Tag Archives: Shopping

Doing My Part One Book At A Time

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The nice thing about being a reader is that this simple act allows you to move freely through time and space without leaving your chair.

The nice thing about the internet is that you can shop for books without leaving your house.

I’ve been doing my part to stimulate the economy and to support small businesses by buying books from the website Alibris.com. It’s sort of like Amazon for books only it’s mostly small booksellers. You can buy new or used and so far, I’ve found fair prices on everything I have wanted to buy.

In fact, every title I have purchased so far has cost between .99 and $2.99 for both hardbacks and softcovers. New and newer books obviously cost more. You do pay to ship but it’s typically $3 or $4 and some retailers will reduce your shipping costs if you buy more than one item from them.

You can search by title, author or ISBN. You can also browse by topic or store. The books are listed by the store and include full descriptions including condition and edition. This is helpful because you may want the newer reprint of an older book.

So far, I have no complaints about condition or quality. If you’re accustomed to free and quick shipping from Barnes and Noble or Amazon, this can take a little longer but not by much.

I try to buy from small Ohio booksellers although the only chain stores I have seen listed are Half Price Books.

There are few bookstores in my area and they’re all closed right now. Plus, I like supporting the mom and pop stores. Even though my orders are never for a lot of money, I hope that it all adds up!

Meanwhile, my reading stack is piling up again and I look forward to opening my mailbox every day. And I always say that having something to look forward to is a key to happiness!

Plus, instead of adding them to my bookshelves, the new titles are stacked together in my laundry room and when I’m ready for a new book I go “shop” the new stack!

Post Covid Bucket List: Antiques Village

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It’s not a village and they don’t just sell antiques but Antiques Village is one of my favorite places to search for treasures. It’s in Dayton and I’ve been going a couple of times a year for the last two years.

It appears to be an old grocery store in a strip mall and it’s packed with over 350 vendors selling antiques, crafts, reproduction items, books and all manner of other fun things.

You can absolutely get lost in a place like this.

If you’re a record collector like me, there are tons of records here. I’m actually ashamed to say how many albums I’ve bought here so we won’t dwell on this topic. . .

One large corner is devoted to books which are sold to benefit a local charity. There’s a vendor that specializes in vintage clothing, hats and bags. Their prices are a bit high but it’s a fun booth to browse. Plus there’s lots of furniture and a couple of booths with high end farmhouse decor that I always admire but that doesn’t fit my personal style.

And then there are the more traditional antique mall kind of booths where you find everything but the kitchen sink.

It’s Covid closed right now but when things open up, I’m thinking this will be a day trip. If I can time it right, maybe I can stop and see my pilot friend for a ride in one of his vintage biplanes. There’s a restaurant in downtown Dayton that can make a vegan version of almost every menu item so that will be a must as well.

Click here to visit their website for locations and hours.

There are tons of vendor malls, junk shops, record stores, book shops, and antique stores that will be grateful for our business including many in my own area. Don’t forget to give them some business when you can!

What’s on your bucket list when this is all done?

Preparedness

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I grew up in the country.

We were a single car family for a lot of my childhood so my mother went to town just once a week to do all her shopping. Back then, gas stations were closed on Sundays and there wasn’t a Dollar General in every hamlet across the country so, if you ran out of something, you likely did without until the next grocery trip.

I still live in the country but work in a town with a pharmacy, grocery, hardware and a couple of dollar stores. However, I attempt to limit my stops at the store, making a point to never need anything.

There are always plenty of supplies in my home – from toilet paper and rice to frozen vegetables and cat litter, I try to always have a supply of essentials on hand. This is especially true in the winter because you never know when you might be snowed in for a few days.

That’s probably why it’s so shocking to me to realize that other people don’t do this. Those who keep only a five day supply of food on hand are not my people. Those who could eat out of their pantry and freezer for a few months are.

And no, I’m not a hoarder – I tend to only keep what I can use – and bargain shop to get it. After all, if you don’t need something today, you can afford to wait for a sale later.

So I’ve been watching with interest as friends fearfully stock up on supplies like it’s a fresh concept. Last night I made one of my two monthly trips to Walmart. The goal was to pick up regular list items and to gather a few extra supplies I would need in a time of sickness or quarantine – Morningstar sausage patties, vegan chocolate chips, tissues, Clorox wipes, and cat food were on the list.

After all, if the zombie apocalypse is going to happen, we can’t have Scout going hungry!

You can see where people’s priorities are. As I suspected, the selection of toilet paper was picked over and the shelves nearly cleared of soap, Clorox wipes, bleach and other cleaning supplies.

The store seemed busier than it should be on a Tuesday night and it made me wonder if people are just out doing their normal thing or if they’re stocking up for the COVID-19 which will inevitably hit all our neighborhoods soon.

In case you’re looking for some friendly advice, I suggest always keeping the house stocked as though you might not be able to leave for a few days – not because of this virus but because things happen. Your car breaks down, you get a nasty stomach bug, there’s a snowstorm- any number of things could keep you at home at any time.

That means it’s always a good idea to have soap for hand washing and food for the whole family including the four legged kids.

And one last thing, fellow adventurers. Stay safe but don’t live in terror. Practice good hygiene and protect your personal space in public. If you’re sick, don’t go places where you might spread germs like work, public events or school. And if you know someone with a weakened immune system, offer to run their errands so they don’t have to be exposed to the germs of the masses.

But please, don’t stop living for fear of illness. Go live your life and do your thing within reason. This too shall pass.

What Are They Discussing?

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Anyone else remember when people dressed up to leave the house? Heck, forget dressing up. At this point, I would be happy just to make it through the grocery store without seeing people in their pajamas.

These days have passed but this is a great picture. What do we think they’re talking about? I’m guessing it’s not saltines and frozen fish!

One Month Down

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January is typically a quieter time for me but this month has been extremely low key. I’ve been home a lot – stress has played a big role along with weather which has made it difficult to get outdoors for hikes.

This has actually made my No Spend Month a little easier. If you stay home (and away from your favorite online retailers), there’s little temptation to buy stuff you don’t need. Even still, I did have some unplanned purchases – a work function took me to a cute vintage shop which I wanted to support. So I spent $21 on two cute hats.

I ate out more than I wanted because of work travel and ended up exceeding my grocery budget as well. This was mainly because I found some deals that will save money in the long run. Even still, I ate well and came in under what I would normally spend on groceries.

There were a number of opportunities to shop for entertainment, to pick up clearance deals or seek out vintage treasures. However, I was so busy doing other things that I don’t feel like I missed out on anything.

I did buy tickets for a couple of upcoming local shows that I really want to see and I’m ok with that.

Perfection isn’t nearly as important to me as “good enough.” And I did good enough.

My little cat is happy having me home more and I’m better read, having plowed through a big stack of books in January.

I didn’t focus on exercise nearly as much as I wanted, opting instead for more rest. The treadmill isn’t nearly so inviting as the open trail.

In all, January feels like a success. It has been pleasant enough that I’m planning to continue through February with some new exceptions to the rules.

So, there you go. One twelfth of the year is now complete. One twelfth! How quickly did that pass?

The Chair

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This chair was for sale in an antique store near Kenton, Ohio. It’s actually in a cute little town called Mt. Victory that boasts several antique stores.

I didn’t look at the price because it wouldn’t fit in the car but can’t get out of my head that I need a chair like this. Wouldn’t it make a great reading chair? Is it bad that I’m still drooling over this chair almost a month later? I’m in vacation saving mode now so there will be no chair acquisition in my immediate future but it’s nice to dream.

That exposed brick wall is awfully nice too.

It’s so important to have a great place to relax in your home. What’s your favorite room like? Tell me in the comments! I’m always looking for ideas to cozy up my home!

If you’re in the Mt. Victory area, it would be worth a stop to check out their antique stores! The drive-in theater with the great sign is nearby too!