex Rope".  There was a real nest of pieces of it in the tin, these are the longer sections I was able to recover.  There was also a nice selection of varigated cotton floss.

Here's one of the nicer hoops - a padded oval.  And, the stash of cotton floss that was inside.  All kinds - American Thread Co., J&P Coats,  Clarks O.N.T. and even some really old DMC labels.  Will make nice things to use as photo backgrounds in the future.

I did take OBB to a sandwich shop that has one of the BEST pulled pork BBQ sandwiches I've ever had, for lunch.  It was awesome.  Then, we visited the Green Valley Book Fair to pick up something for a friend and then headed home.  It was a great day!  He's feeling much better now that he's on his second antibiotic and prescription cough medicine.  The doctor's say that there is a viral form of bronchitis.  It's apparently going around.  It tried to get me, but I'm too old, tough and stubborn for it to get me.  Besides, if I got sick, who was going to take care of them and the dogs?  Anyway, theirs went from viral to bacterial, but they are both sleeping better and are on the mend now.

Finally, my father served in the Navy during WWII.  Here are some of his patches.  When he was mustered out, he was a Machinist's Mate First Class.  The patch on the left is second class.  I don't know what the "A" is for.  He served in the Pacific Theater and it changed him forever.  But, since this is D-Day, I thought I'd finish with that picture.  Thanks to all our vets!