Summer Fun on the Frugal

Summertime. It brings back all kinds of memories. Playing Grocery store in my garage or putting on a play, hopscotch and freeze tag with the neighborhood kids, sitting on the front porch reading. Riding my bike with my sister to the library to find another mystery to read . We had only one bike growing up and would share it. One of us on the seat and the other on the back pedal. Going to church summer camp for a week or 2 weeks. We would swim, ride in a canoe go to church of course , and best of all meet the new cute boys from the big city of Minneapolis. We would buy candy or chips and drink sodas that were so cold they were half frozen. We would playing for hours on end outside, coming in only for potty breaks and to eat lunch. I grew up in Duluth Minnesota and we lived 1 1/2 blocks from Lief Erickson park. Lake Superior was my front yard. My mother would pack us a picnic lunch and off we would go to sit on the rocks of Lake Superior. And of course going to the old downtown theater every Saturday morning to watch 3 Horror movies. Frankenstein, the Mummy, Dracula oh so scary.I hope that my 2 boys who are now grown men also have great summer memories from the past. And of course I hope that my grandchildren will some day look back to wonderful summer memories.But let’s face it, times have changed. I can’t fathom my small grandchildren going out to play all day long with what we now know about sun exposure. And in this post-Adam Walsh world we live in, I can’t imagine their parents sending them off on a bike to a day camp, park or library one or two miles away.I have come to the conculsion that you do not have to be a child to enjoy the summer. There are things we as adult's can do and still keep the cost reasonable. I will be searching for things that my husband and I can do this summer.We have a beautiful pool at our complex and already have been down there 3 times. But that is only 3 times in the month we have lived here. So one plan is to spend more time there. We love to search thrift stores for things to sell on eBay. I have compiled a list of thrift stores in the Houston area. From this list we have only visited about 10 of them. So we have many more thrift stores to visit. I love to wander old cemetaries. Just miles away I hear there is a wonderful cemetary in Richmond Texas with lots of history. That is on my list for this summer. Maybe I can find more interesting old cemetaries with history. We are not that far from Galveston, walks on the beach how great can that be.And of course there are the movies. We do not go to movies often, so this is on my "to do" list this summer. When we do go, we always go to the early movie that has reduced priced tickets. So I hope to see more than one movie this summer.As I was searching for movies I found that at theaters owned by Regal Entertainment, free movies are being offered every week from June 16th through Aug. 13th. In our area, the theater is offering its Free Family Film Festival on Tuesdays, Wednesdays. To top it off, the theater is offering a G-rated movie and a PG-rated movie so you and the kids could see as many as 18 free movies over the summer on the big screen. Some of the offerings at our local theater include Charlotte's Web, Kit Kittridge and Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium.Now that’s a great deal. Click here to check for a participating theater near your home. The selection of movies varies by location.So while you and your children are enjoying a movie hopefully dh and I will be next door seeing the latest Tom Hanks movie or what ever is playing at the time. Watch for future posts on fun adventures we are having this summer on the frugal. My picture is part of my back yard as a child. Lake Superior at Duluth Minnesota. Of course the picture is from the present.It is so built up with shops and restaurants. Not the same that is for sure. Hope that you will share with us some of your summer plans on the frugal. This post was put on my other blog site but I feel it fits here also. Watch for future blogs on fun adventures while still be frugal this summer

Traveling Iowa and Nebraska In Our RV

We are having a great time traveling across the midwest in our RV. Spooky is doing well spoiled as always. Here she pictured with the packages to go to the post office.

We have gone through Iowa and Nebraska so far. We try to get off the main highway and stop in the smaller towns for hunting adventures at thrift stores or antique stores.

We spent Sunday the 6th in Waukee Iowa at a RV campsite. Was crowded and sites to close together. So not as enjoyable as other campsites. Before camping for the night we stopped at a little cafe in Booneville, Iowa. Town is about 300 people, food was pretty good, waitress was friendly and enjoy meeting someone from California. Even found an antique store to wander around. Was dusty and disorganized. Owners seemed to be just biding time till closing. Not the kind of antique store we really enjoy but treasures can be found anywhere. Not here tho. Best part of Boonesville was the post office we stopped at. Had to do our mail before leaving on Monday. Postal clerk was friendly and helpful.

On monday we took off again towards home. Stopped for lunch in Casey, Iowa. Kathy owns the small cafe that has been open for 5 years. Air conditioner broke down and she was apologizing for that and having to raise her prices. Once again a very small little town, but a fun patriotic cafe. Owner had walls painted with memorials for 2001 and customers were friendly visiting with us, pointing out places to check out and posing for pictures. Lowell and I enjoy going to owner owned business rather than chains. We like to support the small business person as often as we can.

While traveling we try to stop at truck stops and spend the night every other night or so. Helps with the traveling budget. The farther west we go the higher the price of gas. We are now at $4.05 or so a gallon.

Tonight finds us at a small camp ground just 20 miles from Denver. We hope to spend some time seeing Denver tomorrow.

Good night for now and remember take an adventure or two. Life is to short.

THE THRILL OF THE HUNT

Lowell and I have enjoyed hunting for treasures at garage sales, thrift stores, estate sales, flea markets and auctions over the years. We buy something of interest and turn around and resell on ebay. Have done this for about 10 years and is great extra income. http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZturnabout01
Nothing can get the heart a pounding then to spot a rare first edition book at a sale. We have sold books for over 15 years and I still get goose bumps when I spot something special. We are spreading out into different areas of hunting since good books are getting harder and harder to find.

One of the delights of having the RV is the ability to stop and check out thrift stores in different parts of the country. We have hunted in California, Oklahoma , Illinois , Wisconsin and Minnesota so far.

A great past time while in Minnesota is to spend Monday evenings at Luther's Auctions in North St. Paul , Minnesota. Friendly people, food on the site from a Catering company and a treasure or two hiding in the bottom of a box. Recently found 2 Vintage high top boots and 2 White cotton ladies outfits all from the 1920's era among vintage linens. We now will be leaving Minnesota for California and I will miss those monday night outings. http://www.lutherauctions.com/. Check out the site and if you find yourself in the area stop in and say Lowell and Grace from California sent you . With all the people they meet they will probably say " huh" but so what I and you know I sent you.

We will visit the flea market at Elco New Market in Minnesota on July 4th then will say good bye to Minnesota till next year. We were there for Memorial day with friends David and Cheryl. My find of the day was a red and white swimsuit from the early 1900's. I showed it to the granddaughters and they thought it was the ugliest thing they have ever seen. I looked at this vintage swimsuit ( yes it does look like a clown suit ) and I saw fashion history.

If you are interested in finding flea markets or thrift stores around the country check out these sites. http://www.thethriftshopper.com/, http://www.keysfleamarket.com/ along with these sites and our GPS we are in hunting heaven.

We thought of closing our apartment before we left California but decided we should try Rving for a couple of months and make sure that we could live in such close quarters. It is crowded with boxes of items we have found, but I find enjoyment sitting outside at a picnic table with my computer.

We have enjoyed out time traveling, spending time close to the grandchildren, hunting different areas so we have decided to head back to California, give up our apartment, sell off most of our belongings and take the big jump of full time RVing.

Spooky the cat is not sure she likes this idea but I am sure she will put up with it and us as long as Lowell continues to give her Tuna , she is with us and she has her place at the head of the bed .

Well good bye for now. We are off to Canterbury Race Track in Minnesota to bet a couple of ponies, see grandchild #9 Carter and grandchild #13 Kennedy for the last time this year.

I will let you know how we did tomorrow.

Keep on with your own adventure.

Joke of the day ..

I've sure gotten old. I've had two By-pass surgeries. A hip replacement, new knees. Fought prostate cancer, and diabetes. I'm half blind, can't hear anything quieter than a jet engine, take 40 different medications that make me dizzy, winded, and subject to blackouts. Have bouts with dementia. Have poor circulation, hardly feel my hands and feet anymore. Can't remember if I'm 85 or 92. Have lost all my friends.But.....Thank God, I still have my Florida driver's license!