Georgetown Dorm Room

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Bailey Island, Freeport, Georgetown, ll bean, Potomac River

On Wednesday, darling daughter moved into her dorm room at Georgetown University! We picked up her dorm furnishings from storage in Maryland, stopped at various retail establishments to purchase additional necessities, and moved everything into the on campus apartment she is sharing with three other students this year. She is excited to be back at school! Here is her side of the shared bedroom:

I stayed with Jane this week at her beautiful house on the Potomac River! She has the most comfortable guest room! It was great staying with her! Thanks, Jane! I took this photo of the river when I left this morning at sunrise: 

 

That is Virginia on the other side of the river. When I walked into the yard, a bald eagle flew away from the tree on the river’s edge! 

I am at my parents’ house for the evening. Tomorrow we are all headed back to Maine where my brother and Nancy have been dog sitting for me. Here are Emma (left) and Etta (right) from this morning:

The other day, they went to LL Bean in Freeport, Maine:

 

And to Bailey Island, in Casco Bay:

I think everyone had a good time this week!

Yours, Merryweather

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Return to Georgetown

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Georgetown, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts

Darling daughter and I were aboard the 630 ferry this morning, headed to Portland for her return to school. She will be a junior at Georgetown this year!  

Tonight we are spending the night with my parents in Massachusetts. In the morning, we will leave for Maryland! We will spend tomorrow night at Jane’s house on the Potomac River! It is beautiful there. On my last visit, we saw a half dozen dolphins swimming down river! Amazing! 

On Wednesday, darling daughter and I will go to out storage unit in Maryland to retrieve her dorm stuff. When we moved to Maine, we left these things in storage as opposed to having them shipped to Maine to have to carry them back to Washington DC. Once we fetch the dorm stuff, we will be out of the storage unit business! 

Now that we are on the mainland, I am hoping there might be some foraging opportunities in some thrift shops both near mom and dad’s in Massachusetts and in Maryland. I have been going through thrifting withdrawals!!!

Yours, Merryweather

Organ Donation

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organ donation

Since I received my driver’s license as a teenager, I have designated that it is my desire to donate my organs upon my death. I have included this desire to be an organ donor in my will as well. Of course, I have let darling daughter know about my wishes to donate my organs.

Did you know that there are currently more than 123,000 people in the United States awaiting life saving organ transplants?

Sadly, the demand for organs far exceeds the supply. 

I can help. You can help. 

I am not sure where my desire to be an organ donor arose from, except the idea that, in my death, I could possibly help someone desperately needing help. In fact, my organs might help several people awaiting organ transplants. Organs and tissues that can be donated include the heart, kidneys, lungs, pancreas, liver, intestines, corneas, skin, tendons, bone, and heart valves. 

I recently read a New York Times article about a bride who was walked down the aisle at her wedding by the man who received her murdered father’s donated heart some ten years earlier. It is a touching story of how one family’s grace and generosity under terrible circumstances alleviated another family’s suffering, facing the imminent death of a loved one. 

In fact, one organ donor can save up to eight lives. I read on the Donate Life website that while 95% of Americans are in favor of being an organ donor, only 52% are registered to donate their organs. It seems we really need to get the word out about organ donation. 

There is lots of information available on the Internet about organ donation. Learn the facts and please consider the possibility of becoming an organ donor. 

Yours, Merryweather

Hollis Flea Market

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flea market, Hollis, New Hampshire

Yesterday Jane, my friend visiting from Maryland, and I hit the Hollis Flea Market in Hollis, New Hampshire! Jane and I both love a good flea market. In order to be at the flea market, which is about two hours from downtown Portland, at a reasonable hour we actually left the island Saturday night on the 915 ferry. There are no Sunday morning ferries leaving the island for Portland. This will definitely put a crimp in my flea marketing ways! Jane and I spent Saturday night at a hotel in Nashua, New Hampshire. 

On the drive to Nashua on Saturday night it rained cats and dogs. In fact, the weather forecast for Sunday was a crap shoot. Fifty/fifty chance of rain. Rain, of course, would cancel the flea market in which case we would be devising a Plan B on the fly. 

Sunday morning the skies were clear! No need for a Plan B. We got to the flea about eight. It was terribly hot and humid yesterday! It didn’t take long to begin to melt (i.e. sweat profusely). Yuck. 

We began the hunt. I noticed there were not as many vendors set up as previous times I had visited. Rats. My first purchase, for $6, was a cribbage board and two, new in package, decks of playing cards from the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. 

  
These vintage playing cards feature Brazilian hummingbirds:

  
Cribbage is the card game of my ancestors. My family loves to play cribbage. In fact, every morning at breakfast my parents play three or four hands of cribbage. I did not have a cribbage board here at the new place. I do now! When my family comes to visit, which I hope they will do frequently, we will be able to play cribbage!

Next up was a vintage Ironstone serving platter for $1. 

  
I collect these. They come in handy, especially when serving meals to visiting family! 

Finally, also for $1, one of those antique bottles with a sprinkler top to press clothes. 

  
I like to collect artifacts associated with the domestic arts. Then I like to use these artifacts when I practice the domestic arts. I like to say “domestic arts”. 

Jane bought a lovely floral patterned China dish for $1 as a souvenir of her trip to Hollis. 

AND THAT WAS ALL WE BOUGHT! 

We both exercised such restraint! I did see a taxidermied deer for $60 who could have been a furry friend for Skippy and Buck, my two taxidermied bucks currently hanging in the living room.  I saw lots of old bottles. I have a collection. But I passed on amassing more. I saw three Wedgewood transferware dishes in purple and white from my alma mater. Tempting, but I passed. 

Even though we didn’t buy much and in spite of the heat and humidity, we had a good time. There is something especially fun about trolling around a flea market, hoping to uncover hidden treasure! Truly, it is about the thrill of the hunt!

Yours, Merryweather

A Day of Shopping and Noshing in Portland

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Maine, Portland

Jane and I took the 825 ferry to Portland yesterday for a bit of sightseeing, noshing, and shopping. Upon reaching the mainland, we started off at the Holy Donut, home of the Maine potato donut, on Exchange street. We tried three: the maple bacon, coconut, and dark chocolate sea salt donuts. 

  
Deliciousness! 

Then we walked all over the Old Port, dodging in and out of shops and boutiques. Such fun! There were all sorts of interesting shops with all sorts of fascinating merchandise! Our first stop was, oddly enough, Urban Outfitters. 

  
I say “oddly enough” because I am certain I do not fit the demographic of their target customer! Nonetheless, I bought three things at UO. 

   
   
Three Led Zepplin record albums for our record player! A collection of Led Zepplin! I rock!!! I want to collect all the Led Zepplin albums ever recorded. I am ok with these reproductions, they don’t need to be original. These three albums are a good start!

Our ultimate destination of the morning was the Top of the Port Parking Lot where we keep our car, Mary Passat. We had some errands to do in South Portland. Namely, going to the Home Depot for an American flag to hang outside on the porch. I will take pictures once it is installed. 

South Portland is home of the Maine Mall and all sorts of retail establishments, including a Goodwill! We skipped the mall, but hit the Goodwill. I bought a bunch of tops which are currently in the laundry. I will post photos of the haul soon. 

After trolling around Goodwill, Jane and I were starving. I hate to admit in the foodie capital of New England we ate at the Cracker Barrel! In the interest of full disclosure, we went with convenience because, as I mentioned, we were starved! Now the good thing about Cracker Barrel is that there are shopping opportunities there! So Jane and I browsed the gift store. 

I found something I had been looking for at Cracker Barrel, of all places! I had been searching for a ceramic garden stool for the patio/house in the usual places, Pier One, Target, Terrain. I felt I could use a bit of moveable extra seating. Here is what I found at Cracker Barrel: 

   

 
I love the bird and flower motif! I can use this garden stool in the patio, living room, or bedrooms. I can stick it in the loo with a stack of towels. So versatile! Originally priced $70, it was marked down to $52! That is about half the price of the garden stools I had looked at online. And it is so me!!!

How is that for random? Shopping at Urban Outfitters and Cracker Barrel. Surely I must qualify for some sort of “diversity in shopping” special award for pulling this one off!  

Once we returned the car to the parking lot, Jane and I hit Gelato Fiasco for an afternoon pick-me-up before heading back to the island on the 545 ferry. I had the strawberry balsamic vinegar gelato. 

  
Absolutely delicious! 

All together, we walked four and a half miles yesterday on our shopping/noshing spree! I made a regrettable footwear choice in the morning which left me with my dogs barking! Lesson learned. Jane and I got back to the island and hopped into the golf cart for the quick drive home. I was pooped at the end of the day!

Yours, Merryweather

Special Surprise Project

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seashell, seashell chandelier

Jane, my dear friend from Maryland, arrived yesterday for a visit! It is so exciting to have her here! With darling daughter, we stayed up late last night talking. Today the weather was rainy. The perfect day to start our special surprise project!

I am a terrible blogger. I have a great “before” and “after” transformation project and I completely forget to take the “before” photos! Duh!

Here are some supplies though:

  
  
I love seashells! Jane loves seashells! Darling daughter loves seashells! 

What, you ask, is that tube of Liquid Nails doing there?

  
Why it is to glue tiny seashells all over a brass chandelier! 

Knowing I needed an upgrade to our current hallway lighting fixture in Maine, Jane gifted me the chandelier in Maryland and the movers brought it here. She carefully packed up a beautiful assortment of seashells. These came along in the move too. 

Today we prepped the chandelier by painting it with a coat of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old White. Darling daughter kindly did the Home Depot run for us for the adhesive. 

Then the fun began! After consulting a bit on design, Jane painstakingly glued the tiny pink shells to the bottom of the fixture. Darling daughter and I glued assorted shells to the bottoms of the light sockets. We have a lot of ground to cover!

  
The chandelier is balanced inside a wicker trash basket. We improvise all the time. 

Stay tuned! More updates to come as we design and implement a beautiful, unique, seashell encrusted chandelier for our new home in Maine!

Yours, Merryweather

Review (Part Two): Thredup

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Thredup

This morning my package from Thredup arrived! As I mentioned previously, I purchased a shirt, scarf, and shoes with credit I had received for a Clean Out Kit’s worth of clothes I had sent in to the online secondhand clothing retailer. I had browsed the Thredup website extensively before settling on these three items. 

I

Opened

The

Polka Dot Box…

First, the scarf. I paid $5.99 for this infinity scarf from Charming Charlie’s. 

  
I am happy with it! It looks the same as on the Thredup website. I spent more on it than I probably would have at a brick and mortar thrift store, though, where scarves are usually no more than $2-$3. Still, overall, I am pleased with this purchase. 

Next, the shirt. It is brand new with tags from Lord & Taylor. It is “T Sport” brand and cost $6.99. 

  
On the plus side, the shirt is black. On the negative, it is velour. The Thredup website described this shirt as being 90% poly/10% spandex. What the website failed to say was the fabric is velour. I had mistakenly assumed it was some kind of poly knit. My bad. If the website had specified velour, I would have passed. I was traumatized by velour track suits in the 70s and 80s.  Can’t even go there. I am disappointed. I will return the shirt for credit. 

Finally, the shoes. Patagonia for $20.99. 

  
Again, on the plus side, they are black. On the negative, they are opened toe.  I could not tell by the two photos accompanying the listing on the Thredup website that these flats had open toes.  I am not an open toe sort of girl. I am disappointed. I will return these shoes for credit as well. 

I have fourteen (14) days to send the merchandise back in for credit. The return postage is supplied by Thredup by printing out a shipping label, but the original postage ($5.99) is non-refundable. 

In the end, the scarf ends up costing me $11.98 ($5.99 cost plus $5.99 shipping). Not a great deal in my thrifty book. If the cost of the shipping was spread over several items, it would have been a better deal. Alas, it was not to be. 

In any case, I am going to make these returns and try Thredup again. I definitely feel at a disadvantage online thrift shopping. My purchasing decisions at thrift stores are usually informed by my close visual inspection and the way an item feels in my hands. Can’t get that input online shopping.  I still have credit and hope springs eternal. I will try Thredup again and let you all know how it works out. 

Yours, Merryweather

Review (Part One): Thredup

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Thredup

Recently I have begun using Thredup, the online secondhand, brand-name clothing selling and shopping service. Darling daughter got me started. Last semester at school she ordered a Clean Out Kit from Thredup to pare her extensive thrift store wardrobe down to a more manageable level. She mailed the kit in and got credit to either (1) cash out or (2) to spend at Thredup. Darling daughter opted for no. 2 and did a bit of online thrift shopping getting some lovely, preloved items from the thousands and thousands of brand name clothing items available on Thredup’s website. Easy peasy. 

For those of you who have been following this blog for some time, you know I am a thrift store maven. I have thrifted for years. I love to thrift! I thrifted both my own and darling daughter’s wardrobe for pennies on the dollar. It is funny to me that darling daughter was able to recycle her already recycled clothing! She earned handsome credit for pieces that I had paid $0.50 or $1 for! The girl is a genius. 

A Thredup Clean Out Kit is a large shipping bag with aqua polka dots and prepaid postage attached (shipping is free!). The bag holds a laundry basket’s worth of clothing, accessories, and shoes. During our recent relocation, we both purged out closets. We ordered several bags from Thredup, sending in the nice stuff while lightening the load to be hauled to Maine. 

I won’t lie about this part. It takes some time for the folks at Thredup to receive and process the Clean Out Kits. The first batch I sent in took about a month before I saw the credit in my Thredup account. I don’t mind the wait. I would have ended up donating the stuff otherwise. 

I sent a kit in last week and just received an email alerting me that it won’t be processed until the end of the month. Again, not a big deal for me. Thredup does a good job communicating via email with status. I appreciate that. 

I am not completely sure of the formula used by Thredup to calculate the credit. In my case, the $50+ I received was generous, especially considering what I sent in had been thrifted and I typically pay $1 or so for an item of clothing. 

In a nutshell, that is how you “sell” to Thredup. Now to the “buy” side. Go to the Thredup website and have at it!!! They have a nifty app, too, which I use religiously. Both the website and the app allow you to narrow the selections by size, brand, color, cost, etc to make shopping easier. 

Act quickly when you see something you like by adding the item to your shopping cart! The other day, I saw an Eddie Bauer long, fur trimmed puffer coat in my extra lovely size for $16.99!!! Before I could hit my shopping cart button someone else had scooped it up! Darn the bad luck. That coat would have been perfect for the ferry in the winter here in Maine. The hunt continues. 

Of course, you can shop even if you don’t have Thredup credit, as they accept PayPal and credit cards. As a bonus, I received a 40% discount on the first order I placed! Woo-hoo! The code I used was SUMMER. I ordered an extra lovely sized shirt (new with tags), a Charming  Charlie’s scarf, and a pair of Patagonia flats for $29.97, including a flat $5.99 shipping fee. Orders over $79 get free shipping! I should have my loot in a few days. I will take photos and let you know what I think of the merchandise. That post will be Part Two of my review.  

Now that darling daughter and I have relocated to an island in the middle of Casco Bay off Portland, Maine, my thrifting opportunities are somewhat limited. Thredup offers me the ability to thrift shop for brand name clothing online from the comfort of the couch! Seriously, folks, what is not to love!?!

Yours, Merryweather

Ice Pond Vistas

At dawn, I take our newly adopted English Labrador, Emma, for her morning constitutional around the Ice Pond at Historic Fort McKinley on Great Diamond Island. The vistas never disappoint. 

   
 
Across the way from the Ice Pond is the beach at Diamond Cove, and beyond the beach to the left side is the marina, and then, to the right, Cow Island. Sunrise at the far right. 

  
Yours, Merryweather

Bloomstudy Rug

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Antgropologie, Bloomstudy Rug

This lovely rug from Anthropologie arrived the other day. It had been back ordered. Emma, our newly adopted English Labrador, gives it four paws up!

  
  
Yours, Merryweather