Saturday’s Thrift Store Visit

Below is what I found during Saturday’s thrift store visit at Animal Aid. I’m partial to this thrift store as it’s where I found Ivy.

• A black folding tray: $4
• Two-tiered tray: $6
• A number of Johnson Brothers dishes: Was $25, marked down to $15

The total comes to $27.

What I Do After Saturday’s Thrift Store Visit:

I knew what I was going to do with the dishes and the two-tiered tray. I’m not quite sure how I’m going to change up the folding tray.

As I mentioned Sunday, I’d like to use rub-on transfers for a project because I’ve had some for well over a year. It’s Re-designs Classic Vintage Labels. I can’t even recall where I ordered it from.

There is an odd number of cups and saucers. Seven saucers and three teacups. I tried to find out about them online, but the only ones I found had more color in them. These are brown and white with no additional colors.

I’m having problems with the nerves in my shoulders and arms and hands. So painting or sanding will probably take a while.

I ordered wood balls to go under the two tiered tray to elevate it. I’m hoping I can locate my hot glue gun. I haven’t used it since I moved here, which is over two years.

I’m way, way out of practice I’m kind of ashamed to admit! But my Saturday thrift store visits should help me get back to doing more DIYs again.

Dental Visit:

Yesterday I finally made it to the dentist. I’ve had to cancel it over and over again for some reason or another. One was when I had Covid, and it lasted and lasted.

I hadn’t had my teeth cleaned in about 8 years before January. But this dentist has a plan for individuals who have no dental insurance.

I can’t remember exactly what I paid, but I want to say $350 for uninsured people to get 2 cleanings a year, x-rays, and 20% off other work done.

They split my teeth cleaning into two separate visits, so going yesterday means I’ll have to pay in September. That’s if I stay with the six month visits they want me to do.

I’m getting a crown on a tooth in a few weeks. I guess I should have assumed that not going to the dentist for 8 years would come back to bite me. They said even with my discount I’m looking at a crown’s cost to begin at $1200. Ouch!

Actually, when I went to the dentist a long time ago they said I needed crowns too. But the price was prohibitive for me at that time.

The dental hygienist who cleaned my teeth said I have very healthy teeth. Especially for someone who hasn’t seen a dentist for so long.

I told her I floss every day, and she said that’s probably why I don’t have many problems now.

Being Careful With Money:

Anyway, I’ve tried to be careful with money in case these things crop up in my life.

I know of a man who lives here who often has to worry about paying his rent because he doesn’t know if the check will clear. And I told him I refuse to live that way.

He makes around $80,000 a year, which sounds like a lot to me. I make a lot less than that.

I don’t want that kind of stress in my life. When I moved to Tulsa, my credit rating was in the toilet. Now it’s in the 800 range.

Different strokes for different folks I guess. I’m a worrier who has to order toilet paper when I still have quite a bit. Or paper towels or something else I use a lot. Some people wait till they’ve run out.

I typically fill my car up when it still has about three quarters of a tank. Others wait until they’re riding on fumes.

Tips On Pumping Gas:

Someone told me recently not to keep pumping on the gas when it has stopped. You know how some people want to round off the cost to a round number? They said that causes fuel pump issues.

I’ve never had any trouble with my fuel tank in 18 years of driving my vehicle. I’ve been very, very fortunate to have had only a handful of problems in all that time.

What Consumer Reports Says:

The bottom line is that topping off your car is dangerous to you and your car, and may cause problems. Your best bet is to stop pumping when the fuel pump clicks off.

There is another thing I wanted to mention concerning pumping gas. The receptionist at the dentist and I were talking about COVID before I left.

She said: “What do you think is one thing that never gets washed?

I of course said: “What?” And she said: “The gasoline pump handle. Wear gloves.”

I wipe down so many things, and I used to have that antiseptic solution in my car to use. But it’s used up and so I may just order plastic gloves.

However neighbor John said he once worked at a gas station. And he said part of their duties was washing off the gas pump handles.

Bird Migration:

Steve and his girlfriend are headed for Nebraska for several days to see the migration of Sandhill Cranes.

I read that every March, more than a million Sandhill Cranes gather on the Platte River in central Nebraska. They feed for several weeks before continuing north to their nesting grounds.

Steve is one of those people who would tends to know about this type of thing. He was a biologist for the Federal Wildlife And Fish Foundation before he retired.

My Kitchen:

Kendra told me not to expect my walls and ceiling to be fixed any time soon. She said it will be considered low priority.

After dealing with all the turmoil over this, I’m not worrying about it too much. My stomach is never going to calm down if I don’t lower my stress level.

Next time I’ll show you what’s currently coming up in my garden.

I’m hoping to work on what I found during Saturday’s thrift store visit in the next couple of days.