So *not* bizarre.

A couple of weeks back, I mentioned a local bazaar that turned out to be...well...bizarre. I'm sure there was a lot of good stuff before I got there (and a few diamonds in the rough remained when I got there, just no gems that I needed to take home), and since it was a fundraiser and all I wanted to buy. I did! But a lot of the stuff I saw wouldn't have made it through the Goodwill vetting process.

So as you can imagine, I was a bit skeptical when I saw this sign last weekend:

Though, as a bit of an obsessive compulsive recycler, I appreciated the fact that the sign had been around the block a few times. Don't you love the dates that look like they were crafted into new numbers two, maybe three times over? And that's *after* a piece of poster board was used to cover up even earlier dates? Kudos, ladies of St. Paul. Al Gore would be so proud!

I decided to go on Friday night to increase my chances of scoring, so I moseyed over around 6:45. And when I saw what was coming out the door, I was immediately kicking myself for not going when the doors first opened. Mirrors and rockers and linens...Oh my! Once again, the early bird got the worm (I heard there was a *line* by 5:30) and I apparently overslept.

I did manage to grab a couple of fun things:

That little tea caddy ($1) had to come home...because I already own "coffee" and "sugar." Score! The inside liner is cobalt blue and so lovely. I'll have to photograph the reunited trio.

The bag is fab-u-lous. For $3, I didn't even flinch. Take a look at the inside...

...I don't think it was ever used! Until I used it that night for a hot date with the mister and Uncle Dave (not really our uncle. Our friend. But kids dig him, so he's everyone's Uncle Dave.).

And the Hostess's Complete Handbook? Had me at "hello." When they said .50 cents, I think I stammered, "Are you sssssure?" (To put in context, Suzanne Somers' Eat Great, Lose Weight was $3.00.)

It's a 1950s handbook to happiness. Where else would you learn practical things like the importance of slabbing excessively fatty bacon on your "good looking" baked dish:

Or how to throw a "small, gay party":

I also bought (but forgot to photograph with my trio of goodies above) this 1940s juice jar which was on what I'll call the "good stuff table" and a total splurge at $7 (clearly St. Paul's has a hack in the congregation who knows that vintage kitsch is hot, hot, hot).

Even with that splurge my tab came to $11.50. The ladies were lovely (they worked it!) and deserved every cent for their efforts.