Quick scores ... and a big freebie.

**Early Bird** · 09-17-2005, 11:28 PM

I got some deals today!

To begin with, today was our first day back from vacation. (South Padre Island, yes, very nice.) I woke up before the rest of the family and decided to run out for bread and milk.

Three houses down was having a garage sale.

I spent $7 and bought
* a Hobermann sphere (DD#2 has been wanting one. So, here's a Christmas present for her!) Here's a picture from the web site:
http://hoberman.com/fold/Sphere/sphere.htm
* a nice pop-up book of butterflies
* a make-your-own-book kit (gift for DD#1)
* some small metal puzzles (for DH)
* mesh bag for washing socks.

Those are all hidden in my trunk.

Then the grocery store, and then, the thrift store.
Spent another $7 at the thrift store:
* set of fireplace tools ($5)
* canvas bag
* midsize Tupperware container
* a collapsable crate (very useful for hauling Sam's Club purchases home)

But here's the freebie:

I came home; DH was up. He had read about a good deal in the newspaper: the County Fire Prevention service was offering free firewood passes -- the public could haul away dead wood that had been cut in the forest.

Oh my! That was a job! We took the truck,with the trailer attached and got a load. Smart DH thought to bring a wheelbarrow. It took us from 12-5 to drive out there, load up the trailer, and drive home. And we still have to unload all that wood!

Lots of people were out in the woods -- and I imagine the closet-to-the-road logs had been hauled off. But we got a trailer-load. Hauled it through the meadow in our wheelbarrow, one log at a time. Some of those large log chunks had to weigh around 80 or 90 lbs. I couldn't manage them at all.

I think we'll be sore tomorrow. Which is sad, because I'd like to go out after church and get another load!

**SHOPGIRL** · 09-17-2005, 11:57 PM

I found great deals at the grocery store and at Walgreens today. Everything I bought was on sale. I even ended up getting a bunch of items for free after double coupons. The store had a buy one get one free sale. I stocked up on a bunch!