The Tiny Part

I bought a new car on Friday, and the Big Lug and I decided to take a long drive on Sunday, just to - you know - try it out.  Not only is the car the best of the 6 I had it narrowed to but the hunting wasn't bad either.  In fact, I've been on a tear; since last Thursday, there wasn't a yard sale or thrift shop or consignment store I hit that didn't have a good (at least) piece of gold or silver.  Until about an hour ago, anyway, which is why I'm not going to get pictures up this week - I'm exhausted.  I think I'm actually shopped out!

So the story today, is different.  On our ride last Friday, we stopped at a Goodwill we like about an hour and a half away.  As I was digging through a little bin (finding a couple of grams of 14K!) a lady came up with several CD cases.  The clerk asked if she'd checked to make sure they were there.  She hadn't, and when she did she found only two in their boxes.  When the Lug came up with his CDs (and checked them - all there since his taste isn't as current) I handed him my finds, we paid, and left.  I was steaming.

"You have to be pretty desperate, or pretty rotten, to steal from a charity shop," I growled.

About ten miles, later I heard what I said.  After all, I'd seen at least one of the earrings' marks before I paid.  Wasn't I doing the same thing?

Hey, relax, I'll spare you the wrestling match I had with my conscience.  Truth is, I rarely see the marks before I buy, unless it's over a certain price, in which case I'm guessing on the weight or the veracity of the mark or ... okay, I'll spare you most of the wrestling.  What came out of it was simple, though:  I haven't been stealing, I decided, but I have been uncharistically squirrelly.

Not that kind of squirrelly, the kind that stockpiles all kinds of crap, and not only nuts (shut up!).  I remembered it's not theft but thanks that keep things moving.  I've been forgetting to contribute to the flow instead of dam it up.

I took a box to one place yesterday - including gold studs, nice purses, and jeans still in the package (hey, you want good stuff, you plant good stuff!).  And I'm putting an empty box into my new trunk to fill gradually, and empty frequently (having someone else carry it in, of course, since I'm still in physical therapy for my back).  Like corn, I will cultivate, harvest, then return some to the earth to keep the crop growing year after year after year (even with the mixed metaphors).

I meant to post yesterday. I really did.  But I was chasing something, the last big (maybe) thing ... that turned out to be amazing ... a real OMG thing ... which you will see next week ...

Good to have you back, Twinscapes!