Dumpster diving and other treasures

Today I finally got 'girls day out' with my friends Joanne and Brenda. It actually started Friday night in a way. Joanne had a lia sophia jewlery party and invited a bunch of friends. I, being cheap, didn't buy anything but did enjoy a nice glass of wine after my frazzled day getting Arianna to the pediatrician (see below). I ate food and chatted with the folks that were there. The majority of them were my ex-coworkers from RI Hospital (thats how Joanne and Brenda and I met) and it was fun catching up with them.

This morning I work up early to get to Brenda's house in Sharon by 9 AM. We then drove up to Wellsley to their annual church rummage sales. Wellsley is a very "elite" town in Massachusetts. You can't buy a house there for less than $500k and I didn't see a single older model car there.

There were several churches that have rummage sales, and being Wellsley they have fairly high quality stuff for sale. Now I'm not a rummage sale person, but boy did I have fun!

I bought Arianna lots of books. I also found an old set of cusinaire rods, which I used in perochial school to learn my numbers:


I was having a conversation with my coworkers last week about helping your kids with school work and my boss Jeff, who has 3 teenage daughters, told me they spend alot of time helping their two youngest with math because they were taught under this new way, coincidently called 'New Math' and he doesn't feel its the correct way to teach them. So I figured since the cusinaire rods helped me, they can probably help Arianna too - because if she takes after Mommy she'll have alot of trouble in math.

I got some books for myself and even found some great deals on vinyl records! I found a Talbots brand dress in great shape - real cute for $3!! I also got a Lands End button down stretch shirt for $1! I found a water dispenser for the cat and a bunch of toys for Arianna. I spent less than $20! I was so psyched!

We then went to Papa Razzi for lunch where I had a salad (and tiramisu - heck on Tuesday I lose all my food so I'm gonna have dessert! hehe).

After lunch we were driving Brenda's friend Karen (who was joining us) back to her car and passed by the last church we were at. They had taken all the stuff that didn't sell and literally threw them in a big dumpster!! At least the other churches were donating them. The last church had a bunch of really nice toys so I told Brenda I wanted to go back and they laughed. After we dropped Karen off we went back.

There was a guy with two small boys there rummaging through the drumpster too. Now don't think that the dumpster was a filthy one - it wasn't. This is Wellsley after all! It was filled with everything that didn't sell. I jumped up and jumped in. Brenda followed me and we passeed stuff down to Joanne. Brenda found a snap-n-go stroller and walker for her sister who is expecting in 8 weeks. I found the steal of the century: A Britax carseat in fabulous shape!

We need another car seat for Shawn's car for when Arianna outgrows her infant seat (which, at this rate will be next year). I have a Britax Decathalon for my car - it cost $300! So finding a used one, in such good shape, is a steal!!!

Just as we were finishing up a woman in a 2007 Suburban drives into the parking lot and starts screaming: "Get out of the dumpster! Did you hear me, get out of the dumpster! This is Wellsley!" I wanted to die laughing. I wanted to put on my white trash boots and kick her tires. Why did she care that we were dumpster diving. She hopped out of her car (probably a lease) and started throwing this other guys stuff back into the dumpster. We were getting out of there at that point. She then got on her cell phone and started calling the police! I'm sorry, but, if at any point in my life I get as uptight and self-righteous as this lady, someone shoot me.

We drove home and I showed Shawn all my great steals; he was impressed!

So Joanne, Brenda and I agreed that this had to be an annual 'thing' for us. I'm not a rummage sale kinda gal but I could do this every year! High quality, cheap prices, expertly organized. Yep, I'm there!