The VEB review— yardsale haul, foster kittens, boycott Canada Goose.
New Hampshire was a lot of fun for me… I really enjoyed meeting you people who are (apparently) sharing a brain with me.
I spoke about obsessive bargain hunting, and shared some finds I’ve been sitting on in the last months (so that I’d have something fresh to talk about).
Equally importantly, I got my eyebrows filled in evenly for three consecutive days.
I cannot overstate this miracle.
This is the only picture I have of me alone. It’s not even in focus, but I hesitate to use any photo with other people in it. (Even if I think it’s great, they might hate it.)
It’s also not a good photo of the fair, but I chose an offshoot of the big barn to hide while using the wand of narcissism selfie stick… I bought it last year for Lara’s wedding– I knew I was going to take a million pictures, and I wanted to actually be in some of them– it worked great, especially for taking group shots. But for research’s sake, I will tell you that using it alone, you will definitely feel like a moron.
Anyway. Yard sale!
Every fall our community has a townwide yard sale… it never disappoints.
You can see my purchases from past years here and here.
This year:
Trunk- $5
The hardware on the trunk is awesome, and was the reason I wanted it… but after I owned it for about 24 hours I realized it’s not truly me, so I sold it and put the cash towards Utah GFT.
Vintage wire laundry basket – $3
NOT a reproduction… Hello? S.C.O.R.E.
Pair mid century patio chairs- $10
I sold the patio chairs but kept the cushions because finding original, vintage patio cushions is HARD! And I really liked the color/pattern. And I’m a hoarder.
Tall vintage fan – $5
Doll pram- $2
I had one of these doll strollers before; I bought it to see if Elvis would tolerate a photo shoot (no) so I sold it. This one is twice as big, and again, I had fantasies of a kitten photo shoot (no).
The last one sold to a woman who was hosting a vintage-themed baby shower, and she was going to fill it with (insert something I cannot remember) but was a cute idea.
That was it for the big stuff… I also got some antique seltzer bottles and some random dishes to add to my collection of why-do-I-buy-these-things?
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What I’m reading:
Leeway Cottage, by Beth Gutcheon… I don’t know how I missed reading this before! I really liked it! Story of a marriage, set against WWII and a Maine summer colony.
A Little Love Story, by Roland Merullo… set in Boston. A little bit of old houses, a little bit of Boston, a little bit of 9/11, a little bit of monks, dementia, Cystic Fibrosis, and love… all that sounds like a TERRIBLE combination of story lines, but he does it really well. I think his writing is very subtle and sometimes amazing.
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Pathological fashion obsession:
These animal bangles: leopard, elephant… I think they look super vintage-y!
This is me texting my mother to say I arrived safely and my luggage came through so I didn’t get have to wear pajama pants.
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Foster kitty updates:
The adult foster polydactyl Kitty got adopted nearly right away! Her new mom took the time to email me and sent two photos of Kitty looking very satisfied, so I feel good about that!
The foster kittens finally got fixed last Friday… two of them have been plenty big enough to be fixed way before now, but one of the three was very sick and she didn’t grow for the longest time!
I could’ve gotten the other two fixed when they reached weight, but they LOVE being together and I hated to separate them! It seemed good for sick kitten to have as much love as possible!
They are all healthy now and are on the waitlist for a cage at a PetSmart adoption center.
They are adorable and sweethearts. And I will miss them! Walking away from their little faces in a cage is going to be pretty crushing.
Did we think about keeping them? Sure. I’m STILL thinking about it!
I will worry: do they have a wonderful home? do they miss their sisters? do they miss me and Paul? But there are MORE who need help.
The need is so great for foster families, that I think ultimately that will help me feel okay with it.
If you are able to get involved with your local shelter, I think you will find it so rewarding!
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My Soapbox: boycott Canada Goose.
The trendy popularity of Canada Goose jackets is unbearable to me… not only are they filled with down (I wrote about down in this post,) they are trimmed with Coyote fur.
Coyotes are trapped in the wild, and leg traps are still legal in Canada… these animals languish typically for 24 to 72 hours before the trapper returns.
Mothers desperate to get back to their starving pups will attempt to chew off their own limbs to escape.
Animals who don’t succumb to the elements, blood loss, infection, or predators are strangled, shot, stomped on, or bludgeoned to death when the trapper returns.
These are videos, taken by the trappers themselves… they are not gory. Just incredibly sad.
Equally sad is the trapper’s narration… saying things like: getting the kill on video will be “neat” for people to see. Seeming to not understand the grotesqueness of videoing yourself killing an animal who has one mangled leg in a trap.
THIS IS WRONG.
There is no justification for the enslavement of other beings.
FUR = SUFFERING
Please do not buy Canada Goose products. Please don’t wear fur. Please don’t buy down feathers.
Please tell your friends that these products are the result of innocent animal’s AGONY!
If you own fur, and you don’t want to wear it anymore, you can donate the fur to to a wildlife rehabilitator— they use it to warm and comfort orphaned and injured wildlife.
If you read all of this, THANK YOU. I know that these things are terrible to confront, but it is up to us to say loudly and unapologetically that THESE THINGS ARE WRONG AND UNACCEPTABLE.
October 26, 2016 @ 7:17 pm
So of course out of all of these replies, I am hoping you make your way far enough down to read and (hopefully) reply to mine! (Yeah, I’m greedy like that.) So, I was bummed and ecstatic not to have my Total FanGirl pic with you in the blog. It’s best you didn’t actually choose to post a picture of Coreena or I. We would lord it over each other for EVer. Thank you so much for coming to NH! Sage Farm antiques was fun and your lesson was very informative (widening my Craig’s List search to include Boston). Mostly it was just wonderful to meet you. You are just as gorgeous, smart and funny in person. Jenny
October 27, 2016 @ 11:29 pm
Victoria, thank you so much for your posts. I really appreciate you getting the word out on the realities so many animals are facing. Particularly eye-opening was your post about down feathers- I had no idea. That really changed things for me, so thank you. Also, I have to say that your initial post about your foster kittens got me talking to my husband about fostering dogs- he really wanted to have one again. Well, talking about fostering lead to adopting a dog within probably two weeks. Haha! And we have you to thank for it. Ruby is a fantastic dog-why would anyone ever give her up?- and she just fits right in to our family. Thanks, again!
October 29, 2016 @ 10:18 am
Thank you! I have a few of my grandmothers furs and just didn’t know what to do with them. This is a PERFECT solution!
October 30, 2016 @ 12:01 pm
I just found your blog and absolutely love it! Already shared it with my sister, and am looking forward to reading your old posts and following your new ones!
October 31, 2016 @ 10:41 am
I, (like many of your fans certainly) feel we share a brain as I read your blog. When I saw the vintage patio chairs I thought, “I would have to get up before the crack of dawn and beat everyone else to every sale.” Then I read your post from last year where you leave Paul in the dust to beat other shoppers and my feeling was confirmed. I would ask out of curiosity where you live, where this place of madness is that residents sell vintage red tartan clad doll prams for $2, but then you may have to resort to iron man type training prior to these sales to beat the crowds. Always a pleasure to live vicariously through you and enjoy your hauls!
November 2, 2016 @ 11:03 pm
Thank you for an update! I’ve been patiently waiting. Also, thank you for using your platform to bring awareness to animal suffering. The more people know, the more they will be able to make informed decisions. I’ll be looking forward to your next post!
November 3, 2016 @ 7:37 pm
Hello!
Totally late to the party email but this ad came up and I thought of you and your foster kitties! http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/pets/news/a40623/hoodie-snuggling-kittens/
November 4, 2016 @ 8:30 pm
Yes, yes, I am CHOOSING not to buy an $800 coat for ethical reasons, yes. But I could if I wanted!
Seriously though, those videos are very upsetting. So unnecessary.
November 5, 2016 @ 9:48 pm
I love reading your posts and especially when you include the PSAs to help bring awareness to animal cruelty, awareness is the first step to stop cruelty. Thank you for posting about that, and look at the comments from people who were not aware – you brought them awareness!
I DID get an email to let me know about your new blog post, but didn’t have time until now to read your entertaining post! 🙂
Have fun with the kittens! I think fostering is a wonderful thing to do! All the cats I have adopted were adults from animal shelters, my current pair, Oliver and Niki were at the Humane Society because their owner had passed away. They have been with me since 2008, and are such a loving pair.
November 16, 2016 @ 2:20 pm
Love the finds and your descriptions of Paul et. al.
Thank you for your fight for the animals.
November 17, 2016 @ 9:03 pm
Hi!!
I was born in Montreal and I experienced firsthand what it’s like to see an animal who was caught in one of these traps.
I always had stray cats and this one I named Tiger. He was a black and grey tabby cat. One summer we had a bad storm and I couldn’t find him to bring him indoors. By the 3rd or 4th day I knew something was wrong.
He showed up with a trap attached to his back leg. Mom rushed him to the vets. She heard him scream as they took it off. He was put on meds but nothing helped. One day he got out and never came back. 😭
I think I was 11 then and swore I would never allow any cat out again!! I was furious that they were aloud to use them at all!! As kids we were always playing in the woods. How they are still around is beyond me!! Those poor animals!!
I didn’t realize department stores still sell fur items. Thought they would have stoped by now!! Makes me sad and mad!!
December 4, 2016 @ 11:45 am
Hi…not sure if you have come to Utah or not yet…but I own a small shop, just north of Salt Lake. I would love for you too see our shop…we don’t have as big and fancy items as back east…but would love to entertain you for an hour… Cheryl (lost and found thrift, vinatge & antiques)
December 18, 2016 @ 10:36 am
You know how you feel about vent fans….. Ppl have freedom to decide what is right for them. I feel the same way about furs/feathers. Ppl have the freedom to decide what is right for them.
December 21, 2016 @ 2:07 pm
Hi there,
So maybe I missed it, if you already stated, and maybe you didn’t state it because you don’t want to be stalked,… but WHERE is your neighborhood yard sale, and can I come?!?!?! Pretty Please???? I am emptying out my apt due to a mold problem, and moving into a new one in the next few months,… so I will be looking for some new amazing things to own.
Help a girl out! pretty please. 😉
January 15, 2017 @ 10:47 pm
Victoria,
I hope you saw the article that Ringling Bros./Barnum & Bailey will have its LAST show in May.
Thank you for asking us to just be aware of the impact our lives, and the choices we make, have on our fellow creatures and other humans. I try to instill in my son that regardless of what he believes that my expectation of him is to respect himself enough to be able to articulate “why” and to be able to discuss those beliefs. There are always many opinions about every issue (I could discuss embroidery floss for days) but what I see in most of my fellow followers of VEB are very articulated responses that show they respect you and themselves. I feel that if the statement “we agree to disagree” occurred after respectful discourse by all parties, we would all be more respectful of our differences, that we all come from our own unique experience and have something to say. I have chosen to “follow” you because you speak in your own voice, you stay true to yourself, give beautiful examples of whatever you are discussing, and make me think, laugh, and sob in the space of four swipes.
AND
Thank you for giving me fabulous things to read aloud to my husband when we both have insomnia. Marital laughing is so therapeutic!! He wants to start a support group with Paul for “Husbands along for the Ride.”
Fondly,
“T” in Stockton
PS–yours is the first blog I have even considered subscribing to so it had to happen.