Making Good Use

A Mixed Bag

 I've had a mixed bag of finds this weekend.  The above photo probably sums it up quite well - the first of the Millenium Trilogy books by Steig Larsson and a new pair of washing-up gloves, both 30p, both from the same car boot seller.

 
The usual selection of toiletries - probably got nearly enough to see me through the car-boot-sale-less winter season now but I'm pretty much unable to resist a nice shower gel or soap when they're uber cheap.  The Boots shower gel was 25p (I think) and the small Johnsons Baby Shampoo was 50p - P uses this shampoo daily so that was a useful find for him.

 
Two boxed sample sized Lancome Genifique Youth-Activating Concentrate - 30p each - much as I could probably do to make use of this myself, I've listed them on eBay.  And two travel-size Burt's Bees items - one shampoo bar and one shower soap - 10p for the two.  They've both been listed on eBay already too.  Also found, and already listed, was a beautiful size 28 Ann Harvey top for £1.50.  Pity it's too big for me as it's a lovely top but, hopefully, it'll fetch a good price on eBay.

 
Then this morning at the 'Coffee and Jumble' in the local church hall (yay, glad it's back up and running again after a six-week summer break,) I found these beautiful old costume dolls.  They're quite large, approx. 18 inches tall, and beautifully dressed.  They were £1.00 each and I'm hoping they'll sell well on eBay eventually.

I've linked this post to Apron Thrift Girl's 'Thrift Share Monday.'  Pop over and see the amazing thrifted find ATG had this weekend. 

The Best Things in Life are Free

I do think it's true that (some) of the best things in life are free - like this uber-stunning sunset this evening.  All the wispy high clouds were turned a beautiful peachy-pink by the rays of the setting sun whilst the sky became a paler and paler blue. What a glorious sight and all laid on for free by Mother Nature.

An Extraordinary Boot Sale Find

I set off for the Thursday car boot sale this morning in the hope that I'd find a few more tops for my nephew, which I did - two long-sleeve T-shirts, one short-sleeved one and an over-the-head Le Coq Sportif hooded top (all 50p or £1.00 each) and possibly some more toiletries for my stocking-up-for-winter hoard

 
Which I also found - Slazenger Spa shower gel, Me to You shower gel, and Body Shop Coconut shower gel - all three for £1.00, plus a pot of Body Shop Almond Oil Hand Rescue, brand new, £1.00.

 
What I had not expected to come home with was a fab-u-lous new handbag for myself.  Now, I'm not really a shoes and handbag sort of gal - most fashionable shoes would never fit my swollen hooves in a million years, and I'm quite happy with my Birkenstock sandals in the summer - and handbags, well, they're alright but they don't really float my boat.  Except Radley handbags.  I just L-O-V-E Radley bags.  I don't know what it is about them that I find so appealing - although I think the Scottie dog logo may have something to do with it - plus the fact that they are very stylish and very well made.

 
So, when I found this little beauty for sale I had a sneeking suspicion it would end up coming home with me.  When I first found it I asked the price and it was £20 - which is fair enough for a Radley bag (apparently it had been £25 earlier in the morning).  I hummed and haa'd and put it back and carried on looking round.  On my way out I went back and asked if the seller would accept an offer (not something I usually do at a boot sale) and we eventually agreed on £18.  The seller told me it had originally cost over £100 - which I can well believe as anything made by Radley is tres expensive.  I am thrilled with it - although really shouldn't have been lashing out £18 on anything at the moment as my finances are a bit the worse for wear.  But, blow it, for once I was going to treat myself and I'm blooming glad I did.

September Sunshine

 
Well, September has started in a glorious blaze of sunshine and clear blue skies - how different from the majority of August - and, finally, my tomatoes are starting to ripen.  I only had two small 'patio' tomato plants this year as I kept hoping we'd be moving house before it would be time to harvest them.  Sadly, that hasn't happened.  If I'd known we'd still have been here in September I'd have planted half a dozen full-size tomato plants too. 

 
The apple tree is groaning with fruit even though I've already used a heck of a lot in apple crumble, apple pie and good old stewed apple.  I'll bag some up and give them to the next-door neighbours and I think I'll have a go at the apple chutney recipe Caroline let me have a few weeks ago.  I'd also like to go blackberrying sometime this weekend (if this glorious weather holds) and then I could make some blackberry and apple crumble (my favourite) and, perhaps, some blackberry jam. 

The plum harvest has been very sparse this year but I did spot a cluster of really nice plums on Sunday when I was picking in some apples.  P had to do the honours of getting them off the tree as they were really high up and needed a step ladder to reach them.  They've been stewed up and turned into a plum fool this morning.

I'm still cutting salad leaves at a very steady rate although the dank August weather means they're definitely of the 'micro' variety at the moment.  Nihil desperandum though, I'll sew a few more seeds of these in the hope that they'll keep on growing up until the first frosts.  I have to say I'm not looking forward to the day when I have to start buying salad again - the last bag of salad leaves I bought tasted positively rank compared to my home-grown ones.