The Outing To A Thrift Store
Yesterday Steve cleared his afternoon schedule and planned to take us on an “outing” to a thrift store.
We were going to a location where he usually takes items to donate. The proceeds go to a children and family service I think.
Lunch At Merritt’s Bakery:
We ate lunch at Merritt’s Bakery, a local bakery and sandwich place. We shared a Reuben sandwich that always comes with a slice of cake. That’s the least I can do for an outing.
Then off to the thrift store we went.
Poor Steve had to haul my walker in and out of his SUV. I felt bad about that. Because then it is right there in my face that I need others to do things for me.
I hate losing so much of my independence. It seems to have been chipped away bit by bit and I’m clutching the reins trying to stop it.
People are always showing on their blogs what wonderful things they find at thrift stores. But to tell you the truth, I never seem to find anything.
So before long I said: “This is a dud. Let’s go to the Dollar Tree.”
This is another store where bloggers brag about all the good stuff they find. And there is a Dollar Tree just about a mile from where we live. Steve goes there to buy his cookies.
Boxes Galore Inside The Store:
Once we got inside the door, there were lots of boxes right in front of us. I had to figure out a way to get around them just to get inside the store.
It only got worse from there. Must have been their big day to get deliveries because there were boxes all up and down the aisles too. That kind of thing is a nightmare if you’re using a walker.
There were only 2 or 3 aisles that had anything besides food on them. I didn’t find anything interesting.
On one aisle, a lady asked a worker sitting on the floor about a product. And the worker shouted for someone to come help her.
I nearly jumped out of my skin. I’d been looking at a small birdhouse when she did this. I promptly put it down and headed down the aisle to get away from the commotion.
Home sounded really, really good to me by then. So that was the end of the outing.
Steve Plays With Ivy:
Steve played with Ivy and her new pipe cleaners for a while, then he went home. I told him to take some of the pipe cleaners to his cat Skippy.
I may be done with stores. I’d forgotten what they were like since I hadn’t been out in so long. Maybe shopping somewhere outdoors would be more palatable.
I’m very, very thankful to be able to order most anything I want or need online. I guess I’ll just stick to that. For now anyway.
It’s the only place I know of where I can shop in complete silence.
A Random Local Shooting:
Steve told me what he’d heard on the news. A man walked into a library here and shot a 35 year old man in the back of the head. The 35 year old man regularly went to this library to work on the computers.
Then the shooter headed to Quik Trip, which is where you can buy gas or food or drink. He walked in there and shot another person in the back of the head and killed him.
There is no safe place. Whether it be schools, churches, stores, libraries, or work places. When did this become our new “normal.”
I asked Steve: “Why on earth would you want to kill a stranger?”
And he replied: “The better question may be: Where did he get the gun?”
Life indoors has spoiled me, I guess. I’d forgotten how loud the world outside is. And that people walk around with guns and shoot people they’ve never met in the head.
It was very nice of Steve to do this for me. And I had looked forward to it.
I enjoy being around Steve because he always makes me laugh. He’s one of those characters who’ve never met a stranger.
He will start a conversation with someone he’s never met, and they will act like he’s an old friend. Steve is just that kind of person. There’s always a smile on his face.
But after today I think I’ll be content just to stay home with Ivy for awhile.
I love being at home – I’m definitely a homebody – but the walls eventually start closing around me and I have to get out and about. Thrift stores don’t do anything for me anymore (I went to two recently with friends and I did find a few shirts and a pair of yoga pants, but otherwise, nothing else good…all the home stuff looked like people’s junk that they couldn’t sell at a garage sale so they donated) and I’ve never liked The Dollar Store. Crowded aisles filled with the cheap made in China crap. The only thing I ever go in there for is greeting cards. They have Hallmark cards for 50 cents and $1.
So please don’t let the experience of these two stores taint you. And don’t let the fear of guns taint you either. Don’t let those crazy people hold you in fear and have power over whether you go somewhere or not. Anyway, because you’ve been home for so long and aren’t used to be out in stores, perhaps start by going somewhere quieter…the library, Tuesday Morning (I remember you liked that store), a private garden center, or how about a vintage (not thrift) shop.
Brenda, that does not sound like a very nice outing. Was there something in particular that you were looking for? I can look at my $ tree for you.
I love being home and shopping on line, it is just so much more convenient.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Steve is a good friend! Sorry you day out didn’t turn out as you expected.
More and more shootings on the news, especially disturbing this past week with all of the innocent mistakes that got people shot. Seems we are going back to the wild west.
I still really enjoy getting out and about and shopping and browsing in stores. Although we shop online as well. There are times, especially with clothing and crafting, where I want to actually touch and feel the quality of items or see the true color in person. We’ve been fortunate and blessed that to date no violent outbursts have occurred in our small town. Our Dollar Tree is well maintained and has a large craft section. But when I’m crafting and making multiples of an item, I order in bulk online and have them delivered to the store where I pick them up.
It’s unfortunate that you no longer find pleasure in browsing and shopping as you did in the past. Is there another area of your town where perhaps the stores are better maintained and stocked?
I have moved three years ago to a large town where my daughter is and what a blessing. I order from the grocery store and then the young people deliver it to the car. I Love it!! I am ordering mostly from Amazon and I go to thrift stores that are local. I see No need to buy new stuff. It has worked out so beautifully and I’m selling items at a local consignment store. It’s not much, they receive 50% commission, but I am “releasing” items and they are going to someone who wants them. I don’t have junk so this gives me great pleasure…and some money. It’s really working for me.
Didn’t you used to like going to Tuesday Morning? Is that store still open by you? I don’t particularly enjoy going out shopping and running errands. It didn’t bother me as much when I was younger, but these days, I’d rather stay home. Occasionally, I don’t mind going with a friend, as long as I’m not doing the driving, lol. I hate traffic! I’ve only done the curbside pickup once. I haven’t tried it yet for grocery shopping. I can see where it would eliminate the impulse buying. That would be good. It’s just paying someone else to do it, that hurts a little. Groceries are already so expensive now a days. But maybe I’ll give it a try and see how I like it. I do a lot of shopping from Etsy and Amazon. Sometimes I think that makes it a little too easy to spend money, lol. I think I just need to control my shopping impulses a little better. Except for food, of course. I’m sorry your outing was a bust, but it was so nice of Steve to take you. Maybe next time, you can plan lunch and a trip to the park, where you could take some pretty pictures. I think you’d enjoy that much better.
We don’t do any shopping for fun now…have not been in a thrift shop in ages, though we used to find our very favorite clothing there…go figure. Hubby said to me yesterday as we were talking about all the pure crazies out there now, that he wonders if the vax is causing this to some…whatever it is, it is scary to oldsters…and I worry about our kids and grandkids too!! Sorry your outing was disappointing…but hey, you got to go eat out with Steve…maybe that is all you should do, besides drives in the countryside etc in future!! That is all Hubby and I do together…he sits in the car when I shop as its just too hard dealing with his wheelchair in stores etc. IF he had a motorized one, maybe…but fortunately he is happy just to drive me and then go out to eat someplace. Although, mercy me oh my, where did all the REAL COOKS GO??
We’ve been doing Walmart ordering and picking up for a few years now. Same with Whole Foods. I just don’t go into grocery stores.
Two days ago a guy stabbed the Walmart greeter at the other end of town, took off and went about 30 miles and drove into some HS students killing one and injuring several others. It just makes no sense whatsoever.
I remember one day we were in Spouts, my daughter was with me and in her early 30s. Some creepy dude in say his 50s got upset with her because she wouldn’t smile at him and laugh at his stupid jokes. He was downright rude. It is a crazy world out there.
It is indeed a crazy world out there. Making me want to go out even less than usual.
I hope you don’t compare yourself Brenda to these people writing blog posts who must be out shopping all the time to find these things at thrift stores and dollar store. Young people do that but most of us are not like that. I am much happier seeing you repurpose something in your home and add a touch of greenery or a candle or beads or buttons to it. Much more practical than some of these over the top blogs.
It really isn’t fun doing a lot of things the last few years. Driving is not what it use to be with people texting and not paying attention and then purposely go thru lights and stop signs cause they think it’s their right.
I could go on and on about the changes now that others deem acceptable but it isn’t in my world so I stay put in my happy place too.
I just wanted to see what all the hoopla was about.
I thoroughly enjoy staying home in my own little world. I go out once a week to buy groceries with my daughter and to church twice a month.I am a homebody, and always have been!
We are content as homebodies and that is all that counts. If others judge us, then that’s just too bad.
I love getting out to go certain places, but going to the grocery store and spending at least an hour shopping for all I need just doesn’t make sense to me anymore. My Walmart, which dominates my small town does an excellent job of picking out great produce, I just can’t fault them for anything, and they bring my order out in less than 5 minutes if you check in before leaving home. The price is the same (I think) and saving an hour in my day means a great deal to me. Plus, I only have to carry heavy things like cat litter and dog food one time. Win-Win.
I totally agree. When you count your time (which is quite valuable), your car and gas, and then having to deal with people, it makes more sense to either do the pick up or delivery. Too much craziness out there.
Brenda, I’m looking for your post about the mini blinds you purchased for your kitchen. I need to purchase a set and I think the ones you bought were just what I’m looking for. Thanks.
Remember to get them slightly bigger. I’ll find the post and link it here. But here they are. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TCD25YW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
I think there’s a difference between thrift shops and, what I call, junk stores. Junk stores don’t have food or clothing. They have old stuff ususally, sometimes refurbished, sometimes not. Good prices that are negotiable. The bad news is that they are not orderly necessarily, depends. on the store. Lots of ideas for a craftperson!
I guess that may be it. I don’t mind things not being orderly.
Never did a curbside pickup but I find that I am going into stores less and less. Also, just don’t like driving on the streets. It seems there are MANY more cars on the road than just 2 years ago, and too many people are on their cell phones and not paying attention to driving. We went from Orlando to St. Pete recently and were stopped in bumper to bumper traffic. The young girl behind us was texting and ran into the back of our truck. Truck received no damage but the bumper fell off of her car. Thank goodness we were not in our car! The buttons in the picture are so cute—I could see them on a little linen shirt…I sew and am trying to use up my stash, which, like many sewists, is very extensive, but I am a sucker for cute buttons.
I love buttons too. They remind me of collecting marbles back in the day.
I , like you, use a walker. I’m mostly go to big box stores because have electric scooters that I use when I get inside. But mostly I shop online. I’m apprehensive about going to stores, and I can’t walk too far anyway! I never find anything good in thrift stores, and the YouTubers I follow find beautiful, gorgeous things, I find trash. Our experiences are alike, if that’s any consolation!
What do you do with your walker when you begin using their scooters?
Hi, I just started reading your blog..Ivy is a sweetie, and I’m going to try the pipe cleaner trick with my Chloe…..anyway as to getting out…well the world is scary, but going out shopping, or socializing is so much better for me, than staying home. I do my fair share of online shopping. I did take advantage of totally re-organizing, cleaning etc during the lockdown, but one can only rearrange a home so many times.
Not knowing your full story, getting around with a walker can be daunting, I have friends that aren’t fully mobile, but hopefully for you it’s temporary….now that the weather is improving, I can’t wait to get out more and start getting out the patio furniture, sprucing up the potted plants on my deck and just enjoying. But all that said you have to be true to yourself and decide where your comfort zone is.. everyone has their own limits and choices…..
I do my socializing here within this apartment community. I have wonderful neighbors all around me. Hopefully I will be back to doing things without a walker before long. Welcome to the blog community!
Interesting posts
I thought I was the only one staying home and enjoying it. Even grocery shopping tires me! I have reached the stage in my life where I have what I want and I enjoy using it.
Gosh Dianne, I couldn’t said it better myself. I agree 100%. We are blessed to have a comfy home.
I actually enjoy building a cart online at Walmart or Amazon, then taking things out and putting other things in. It occupies me and is a soothing task.
Stores seem way too confusing to me these days.
Luckily, there’s no real need to shop for anything except food.
Once a week is okay.
Every other week we stock up on more difficult items not always found online.
Ordering food at least twice a week is very costly.
My sister and I are grateful we can afford to live decently.
Enjoy meals.
Gotta keep working though.
I think about all the unfortunate people that cannot do the same.
Our world is very troubled.
Thinking about the future for us often is dismal.
I’ve read on people’s ig’s ,,,,,,,
to expect WW3.
Tense, very very tense and sensitive times we live in now.
I just felt slightly agitated and anxious once we left these places. I’m not accustomed anymore to so many people and so many things in my way. It was tiresome.
I know and understand exactly what you’re talking about, Brenda! I seldom go out and if I do it’s usually to do a curbside pickup. Lately, it’s been groceries or embroidery floss. LOL Last week I was criticized for staying in my car to pick up embroidery floss at Joann’s. The stores are messy, the employees are grumpy, customers will run you over – I just don’t enjoy going out anymore and find that I’m exhausted when I get home.
I, also, have been criticized for not being more social. I finally asked one person how my being a homebody is a affecting them. They could not answer my question and walked off. I’ve grown tired of “you need to get out more”. Why? I’m actually quite content in my own little world.
I could go on and on but I rambled enough.
Enjoy your day in your own little world, Brenda!
Why would you be criticized if it is an option Joann’s has for you? You just can’t listen to people. They think because we stay home we have to be depressed. On the contrary, if I had to go out a lot I really WOULD be depressed!
I don’t go out shopping very often, but I usually come home annoyed. Our thrift stores here in AZ where I’m at are horrid. They’re dirty and disheveled. The Goodwill here has stuff seriously thrown and piled on the shelves. It’s a joke, I go to WI where my mom is and it’s like night and day. A wonderful experience with neat finds. Then there’s the grumpy sales people, in addition, those that would rather be on their phone than drive; it’s just not fun anymore. I miss shopping. Different stores that carried different items. Now they all carry the same trendy stuff, or they’re just closed. I tend to prefer a TJ Maxx and the like, but they’re all far for me. It’s really a bummer.
I used to enjoy going into Marshalls, where I got the dishes. But I can shop most of these places online now. I can shop Home Goods on line too.